Liberal Talk Radio is learning that you go to bed with the devil and....

[Armstead]

you get burned.

Thanks to deregulation, radio is now a monopolized industry. And one of the biggest monopolists has been Clear Channel.

Now Clear Channel appears to be bailing on liberal talk radio. Why? A better question is why those fascists ever got into that format in the first place.

Face it folks. Until the Democrats get off their fannies and do something to REregulate broadcasting, and cut the Media Monopolies down to size, we're going to be stuck with a Hobson's choice between the bland and the offensive.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Willard "Mitt" Romney

His company was the lead in the takeover of Clear Channel. He is very, very, very evil, and 20x smarter than Bush. Very dangerous.

[kestrel91316]

4. Mitt is LDS, right? That whole church hierarchy is a nest of vipers, and

has been since the days of Joe Smith.

IMHO they are Dominionists, pure and simple. But they'll lie to your face and say they aren't. They are good a pretending to be harmless.

[Kerrytravelers]

6. I don't necessarily think that old "mitt" is representative of all Mormons.

Harry Reid is a Mormon. I've known Mormons that I wouldn't put in mitt's class. I think Mitt himself is an asshole.

[kestrel91316]

11. The whole church HIERARCHY is bad news, IMHO. As far as the rank

and file LDS membership, there seems to be a huge difference between most Utah born-and-bred LDS (particularly in non-urban parts of Utah) and LDS in other states. There is an evil Utah LDS clannishness and tendency toward theocracy that I have experienced personally. Also, one of my ancestors was a key member of the early LDS church and involved in a lot of murders of dissenters. They used to be seriously into "blood atonement" for transgressions. My ancestor was probably also one of the Mountain Meadows Massacre leaders.

Harry Reid converted to Mormonism, but he's a "jack" as far as I can tell. About as religious as my cats.

[Kolesar]

18. We get peculiar politics in the town with a "Reformed" LDS church &an "Extra-reformed" LDS church

The GOP congressman here rode to prominence as prosecutor of mass-murderer Jeffrey Lundgren. I could probably learn a lot talking to you. And I would not have to bother with Jon Krakauer's book. http://www.randomhouse.com/features/krakauer/index.html

[Marrah_G]

15. Good Ole Mitt

Finding just ONE more way he can show us how much he despises us, one more "fuck you" on his way out the door. I seriously wish a piece of the big dig would let go and crush his limo with his evil ass inside it. Bastard.

[Gloria]

2. There were 250 small FM stations, mostly in the South and West, up

for sale by the FCC a few years ago. They should have been snapped up by liberals with money. But no, AAR had to depend on Clear Channel.

IE America needed $50,000 a month to stay on the air. That's all. But no one would help the union with the expenses.

I've been totally fed up with our side over this. Stupid and shortsighted.

[JDPriestly]

3. AAR meant the difference between winning and losing in 2006

It's not that so many people listen. It is that those who do are well informed.

[eagler]

5. FAIRNESS DOCTRINE!!!

FD

[Eric J in MN]

7. I don't blame Clear Channel.

The problem is the lack of big advertisers.

Al Gore got big advertisers for "Current TV," but no one did that for "Air America Radio."

[Armstead]

8. Clear Channel is playinmg the game but shoulkd not be allowed to

The problem is that the monopolistic market puts everyone at the mercy of a few large companies. And in the case of Clear Channel, a company with right wing tendencies.

[LTR]

16. There's a big difference there

Current is not a political channel. It's basically YouTube on TV, but with more serious videos.

Plus, if the stations' account executives are too stupid to be able to sell liberal talk on the radio, then that's their problem. Read this article on my blog from yesterday:

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/12/mixed-signals-in-boston.html

[Vexatious Ape]

9. I got that choice here in Atlanta

We lost AAR a while ago. We have plenty of Boortz, Rush, and the moron Hanity, to listen in on however.

[silverojo]

10. We need the Fairness Doctrine back!

K&R!

[blm]

12. Rally round Kerry now that he'll chair committee that can seek overturn of expansion.

Why do you think corpmedia has been pounding him relentlessly since 2003? I wonder if Democrats will CONTINUE to side with corpmedia lies over Kerry, as they usually seem to do?


Kerry Seeks to Reverse FCC's "Wrongheaded Vote"

Commission Decision May Violate Laws Protecting Small Businesses; Kerry to File Resolution of Disapproval

Monday, June 2, 2003

WASHINGTON - Senator John Kerry today announced plans to file a "Resolution of Disapproval" as a means to overturn today's decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to raise media ownership caps and loosen various media cross-ownership rules.
Kerry will soon introduce the resolution seeking to reverse this action under the Congressional Review Act and Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act on the grounds that the decision may violate the laws intended to protect America's small businesses and allow them an opportunity to compete.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Kerry expressed concern that the FCC's decision will hurt localism, reduce diversity, and will allow media monopolies to flourish. This raises significant concerns about the potential negative impacts the decision will have on small businesses and their ability to compete in today's media marketplace.

In a statement released earlier today regarding the FCC's decision, Kerry said:

"Nothing is more important in a democracy than public access to debates and information, which lift up our discourse and give Americans an opportunity to make honest informed choices. Today's wrongheaded vote by the Republican members of the FCC to loosen media ownership rules shows a dangerous indifference to the consolidation of power in the hands of a few large entities rather than promoting diversity and independence at the local level. The FCC should do more than rubber stamp the business plans of narrow economic interests.

"Today's vote is a complete dereliction of duty. The Commissioners are well aware that these rules greatly influence the competitive structure of the industry and protect the public's access to multiple sources of information and media. It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that the rules serve our national goals of diversity, competition, and localism in media. With today's vote, they shirked that responsibility and have dismissed any serious discussion about the impact of media consolidation on our own democracy."

[warrens]

13. Fundamental problem

Liberals don't seem to feel the need to have someone rant about things they already know. Wingnuts need to be kept in a permanent state of anger, or they lapse back into the slothful apathetic coma that is their natural state, drinking beer and watching cars drive in circles. Liberals are more likely to want to hear the news, with a bit of commentary. I found AAR unlistenable after a few weeks.

[Armstead]

14. I think that's oversimplifying it

Broadcasting is a primary way most people get information and the ability to form their own opinions.

Therefore it is important to "let a thousand flowers bloom" in terms of access to the airwaves. That requires a mix of views and -- more important -- as many different gatekeepers as possible.

It also requires that the media be seen as more than a Wal mart of the air.

While your own tastes may not run towards the brand of talk radio that Air Amnerica represents, that should be available, as should more balanced and intelligent and thoughtful programming that does not have an inherent.

The basic problems is that as a society we have turned this important resource over to a bunch of hucksters, whose only interest is in doing whatever it takes to make a buck.

[Canuckistanian]

17. You've got to wonder when Madison, WI loses progressive radio

I mean if MADISON, WI can lose it's progressive voice, what chance is there in the rest of the country?

Thay can't claim it was because of lack of interest or listener share.

Although Randi Rhodes seems to like Clear Channel (or at least it's people), we should NEVER, EVER forget that they did to the Dixie Chicks.

They're obviously partisan and will cut no slack to left-leaning programming, revenue be damned.