Payback from a Clear-Channel-owned AAR station? In San Francisco:

[nicknameless]

SF's local AAR affiliate just cut Randi Rhodes' show down to two hours and stuck her in the 9pm - 11pm slot.

The 3:00 pm slot now has Rachel Maddow and a snooze-of-an-allegedly-"progressive" news hour.

Rachel is good, but she's no Randi.
Air America and its affiliates have been scrambling to dump, move or otherwise silence their best voices.
Mike Malloy, Sam Seder, Marc Marron, and now Randi Rhodes.

Due to an avalanche of protests, Mike is back on some AAR stations.
SF's KQKE has him on 6pm - 9pm, but Sam and Marc are gone from the line-up.

:grr:

[Ignacio Upton]

1. We should shut THEM down when we take over in January

n/t.

[nicknameless]

4. Taking back the media is a critically important matter.

The reich-wing has been using the public-owned airwaves to blast their disinformation for waaay too long.

:grr:

On edit: Forgot to proofread.

[davidwparker]

11. Media and voting process. Agreed.

[aquart]

2. Clear Channel needs to be chopped up like rotten wood.

[fooj]

5. What's with the sudden Maddow "lovefest" lately?

Hell, she'll put you to sleep if you listen long enough.

[Cooley Hurd]

10. I have to humbly disagree with you fooj...

Rachel is smart, funny, energetic and an all-around an ASSET to us!

I REALLY miss her in the morning, but have to admit that Cenk, Ben and Jill REALLY do an excellent job in her spot.:thumbsup:

[fooj]

12. Disagreements are good...

:hi:

We'll just agree to disagree.B-)

[Cooley Hurd]

15. No, Goddamn it! AGREE WITH ME!

:rofl:

Sorry, the tone on DU today got the best of me. :D:hi:

[fooj]

23. Uh. Nooooooooooooooooo...

Bwahahahaha!:hi:

[Cooley Hurd]

27. Ok... you win.

:D

[Mr_Spock]

43. I like her too

I wish we didn't have people deciding for us who was good and who isn't - I think all of our opinions are important on this issue

[LTR]

3. This happened over a week ago

KQKE has been tinkering with their on-air roster to boost ratings.

Here is the new schedule:

6AM-9AM Stephanie Miller
9AM-12N Thom Hartmann
12N-3PM Ed Schultz
3PM-5PM Rachel Maddow
5PM-6PM Progressive News Hour
6PM-9PM Mike Malloy
9PM-11PM Randi Rhodes
11PM-12AM EcoTalk w/ Betsy Rosenberg
12AM-3AM Lionel
3AM-6AM Bill Press

In essence, they dumped Franken, who's ratings sucked, put Hartmann in the slot, added Malloy and Maddow, and bumped Rhodes to nights.

I will give them some credit. They have really been promoting the hell out of the station. Let's hope it pays off in better ratings.

Air America has nothing to do with it. KQKE made the decision, based on improving ratings. Give them credit for bringing in Hartmann and Malloy.

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/10/more-tremors-at-quake-as-hartmann-will.html

Perhaps you'd rather they just drop the format altogether?

[fooj]

6. Hartmann and Shultz get 6 HOURS?

Maddow will put you to sleep if you listen to her long enough. Just my 2 cents.

[nicknameless]

8. Agreed.

Rachel is just okay. Certainly better than Shultz, but no Randi by any stretch.

[LTR]

16. Hartmann=3 hrs, Schultz=3 hrs.

Yep, that equals 6.

And just because you don't like Hartmann and Schultz doesn't mean others don't. Hell, I like 'em both. I'm not a Franken fan, and while Randi is good, she gets a bit tedious after awhile. Same with Maddow and Seder.

[fooj]

25. Where the hell did I EVER say that I don't like Hartman or Schultz?

Huh? Show me where I stated that.

[Clark2008]

9. Some of don't get ANY AAR, at all, because our local radio jerks

think that no one would support it.

It's foolish, really, when one considers that the Democrat won in the city (but not the county, which turns our whole county, sadly, red).

I wouldn't complain if I were any of you who actually gets to listen to any of this and knows who these people are. We people in the South simply aren't "allowed" by the powers that be to hear progressive radio (and that's why Dems have such a hard time here - it's not their message, it's that it doesn't get broadcast so that Republicans are left defining Dems).

[nicknameless]

17. Don't be fooled into thinking that their real concern is *lack* of support.

Just like the military blocking progressive news sites and blogs, their genuine concern is that there will be too much support and the truth will get out. It's really just a matter of corporations trying to protect their "interests".

