Bill Press: The Truth Behind the Corporate Conspiracy to Silence Progressive Talk Radio

[democracy1st]

Another Right-Wing Conspiracy in Washington?

By Bill Press
Sunday, February 8, 2009; Page B08


If you're looking for a break from those conservative voices that dominate talk radio, take time out today to listen to local station OBAMA 1260 AM. You'll hear the progressive voices of Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, Lionel -- or, during morning drive, my own "Bill Press Show" -- providing welcome relief from the constant Obama-bashing by Rush Limbaugh and others. Unfortunately, today's the last day you'll be able to do so.

As reported by The Post , Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting Co., owner of OBAMA 1260, has announced plans to jettison all progressive talk and replace it with pre-recorded financial advice programming.

The commercial use of public airwaves is supposed to reflect the diversity of the local community, but that's not how it works in Washington. On the AM dial, WMAL (630) features wall-to-wall conservative talk. So do stations WTNT (570) and WHFS (1580). For the past two years, OBAMA 1260 -- even with a weak signal that cannot be heard in downtown Washington -- was the exception. No longer. Starting tomorrow, our nation's capital, where Democrats control the House, the Senate and the White House, and where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to one, will have no progressive voices on the air.

To mollify critics, Red Zebra has said it will add Ed Schultz to its conservative lineup on 570 AM. This means Shultz will be outgunned in this market by at least 15 conservative talkers: Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, Chris Plante, Michael Smerconish, Michael Savage, Andy Parks, Fred Grandy, Bill Bennett, Monica Crowley, Bill O'Reilly, Dennis Miller and Lars Larsen. No matter how good Schultz is, that's not a fair contest -- nor a fair use of the public airwaves.

Unfortunately, what's happening in Washington reflects what has happened in one city after another across the country. In Miami, Clear Channel recently dumped progressive talk for sports: Clear Channel stations made the same move in San Diego and Cincinnati. Sacramento abandoned progressive talk for gospel music. In fact, according to a study released by the Center for American Progress and Free Press, there are nine hours of conservative talk for every one hour of progressive talk.

Why? Station owners complain they can't get good ratings or make any money with progressive talk, but that's nonsense. In Minnesota, independent owner Janet Robert has operated KTNF (950 AM) profitably for five years. In Madison, Wis., WXXM, 92.1 FM, just scored its highest ratings ever. And KPOJ in Portland, Ore., soared with progressive talk from No. 23 in market ratings to No. 1. Nationwide, progressive talkers Randi Rhodes, Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller have proven that, given a level playing field, they can more than hold their own in ratings -- and make money for their stations.

In fact, the only reason there's not more competition on American airwaves is that the handful of companies that own most radio stations do everything they can to block it. In many markets -- witness Philadelphia, Boston, Providence and Houston -- they join in providing no outlet for progressive talk. In others, as in Washington, they limit it to a weak signal, spend zero dollars on promotion and soon pull the plug.

Companies are given a license to operate public airwaves -- free! -- in order to make a profit, yes, but also, according to the terms of their FCC license, "to operate in the public interest and to afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of issues of public importance." Stations are not operating in the public interest when they offer only conservative talk.

For years, the Fairness Doctrine prevented such abuse by requiring licensed stations to carry a mix of opinion. However, under pressure from conservatives, President Ronald Reagan's Federal Communications Commission canceled the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, insisting that in a free market, stations would automatically offer a balance in programming.


That experiment has failed. There is no free market in talk radio today, only an exclusive, tightly held, conservative media conspiracy. The few holders of broadcast licenses have made it clear they will not, on their own, serve the general public. Maybe it's time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine and bring competition back to talk radio in Washington and elsewhere.

-- Bill Press

Washington

The writer, host of "The Bill Press Show," is working on a book about talk radio.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020602511.html

[mmonk]

1. True. Somewhat the same in TV.

[pilsner]

2. Columbus

has about 6 conservative talk stations and 4 sports talk. The whole state of Ohio has zero progressive talk stations.

I'm proud of Bill Press for swinging for the fences regarding this issue.

[Enthusiast]

23. And it is reflected in the political

beliefs of the white-male population of central Ohio. I seldom talk with a man that isn't a rabid Reich Winger, where I live in Ohio. They repeat ever word they hear on the radio. It is enough to make you sick.

[truedelphi]

39. Maybe it is time for WAWT - All women Talk all the time

I mean, talking is one of the thigns that we women do best.

SO why isn't there a woman owned, woman produced, woman hosting radio station out there somewhere!

[EnviroBat]

45. Yep. I generally despise the populace here.

Bunch of RW, Hillbilly asshole's who think a new SUV is a symbol of great status. Hell, even the white-collar professionals are nothing more than closet red-necks. Stupid surrounds you everywhere you go here. Now they want to spend 165 million dollars to demolish a 120 million building downtown to build an "urban park". This will no doubt be over-run with the fucking gang-thug wannabe's pukes within a years time, and no one will ever take their kids there. They could have used that building for a central hub to a light rail system which Central Ohio desperately needs. The traffic is so fucking bad here that it often takes 2 hours to drive 16 miles. If I didn't have a great job with the University, I'd get the hell out of this fucking plastic city with it's shitty people.

Fuck Columbus Ohio.

[Enthusiast]

83. EnviroBat, it is as

bad in surrounding cities and even worse in Cincinnati.

