Air America Best-Ofs...Malloy gone for the next six weekdays...

[Tom_]

With all due respect to programmers who favor best-ofs over substitute hosts, I find it unfortunate when a network has best-ofs for more than a day or two...

Mike Malloy will be gone for six weekdays, Friday the 8th through Friday the 15th...Today he says the network will have "best-ofs."

Considering that Air America may need to replace Franken if he does run for office, it might be a good time to try new talent.

Since Malloy is passionately anti-war, how about a substitute host who is also strongly anti-war, energetic, and opinionated, since listeners will expect similar content and style if Malloy is away:

Ray Talliaferro (KGO)
Jay Diamond (WRKO)
Doug Basham (HRN)
Mike Webb (KIRO)
Karel (KGO)

With the exception of Webb, none of these hosts broadcast during Malloy's time slot of 7p-10p Pacific weekdays. Any conflicting hours could be pre-recorded interviews.

 

[bierkenstock]

Re: Best-Ofs

Mostly, it's not the programmers who favor best of's - it's the hosts. Hosts often get paid when a show is re-run. And often substitute hosts have used a fill-in gig to launch their own shows (Exhibit A is Sean Hannity filling in for Rush). Hosts tend not to enjoy their vacations when they worry a fill in might be doing a better job, even taking their job.

Notice Democracy Radio does use subs on their shows; possibly because their mandate is to "develop" progressive talk talent.

Mike Malloy is not heard on very many progressive talk stations which carry other programs from Air America. Most stations run Lionel or Phil Hendrie instead.

And individual stations may opt to replace Franken anyway. The show tries to be good comedy and good radio and it fails at both. Thom Hartmann already has a track record in national syndication and is being fed in the same daypart. No need to go trolling for local hosts. All progressive stations need to do is switch to Jones' satellite feed (as most already do for Ed Schultz and/or Stephanie Miller).

PS: I've heard some of those "best of" programs - Best of Randi, Best of Morning Sedition, etc. If that's the best they've got, they are in trouble.



> With all due respect to programmers who favor best-ofs over
> substitute hosts, I find it unfortunate when a network has
> best-ofs for more than a day or two...
>
> Mike Malloy will be gone for six weekdays, Friday the 8th
> through Friday the 15th...Today he says the network will
> have "best-ofs."
>
> Considering that Air America may need to replace Franken if
> he does run for office, it might be a good time to try new
> talent.
>
> Since Malloy is passionately anti-war, how about a
> substitute host who is also strongly anti-war, energetic,
> and opinionated,
since listeners will expect similar content
> and style if Malloy is away:
>
> Ray Talliaferro (KGO)
> Jay Diamond (WRKO)
> Doug Basham (HRN)
> Mike Webb (KIRO)
> Karel (KGO)
>
> With the exception of Webb, none of these hosts broadcast
> during Malloy's time slot of 7p-10p Pacific weekdays. Any
> conflicting hours could be pre-recorded interviews.
>

 

[doc9464]

Re: Best-Ofs

> Mostly, it's not the programmers who favor best of's - it's
> the hosts. Hosts often get paid when a show is re-run. And
> often substitute hosts have used a fill-in gig to launch
> their own shows (Exhibit A is Sean Hannity filling in for
> Rush). Hosts tend not to enjoy their vacations when they
> worry a fill in might be doing a better job, even taking
> their job.

I think this is less of a problem on AAR but only Randi has seeked to fill at least some of her away time with hosts...

>
> Notice Democracy Radio does use subs on their shows;
> possibly because their mandate is to "develop" progressive
> talk talent.

I think this is a great idea and AAR should follow this example when possible.

>
> Mike Malloy is not heard on very many progressive talk
> stations which carry other programs from Air America. Most
> stations run Lionel or Phil Hendrie instead.
>
> And individual stations may opt to replace Franken anyway.
> The show tries to be good comedy and good radio and it fails
> at both. Thom Hartmann already has a track record in
> national syndication and is being fed in the same daypart.
> No need to go trolling for local hosts. All progressive
> stations need to do is switch to Jones' satellite feed (as
> most already do for Ed Schultz and/or Stephanie Miller).
>
> PS: I've heard some of those "best of" programs - Best of
> Randi, Best of Morning Sedition, etc. If that's the best
> they've got, they are in trouble.

Malloy is a flavor of his own......and I can't think of a suitable sub outside of Bernie Ward.....who is less angry but just as on-point....Thomm Hartman, Sam Seder and others filled in quite well for Randi Rhodes during her illness and Randi has Sam fill in again during her vacation this week...

I dont like best of shows because there are suitable hosts...but there is no reason to shoot down the content.....i would prefer a sub any day especially when the network is growing....new, fresh material needs to be heard as much as possible...so i would encourage AAR to embrace subs whenever possible....and damn the ego issues if there are any....

This tom gave out some choices of sub hosts...all of them qualify and there are a few more i can think of...

Meria Heller
Arnie Arnesen
John Rothmann...
hell, even Arlene Violet could sub for some of the people if needed...AAR is too young to have long term Best-of shows...
>
>
>

 

[dampier]

> With all due respect to programmers who favor best-ofs over
> substitute hosts, I find it unfortunate when a network has
> best-ofs for more than a day or two...

Randi Rhodes fans are trashing her message board over her/AAR's decision to take a vacation that started July 1 and ends... wait for it... on July 12th! It's been rerun city until later this week when Sam Seder started filling in (he's now doing a SEVEN HOUR shift on air!) Only a few "minor" news stories have happened since then.

When big news breaks, AAR management tells hosts to go to the beach and we'll do reruns! One of the producers of Randi's show is upset people are criticizing the host over the matter.

AAR can't afford to do a Limbaugh and go away for weeks at a time. At the very least, they need subs.

> Mike Malloy will be gone for six weekdays, Friday the 8th
> through Friday the 15th...Today he says the network will
> have "best-ofs."

Back to back vacations that last a week for AAR talent. Call me crazy but reruns of current events shows are not going to draw flies.