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Would You Advertise On This Network?
March 26, 2004
The liberal talk radio network, Air America, debuts next week in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. It will feature one funny Bush-hater, Al Franken, and one un-funny Bush-hater, Janeane Garofalo. Plus earnest bore Robert Kennedy, Jr., (maybe) rapper Chuck D. (formerly of Public Enemy), and some no-names. Yet before even taking the air, the liberals have managed to alienate blacks (surprise, surprise). In metropolitan New York, Air America will reside at WLIB-AM 1190, which has been an "Afrocentric" station. One critic says: ...they've got a couple of whites who just really want to go after Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and all the others. You can't convince me that that's going to be something good for Black and Hispanic people." Some opponents plan an April Fool's Day protest against racism in the radio industry. Gosh, sounds like great fodder for Air America's, um, liberal, commentators. In fact, ratings were weak at WLIB-AM. The black and Caribbean radio boosters may have a chance to reclaim their station before long, if what David Skinner says in today's Weekly Standard online is correct. Franken has signed only a one-year contract and has made it clear that his real goal is simply the unseating of George W. Bush. Maybe it's possible that he can charge away, on the air for three hours every day, for a few months. But, after the fuel of Election Day runs out, what? Other talent will have to break through, and on the double. Because anti-Bush venom is a pretty shallow pool from which to draw a large popular audience, reminding one of perhaps the darkest omen for the Air America Radio Network: the fate of the Howard Dean campaign. Bush-bashing isn't likely to draw much in the way of advertising revenue, is it? Especially in places like NYC and Chicago, where many support the war on terrorism. The more you look at Air America, the more it DOES look like an election-year project. Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 26, 2004 09:39 AM Trackback Pings TrackBack URL for this entry: Comments:
Um... Isn't this basically what Pacifica (www.pacifica.org) is, without Franken's humor? [sarcasm] And Pacifica is such a ratings leader in the major metropolitan areas that it broadcasts that this seems real smart. [/sarcasm] Whatever, if they want to throw their money away, more power to them :) Posted by: Liwt Apvad at March 26, 2004 07:05 PMi love this site. very interesting stuff for everybody. go on like this. Posted by: jonny at May 4, 2004 01:34 AMPost a comment
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