Anyone that doesn't know what we are talking about just check out http://forums.the-ozone.net/offtopic/index.pl

And I'm a Buckeye fan. I simply don't care for ignorance even if it comes in scarlet and grey. Don't get on that forum and even suggest that Barack Obama might be a decent human being. They are filled with fascist zeal.

[Lorien]

68. When I was a kid there in the 70s and 80s

I only met TWO Republicans from early childhood to my senior year in college. The city was far further to the Left than most Democrats are today. The turnaround is shocking-and it ALL happened post Reagan!

[Enthusiast]

82. Clear Channel results.

Suggesting right wing radio has no impact is just plain wrong. These people have had their brains scooped out by 610AM. I remember the Fairness Doctrine.

[EnviroBat]

43. Yeah, WVKO 1580 was the last.

Taken over by fundie Christian Talk radio. I can't begin to imagine how ear-bleedingly bad and useless that it is now... Although, I will say that Richards ran that station into the ground.

[Lorien]

67. And Air America had a huge audience there when is WAS there

I grew up in Columbus. It was once a Liberal stronghold, believe it or not.

[WCGreen]

76. It's getting back to the roots...

It was Ohio state that made the place liberal. That and a very strong and vocal Gay community.

Here in Cleveland, a county that goes about 60% dem in each and every election, there is not one moderate voice on the radio let alone a progressive one.

[GreenTea]

3. Fact: Public airwaves belong to everyone in this country. Radio owners are getting a free ride

by offering almost all republican corporate ideology while paying next to nothing to broadcast that republican horseshit on our airwaves coast to coast 24/7.

This has got to got to stop, it is time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine!!

[Enthusiast]

24. +1, Green Tea. nt

[KharmaTrain]

4. Another Case For Reregulation...Revise Telcom '96

This has ZERO to do with the "Fairness Doctrine" and EVERYTHING to do with market consolidation and the disaster its made of radio.

Again, it's a shame to hear another Progressive talk station go down, but not a surprise if one pays attention to the deteriorating situation inside radio. Cheap Channel, that owns "Obama 1260" along with many other Progressive talkers (KTLK, KPOJ, WINZ) just fired 10% of their staff with more cuts to come. Stock prices on radio are 25% of what they were a year ago and revenues are 20% below a year ago...not bad? Add that to four successive years of 20% or more drops and you're starting to get the picture. It's real ugly out there...and getting uglier.

Radio is now whoring itself in any way it can. "Advice" shows are generally brokered or a "time share"...meaning the station is paid for the time or has some other financial arrangement. This has nothing to do with ratings or listeners...just using that license to crank whatever money it can bring in. Inversely, formats like Progressive radio, that require real people (ones who want to earn a decent living as well) are luxuaries this company can longer afford. Forget promotions or marketing or any real investment...if it's not selling, it's gone or soon will be. In some cases, stations are begining to pull the plug...they can't afford to keep the lights on.

As Bill has noted, the real issue here is the small number of companies that control the airwaves. Cheap Channel, Salem, Citadel, CBS...those companies account for over 2,000 radio stations, including some of the most prized "real estate" on the dial. For years they drove out competition, drove up their stock and "stick" (license) values beyond reality and now it's all collapsing. And just like how we've seen it played out with other failed businesses...those in charge are being rewarded for their greed and arrogance while the little guys get the shaft.

This isn't about what stations program as much as who controls them. It's time to break up the huge monopolies and promote both local and minority ownership of the public airwaves. It's reinstituting rules about the number of stations a company can own in a specific market, shortening license renewal times and make it easier for local groups to challenge those licenses and create small business loans to help those stations get going and surviving. The Fairness Doctrine has NOTHING to do with this problem, Telcom '96 is.

[FredStembottom]

6. Thanks K-Train!

I think you are right. I find demands to reinstate the fairness doctrine to be beside the point. I,m sure airing those hour long vitamin shows or something equally vacuous could be spun as having provided "a range of opinion" for purposes of filling out a Fairness Doctrine report.

It really is time to bust up the near-monopolies of ownership.

[KharmaTrain]

12. It's More Like The Golden Rule

As you may tell, I played in radio in a previous life...including working with the Fairness Doctrine. It had nothing to do with content of talk radio...and as you astutely point out, you can find a "wide range of opinions" in almost anything. In fact, I ran a talk station...we had a "list of issues" that we had to address to maintain our license (none political...community crap) and one became quite adept at making an interview with a funeral director into a discussion of the possibilities of eternal life or "activities for the elderly". Semantics...gotta love it.

It's media consolidation that's the big problem. Too few hands in control of most of the prime broadcast and cable real estate. It's snuffed out competition, local access and driven away a lot of create talents. Overall, it's in radio's best interest as well as the public to break up the large monopolies as the medium's best years always were when they operated locally, not as some repeater station.

The way things are going radio may deregulate itself the hard way. The large companies have been trying to sell off their smaller stations...no takers. There's no one to buy...and even if someone did, try getting a loan. It's like watching a slow death...sad to see, but one I saw coming more than a decade ago. On my tombstone I want the epeitet..."I hate when I'm right".

Cheers...

[pilsner]

9. Yep

C.C. squats on weak-signal stations not minding that they lose money becuz a few other stations make money in each city. I bet most of the stations that catapult the Republican propaganda lose money. Most cities have a "Big One" that makes up for the losers in each radio group.

I also think C.C. intentionally poisoned the well for Progressive Talk in many cities by not supporting promotions and sales and then pulling the plug on Prog Talk. They wanted to create the mindset in many cities that Prog Talk is a failure and other General Mangagers and investors are doomed if they give the format another try.

