What is happening to liberal talk radio ?

[blues90]

Seems lately it is rapidly becoming middle road radio . Is this really desired ?

Is this not what dumbed down american in the first place and allowed this bush admin to take us where we are now ?

I don't mean Rush L radio but isn't middle of the road just as dangerous ?

So far I see as far as AAR there is Randi and Maddow left and Hartmann . Malloy on Nova M and Guy James and Peter Werbe who is only on one day a week .

I hear people say they are sick of politics on the radio . Less than two years ago liberal radio was building up steam and lately with all the changes there are few stations left .

AAR used to post the number of stations they gained each month about a year ago .

My wife listens to S Miller and has said even their show is changing and going away from politics and more into emails and comedy and to her this is noticable .

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Our British Friends would say...

"They're losing their bottle"

It's essentially gutless.

[LisaM]

2. What about Thom Hartmann?

Also, with Stephanie Miller, don't forget, it's kind of between election cycles and everyone is gearing up for a long presidential campaign. Maybe she's just taking a bit of a break.

[napi21]

3. I can't really answer you because I live in GA! There is NOTHING

the the RW idiots on here! I listen to all my favorite liberal radio via the net, and the only time I have trouble findingsomething I want to hear is Sat & Sun night.

Each day, I listen to Lynn Cullen 9-12, Thom Hartmann 12-3, Ed Schultz 3-6, Mike Maloy 9-12, and Bernie Ward 1AM-4AM. Yes, I do doze off during Ray Tallifaro from 4-7AM!

[youngdem]

4. Same thing that happens to everything else it seems

First, the established media and corporate sponsors ignore the new phenomenon, then they ridicule it, then they attack it, then try to outlaw it, then they mock it, then they fail to copy it, then they try to buy it, then they dilute and destroy it.

[quiet.american]

5. I hear you. AAR was going STRONG in NYC, then committed suicide.

When AAR was on their original flagship station, WLIB in New York, they had built up a very strong identity and following. Then, they derailed Morning Sedition. Okay, Maddow did a very good job of patching up that hole. Then they announced they were moving off of WLIB and over to a station with an extremely weak signal -- WWRL. And before they did that, they fired Malloy.

First morning I tuned into AAR on WWRL -- who the hell is doing the morning show -- Armstrong Williams. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so, I figure, okay, this is local programming, I just won't be able to do AAR any more in the morning -- then later on I hear AAR promoting Armstrong Williams as part of their morning lineup!

I used to have AAR on every radio in my house. Now it's not on any of them. When I remember, I'll stream Sam Seder (now gone), Thom Hartmann and Randi. AAR has slowly gnawed away at everything I loved about them in the beginning. They're already a shell of their former selves.

[pink-o]

11. I LOVED Morning Sedition!!!

....That to me was the beginning of the rot setting in, when they yanked Mark and Marc off the air. Neither was very good solo, and the whole ambience was destroyed. Kent Jones (Lawton Smalls, the Bush supporter in barely conceled denial) moved to Maddow, but even he isn't as hilarious as he used to be.

I subscribe to Stephanie Miller as a consolation to my lack of Morning Sedition. It's a lot lighter fare, not as edgy or neurotic, but I disagree with the poster who thinks she's gotten less political. They're all over the RW talk show hosts and the Bush WH. They just come at it from a comedian's perpective, so it can appear less political.

[quiet.american]

21. You're right, as a combo, they were better together than solo.

And it sure was a classic when Maron blasted on-air one of the suits who had the audacity to show up one morning for no other seeming purpose than to gloat over the fact that the show had been canned.

When AAR debuted, it seemed like every cab driver in NYC had AAR on in the morning, now they've switched back over to WBAI or NPR.

[Canuckistanian]

19. Malloy being booted off WLIB was a major fuckup

That was the strangest move.

Even though the 10-midnight slot is called "the graveyard", Mike had a huge following.

[quiet.american]

20. Yes -- and before they let him go, in NY they replaced him with... The Satellite Sisters?!

Nothing against the Satellite Sisters, in fact, I would leave the radio on when I first heard them on Sunday mornings (although their idolatry of Maria Shriver is nauseating) -- but to replace the righteous Malloy with them.... it's like replacing Keith Olbermann with Blues Clues and expecting the same audience.

[bdamomma]

30. Yea, I loved AAR when it first started, especially the first time I heard

Mike Malloy, AAR management is totally out of touch with their listeners, and Sam is going to move to Sundays 4-7 p.m. I read today from an e-mail from the sleazy owner of the station Mark Green, Randi, and Rachel and Thom are left. But thank God for Nova M and Mike Malloy.

[bigwillq]

6. The AAR station here in CT

was taken over by ESPN radio.

:mad:

[rurallib]

7. AAR may be taking a shit but there are bright lights elsewhere

As noted -Stephanie, Malloy, Hartmann, Randi, Rachel and I bet a bag of donuts that Sam Seder won't be gone for long. Plus Jay Marvin in Denver.
Sadly I must stream them all.

[tridim]

8. Jay Marvin is a left-leaning centrist

Odd that you'd group him with the real lefties like Malloy, Randi and Hartmann.

I listen to his show but mostly because there's nothing else on in his time slot and he's local.

[B Calm]

29. I listened to Jay Marvin when he was on WLS. He was right wing

on WLS.

