Armstrong Williams on Air America radio

[crikkett]

Say it isn't so!

http://hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/UndertheDome/110106.html

Armstrong Williams on Air America radio

The possible deal hinges on the relationship between Air America and WWRL, its new flagship station in New York.

Williams’s show, co-hosted with liberal Sam Greenfield, is already heard on WWRL during morning drive time and a source said there have been serious discussions about broadening Williams’s audience.

Air America struck a deal this summer to move its New York home from WLIB to WWRL. The source said that as part of the deal, WWRL wants the Williams/Greenfield show syndicated on Air America radio. Such a deal would bring in more cash to WWRL, and word is that Air America is on board. But Air American does not want to syndicate the Williams show before the elections, which would presumably rile its liberal listeners.

WWRL Program Director Rennie Bishop was mum on the topic. Asked when he would comment, Bishop said, “Call me after the elections.”

Williams, who recently settled his case with the Department of Justice on his controversial payments from the Bush administration for touting the No Child Left Behind law, said, “I keep hearing the rumor it’s coming and it couldn’t come any sooner because they need a little diversity there.”

[Phredicles]

1. Diversity?????

The rest of the media are crawling with right-wingers; they need to be on Air America too? I guess the price of the bankruptcy settlement is bringing in a guy with even less credibility than the Fox bunch. 'Tis to :puke:

[rocktivity]

2. Armstrong is STILL an avowed SHILL

They should do it if they must, but Armstrong needs to be replaced with someone credible--he didn't regain his credibility settling the lawsuit.

:mad:
rocknation

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Fine! Put them on the air!

As much as this chaps me, I say go ahead and do it! Put him on during the wee hours of the morning, and when his ratings tank into negative numbers it's time to cancel!

[drdtroit]

4. I find it despicable that a GOP operative whore is tied to AAR!

I'm in NYC and have heard the mindless shilling that comes out of Williams mouth.
AAR should be ashamed.

:patriot:

[Beelzebud]

5. AAR is really swirling the toilet with this one...

Fire Mike Malloy, and then hire paid Republican propagandist to be on their "liberal" station.

[JDPriestly]

6. No. Air America should sue the advertisers who boycotted it

for unfair business practices. We Democrats are half of America. We have a right to be heard on the airwaves and to hear voices that speak for us on the airwaves. The airwaves belong to the people of the United States -- all the people of the United States. The right-wing dominance of the media is unacceptable. I subscribe to the Nation and other news sources that represent my point of view. I refuse to support news media that do not speak for me. Air America is a sham. I wondered from the beginning if they were actually a ploy to distract listeners from the Pacifica stations and to draw the listeners' financial support away from the Pacifica stations. Maybe that is the case, I don't know. Williams is a second-rate flak.

[crikkett]

16. Here, here.

Well said.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Nothing say credibility like the name Armstrong Williams.

:sarcasm:

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Listen to the show to decide for yourselves.

There is reasoned dialogue. Sam and Armstrong don't necessarily agree, but they are quite respectful of each other's points of view. And check out Sam Greenfield as he has appeared often on Tucker Carlson's show on Wednesday around 6:30. He can run with the best at Air America.

And P.S. I like Armstrong even though I disagree with him 98% of the time.

Their show is broadcast and streamed M-F 5-9 a.m.
http://www.wwrl1600.com

[skiddlybop]

9. Sorry, but it's a fucking DISGRACE that

Air America had NO MORNING SHOW leading up to Election Day. They run REPUBLICAN TALKING POINTS coming out of the shill Armstrong's mouth as promo material all day.

Armstrong has $280K in his pocket for paid propaganda, and he should contribute every penny of it to Air America and get them out of bankruptcy. Until he does that, NO CONTRIBUTIONS, NO SUBSCRIPTIONS EVER.

[rocktivity]

10. The problem isn't the show itself, but Williams' credibility

The opinions of ANYONE who takes money directly from the goverment to peddle their politics aren't worth a dime. And for the record, I wasn't happy about Jerry Springer being on AirAm, either--he had a credibiity problem of a different kind.

:headbang:
rocknation

[no_hypocrisy]

11. OK. Credibility. That's only a problem where there is a chance

of persuasion involved. I honestly don't recognize it from Armstrong. He makes his opinions, but I don't think he changes anyone's mind. And for what it's worth, he's NICE. He doesn't insult the callers who insult him first. OK, there are times he starts condescending, but he pulls back. One thing I've NEVER encountered on their show: Dittoheads for Armstrong. He rarely gets a call in support of his opinions, only challenges.

If anything, maybe Armstrong reinforces the views of the callers.

Again, you listen, you decide about the credibility.

[w13rd0]

12. One of the reasons I think Air America...

...hasn't been as successful as it could be, to date, is that unlike the Republican dittoheads, we don't really care to spend hours listening to people reaffirm what we already know. We AREN'T dittoheads, we don't like being sung to when we are already in the choir. I think it goes to the fundamental difference between "us" and "them". They'd be perfectly happy killing the opposition, because they don't have hope for those that are different from themselves. We believe people can change. We believe in rehabilitation, and education. Listening to an echo chamber engages our "liberal guilt". That said, I don't think Air America needs diversity in opinion so much as diversity in subject matter. A "liberal mindset" can apply across the spectrum, and "our media" should just be life from a liberal/Democratic point of view. I know they've tried to do that in spots, with an environmental half hour here or there and such, but I say the average "lefty" has a threshold, and the radio format I know exceeds mine after about three hours. The right can listen to a constant stream of hatred and talking about what they see as flaws in their "enemy", because they live and breathe hatred. I'm more interested in getting informed, learning what "they" are up to, and moving on to life and living and all that stuff.

So Armstrong Williams on AAR? Not going to make me a listener. I can tune to just about any cable or radio station to listen to their point of view.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

13. Sam Greenfield is great.......

.....but not worth it to put up with Armstrong Williams.

[rocktivity]

15. They want diversity? Replace Greenfield with Mark Maron, then!

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[MamaBear]

14. It appears management has only Air America's certain

death in mind. It's a shame. The only Air America show I listen to regularly any more is Rachel Maddow's show. Sometimes I catch the last 1/2 hour of Randi as I'm leaving work.

My radio was locked to their station from the time they debuted until the day they fired Mike. I was still tuned in (except for the Satellite Cysters, of course) even after they took Mike off of WLIB.

WLIB, 1190 AM, by the way, used to be a station dedicated to the Caribbean Community in this area. Its current programming? Gospel music.

I like a little spice in my programming and in my politics; Air America offers nothing but milquetoast and nags now, except for Rachel and Sam and Randi. Sam, however, is on during working hours when I'm not available to listen.

Hopefully NovaM and Jones will be able to expand into the niche that Air America opened up and then abandoned.