The Command Post - Op-Ed - Liberal Radio Network Air America Begins A MAJOR MARKET TEST

August 23, 2004

Liberal Radio Network Air America Begins A MAJOR MARKET TEST

Air America, the fledgling -- and struggling -- liberal talk show radio network today began a MAJOR market test that is being closely watched all over the country, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

There are several key reasons why:

(1) The programs, with comedian/activist Al Franken as the biggest name, will be going DIRECTLY against a conservative talk show radio slate. For instance, Franken's show will air opposite Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly.

(2) The new-York based liberal network's shows will be broadcast on a station owned by Texas=based Clear Channel Communications. A key executive of Clear Channel has been a big bucks contributor to George Bush's campaigns and the communications mega-giant was in the news a few months ago from booting radio talk show host Howard Stern from its stations.

Why is Clear Channel airing the liberal slate of shows? The Union-Trib story says:

On the surface, the pairing of Clear Channel and Air America seems a case of politics making strange bedfellows.
Clear Channel and its executives have made more than $300,000 in political contributions since 2000, most of it to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Critics have accused the company of using its radio stations to sponsor "patriotic rallies" designed to win support for the Bush administration and the war in Iraq.

And Clear Channel vice chairman Tom Hicks, a member of the Bush Pioneer club for big donors, bought the Texas Rangers baseball team from President Bush and other investors.

Last year, some Clear Channel country music stations refused to play songs by the Dixie Chicks after the group's lead singer made an anti-Bush remark. And last month the company was accused by anti-war activists of backing out on a lease for a Times Square billboard that was critical of the war in Iraq.

Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University, downplayed political differences between Air America and Clear Channel. In America, he said, the marketplace usually trumps ideology.
"The Dixie Chicks don't care if everyone loves them; only 1 million people loving them gives them a platinum album," Thompson said. "And if Al Franken becomes a huge hit and delivers an enormous audience, then of course Clear Channel is going to run with it."

So it is truly PURELY BUSINESS -- the marketplace -- which is progress for Air America. The network had become something of a running joke due to its slew of financial and station outlet problems. More from the story:

Air America's local debut on media powerhouse Clear Channel Communication's former KPOP 1360 AM station, now renamed KLSD, has been eagerly anticipated by industry insiders and liberal politicos as a key testing ground for the fledgling concept.
Conventional industry wisdom holds that liberal or "progressive" talk radio, which has been littered with failed programs that came off as whiny or milquetoast, can't match the kind of winning ratings mix of right-wing ideology and vitriol perfected by radio veteran Rush Limbaugh.
But some experts say the time may be right for the left. And Air America, a New York-based company that began airing its style of liberal news and views on a scattering of stations in March, aims to prove it.

A word about KPOP: This station for years carried Golden Golden Oldies such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, but about a year ago updated its songbook with slightly more current tunes. If you follow music and the idea that at times singers don't become unpopular but their audiences die out, this was a classic case of a radio station that was not in a growth position. So how will it serve Air America? Its frequency is not the strongest but it reaches throughout San Diego County.

Most importantly, though, is the fact that Clear Channel is airing its slate of shows in a clear cut business experiment -- and that the shows' appeal will starting tomorrow be IMMEDIATELY tested against the biggest national conservative talk show competitors in head-to-head competitions. There haven't been too many markets like this, althoug theere have been somehave been some:

Air America met the challenge, and then some, in Portland, Ore., where Clear Channel first tested the progressive talk format in March at its KPOJ-AM station. The station went from a 0.4 to a 3.7 market share for ages 12 and up in the spring Arbitron ratings. It hit the No. 3 listener slot with adults ages 25 to 54 � a demographic dear to the hearts of advertisers � up from No. 22 in the winter before the station flipped to progressive talk.

Still, the bottom line about talk radio (and blogs, for that matter) is noted by the newspaper at the end of its report:

"Liberal talk radio will always have a problem because liberals tend to want to see both sides of the picture and argue from there," said Carl Luna, professor of political science at San Diego Mesa College. "Arch conservative AM hosts are good at simply presenting one side � theirs � and lambasting anything they don't agree with, which their demographic likes. "Most people listen to talk radio to only have their existing ideas reinforced, not challenged or expanded."

Posted By Joe Gandelman at August 23, 2004 11:28 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Most people listen to talk radio to only have their existing ideas reinforced, not challenged or expanded.

I dunno about anyone else, but I listen to talk radio because I know the news and world events are filtered too much on TV.

Posted by: gus3 at August 24, 2004 05:01 AM

Clear Channel is hedging their bets. They are also inoculating trhemselves against charges of bias lest "the fairness doctrine" be reimposed on them.

I have no problem with them airing Air America. The market will decide which it prefers. So far, Air America has not made the smallest dent in conservative talk radio. I've listened to it, and haven't found Franken to be particularly good at the medium. He's just not that funny.

They need to stumble across a real talent -- a true liberal Limbaugh (or O'Reilly or Hannity) that makes people want to listen. They haven't found that person yet.

Posted by: DWC at August 24, 2004 07:52 AM

Although it is a minor part of an excellent and balanced article, I must say that I love the quote near the end:

Liberal talk radio will always have a problem because liberals tend to want to see both sides of the picture and argue from there,� said Carl Luna, professor of political science at San Diego Mesa College. �Arch conservative AM hosts are good at simply presenting one side � theirs � and lambasting anything they don�t agree with, which their demographic likes.