[rurallib]

31. Only heard him a few times and on those days he sounded lefty?

[sam sarrha]

9. sam has been sent to "Time Out" for having "Substance".. and too much integrity, being too smart

and fair.. he invites RepugNuts to call him.. Tom Hartman is banished from his AAR time slot by XM, and Ed... ED.. was put in his place, i am thinking of getting rid of XM and and AAR Premium and donating to White Rose Society .org. for my info. i am really disappointed in AAR, i got premium because they were the only source of TRUTH and REAL NEWs. if i need entertainment i will play with my dogs or work in my shop... thank you

[Orsino]

10. Inevitable result of corporate ownership of the airwaves.

It really is all about the money. Messages that do not promote corporate profits are squeezed out, or permanently exiled to the AM band.

Dismantle the conglomerates, and force good citizenship on broadcasters again, and you will hear real variety on the air.

[Xithras]

12. Bad ratings.

Not enough liberals listen to talk radio.

[juno jones]

14. I agree

May I also suggest that it may be an age demographics problem. I'll probably get into hot water here, but in my own experience (having been forced to listen to various forms of TR when working) most listeners of radio are older. Most younger people listen to predominantly music radio- if they listen to broadcast radio at all: most are getting their news and music from the internets these days. Older people tend to be more conservative, thus the preponderance of all those asses who spew ignorant hatred 50 years out of date. I've personally never cared for talk radio of any kind. But I think it's due to my experience of feeling trapped when listening to it in the workplace, etc. I hope AAR does well, there is obviously a market of some kind...but I don't really see it as a growing one. I bet radio itself is having problems. They are catering to an older and older crowd for the most part. They don't really realize how saturating markets with 'Golden Oldies', talk and 'Classic Rock' outlets isn't bringing them any new listeners. I stopped listening to commercial radio 30 years ago when they started automating the stations and playing more commercials and DJ talk than music. As long as internet radio thrives, I doubt I will be going back.

[mmonk]

13. As far as Steph goes, she always uses humor since she is

a comedian (and rightwingers really hate it becuase it makes them seem ridiculous). I hope she (of the Jones network) and Randi (AAR) stay on the air as those two are my favorites.

[WA98296]

15. As long as Thom Hartmann is on the air, I'll survive. And we get Mike Malloy in Seattle!

[KharmaTrain]

16. Lots Of Turmoil And Things Aren't Well

I just did a survey of Progressive Talk radio around the country and things are not very pretty. AAR's financial mess...that still goes on...cost it several affiliates...thus there are less Progressive Talk stations today than there were a year ago...with even more ready to pull the plug.

The problems are many...from a major economic depression going on within radio, lack of promotion and marketing and few, if any, independent and progressive broadcasters/owners/operators. The bottom line is the bottom line and Progressive Talk's record in making money is abysmal...and as the old saying goes "no bucks, no Buck Rodgers".

[Ron Green]

17. "Liberalism" and "Talk Radio" don't really go together, do they?

It's rather an oxymoron. One is about human progress, the other about entertainment. One requires reasoned discourse, the other, name-calling and smackdowns.

[sandyd921]

26. Sam Seder and Thom Hartmann

and other liberal hosts offer very thoughtful liberal talk radio. If you've never listened I can see how you might have that impression, but the two are not incompatible.

[Madspirit]

18. I like Garrison Keiller and Prairie Home Companion

I know it's not Talk Radio per se but it is progressive radio.
Lee

[LSK]

22. Listen to Nova M Phoenix

You get Steph, Thom, Randi back to back and later on Malloy.

[cadmium]

23. two steps forward and one step back. It is

going to be setback and recoveries etc. They are up against a 30 yr entrenched RW talk machine. This isnt to say I like the changes, but it has to evolve. There is more talent out there than people commonly know. One thing that bothers me as much as the increasingly dull line up is the loss of stations. Liberal radio is very important. A lot of people get their opinions from radio.

Right now AAR is broadcasting a presidential debate with Moveon.org

I think that it is better to contact AAR and radio networks en masse rather than catastrophizing. One thing is if you hear a product advertised on a neutral station -- contact the advertiser and suggest they advertise on a liberal show.

Barnes and Noble and Costco are good "blue" companies that good get traction on liberal media

[Strelnikov_]

25. Pretty much the way I see it.

I really get a kick out of those who think talk radio is not important. Maybe they are reading to much into the survey they did on their dorm floor.

Radio is low cost (for the consumer), convenient, and pervasive among the working people of this country, just the people the Reich depends upon Reich Radio to propagandize into voting against their best interests.

I mean, if radio was not important to the Reich, why are they spending so much money to defend and preserve their empire of the airwaves?

[Strelnikov_]

24. We are into the second movie, 'The Empire Strikes Back'

But hang in there, I think Imus just handed us the plan to de-construct the Death Star.

[sandyd921]

27. Maybe this is the beginning of the end

for RW hate radio? Interesting thought. Just maybe they'll be more room for ideas and thoughtful discussion on our airwaves. We can hope anyway. :hi:

[Strelnikov_]

28. A few months ago Sammy had a guy on, I think from SanFran, who played clips

of Melanie Morgans (RW hate jock) show to advertisers (mainly some standard Reich Wing fare Muslim bashing). They started dumping her. They were so worried that Disney's lawyers went after the guy through his ISP (internet service provider) as I recall.

Basically, the guy said that the advertisers were shocked that the show they were funding was airing such extreme views. THAT is the power of this veil of credibility Reich Radio has. Advertisers just figure, hey, it's Disney (or CBS, EIB, etc.) it has to be respectable.


The Imus gambit may be a way to lift that veil. Look at what just this one guy in SanFran did.


Then again, look where Sammy's excellent content driven show got him.

And here is a linky to the story:

http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2007/01/horses_ass_radi.html

[cadmium]

32. great link thanks n/t