[LTR]

19. I feel your pain

We don't have a station like this in my town. Just a couple public radio stations and Ed Schultz on some tinny AM station. And a whole shitload of GOP propaganda blasting from the two big AM stations in town.

Hell, I'd kill to hear a station like KQKE in my town without having to podcast all of this (which is what I do now when I need my fix).

[krkaufman]

61. Well said. One good reason why Dean's 50-State Strategy is necessary...

... to quit allowing Rethugs to define Democrats, as you said. But also a good reason to get *any* sort of progressive programming on-air. Heck, I'm just trying to get MSNBC included by the cable provider in my Mom's home town.

[American Jesus]

32. Other than Schultz, that sounds like a decent schedule.

Ed Schultz might be "needed" in a Midwest market, but in San Francisco, come on??

If I were the program director there, I would drop Schultz, air Randi Live and maybe add Sam Seder on the 9 PM tape delay, except I'd give him 3 hours (Or air him in the morning and run Stephanie Miller later if listeners prefer)

In either case, kudos to them for dumping the Franken snoozefest in favor of Hartmann.

[krkaufman]

60. Thanks for posting some real info. I was wondering about the actual schedule.

They're trying to put together a working "progressive" lineup for their audience, however much people might disagree with their specific choices. At least they're not broadcasting Armstrong Williams, like the new NYC station, WWRL.

[Rick Myers]

7. Many AAR stations move Randi. And, cheer up...

Clear Channel has had a couple crappy years and stockholders have ordered the SALE of a ton of stations. When these stations return to more smaller operators, many will drop Rush!!!

When I was part of the AAR operation in Warren, OH (that's a story unto itself) WE time-shifted Randi. I think it is much more important to have a LOCAL afternoon drive show. Randi and Mike are great, and I know them both, but they are also an aquired taste. Just my opinion.

[nicknameless]

13. This is San Francisco.

Randi is perfect for this area.
Mike's rage meter can be off the charts for some, but he too is popular here.

[Rick Myers]

20. You have a good point. Randi should work well in SF...

Another thing that contributes to the chaos is the time differences across the timezones. Look at Step, she's a perfect West Cost 'morning' show, but she also works great in the East at 9-noon... AAR now has other nets in the game, and there are only so many realtime slots in a day.

But, you do have a point theat Clear Channel doing this in the SF market is fishy... I don't know much about your market, is the station we are talking about The Quake? I know other CC 'lib' stations in Boston and in Madison, WI split the day with AAR and Jones (Eddie and Step).

[nicknameless]

22. Yep, it's "The Quake".

And it is extremely fishy. Think about the fact that they did this to their afternoon drive time slot.
That's a big deal.

[tridim]

14. There's going to be a massive shift in the entire AM market

Stay tuned (no pun intended).

My guess is that Rush will last another month at the most, and the Rush clones will drop like flies during the next year. Progressive radio will be there to fill the holes.

[nicknameless]

18. From your keyboard ...

:)

[clbuck]

21. Another reason for this change could be

Having the entire lineup live from 3 AM to 9 PM. Yes, Randi got the short end of the stick, but KQKE apparently thinks Rachel live is a better fit than Randi delayed.

Sam's not on, because Stephanie Miller competes against his time slot, and gets better ratings.

And they're not going to get rid of Schultz; he gets great ratings, despite his more moderate views.

Incidentally, KPTK in Seattle does a similar thing, having Rachel live at 3-5 PM, Franken from 5-8, and Randi from 8-11.

[nicknameless]

24. I disagree with the notion that they saw Rachel & snooze as being better draws than Randi.

IMO, Randi is the most powerful progressive voice they have.
So they dumped her off to a 9-11pm slot and cut her show down from 3 hours to 2?
Too fishy.

[musette_sf]

66. Write to Bob Agnew at KQKE and tell him what YOU want!

Rachel Maddow can't even hold her own with that asshole Tucker "Jazz Hands" Carlson. She simpers and preens and acts "cute" with that MSM tool. (And hooray for Stephanie Miller who gives Tucker his due when she appears on his trashy show!)

Now they have boring Rachel on in drive time, in what may be one of the biggest progressive markets in the country, against Giant Head Sean Insannity on the hate station. Oh yeah, and then they have a drive time hour of snoring rehashed "news" that you read online yesterday, against screaming fascist Brian Assman on the hate station.

I think Clear Channel's intent is, shall we say, clear. They have ceded evening drive time to the hate radio station, since they have pulled the host that the listeners want from that spot, and put her in the late night dungeon. They obviously want uncommitted listeners to tune into anything but KQKE in evening drive time.