[KharmaTrain]

11. Cheap Channel Is Just Plain Greedy

Yes...there's a bit of a political agenda. The former owners of the company...Lowry Mays and his sons along with Hick, Tate and Muse were big boooosh lickers...but the deregulation horse was long out of the barn before 2001...that was a pay-off. Last year it was bought out by Bain Capital (Mittens old firm) that is now controlled by the Carlyle Group.

The company that definitely loses money on their right wing claptrap is Salem...they own some of the most rabid stations and pay for it through owning religious stations that make a ton of money off the "dollar a hollar" preachers. Faux also has admitted their fake news channel is a loss leader. The reason talk and hate talk grew was that it replaced a lot of local programming and attracted over 35 year old males (now more like 50)...one of the few remaining audiences radio could sell (a reason there are so many mindless sports talk stations).

You are very correct on them squatting on the weak signals...their con game was to control as many licenses as they could to maintain high values on their other properties...and this was taken to the stock market where they made their real money...the company detached from real revenues years ago. It was all another Wall Street game. Now they are canaibalizing what ever value they have left and are about to scrap the rest...gut the staffs of 5 stations to try to keep 1 afloat. Times are not very good in radioland.

Cheers...

[Enthusiast]

85. It's ALL political agenda.

How are they going to maintain the status quo if they allow alternative ideas?

[MindPilot]

92. Completely off-topic...but what is it with these neocons and their kids' names?!

Hick? Tate? Muse?! :shrug:


We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[omega minimo]

16. or both. why try to make it either/or?

[KharmaTrain]

17. "Fairness" Is A Slippery Slope...

Who determines this fairness? A regime like we had over the past 8 years? The right wing is using the fear of Fairness to come up with their own legislation that would force stations to keep formats (hate radio) even if they were losing money or if the station was sold...entrenching their franchise. Not very "fair" is it? The right wing thinks so...they will claim that this is their "balance" to "librul Hollywood". Ya see where this heads?

Ownership is a far bigger problem cause they hold the format keys...the ones who determine what formats go on their stations. The more owners you have, the greater diversity in viewpoints and the greater access for more people to have to the public airwaves. The original Fairness Doctrine had nothing to do with hate radio anyway...it pertained to Public Service programming that 90's era dereg did away with...hate radio likes to classify itself as "entertainment"...a technicality that detaches it from both any concept of "fairness" and any responsibility for the bile they spew.

Cheers...

[omega minimo]

18. It sounds like your professional exp. came after media consolidation already was snowballing

leaving behind the days when the Fairness Doctrine was more solid.

Why throw the baby out with the bathwater? The intent is what matters.

[KharmaTrain]

19. Before, During And After...

I've played around with radio for over 35 years...and go through a lot of changes. Also had a lot of fun. But those days are long gone as are the people who made them happen. The suits came in, not just in radio, but overall. Local advertising began to shrink as mom & pop stores fell victims to the Wal-Marts and malls that used larger media (television)...then the deregualation drove prices on even the smallest property sky high...owners were fools not to cash out and it kept others from getting in.

There are some elements of the Fairness Doctrine that are worth bringing back, but they don't have anything to do with hate radio. It'd be reinstating rules regarding the rates a station can charge for political advertising...offering low rates rather than to the highest bidder (a big reason why so much had to be raised last year).

Cheers...

[Enthusiast]

25. The Fairness Doctrine can

be completely rewritten to reflect today's realities. It need not be a redo of what came before.

[KharmaTrain]

26. The Entire Industry Needs A Rewrite...

Fairness is toward the bottom of the list of troubles with our "public" airwaves. Again, the biggest culprit was Telcom '96 that gave those airwaves to the large corporations and led to the destruction of not just local radio, but all the benefits it brings. It shut down thousands of jobs of very dedicated and creative people with few outlets to continue their careers, it eliminated almost all local and public affairs and access to those stations and made these large corporations all but untouchable if you dared to try to challenge a license.

It's the golden rule...the person with the gold (licenses) makes the rules (the programming). Spread the wealth and spread the diversity and voices. There's no need for a "Fairness" doctrine when there's many opinions and voices out there. Again, your fairness is not necessarily mine...the doctrine didn't work well in it's day and would have little effect in what's going on now.

Cheers...

[omega minimo]

33. Your points are well taken yet you're set on missing the point....

"There's no need for a "Fairness" doctrine when there's many opinions and voices out there. Again, your fairness is not necessarily mine...the doctrine didn't work well in it's day and would have little effect in what's going on now."


"Again, your fairness is not necessarily mine..." that's why the concept of a Fairness Doctrine exists, to give balance to the "many opinions and voices out there."

If more people got the importance of that at the time, there would have been more alarm at the gobbling up of media as you describe.

If it's redone, let it be the "Balance Doctrine."

The Reich Wing Hatemongers are clearly unbalanced. :evilgrin:

[KharmaTrain]

47. I Follow You...Just I'm Going From Experience...

The Fairness Doctrine has nothing to do with hate radio...that is classified as "entertainment" (why Rushbo refers to himself as an Entertainer). The Fairness Doctrine applied only to public affairs programs (which were mandated in those days...they no longer are...and were heard early Sunday mornings or at times few people tuned in). It also required stations to offer ALL candidates equal access in purchasing commercial time at the lowest station rate...thus a station couldn't freeze out a lesser candidate (or one they didn't like) by either refusing to sell to them or charge them an obscene rate.

