Air America needs to use substitute hosts.

[K-W]

I dont know if this has come up before, I dont have internet access very often lately, but it has been bugging the heck out of me lately.

I dont want to listen to reruns. It is pointless, talk radio needs to be constantly running fresh content. The lack of a late night host and weekend hosts is annoying, but tolerable, but the lack of vacation substitute hosts is rediculous. Al Franken deserves a vacation with his family, but the listeners deserve fresh content during his vacation. Substitute hosting is a staple in talk radio. It gives stations a chance to try out fresh talent. If Air America wants, I will work for free for a week, but they need to keep the ball rolling. Especially now when they are still trying to build an audience.

Talk Radio isn't TV, it is a unique medium. It creates a running narritive to what is going on. Air America needs to get a sence of that. They need to keep up with news and they need to be providing fresh content every day. There is no point in having Air America if they do not provide this, it is the only point of using the talk radio format.

A small time radio host doesnt make much money. There are plenty of people who would work for peanuts to get on the air in a weekend slot. They could try to grab an audience and build a career. The start slate of shows is nice and the celebrity has created buzz, but at some point people are going to retire. Some shows wont have the good ratings. Air America needs to start running like a radio station.

[livetohike]

1. I'm listening to Tom Hartman

and I agree with everything you have said. I have listened to AA on line since it's inception and I don't want to hear re-runs. Surely there are people out there who could easily fill the time slots.

[kikiek]

4. I love Thom Hartman, but Sirius left has put Lynn Samuels on

over him. What a crock of crap.

[Southsideirish]

2. Absolutely - I was thinking the same thing myself this morning.

Re-runs are so lame its almost an insult.

[kikiek]

3. I agree. They should add Mike Malloy to the line up too.

I do think they are wonderful otherwise. I missed a liberal voice on the radio, but didn't realize how much until they started up. But we do deserve up to date discussion daily.

[SophieZ]

5. Agreed. There's plenty of talent out there.

Will Pitt, for example.

Heck, bring in a few authors, like Kevin Phillips, to host one. (Former Nixon strategist who bashes Bush and 4 generations of his family in his great book.)

[K-W]

6. You never know who is good until you try.

I used to listen, and still do for late late nights, to Sports Radio WFAN in NY. They have new content 24 hours a day. When a host goes on vacation, you get a substitute host, whenever there is a gap in programming they have people who do on and off work, or they give new talent a chance. Weekends are a time where new people and less used people get a chance to find audiences and impress the station heads.

Now I realize that business wise the two stations are very different, but I know that whenever I turn my radio on to WFAN I am going to get a live sports event or live talk content. Everyone talks about the same damn things 24 hours a day and people dont get tired of it. They just want to hear someone talking live.

Even look at Rush Limbaugh, he uses his substitute spots to feature conservatives who often get opportunities off of it. Yes they are in the conservative media and rush has alot more exposure, but AAR can use its audience in this way too.

[patricia92243]

7. Because of my work, I can't hear Al or Randy unless they are re-played on

weekends. But I do agree on anything later than the weekend is old news. We need somebody NOW talking up our new VP. Opportunity for new hosts to "do their thing" is good idea. I loved Robert Reich (Clinton's cabinet member). Would love to hear more of him.

[LittleApple81]

8. True. I have felt totally left out this week. I wish they had the

resources to afford replacement people for times like this.

[K-W]

9. I cant imagine it is a resources issue.

I have no doubt they could find people to do substituting for a small fee. Doesnt Al have any friends who would do it for a small fee? It seems to me they just dont yet have a good grasp of the format. Surely some local host somewhere would take a very small fee to get air time in the AAR cities for a week. Heck, I will hop on a train and head downtown right now and hop on the radio for free. Im no Al franken, but Id be better live than he can be in a rerun.