If Air America Radio asked for sponsorships, would you donate money?

[Ian David]

[BlueEyedSon]

1. I have a conflict since the XM exclusive announcement

I'm a Sirius guy.

[liberalnurse]

2. Me too.....

This switch has thrown me into a tizzy.:scared:

[cascadiance]

9. Me too!

[benburch]

3. Is there some basis for this question?

Or does it exist to sew FUD?

[Ian David]

4. No, it's just an idea I had. What's FUD? n/t

[benburch]

5. Fear Uncertainty and Doubt.

AAR is making money, but if potential advertisers read things like this and start to believe they are in trouble, that could change!

[Nickster]

7. What's wrong with AAR making more money ala PBS?

They are one of the few outlets for real news and opinions that I have out there. I would be all behind sending them a small monthly stipend to help them grow their network and develop talent. I think having extra money available would help them to expand just that much sooner. They could def use the money to expand their infrastructure, I think that's the biggest hole currently. I was one of the early adopters of AAR and have gone through a lot of turmoil just trying to get their signal, AM to Sirius to weak AM and XM. Maybe I'm missing some bigger strategic picture here, but it doesn't sound like a terrible idea to me.

[Ian David]

21. Instead of "donations," maybe sponsor a sort of "infomercial"?

Contribute funds for our own weekly "Radio Blog."

And from what I understand, Air America is doing just fine.

Rush Limbaugh never had a radio station all to himself like Al Franken does!

[KharmaTrain]

6. They Are A Commercial Venture...Others Are More Worthy

If Progressives and Liberals can't support the businesses, draw ratings and create any sort of commercially acceptable response that keeps this network growing and viable, that speaks volumes of the committment we have compared to the right wing and their supporters.

I donate to public and community stations...true local voices that offer a far wider range of programs and outreach to millions. Many of these stations are poorly funded as they are and face even greater hardships with fewer grants and other dollars being offered.

Pacifica, American Public Radio and the many radio shows that are independently produced on these stations offer a great wealth of information that AAR doesn't and needs to be supported and protected so we still have places where the truth can be heard.

[Nickster]

8. Well, I agree somewhat with you.

But what happens when the deck is stacked against you to begin with? Corporate media is a very tight group of RW folks. Why do we have to pick between priorities when the RW funds EVERYTHING? My opinion we need funding for everything that supports our agenda and gets the message out there. I think having a left wing media giant out there with high visibility is a huge priority for us. I don't disagree with your comments about other programs being more important, but that's also where we get gutted by the RW. We constantly have to divide up our limited money and decide what's most important to the detriment of other issues that are really just as important if not more important long term. Meanwhile, the RW keeps working on limiting our access to funding and supporters nationwide by funding their infrastructure and limiting our voices in every venue.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Contractions...

You first say we should have a large corporate voice...a liberal/progressive bastion to counter the right wing spin machine. Then you say have to divide up our limited money to decide what's important. That, sadly, sums up a lot of the contradictions I see here and in my networking with media people from DU and other liberal/progressive sites.

The right wing hate machine didn't grow over night...it took 25 years and I can attest first-hand for a lot of what went on in talk radio in the 80's and early 90's that led to what you hear today. The Clear Channels didn't just come out of nowhere...they grew using the rules and some creative financing...and they're companies that will want to make a buck off of liberal/progressives as much as right wingers.

I've long worked for the growth of local radio and voices...bucking the corporate trend, and one I feel will fill a big hole in the future. AAR is a national answer, not a local one. A large national media develops when a strong local support network is established and moves it forward. Look at the underground press movement of the 60's and from it came a new media in the 70's...the same can happen again.

[Nickster]

15. I agree with you, but we need a quick fix too.

I'm not saying that the local voices aren't important, they are. But what I'm saying is that we also can't sacrifice one for the other, and that's what we do. We tend to focus on one area to the detriment of others. I'm not saying that we should divide our money and focus on the most important. I'm just saying that's what we do because of lack of funds and corporate support and the RW is actively working to dry up what funding we do have. We need think-tanks, we need media voices, we need tv networks, we need vocal leaders. We are against the wall and we don't have the environment to grow our ideas and infrastructure in the same way that the RW did. Maybe I'm a victim of the quick fix mentality, but I want both the local and the national voices to be developed at the same time.

I'd be quite ecstatic if we could replicate the underground media movement of the 60s and 70s, but in the meantime, I don't think we can wait decades for it to grow. While we are watering and caring for that seed, the RW is making sure we don't have any more water or sunlight for that matter.

[KharmaTrain]

16. It's Already There...We Have To Use It

This isn't starting from scratch, it's supporting what's there and building.

This morning alone I've sent money to two local stations that are holding fundraisers to stay on the air and am emailing with another who is setting up an LPFM station and need help in getting the equipment and transmitter together. Small voices, yes, but loud and very determined ones.