WRITE TO THE KQKE PROGRAM MANAGER AND TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT!

[e-mail]

* Dump Ed Schultz!
* Put Randi on LIVE for her full three hours every day!
* Get rid of Rachel Maddow in drive time!
* Bring back Sam Seder!

Tell Bob now, and tell Bob often, what YOU, the listener, really want to hear!

[Duer 157099]

26. Agree somewhat

It's been a long time since my radio has been silent in the 3-6pm hours -- but I've been finding that the case all week now. I've even got MSNBC on, (TV!) now, instead of the radio!

It's just not the same without Randi during the day!! I've already pleaded and cajoled KQKE about this, though. They don't listen to me. FINE, I won't listen to them.

[nicknameless]

28. I wrote to them ... but they're Clear Channel, so I'm not expecting much.

I believe they did this for unprogressive reasons.
There is no way that they thought their snooze hour was going to be more popular than Randi.

[Duer 157099]

29. You know, as long as the subject of KQKE is on the table...

What the hell is their problem with their sound engineers?? I can't count the number of times they run two tracks at the same time! I'll hear Randi ranting on about something, and a commercial on top of it! And no, it's not station overbleed.

Then, sometimes, the station just goes completely DEAD for a few minutes at a time, and I'll wonder who turned the radio off, and then suddenly it comes back.

They don't run the tightest ship, far as I can see (hear)...

[nicknameless]

30. I've had that complaint about them as long as they've been on the air.

I've listened to college stations that were run better.

Some would say that this is just the tinfoil talking, but I don't think it's by accident that these things are happening.

[clbuck]

33. Listening on the stream

I've noticed that they run commercials for too long during Malloy, so they come back from the break with Mike in mid-sentence.

[LTR]

37. Problem might lie with Nova M

Nova M is pretty new, and I assume the reason why the breaks are all screwy is due to lack of a programming clock. The 'clock' is what tells local stations when breaks are supposed to be, how long they are, and when they end. I'm wondering if Nova M is running a little off the clock, if their synchronization setup is screwy, or if KQKE needs to program this stuff into the computer.

Listening to Malloy's new show, Nova M sounds a bit loose. Not accusing them of anything, but it sounds like a technical program on one end or the other.

[LTR]

36. This is common with many Clear Channel stations

I assume they run the whole thing via computer. That's fine. It's the way things are done these days. And if it makes the station profitable, more power to 'em. Probably more reliable than a sleepy board op who misses breaks.

The problem lies in their automation software. Most, if not all Clear Channel stations use a system called Prophet. Works great for many of their stations (especially music) but has many problems with satellite-fed programming. Especially when said programming is time-shifted and taken from a variety of syndicated feeds (KQKE carries programming from AAR, Jones, Nova M and WOR Network). This is why multiple feeds run over each other. In many situations, the software is in need of upgrading/fine-tuning.

The problem is worse at other CC stations, particularly WSAI (formerly WCKY) in Cincinatti.

[Duer 157099]

41. Well I can assure you that I turn the radio off when it happens

and it happens alot, and it's often quite awhile before I turn it back on

That's can't be good for biz

[nicknameless]

42. The more people that turn off their radios because they can't take the

overlapping audio, the better for the reich-wing. One way to block the truth is to make it impossible to hear.

[Duer 157099]

45. Wow, that almost sounds like equating dems with terrorism

So, you're saying I should accept not only a sub-par and unprofessional product, but one that is actually actively ANNOYING as well?

Really? Are you that much into martyrdom?

Not me, thanks.

I think it'd be much easier and obvious for them to clean up their act.

[nicknameless]

48. Uh, no.

If Clear Channel can get you to turn off your radio, the reich-wing wins.

Not saying you shouldn't -- I turn mine off too when they play overlapping audio.

"Wow, that almost sounds like equating dems with terrorism"

Huh????

[Duer 157099]

51. Yeah, that was too much hyperbole, sorry

it just struck me the same way at first for some odd reason...

[LTR]

44. Tell them

Write a (very) polite email, tell them you enjoy the programming immensely, and support the advertisers, BUT the commercials and/or programming overlap at times.

Tell them the exact time it happened as well and what it was (commercial, news update or program).

[Duer 157099]

46. Yes, I agree, a constructive suggestion

I'll try to keep track

[clbuck]

31. To be fair, they DO have Mike Malloy. Live, in fact!

He's even angrier and more liberal than Randi is. But this is the first time a progressive talk station has Randi on after Mike, instead of before. Malloy's show is meant for a nighttime audience, while Randi is meant for the drive home (even if it's delayed). I'm actually kinda surprised they're airing him this week, since Nova M doesn't have all their satellite distribution equipment ready yet.