Again...balance or fairness is in the eye of the beholder. How do you enforce it? Do you let anyone and everyone get on the air anytime they disagree with a point made on a show...and then don't those people deserve equal time to respond and then back and forth. One reason many broadcasters were glad to see the "Fairness Doctrine" gone was that it was ambiquous and put the onus on the station to search out that "balance".

Today I was hearing Eddie Schultz say how he didn't favor a "Fariness Doctrine" for the same reasons I believe...if you put more Progressive and Liberal voices out there...have more stations owned and operated by liberals and Progressives, the marketplace will take care of the rest.

Thank you for a "well balanced" discussion.

:hi:

[omega minimo]

54. cool. thanks for the insider insight.

thing is, how do you undo 30 years of brainwashing since media conglomeration started? how you educate people to not buy the "I'm seriously political when I get away with this shit" and "I'm an entertainer when I get caught in my own BS"?

Rush's broadcast to our service people in warzones, fergawdssake.

IMHO I listened to Rush as Big Brother in 2008 -- the voice of Big Bidness telling us what we're supposed to think about things.


The results of media consolidation -- another foreseeable, avoidable disaster. :thumbsdown:

The results affect (the people) the discussion about it -- some sound like they think it just started or "we have to prevent it from happening."

For the same reasons, Ed's comment sounds like what it is: the market heals all, which doesn't work, obviously.

The fact that he is taken as a lefty is proof of how completely bamboozled the mass public has been -- and shows how out of balance public awareness and discourse is. Schultz is in the middle of the middle of the road of center right in the middle.

There's a question in there somewhere, but I already know the answer:

GODDAMNED PEOPLE DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE :rant:



"Again...balance or fairness is in the eye of the beholder. How do you enforce it? Do you let anyone and everyone get on the air anytime they disagree with a point made on a show...and then don't those people deserve equal time to respond and then back and forth. One reason many broadcasters were glad to see the "Fairness Doctrine" gone was that it was ambiquous and put the onus on the station to search out that "balance"."


I don't agree with your attitude about balance. If we had/have an educated public and return to the days when we had respect for something called "culture" and maybe that "history" thing, it might come back from being seen as a mercenary, tit for tat game of oneupsmanship and crass gain.

Time to end corporate welfare as we know it.

Thank god Dave Grohl was there to save the Grammies.

:yourock:

[certainot]

70. thanks but limbaugh &sons sell war, deregulation, global warming denial,

and tax breaks. bill press is pointing out market forces are NOT operating- it is a monopoly. demonopolization is a must but it may take too long- while the planet gets crispy. everything we need to do to get out of this disaster will be slowed because of the talk radio monopoly's ability to undermine normal democratic feedback mechanisms. no other single medium has the same capability.

one of the problems i see when people evaluate the importance of a new Fairness Doctrine is that they don't understand the critical and dominant part the talk radio monopoly has played the last 20 years in getting us into this GOP /bush disaster. why, if conservative radio is losing so much business, are they not trying more progressive talk in areas that are so blue?

talk radio has made the difference-1000 stations doing the groundwork for everything the GOP does with coordinated UNCONTESTED repetition. and that was what obama was saying when he invoked limbaugh as the GOP leader- that's their power source.

when will progressive groups and americans who want democracy, who say they're going to get obama's back, begin to call complain boycott picket local stations and their local sponsors? we need a new Fairness Doctrine or something like it ASAP. economically and environmentally we don't have time to keep pretending market forces are going to fix this disaster. the talk radio monopoly makes democracy and bipartisanship impossible and it is used for that purpose.

limbaugh and sons do the GOPs dirty work and heavy lifting. they launder the talking points so their media operatives and their sycophant politicians don't look so dishonest and corrupt and hypocritical when they repeat them later in the day or month. they ride the talk radio bandwagon. as long as the GOP is ignored at their power source they will continue to obstruct at will, dominating the media with any molehils they want to turn into mountains and having it both ways in every major issue. the pressure for their filibusters starts with that RW talk radio station near everyone, but especially in those red states with their disproportionate numbers of senators.

any GOP senator who plays with obama or appears to be is getting hell. limbaugh dems (blue dog dems) in those red states feel huge pressure from constituencies blanketed in right wing talk radio disinformation and framing. on the radio, in cars, at the work place progressives are being out shouted across the country by 10 to 1 and the internet can't make up the difference yet, especially if the rest of the media's corporate ownership likes paying no taxes.

ignoring the talk radio monopoly continues to be the biggest political blunder in decades.

[bluethruandthru]

56. Right....The Fairness Doctrine won't fix things!

This handful of companies owns pretty much all the stations in any major market (and small markets, too). It's not just that they aren't putting progressive programming on... They are now carrying syndicated shows on many of their stations instead of having live announcers (whether it's a music or talk station).
Clear Channel plans to get rid of nearly all local programming at their stations in markets 50 and below unless the station happens to have a very successful morning show. That means alot of people in small towns will be getting nothing but Clear Channel's generic programs and nothing local.
That's what needs to change and change NOW. The media conglomerates need to be broken apart before they totally kill the radio industry!

[certainot]

72. it's about propaganda- selling war, deregulation, climate denial, tax breaks

not radio industry business- they will subsidize their losses and prop up homogenization before real radio business shakes out.

demonopolization is needed but may take time that we don't have - won't that have to go through the supreme court?

obama has to get something going ASAP at any level he can or everything else he tries to do, including deconsolidation, will be a lot slower.