This statement is a joke, right? It sounds like a parody of smug self-congratulation. Although it is undoubtly impertinent for an intellectual peasant such as myself to suggest, but, perhaps the great Professor Luna should try "to see both sides of the picture and argue from there."

Posted by: Average Joe at August 24, 2004 12:40 PM

How do you say "Bring it on" in Kerryspeak?

Posted by: james at August 24, 2004 02:21 PM

First you hire a lawyer to write an intimidating letter to keep people from bringing it on, then you issue your "Bring it On Challenge", then you file an FEC complaint because people bringing it on, then you bring out Sidney Blumenthal, John Podesta and a fellow who reminds everybody of Mr. Rogers after he's had too much crystal meth to debate those who bring it on, avoiding any debate yourself, then you whine like a little school girl and have your trial lawyer VP candidate do the same because the President won't interfere with people exercising their free speech rights.

Oh, and you duck the press for the month of August during a presidential campaign and you continue to whine at public functions, all the while refusing to release the records that could end this whole thing (assuming you're right).

Thank God he's going to do everything must more smartly and correctly than Bush.

Posted by: TL at August 24, 2004 03:02 PM

I live in San Diego

KCBQ 1170 AM
0600 � 0900 Laura Ingraham
0900 � 1200 Dennis Prager
1200 � 1500 Michael Medved
1500 � 1800 Hugh Hewitt

KFMB 760 AM
0600 � 1000 Rick Roberts
1000 � 1200 Bill O�Reilly
1200 � 1500 Sean Hannity
1500 � 1800 Michael Savage
1800 � 1900 Tony Snow
2000 � 2200 Alan Colmes

KOGO 600 AM
0600 � 0900 News
0900 � 1200 Rush Limbaugh
1200 � 1500 Mark Larsen
1500 � 1800 Roger Hedgecock
1800 � 2100 Laura Schlesinger

To be honest to lefties with hope in their eyes, this is a tough market to break into (see Tony Snow with a one hour show, my money is he moves to the blank slot after Hugh Hewitt on KCBQ). I listened to Al Frankin yesterday and was not overly impressed with Mr. Krugman�s guest appearance, but that was significantly better than the �humorous� Bush Bash that occurred in the previous hour. I listened to Stacy Taylor�s show this morning and actually thought I was hearing a spoof newscast during a break. I figured it was another attempt at humor, but it seemed a bit too nasty to be a joke � it wasn�t. Even the �straight� news is a distinct Bush Bash, rather than the implied one expected from network news. Much too much over the top. I will gut out a couple more hours when I get time.

Finally, after listening for three hours I heard an awful lot of Bush Bashing, but nobody presenting the Left�s case. Do they have one anymore?

Posted by: BoghRD at August 24, 2004 08:11 PM

A good interesting article. It doesnt surprise me Air - America failed, what do you expect when you have virtually no name actors doing your radio shows.

What the left needs, is Howard Stern. Now I know he is libertarian but he is railing against Bush right now and already has a large audience.

Posted by: DietCheese at August 25, 2004 02:07 PM

Honey, Where's the FLY SWATTER?
---David March
...
There's A Chomsky Clone in the Wings

Okay... That was just to say something silly to get your attention. I've pasted in the header and first paragraph with LINKS to an interview appearing in UCBerkeley News with a professor of linguistics and cognitive science, who has started a "progressive" institute. You should read his interview, not my blog. Then check out the Rockridge Institute website, if you really want a better understanding of why the liberal progressive intellectual hypothesis is crumbling.

University of California at Berkeley publishes an online version of its magazine �UCBerkeley News,� in which it recently featured an interview article with one of the faculty, George Lakoff. I presume he holds at least one Ph.D, as the writer felt it was important to identify him as the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor in the College of Letters & Science. His special areas of interest are linguistics and cognitive science. He has recently been involved in starting and participating in the Rockridge Institute, a self-styled �progressive� think-tank which is intended to help advance liberal framing of issues and agendas as a counterpoise to recent conservative successes. (The article may be viewed at this URL: http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml )

David March, animator & fiddler

Posted by: The Mad Fiddler at August 28, 2004 04:54 AM

geez TL, why don't you rant a little? You're factually incorrect, which has been pointed out before, and getting a little strident. Why don't we switch "Bring it On" to "Send me First" and see how much response we get from the deferment-laden Bush team, eh?

DietCheese, I totally agree. They need someone with Oomph on their station to get it off it's wobbly young legs and keep it there. Someone who has a very able research team backing him up, because I think the professor in the article is right, that the "liberal" news radio would want to present opposing arguments and more and more it is becoming essential for correct and authentic research to be available.

Posted by: Jatsby at August 28, 2004 04:56 AM

Hang in there all people of the liberal persuasion.
Air america is not failing.

The big money is beginning to roll in to Progressive radio shows. (Remember that it is people like Rupert Murdoch that finances the RIGHT wing wacko radio).

The democrats are learning very quickly that they need attack dogs that are on the same level of 'smut' as the Drug Addict Limbaugh.

If you pay them, they will come.

Posted by: swbtmis at September 1, 2004 10:54 AM