It would make a lot more sense to put Maddow at the 9 PM slot, and have Randi from 3-6 PM (or better yet, from noon-3).

I guess it's two steps forward, one step backwards for KQKE.

[nicknameless]

34. I love Mike, but disagree with your opinion on the outcome.

Mike is too raging for some people to listen to. Even for me at times.

Randi is the most influential, because more people will listen to her. She cleaned Limbaugh's clock in Florida and elsewhere.

She's done more to draw people to our side than Mike. His outrage is more appealing to the choir.

I totally agree that Randi should return to 3-6pm.

I had to drive 1.5 hours yesterday listening first to an hour broadcast of CNN's reich-wing hand wringing and spinning (on KQKE!) followed by the snooze hour.

How very unprogressive of them.

[Duer 157099]

35. I love Mike too, but I'm not ready for his anger in that time slot

He's a late-night kind of vibe, for me.

Randi is the perfect voice in the noon-6pm range. Much, much, much prefer her live 12-3, but 3-6 worked ok too.

Now, I just download the audio files from white rose and listen whenever, also not my 1st preference

[LTR]

39. Randi after Mike has been done before

KTNF in Minneapolis did this.

And I agree with you about the shift thing. Here in the midwest, he's on 8-11PM (an hour earlier than his AAR show). His show works better at night. A good example of this is when he subbed for Springer. I tried listening, but it just doesn't work in the morning. I listened to the rest of the show and the one from the next day via podcast at night and it sounded much, much better.

Malloy's is a show designed for the nighttime hours. Unfortunately (relatively speaking), west coast listeners get him a bit earlier, but that's the way the Earth's made. The show is also best aired live, though I think he should take more phone calls. Same with Randi. The 3 hr. Iraq War rants without something to break it up get a little tedious. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I like Ed Schultz. He knows how to break things up a little and make the show interesting.

[liberalEd]

38. They should trade the Randi and Shultz slots

Randi LIVE 12 - 3 pm PT, Schultz 9 - 11 PM.

Then it would be a near-perfect schedule.

Randi opened their original progressive schedule. The very first Air America voice that came out on KQKE was Randi welcoming San Francisco. For that alone she deserves better.

[nicknameless]

40. The only problem with the 12-3pm slot is that many people are working then

and can't listen.

She really belongs in the afternoon drive slot, when listenership can be very high.

She sure does deserve better. She's the heart and soul of that network.

[Jay Sherman]

47. In WV the choices are sports or Limbaugh/Hannity

(or mostly classical music on NPR). Getting back equal time would be a good start. As would government funding of a nonprofit media such as NPR (or much better Pacifica) on a national level for news 24/7 on radio and TV.

[nicknameless]

49. NPR was much better before the 1994 rethug "revolution".

Any media getting federal funds were basically threatened.
The reich has monopolized the airwaves for too long.

I hope things look up for WV

[newyawker99]

65. Hi Jay Sherman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[NancyG]

50. I have The Quake on all day

except when I switch to Bernie Ward at 10pm.

I adore Rachel Maddow, but miss Al Franken. Loved the guests he had. Quake said Al was switched out as he transitions from radio to politics. When I saw that AAR still had him on their list, I knew that was bullshit. Would be delighted to see him as Senator however. I'd give up him as radio host for Senator.

I miss Randi terribly.

I'm thankful that Clear Channel is willing to host progressive radio. It's a good sign. Let's have competing progressive stations on at the same time so we all have more choices.

[nicknameless]

52. Listening now. THEY'RE NOT EVEN PLAYING TODAY'S SHOW!

Randi's website says that she's interviewing Sheila Jackson Lee in the first hour and Larry Johnson in the second hour today.

KQKE is playing a PRE-election broadcast.

:grr:

[nicknameless]

53. Kicking the outrage

:kick:

[nicknameless]

54. THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

It can be found in a museum now. How fitting. :(

http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/F/htmlF/fairnessdoct/fairnessdoct.htm

U.S. Broadcasting Policy

The policy of the United States Federal Communications Commission that became known as the "Fairness Doctrine" is an attempt to ensure that all coverage of controversial issues by a broadcast station be balanced and fair. The FCC took the view, in 1949, that station licensees were "public trustees," and as such had an obligation to afford reasonable opportunity for discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial issues of public importance. The Commission later held that stations were also obligated to actively seek out issues of importance to their community and air programming that addressed those issues. With the deregulation sweep of the Reagan Administration during the 1980s, the Commission dissolved the fairness doctrine.