[Enthusiast]

86. It should be Obama's

main priority. Because he is facing massive opposition to his stimulus plan from these very assholes. He is facing opposition on every issue from these assholes.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

58. What can we do to help break these monopolies? nt

[Jefferson23]

60. Yes, you are right, the consequences of that measure have been

enormous as you state here.
For anyone else interested this brings a close look at the problems:
LESSONS FROM 1996 TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT:
DEREGULATION BEFORE MEANINGFUL COMPETITION SPELLS CONSUMER DISASTER

February 2001

http://www.consumersunion.org/telecom/lessondc201.htm

[FrenchieCat]

5. Perhaps that is why Ed Schultz was sitting up front at the News Conference!

[w4rma]

7. Bookmarked, kicked and recommended. (nt)

[snot]

8. K&R'd; Same re- ALL media; even internettes succumbing fast--we must ACT.

We must act not just to restore the Fairness Doctrine, but also to restore restrictions on the consolidation of media ownership.

[DFW]

10. The radical right has cleverly created their own audience

National Hate Radio needs frustrated, frightened angry listeners if they are to
maintain their audience size. Their Republican allies inside and outside Congress
have been only too willing to provide that audience with artificially high energy
prices to bankrupting the nation's treasury and gutting our currency. The lack of
funds for education fuels the fires as well. Just tune in to National Hate Radio
and listen to the callers. These are not informed, well-educated folks. They are
people who are scared and angry because of the situation the Cheneybush administration
has left them in. They are looking for someone to blame, and National Hate Radio
provides them with this primitive fundamental need. Make them content and comfortable
and their need to lash out at someone in revenge vanishes.

Full bellies aren't looking for a fight. Empty ones are.

[Enthusiast]

87. Their audience will swell

if the economy worsens. And guess who they will blame? Right, Obama and the "Liberals". As usual. This is a very serious problem that needs immediate attention.

[Greyhound]

13. At least somebody in the business has finally written what we've seen for years.

Maybe now it will be believed, but probably not.

Watch out, the corporate monkeys are everywhere...

[Elwood P Dowd]

14. Dan Snyder is the piece of shit owner who wrecked the Washington Redskins

along with sports radio in the DC area. Prerecorded financial planning during a fucking depression? What will he fuck up next?

[omega minimo]

15. "To mollify critics, Red Zebra has said it will add Ed Schultz to its conservative lineup on 570 AM"

:rofl:

that just shows how truly fucked up Through The Looking Glass we are.


:crazy:

[Hippo_Tron]

20. I'm still not convinced that radio is important for liberals

Talk radio is a leash for the Republican Party. They need Hannity and Rushbo to fire up their grassroots or they can't win elections plain and simple. We saw the result of this in the last election and it was a fucking disaster for McCain. He picked an incompetent running mate to appease these idiots and sank his campaign in the process. I want Hannity and Rushbo to keep being as effective as they do because I want the GOP to continue to be tied to them for the next decade. And given Phil Gingrey's apology last week I think it's safe to say that they haven't figured out that they have a problem yet.

Let them dominate talk radio. So long as our candidates have a grassroots/internet organization comparable to Obama's they will lose every time.

[KoKo]

28. Radio is important for those who commute to and from work, construction, plumbers, repair persons

and those are the people Conservative radio has bombarded. It's either relgious programming, canned music or conservative talk shows that are the norm. And not everyone finds NPR their cup of coffee, either. So there really isn't an alternative in many parts of America and that gives the conservatives the Bully Pulpit 24/7 to shape Americans views. Rush Limbaugh is on three stations at different times of the day in my area. And the rest of the time is filled with local talk show RW'ers. The Air America signal is so week from the one station that carries it that I had to get satellite radio to listen. And then AA keeps changing it's lineup. Not everyone can be near their computer all day to listen to Amy Goodman or Pacifica or other outlets.

The monopoly needs to be broken up with some anti-trust legislation. It's long past time.

[Enthusiast]

88. Bombarded is the word, KoKo

It's commuters in every major metropolitan region. It does have a negative effect. The effect is tangible. If you talk with blue collar white males you will hear it.

[4lbs]

21. Well, there is some truth to the ratings argument, at least here in San Diego.

First of all, San Diego is a Republican friendly county, what with North Island Naval Air Repair Facility, 32nd Street Naval Station, the Marine Corps in Miramar (and the Navy's "Top Gun" school before that), and Camp Pendleton in Oceanside. It is a military-friendly part of California.

Most of the left-leaning people here don't listen to talk radio. They tend to be younger, and watch TV or read their news on the Internet.

It's the older generation that mostly listens to talk radio here. The older generation has a lot of retired military, which have been historically Republican in political leanings.

Air America's presence here dried up quickly due to lack of listeners. I know I rarely listened to it on the radio, but preferred instead to listen online.

Increase the number of progressive web sites. Turn "talk radio" into "talk web". Make the 'broadcasts" downloadable MP3s that people can put in their players and listen anywhere when they aren't streaming it online. It will also have the benefit of being accessible nationwide, instead of just within a state or city like some radio stations.

Combine "talk web" with something like Twitter, so 'callers' send their questions and responses to the hosts realtime without having to use phone calls.

[democracy1st]

22. most telling piece in the article

"Starting tomorrow, our nation's capital, where Democrats control the House, the Senate and the White House, and where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to one, will have no progressive voices on the air."