This is a very neglected area that could be a very valuable resource in so many ways to liberal/progressive causes. It's not just money, but elbow grease...going out and helping these stations stay on the air and grow. Very fundamental and a resource that can do so much good.

The national voices are already there. We have the Michael Moores and Al Frankens and Bonos and virtually 90% of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. What's really needed are small voices in the red and purple areas. Voices that speak to what's happening on main street from main street and connecting in ways that can be used to present positive alternative messages to the right wing spin and the truth.

[Nickster]

17. I'd guess I'd disagree with you about us already having that

national voice already. I don't hear Michael Moore on a regular public platform and Al Franken is on AAR which you have to go through hoops to hear. I'm in the Chicago suburbs, third largest media market, and am pretty much tied to my computer if I want to hear him, not to mention the AM outlets they do have are usually low power and uni-directional signals, which simply equals bad reception and poor coverage area. I also don't want Hollywood speaking for me, I know any friendly voice is good, but......they are just as out of touch as any DC beltway dweller.

I really don't disagree with you about your cause or its importance, not at all, I guess I just have different views about the big picture, and that's ok. Good luck with your endeavors, it sounds like you are truly devoted to the work and I'm glad you're on our side.

[KharmaTrain]

18. I'm In Chicago, Too...

I hear a lot of interesting programming...not just AAR...that I either get on 850 or 1530 at night...but also Wisconsin Public Radio at 90.7 FM, WBEZ at 91.5, WNIJ at 89.5 and WLUW (Pacifica) at 88.7. I get most of those throughout the North and Northwest areas of the city. There's also interesting stuff from Northeastern, Loyola, Harper College, Northwestern, College of DuPage and so on.

Michael Moore has a platform that's several feet high, and draws millions every time he releases a film. I'd say that's pretty high profile...plus his numerous TV show appearances. He's very "A List". AAR is growing nicely, and the jury is out on how they are...I couldn't just listen soley to AAR as I couldn't to WLS. I prefer information as opposed to opinion...for that, I come here.

As far as "a cause". I'm all but retired. No more causes on this end. I like helping others, but my days of fighting windmills are past.

Cheers

[cascadiance]

10. Problem is...

Even those "good networks" are suffering from "hostile takeovers".

CPB now being taken over by the Rethugs! and Danny Goldberg (Rush Limbaugh inspired listener) taking over Air America and withholding them from some of the most loyal AAR listeners for the big buck.

If Sirius can get a new and decent fresh lineup and look to potentially start syndicating them out, I'd prefer to send money to them. Then at least I'd be able to hear what I'm paying more for instead of having to buy and install completely new equipment on my car to listen to a "partial" AAR product with less other progressive listening options.

[KharmaTrain]

12. This Is More Local

While I pop on AAR now and then, this is not what I'm refering to. I'm talking about the hundreds of small public and now LPFM stations that obviously you aren't aware about and really are the breeding ground for free speech and our biggest hope to maintain any type of alternative voice.

I'm not just talking politics, but music as well, and this medium's ability to be the great equalizer to the corporate entertainment machine that is just as sufficating on independent artists as hate radio is on left/progressive political thought.

Many of us don't have or don't want either XM or Sirius. I look at Internet and Wi-Fi radio as a great alternative medium...save your money.

The CPB has little bearing on these stations as well as most rely on independent fundraising or local tax dollars to operate.

Take a scan on the FM dial above 92...these are the stations I'm talking about. And the ones that need us the most. Beware, you'll also encounter religious right wing bible thumpers as well...many who now spew the buzzwords of the right wing...more the reason we have to find balance on the public radio dial.

[bunkerbuster1]

20. Don't you mean "on the FM dial below 92?"

traditionally, the noncommercial stations are down there, between 88.1-91.9.

[benburch]

11. And my own effort, White Rose Society needs fund desperately.

And we are having a funds drive right now, too.

[Pirate Smile]

24. I wish you could archive the Stephanie Miller show. She has had

some great bits that I would love to post here with a link so people could hear them but I can't find it archived anywhere.

[benburch]

25. Stephanie has been promising to get me permission for some time...

She has to clear it with her network.

But it has not happened yet.

If you and others would write to her and ask for archives at White Rose, something might happen.

[Ian David]

22. Would it be good to be carried on The Armed Forces Radio Network?

The same way our government pays to broadcast Rush Limbaugh?

My, God! We're transmitting Limpballs around the world with our tax money so the entire planet will think Rush Limbaugh speaks for our government!

They probably think he is our Christian Ayatollah!

I'd rather love to have Al Franken or Stephanie Miller or Morning Sedition transmitted around the world.

[Walt Starr]

14. If they dumped Jerry Springer for Stephanie Miller

I can't stand Springer.

[tishaLA]

19. I'm happy because we have Miller in LA instead of Springer

She's great and very funny. She's also working on a big rally to help defeat Arnold's bullshit "reform" package.

[Pirate Smile]

23. I LOVE her show. I haven't even tried listening to Springer since I

discovered her right when Unfiltered was canceled.