This doctrine grew out of concern that because of the large number of applications for radio station being submitted and the limited number of frequencies available, broadcasters should make sure they did not use their stations simply as advocates with a singular perspective. Rather, they must allow all points of view. That requirement was to be enforced by FCC mandate.

<snip>

By the 1980s, many things had changed. The "scarcity" argument which dictated the "public trustee" philosophy of the Commission, was disappearing with the abundant number of channels available on cable TV. Without scarcity, or with many other voices in the marketplace of ideas, there were perhaps fewer compelling reasons to keep the fairness doctrine. This was also the era of deregulation when the FCC took on a different attitude about its many rules, seen as an unnecessary burden by most stations. The new Chairman of the FCC, Mark Fowler, appointed by President Reagan, publicly avowed to kill to fairness doctrine.

<snip>

However, before the Commission's action, in the spring of 1987, both houses of Congress voted to put the fairness doctrine into law--a statutory fairness doctrine which the FCC would have to enforce, like it or not. But President Reagan, in keeping with his deregulatory efforts and his long-standing favor of keeping government out of the affairs of business, vetoed the legislation. There were insufficient votes to override the veto. Congressional efforts to make the doctrine into law surfaced again during the Bush administration. As before, the legislation was vetoed, this time by Bush.

The fairness doctrine remains just beneath the surface of concerns over broadcasting and cablecasting, and some members of congress continue to threaten to pass it into legislation. Currently, however, there is no required balance of controversial issues as mandated by the fairness doctrine. The public relies instead on the judgment of broadcast journalists and its own reasoning ability to sort out one-sided or distorted coverage of an issue. Indeed, experience over the past several years since the demise of the doctrine shows that broadcasters can and do provide substantial coverage of controversial issues of public importance in their communities, including contrasting viewpoints, through news, public affairs, public service, interactive and special programming.

We need more progressive networks and stations.
How sad to be beholden to and dependent upon the likes of Clear Channel to insure that the truth gets out.

:(

[Kerrytravelers]

55. If I do recall correctly, Randi said that she signed a new contract

and gets the same salary but only has to work two hours. She seemed very, very pleased.

[nicknameless]

56. She did reduce her show time from 4 hours to 3. Not to 2.

At least that's what I heard her say a couple months ago.

:shrug:

[Kerrytravelers]

57. Ok, you're probably right. That's sounds more accurate.

[ronnykmarshall]

59. That's correct.

When AAR changed the line-up, Randi cut back her to three hours from four. This was something we supported and wanted.

[nicknameless]

58. Kick

[Nictuku]

62. KQKE has lost me

I was thrilled when they got rid of Will and Willie and put in Stephanie Miller. As it was, I streamed Steph from her own site until the move.

But then.. they moved Randi. And bless Rachel Maddow, she is terrific, but she is no Randi.

Randi is why I got hooked to AAR. Now, I have to find a station that streams her in my after-work hours, and, oddly enough, the NovaM or Phoenix station seems to work the best. My only other option is to download and then listen to her the next day via WhiteRoseSociety.org

I carried around a portible radio with me so that I'd alweays be able to hear Randi. Now, I stream.

I'm sorry KQKE did this, I want to support them, but I get up at 4 am, and am usually heading for dreamland by 9:30, so there is no way I can listen to Randi that late at night.

And Mike, I support Mike. I like him. My mom absolutely loves him, but I agree he is more nighttime listening with his style.

I hope they decide to bring Randi back to afternoon drive.

[nicknameless]

64. I like Rachel too. But like you said, she's no Randi.

:(

[mucifer]

63. I like Rachel much more than Randi

[clbuck]

67. Randi's going to get her clock cleaned at 9 PM

Why? Her second hour will be competing against Bernie Ward on KGO at 10 PM, who gets unstoppable ratings, and is local.

[Duer 157099]

68. What the hell??? Randi this week...

Is it my imagination, has my brain just gone into a loop, or have I heard Randi's show from Friday ALL WEEK now?

WTF??

Will they now start playing one show a week, every night?

WTF is up with that?

HELP!!!!!

[nicknameless]

69. I don't know. I almost never remember to listen at her new time.

:(

I just tuned in for the first part of her last half hour (forgot to turn the radio back on after the ads).
She had Ray McGovern on.

Has he been on every broadcast this week?

[Duer 157099]

70. No, that sounds like a new one

I haven't listened to it yet

[nicknameless]

71. This situation is so sad.

Thankfully there is whiterosesociety.org

Clear Channel agreed to be purchased today. Wonder what's going to happen now.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=OBR&Date=20061116&ID=6203916