[truedelphi]

40. That statement really makes one shake one's head until the

Grey matter rattles.

[democracy1st]

59. thats the statement I will use from now on to show the rightwing bias in radio

[FatDave]

27. But at the same time, progressive talk was hugely popular in Madison, WI.

And Clear Channel still tried to pull it.

[4lbs]

36. No surprise. Clear Channel is definitely right-wing owned.

It was sold recently to Bain Capital, which was founded by a group of 3 men that included... Mitt Romney.

[Sebastian Doyle]

73. Clear Channel itself was literally founded with Bush Crime Family money.

Here's how it happened.....

[KoKo]

29. Not everyone likes to use MP3's or can...and it's those older people we need

to reach with diversity. Whether they listen or not...there still should be progressive radio or even just "balanced views" on radio. The dominance of the conservatives and religious is overwhelming.

[tabbycat31]

61. there are already progressive podcatss

including a bunch of AAR shows, etc. You want a list, ask me because my ipod is loaded with them.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

64. Wrong - AAR in SD was ahead in ratings & was inexplicably replaced by sports talk.

And no - San Diego is no longer right leaning.

[HardWorkingDem]

30. Reasons why I refuse to listen to Talk Radio....

Too many goddamned commericals. It seems as if every five minutes it's, We'll be right back after blather from our sponsors. And on and on. Too much of it. Who the hell wants to hear five minutes of talk and then five minutes of ads for stuff like Depends and Viagra?


Then, let's be honest - a lot of our stuff is just too analytical. Yes, in the world of red meat that is a bad thing and are simply some boring folks.

[pilsner]

32. Try podcasting

There are a lot of free podcasts at Green960.com, 620KPOJ.com, and KTLK.com. The commercials are stripped out on most podcasts. You can fast forward through the ones where there are commercials.

It's great while doing housework, walking the dog, etc.

[HardWorkingDem]

35. Thank you....

I'll give it a try

[Boxerfan]

31. Eugene Oregon lost the only liberal talk station...

I commute from Portland to Eugene once a month or more. I was shocked when the local station there was sold -to a "christian" station.

There is not a more liberal market in America & I know ratings were boffo.

My friend was amazed the radio in my VW van got the Portland station all the way down in Eugene.He found a old AM base unit & antenna so he can listen at home.

In Eugene-the "christians" are making a very bad name for themselves.Too bad for the real ones.

[Greyhound]

44. KPOJ #1 baby!

They've been doing this all over the country since AA started, in fact that is how NovaM Radio came to be.

The Phoenix AA affiliate (1010) was sold by the station owners (in spite of their best ever and climbing ratings) to be replaced y "Christian" radio, and one of the local hosts put together a group of investors and moved to 1410(?) to keep AA on the air, then their were problems with AA management (they are corporate morans of the worst sort) and so they left and formed NovaM.

We have to gather some dedicated financial resources on the left to fight these a-holes, otherwise they will just keep using their money to quash the message. BTW, George Soros is not our friend.

[glitch]

34. Of course, the only way they can ever win is if people don't know there is an alternative to them.

They know they are so offensive that most would never choose them if they had any other choice.

[B Calm]

37. Thankfully we still have XM, Sirus and the internet!

[derby378]

49. I hate to tell you this...

...but it looks like Sirius is filing for bankruptcy.

[defendandprotect]

38. We need to reinstate the "Fairness Doctrine" which at least . . .

would provide some puncturing of the eternal right wing propaganda.

If I want to hear ANYTHING LIBERAL I have to go to internet radio --

and that's pretty inconvenient cause I also have to go to internet now

to watch the Senate!


NOVA RADIO is also pretty annoying because there are a lot of commercials and

VERY loud. Therefore I have to turn way down and then remember a half hour later

that I'd forgotten to turn back up! Aggravating!!

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

41. In my humble opinion, the important thing to remember

is that is a coordinated effort to silence the voices of the progressive movement, on public airwaves no less. The media in never going to recognize that Dems hold majorities and won the last two elections for a reason.

Action needs to be taken, and smarter people than I can figure it out. But something needs to be done. Seriously, something has to be done.

If not, when the democrats take an unprecedented third election in 2010 (which I have no doubt they will), what will be the excuse then?

[Botany]

42. In Columbus OH we have lost 2 progressive stations in the past 3 years

the last station was starting to really make it .... it's license was
bought up by a company to run an all Catholic Radio station ....
which is the third one in the market. ... 2 on AM and one on FM

To say there isn't a plan to crush free progressive radio is
to say it doesn't get dark @ night.

****************************

The radio and the media is the last hold out for the right wing.

I think that "they" have billions stolen from "their Iraqi war" to
buy media.

[democracy1st]

50. thanks for your input I'm collecting data

[ladym55]

46. I'm mad as hell and I don't want to take it anymore

First, progressive radio is GREAT!! I LOVE Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes, and Rachel Maddow. I also listen to Thom Hartmann. They are smart and informed as are their listeners.

That being said ... I am SICK and tired of Clear Channel and the other corporate types making it impossible to listen to progressive radio. I know the Mic in Madison had to fight to keep their high-rated channel on the air. I live in Akron, Ohio, and our progressive station disappeared not long after Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown swept into office in 2006. The replacement has ratings SO low, it doesn't even show up in the ratings book. Tell me that it was about making money. In the words of Rachel Maddow, BULL PUCKEY!

