Air America morning show: Armstrong Williams interviews Richard Viguerie

[HamdenRice]

Sorry, but AAR has finally lost me. I didn't quite figure out what was going on when I tuned into the station the other day and didn't hear Rachel Maddow on their new station, WWRL 1600 AM, their so called flagship station in New York.

But this morning, I realized this was not a fluke. Their morning show is hosted by Armstrong Williams, the African American conservative who, it was disclosed in one Bush scandal, was actually getting paid by the Bush administration to push their propoganda as a journalist. The co-host is some guy named Sam Greenfield.

So this morning it dawned on me that I was actually listening to AAR's morning show, and then I realized who the guest was: Richard Viguerie, ultra conservative, sometimes called the father of the modern conservative movement. The topic? Why Bush is not a true conservative and what the conservative movement needs to do next.

Then they have the nerve to go to a commercial break and identify themselves as Air America, the home of progressive talk????

At this point, I realized I am only listening to AAR to support their cause, not because I actually enjoy their programming. They got rid of one of the greatest radio shows of all time -- a show that was heading toward legendary Bob & Ray status -- Morning Sedition. They have canned Mike Malloy. Now they have gotten rid of Rachel Maddow, at least in New York. So what's the point of listening? Al "dead air" Franken? Jerry Springer, whose show is morphing from liberal politics to a radio version of the TV Jerry Springer Show?

I am really sorry, but what's the point of listening? In New York there is a real progressive listener funded station, WBAI.

AAR, if you are going to program a paid propoganda operative of the Bush administration to interview Richard Viguerie, you've lost this listener.

[rfranklin]

1. Is it an early April Fool's Joke?

Ya gotta be kiddin'!

[HamdenRice]

2. No I'm dead serious

But you are right, it is actually that unbelievable.

[peaches2003]

3. NY station's programming, not AAR's

There is another thread explaining that in order to get the new 'flagship' station in NYC, AAR had to agree to letting the station pick and choose their programming from the AAR schedule. The station is allowed to NOT have all the AAR programs and to broadcast other programming of their choice. Armstrong Williams is one of the choices of the station and they are substituting his show for AAR programming during this morning time period.

Outrageous contract for AAR to have signed, but evidently it was all they could get. Some 'flagship'!

[NJCher]

4. pathetic

Cher

[HamdenRice]

5. I realize that but ...

If they are going to have an ultra conservative morning show they should not identify themselves as Air America "progressive talk" during those hours.

But the bigger point is, what's to listen to anymore?

[peaches2003]

8. Your gripe is with AAR

The station is only doing what AAR allowed when they signed the contract w/ the station. Your complaint should be w/ AAR, not the local NYC station.

[muesa]

15. This contradicts your append #3

The local station owns the FCC license and can put on anything they want unless AAR BUYS the time slot. The time slot may not have been for sale.

In the true blue, San Francisco-Berkeley-Oakland market, AAR's broadcaster, KQKE, has more liberals then the "other" progressive station - KGO. After Bernie Ward and Ray Taliafero - you have "moderates" (Karel, Jon Rothmann, RJ Perimun) and Conservatives (Wattenberg, Owens, etc.) on KGO. And that's the San Francisco-Berkeley-Oakland market.

And KQKE's morning host is former Mayor Willie Brown (who I like)

[Hogbak]

20. True AAR programming

If you have access to a computer then you can play the REAL AAR 24/7 through Windows Media Player.

Copy the following text into Windows Notepad and save it with the name "AirAmerica.wpl". Then double click the newly saved file. Media Player should fire up and AAR should be coming from your PC speakers in a few moments. Minimize Media Player so it continues to run in the background.

<?wpl version="1.0"?>
<smil>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Windows Media Player -- 10.0.0.4036"/>
<author/>
<title>Air America Radio</title>
</head>
<body>
<seq>
<media src="http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=airam/airam/wmlive/livea.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx"/>
</seq>
</body>
</smil>

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Aren't you forgetting the co-host, Sam Greenfield, progressive

voice to balance the conversative views of Armstrong Williams?

[Kahuna]

13. I like Greenfield. But it's like having to put up with Monica Crowley..

to get to listen to Ron Reagan, Jr. NO THANKS!!!! :puke:

[quiet.american]

7. AAR seems to have committed suicide in New York. n/t

[dharmabum65]

9. AAR is a huge disapointment!

Im furious about thier firing Mike Malloy due to his passion,and a predeliction for telling the truth about issues that make all of the wimpy centrists very nervous.It was an act of complete cowardice.Then they go and hire Armstrong Williams,who is an unethical and disgraced right wing shill.They obviously have utter contempt for thier listeners!

[peaches2003]

11. AW not hired by AAR

AAR didn't hire AW, the station has a contract with him and AAR agreed to let the station call itself the AAR flagship, yet broadcast a paid employee of the Bush Administration.

[Nickster]

12. AAR didn't hire Armstrong Williams. They moved to the new radio station

and that station has contract committments to Williams. Once those obligations are met, then they will move Williams out. It's the same thing that happened when AAR moved to XM originally. They had committments to Colmes and Ed Schultz, once that was straightened out, they moved in the proper AAR lineup.

[muesa]

17. AAR didn't hire AW

the local station in NY did.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

10. We can't help you with a morning show . . . yet

But from Noon to 10 p.m., you do have a real, progressive alternative.

Check out the Head-On Radio Network on-line. www.headonradionetwork.com

We've grown the network from one show and fifteen hours a week to five shows and fifty hours. And we've done it in under a year. The next step is going after terrestrial radio markets.

[DeeDeeNY]

14. You can still get Rachel Maddow in the mornings

but only through computer, and only until Sept. 18, when she leaves that time slot.
Whoever is making decisions at AAR is doing an awful job. They should never have let Mike Malloy go, and certainly should not have made a deal with a station where Armstrong Williams is a permanent fixture in the morning slot. And for anyone living outside of the immediate NYC area, the radio reception for 1600 is almost nonexistent.

[NYCGirl]

18. It's not like there's a lot of stations — the choice is no NYC AAR, or

NYC AAR with an existing morning show contract.

[DireStrike]

16. So this is because of the station and the contract... ok, but...

What the hell was wrong with the old station? I can see no way in which this new station and contract benefits the network.

[NYCGirl]

19. The old station contract ran out and the station didn't want to renew. NT