Jobber of the Week 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Upstart 24-hour talk radio network prepares to turn the dial to the left Liberal Air America to start national broadcast at end of month Dan Fost, Chronicle Staff Writer Get ready for a new concept in talk radio: liberals. A new company, Air America Radio, said Wednesday it will go live March 31 in the nation's four largest markets, including the Bay Area, with an unprecedented left- leaning, round-the-clock talk radio network, featuring outspoken comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo. Air America, owned by New York's Progress Media, plans to crack a medium now dominated by conservatives like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage. "We are going to put it to Bush," Franken said during a conference call with reporters. "Bush is going down in November, and then we're putting it to the rest of the right-wing media." Conservatives doubt the effort will work. "They'll never last," said Savage, whose national show is based out of San Francisco's KNEW (910 AM). "It's a very tough job. It sounds easy, you can get up there and attack Bush, but it's a phenomenal demand that no one can understand unless they try it." In addition to the challenges hosts like Franken will face in trying a new medium, industry experts also question the wisdom of spending tens of millions of dollars on a large national rollout for an unproven idea. The network will have to direct listeners to new stations -- it has not yet announced its home on the San Francisco dial -- and will face competition not only from conservative hosts but also from more middle-of-the-road programming on public radio. Air America officials defend their plan as making sound business sense, and say they're prepared to lose money for years before turning a profit. "We're all capitalists," said Evan Cohen, the New York venture capitalist who chairs Air America's board. "We believe there should be a new voice in the American media landscape, and we believe there is a real business to be had here. "There's no question this is a risky investment," Cohen said. "Everybody is going in with their eyes wide open. But there's a big hole in the market and lots of opportunity." Air America's program lineup will be broadcast live on the East Coast, and tape delayed on the West Coast. Franken's show -- called "The O'Franken Factor" in a deliberate tweak at Fox News rival Bill O'Reilly -- will air from noon to 3 p.m., while Garofalo's "The Majority Report" will run from 8 to 11 p.m. The shows will be repeated between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., the only hours when Air America won't have original programming. Franken had great success last year when Fox News Channel sued him over the phrase "fair and balanced," and the resulting media attention helped make a best-seller out of his book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." That experience led him to claim Wednesday, "We're going to be baiting (O'Reilly) as much as we can." In response, Fox News spokesman Rob Zimmerman said, "Our country was based on the principle of free speech. We wish them well.'' Air America has inked deals with radio stations WLIB in New York, WNTD in Chicago and KBLA in Los Angeles. It said it will announce its deal in San Francisco before the end of the month. It is leasing some stations, broadcasting in partnership with station owners elsewhere, and plans to buy some stations. Programming will also be available on satellite radio and online at www.airamericaradio.com. Jack Swanson, a self-proclaimed "screaming liberal" who started conservative talk station KSFO (560 AM) in San Francisco, said Air America is going about its business all wrong. "I don't think anybody's going to notice they're there," said Swanson, operations manager for talk stations KSFO and KGO (810 AM), owned by the Walt Disney Co. In addition, he said, "I don't think there's a demand for it. ... (Air America's backers) are influential wealthy Democrats. It's a charity in a strange kind of way." Swanson said Air America would need to spend $2 million on advertising in San Francisco alone in its first year to attract a sufficient audience. Some have questioned whether liberals can succeed at all in the realm of talk radio. Conservatives, the argument goes, see the world in black and white, and offer more-entertaining points of view, while liberals tend to debate shades of gray and put audiences to sleep. In addition, corporate advertisers may favor conservative hosts who are friendlier to their points of view. "If you're promoting SUVs, you're more likely to get an SUV commercial than if you're bashing them. That's pretty elementary," said Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, a liberal who had a talk show for several years on Pacifica Radio, including Berkeley's KPFA (94.1 FM). "The fact of the matter is, the liberal in American terms is offering correctives to capitalism, whereas the conservatives are singing the praises of capitalism, unfettered and unabashed and unapologetic. So, right there you have an order of magnitude difference in terms of corporate favorability." Some liberals have had success in local markets, such as Miami's Randi Rose, who will be joining Air America. In addition, while some people say the failure of shows like one hosted by Jim Hightower of Texas prove that there's no market for left-wing talk, Hightower contends that his radio show was canceled not for lack of ratings, but because Disney bought ABC, which syndicated the program. "My populist viewpoint didn't fit Disney's agenda," Hightower said. Others in the radio business see some potential for Air America. Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers magazine, said, "Talk radio works best when it serves people who feel disenfranchised. Maybe now with a conservative president, a conservative government and the war, maybe the time is right for someone to be critical of the president." Michael Jeary, president of the New York advertising agency Della Femina Rothschild Jeary and Partners, said the demand for a liberal point of view could attract an audience, and for advertisers, "it's going to be all about the ratings." He said the station would naturally attract "green products," and should scoop up a good share of this year's copious political advertising dollars. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...BUG305I4KS1.DTL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Dubya 04 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 If Franken and Garafelo are going to be the two big names, why wouldn't they put them on during drive-time hours? I think that that's when the majority of people listen to talk radio (or not, but it's when I do). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 11, 2004 In response, Fox News spokesman Rob Zimmerman said, "Our country was based on the principle of free speech. We wish them well.'' If only they thought that way last year... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 The O'Franken Factor? L-A-M-E Sounds like they're already making excuses for its upcoming failure. And for the record, I really don't care if this takes off or not -- after all, there's always NPR... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Is this really gonna be a liberal network, or is this going to be a "lets get a democrat elected" network? I have no problem with a so-called liberal network, but "liberal" is such a vague term. I mean to me it sounds more like a democrat lovefest station. Are indys and Greens and libertarians etc......going to have an equal voice on this network even though it might not always paint democrats in a good picture? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jobber of the Week 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 The O'Franken Factor? L-A-M-E No way. There's no such thing as picking on Bill O'Reilly and it being Not Funny. O'Reilly haterizing will still be funny in the year 4040. Bill just simply earns every little bit of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vyce 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Is this really gonna be a liberal network, or is this going to be a "lets get a democrat elected" network? I have no problem with a so-called liberal network, but "liberal" is such a vague term. I mean to me it sounds more like a democrat lovefest station. Are indys and Greens and libertarians etc......going to have an equal voice on this network even though it might not always paint democrats in a good picture? I'm sure they'll be fair and balanced, Mike and... .....and..... ...*snicker*....no, I'm sorry, I can't even TYPE that with a straight face. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 11, 2004 There's no such thing as picking on Bill O'Reilly and it being Not Funny. O'Reilly haterizing will still be funny in the year 4040. Bill just simply earns every little bit of it. This is true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Goes live March 31 ...and dies April 1.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jobber of the Week 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Goes live March 31 ...and dies April 1.... If you were with me when I listened to Michael Savage in his days where everything was some sort of obscure plot to let China take over the US, I would have told you this guy would have never made it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 Goes live March 31 ...and dies April 1.... If you were with me when I listened to Michael Savage in his days where everything was some sort of obscure plot to let China take over the US, I would have told you this guy would have never made it. doesn't he still believe that though? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted March 11, 2004 The reason people like the conservative shows is because they're entertaining! No one wants to hear Al Franken and Geneene Gawafhoweverthehellyouspeelit whine for 3 hours about Iraq... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Evidently Al Franken's voice = $$. This is news to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cerebus Report post Posted March 12, 2004 An excellent article from the American Prospect about this. Personally, I think it'll flop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jobber of the Week 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 The reason people like the conservative shows is because they're entertaining! No one wants to hear Al Franken and Geneene Gawafhoweverthehellyouspeelit whine for 3 hours about Iraq... If the radio show has anything with the creativity of Supply-Side Jesus or Operation Chickenhawk, the Franken show could be entertaining. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 The O'Franken Factor? L-A-M-E No way. There's no such thing as picking on Bill O'Reilly and it being Not Funny. O'Reilly haterizing will still be funny in the year 4040. Bill just simply earns every little bit of it. Seriously, you think that's funny? I mean I wish Al would die a slow painful death from cancer, but damn he's come up with better zingers than that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 12, 2004 The reason people like the conservative shows is because they're entertaining! No one wants to hear Al Franken and Geneene Gawafhoweverthehellyouspeelit whine for 3 hours about Iraq... I suppose it is entertaining to listen to people like Hannity and Savage make asses out of themselves by spreading their tired rhetoric. Fun for the whole family. And if you think the left is the only side that "whines" about stuff, you are sorely mistaken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted March 12, 2004 I might call in and demand that the child molester/killer of the week get community service just to see what the reaction is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 I bet anything the first week (at least) will be them goofing on right-wing callers calling in saying how bad they are. Wonder if they paid off, err, I mean "acquired," a station in the Pittsburgh market? If they would my guess would be WPTT, but I don't see it happening... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MikeSC Report post Posted March 12, 2004 The O'Franken Factor? L-A-M-E No way. There's no such thing as picking on Bill O'Reilly and it being Not Funny. O'Reilly haterizing will still be funny in the year 4040. Bill just simply earns every little bit of it. Seriously, you think that's funny? I mean I wish Al would die a slow painful death from cancer, but damn he's come up with better zingers than that... Insulting O'Reilly is funny --- but insulting Kerry for mentioning Vietnam a little is not funny, apparently. This will tank. Badly. Again, if there was a MARKET for this, there would BE liberal shows now. You didn't see Rush buying up a network to make his show national. Ditto Hannity. Heck, ditto Savage. The left has to do it because, quite honestly, liberals ceased being humorous or anything resembling cool back in the 80's. Any group whose ONLY moral certainty is that smoking is bad just isn't a heck of a lot of fun to deal with. -=Mike ...Besides, when the heck has Janeane EVER been funny? She was bad during the REALLY bad days of SNL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jobber of the Week 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Any group whose ONLY moral certainty is that smoking is bad just isn't a heck of a lot of fun to deal with. Uh, what? That kind of conflicts with the whole pot hippie thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Insulting O'Reilly is funny --- but insulting Kerry for mentioning Vietnam a little is not funny, apparently. Both are funny. So says I. This will tank. Badly. Again, if there was a MARKET for this, there would BE liberal shows now. Hm. If it DOESN'T tank, will you admit you were wrong? I honestly feel this can be successful, but only if they do it RIGHT (no pun intended). The left has to do it because, quite honestly, liberals ceased being humorous or anything resembling cool back in the 80's. What about The Daily Show? Jon Stewart is a fairly "liberal" guy and his show is considered "humorous and cool" by most (including myself). And last time I checked, Hannity, Rush, Buchanan, Weiner, Falwell, ect al aren't considered "cool" by the youth of America. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Well, let's be fair. No matter what name you give yourself, anyone with the last name "Weiner" will never be cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Well, let's be fair. No matter what name you give yourself, anyone with the last name "Weiner" will never be cool. This is true. Even if they change it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BX 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 The left has to do it because, quite honestly, liberals ceased being humorous or anything resembling cool back in the 80's. Right, because all of those people who constantly pack the studios of Bill Maher, John Stewart, and Dennis Miller (before he went insane) are all just a bunch of fucking squares, man. If you want uncool, you need go no farther then those stupid fucks who crowded the America's Funniest Home Videos sets in the early 90's. What the FUCK was wrong with those people, laughing at those horrid one-liners? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justice 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Right, because all of those people who constantly pack the studios of Bill Maher, John Stewart, and Dennis Miller (before he went insane) are all just a bunch of fucking squares, man. JON Stewart , and he doesn't let his political views control the show. He'll make a smart quip or two, but he's generally an equal-opportunity satirist. Maher is a good one, though Miller (and I suppose you could put in Colin Quinn as well) do just the same with conservatism. I don't think it really matters what part of the political spectrum you are on as long as you have fun shit to say. On that note, this thing will fail miserably. Garafawhatever is way too irritating to listen to for more than 15 minutes, and Franken is great in doses, but I don't think that he can maintain the hilarity for an extended period, even if he is making fun of O'Reilly. Oh well, not like I listen to any talk radio in the car... *Puts in "Kill Bill, Vol 1" Soundtrack* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Didnt Franken write/act for a popular/funny late night tv show at one point?... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BX 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Whe ushe "H"'s in the South, shon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justice 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Didnt Franken write/act for a popular/funny late night tv show at one point?... Unless he's only using Stewart Smally for his show, that doesn't mean much, plus a lot of people made SNL back then funny. Not to diminsh his contribution much, but SNL and a political talk radio show are two pretty different entities here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 12, 2004 Just for reference: John Stewart Jon Stewart Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