Somehow the stranglehold of these few corporate owners who only want their conservative propaganda spewed forth needs to be stopped. There is most definitely an audience for progressive radio. It IS entertaining AND informative. The hosts ACTUALLY SPEND TIME RESEARCHING THE NEWS OF THE DAY!!! They don't pull things out of their collective a$$es a la Limbaugh, Hannity, and their ilk.

In the meantime, I will continue to stream the Mic in the morning, Nova M in the afternoon, and download my Stephcasts for my daily commute.

WE WON THE DAMNED ELECTION IN A LANDSLIDE. IT'S TIME WE STARTED GETTING OUR VOICES HEARD. :grr:

[BlueIdaho]

48. Slippery slope - not...

The plain and simple truth is we didn't have these problems when we had a fair use doctrine and since the republans managed to get rid of it a few fat cats have decided that conservative propaganda should fill the air waves 24-7. Stop doing the neocons jobs for them - we need fair use NOW!

[norwegianblue]

51. Radio is a funny business

I actually have a lot of experience in radio, my father still owns several stations in NV and CA. Conservative talk is a moneymaker and progressive talk is a black hole financially. While there are several profitable progressive stations, statistically, they suck you dry from a cash standpoint. But here's the kicker, the conservatives lost money on the air for the first few years in the 80's, but, because AM radio was dying at the time, owners were prepared to suffer in the hopes revenues would rebound, and eventually they did. But the Repugs made money by recruiting the best radio talent available and paying them big bucks. Rush, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity were all very successful in radio BEFORE they went into talk. They understand the medium and they have the talent. We have very few on the left to compete. I personally love Ed Shultz and Rachel Maddow, both examples of radio professionals who are taking their craft into talk. We need to start writing letters to station owners suggesting they carry them, but it MUST be a hard-copy letter, signed in ink. Emails and phone calls are meaningless. The FCC requires stations keep letters in their public inspection files and those letters are read by the FCC when it comes to relicensing. Phone calls are useless. Then we must pledge to support the advertisers on the various shows, or even try and advertise our own businesses there. I do know this, station owners will play 60 hours of pig squeeling if they can sell it. Many a country music fan station owner has switched to talk or rock because they ALWAYS follow the money.

Just a little inside-radio info.

[NABNYC]

52. Start Small; Need Experienced Business People In Charge

Part of me thinks the unfortunate launch of Air America with some big-money and big-name talent (like our possible next Senator from Minnesota) set a bad beginning standard for progressive or liberal talk radio. Just think if it had started small, with unknowns, built a following, small payroll, put business people in charge who know about radio and advertising, and go from there. I just think there may have been too much focus on the talent and not enough on the need to have a fundamental business model in place.

Then of course there was lots of drama about Air America, leading up to the break-off of the Drobnys and their starting Nova M. And now there is drama over there to.

Maybe back to the drawing board. Focus only on the major metropolitan markets. Do it by streaming on-line if necessary, but get local Democratic groups to find a station and lobby for more progressive talk programming.

The businesses will advertise wherever it's going to sell. There is no reason liberal talk can't get toothpaste, coffee, local grocery stores advertising on their stations. You need strong advertising people to run that part of it and bring in the money.

As far as media consolidation, that should be broken up, without doubt. With a focus on companies like Clearchannel, people like Murdoch. Force them to sell out, limit their ownership, and mandate more community radio stations.

[JohnnyRingo]

53. Here in Warren ohio, right wing nuts broke into the Air America studio & took it over

For a while in 2005, they locked themselves in and played religious programming until the police removed them. I don't think they faced charges and the format was permanently changed to oldies the next week.

excerpt:
But while this online angst went on, an even more bizarre turn of events happened simultaneously in the real world. That's where WANR AM 1570, an AAR affiliate in Warren, Ohio, was actually occupied under false premises by parties 'known to management' who locked themselves in and changed the programming until chased out by police. The next day, the station's ISDN was sabotaged. Both of these are clear Federal violations as well as local felonies.

more:

The downtown radio station was unable to broadcast its regular programming for several hours both days.

Station manager Tim Continenza said a person known to management and one or more accomplices entered the studio on Courthouse Square after 9 a.m. Wednesday.

"We had a board operator (on duty) who, with permission, locked the building and left to run an errand,'' Continenza said. "When he returned, they were in control of the radio station ... They posted signs that Beacon Broadcasting was under new management. They changed the locks and changed the programming.'



http://www.ominous-valve.com/blog/2005/04/air-america-under-further-righty.html

[Enthusiast]

84. Well, there ya go.

Just goes to show you. In Ohio our voice is not even allowed to be heard. Were the Reich Wing nuts wrapped in the flag?

[JohnnyRingo]

89. Actually, they used the bible as their sheild

They wanted Christian programming to replace the evil liberal show. They eventually won when they raised enough money to buy the license and boot AAR from the valley. I don't think it lasted though, because it's oldies now.

It probably wasn't fair because they had Jesus helping them, ya know.

[ms liberty]

55. K&R n/t

[SemperEadem]

57. I am so pissed that 1260 got rid of all progressive talk radio in DC

they wonder why radio is dying--well, here's why.

Time to consider satellite radio for the car.

[8 track mind]

62. and the FCC wonders why there has been a surge in Pirate radio. n/t

[Mabus]

63. Got in the car yesterday, turned into Obama 1260 and was very pissed

So disappointing that there is such a dearth of progressive talk in the DC area. Oh well. We still have the oldies station. sigh.

[shellgame26]

65. Conservative talk radio

is making more money because that's who the cooperations are sponsoring. Maybe it's time to find out those companies and start boycotting them.

[quakerboy]

66. As a frequently carbound portlander

I cannot even imagine how it would be to be somewhere with worse traffic and none of the radio we have here. I suppose most places still have public radio stations, don't they? They may not be as loud, but at least they tend toward more reasonable than conservative talk or sports talk.

Though I do have a bone to pick with KPOJ. I had to turn to a conservative talk station to hear Obama's press conference. What was that about?

[Lorien]

69. The poll needs help: Should licensed radio stations be required to carry a mix

of opinions? 37% Yes and 62% No (weird math, huh)?

[certainot]

71. this disaster wouldn't be possible without the talk radio monopoly

the talk radio is a monopoly is an empire of over 1000 stations reaching a crowd the size of that that voted for obama with coordinated UNCONTESTED repetition of GOP talking points, framing and spin.

in many parts of the country the GOP has ensured there are no alternatives and most of the main talkers have call screeners to ensure their certitude and credibility is never questioned on air. places such as Colorado and New Mexico and Omaha Nebraska went Dem recently, possible in large part because they got progressive radio stations in the last couple of years.

the last twenty years when america could have been having intelligent discussions on  solving everyday problems and mindful of overpopulation, global warming, alternative energy, it instead was highjacked by the right wing of the GOP with the help of its talk radio monopoly. it couldn't have done it if reagan hadn't killed the Fairness Doctrine and the GOP hadn't used the biggest soapbox in the country and the coordinated uncontested repetition it allowed to purge the GOP of moderates, replace it with sicophants, and replace bipartisanship with unremitting swiftboating and distortions and lies

and it was so invisible to progressives/dems/liberals that they are still strategizing and analyzing and writing history as if rove's most important weapon, the tool that took the lee attwater style of gutter politics national and ubiquitous, didn't exist. what obama brings is not unique and would not be so rare if we didn't have a talk radio monopoly and people like limbaugh and hannity sitting on the biggest soapbox in the country dictating the principles and moral direction of the country through sheer volume. the real problem was not some public american consensus of adjusting values, it is that the Party of Lincoln became the Party of Limbaugh. all GOP reps depend heavily on the talk radio monopoly, as do many in the media, on talk radio's prechewed and laundered GOP talking points.

ignoring the talk radio monopoly continues to be the biggest political blunder in decades

[Virginian]

74. WHAT? AGAIN? That does it. I'm getting out my CDs.

I don't have to listen to the radio, I was addicted to Stephanie Miller in the mornings when I drove (almost an hour) to work.
I'll get a book on tape or find my old favorite CDs and tapes. Yes, I still have a car with a cassette player.
The last time, everyone moved to a different station, but they were kicked off and returned to 1260.
Maybe this is retalliation for their leaving. Snyder seems to be very impatient. He has gone through a lot of coaches trying to get the Redskins to the Super Bowl. If he would just let one stay long enough to know all the players' names, they might get there.

[bjobotts]

75. They control the radio and the TV and soon the internet."Control the Message"

[bjobotts]

77. 6 corporations own it all and pressure liberal group sponsors out.

Is there enough ultra rich liberals out there to buy up that much media? Rush's fleet did everything to stop Obama too and failed so his irk are back to cultivating the sickest among us and keeping them ignorant and enraged on their choice of single issues. Eventually they will die...no one gets out alive.

[bjobotts]

78. Gues there just aren't alot of liberal weapons suppliers and manufacturers huh

[baldguy]

79. There is absolutly no reason why there shouldn't be a limit on the number of radio stations owned.

Beasts like Clear Channel have no right to exist.

[Subdivisions]

80. No progressive talk radio in Hampton Roads, Virginia. n/t

[GreenTea]

81. Why I support AAR, we need more & don't need people hoping for

AAR demise...we need more progressive voices employed, not less, some justifying it by saying we don't like or need AAR, cuz I like so & so instead.

Republicans would never do such bullshit, the better to get more republican voices over the air to get their sick ideology across to people. (Divide & conquer, the republican way).

It's just more fuel for Limbaugh, O'Reilly and the like to say and pound in the bullshit that liberal radio can't make it, AAR folded. "See no one listened to liberal radio".

"I told you so".

Bullshit, let's not defeat ourselves.....

While the Dems and sponsors listening to the pigmans pounding and believing every word.

We don't need that....there's room for all liberal radio personalities, (90% is republican greed, hate-talk radio). We must support ALL progressive voices, especially a national network like AAR.

The republicans and their corporate forces are trying their very best to push liberal radio to utter & complete failure and extinction as before.....The republicans want 100% right-wing talk as before....No voices from the other side, our side allowed.

Let's not give in, and worst, make it easy for them, over some petty disagreements about progressive radio personalities.

[librechik]

90. When historians of the future (if any) tell when the coup happened which destroyed us

They will say the insurgents first took over our airwaves, using Reagan's friendly repeal of the Fairness Doctrine as an entry point. Flooding the country with anti-American propoganda, it was only a matter of a decade or two before our way of life was forgotten and the Nazis were able to walk in and take over without "significant" resistance.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

91. In liberal Rhode Island and Massachusetts,,,,,

...I have to listen to Sirius Left to get ANY left-leaning talk. Aside from a few shows on small stations, some that only are on about an hour, the area is DOMINATED by the most vile right wing scumbags you've ever heard. And this is supposed to be the bluest of blue states.

Now with Sirius/XM going under, I am screwed!