can Thom Hartmann save Air America?

[dampier]

Yes, I agree with your friends. The outrage style (up to a point) may play well for conservative talk but it mostly doesn't work for liberals. I note that Phil, and apparently his friends, may like outrage. They may represent Air America's hard core; the ones who are still upset about the departures of Seder and Maron, and hate Colmes for not out-Hannitying Hannity. But I don't think they represent the disposition of most liberals (and the liberal prone) in the audience. There is a lot of room between the Rush-style and the Terry Gross-style and somewhere in there may be the right note for commercial liberal talk.

You have evidently not been around long enough to know I am not one of those livid about the departure of former AAR hosts. I honestly could care less if they dump Seder, Maron, or any of the other shows they've had that attracted little station carriage and few listeners. I am definitely not one of those who feels AAR needs to have a political mission - I think it needs to find entertaining programming that draws listeners and ratings and succeeds as a business. Anything else is Pacifica reborn with ads. Just listen to Democracy Now which plays Hugo Chavez speeches and travels in circles far more leftist than I do. It's ponderous radio and Amy Goodman is irritating to listen to on radio.

You have also mischaracterized my position as being pro-outrage radio. That's not it at all. I want pro-entertainment radio. My favorite show is Stephanie Miller, and it's because it is light hearted and entertaining. Randi Rhodes can also be the same way, as can Lionel. Sam Seder can bore you to tears with academia as guests. And I personally loathe Fresh Air with Terry Gross... I slowly slice my wrists when her show is on because it is so freakin dull.

I have no interest in the Michael Savage for the left wing. I think screaming angry radio doesn't work in the long run. I think libtalk that tries to aim for the Daily Show style formula of not taking yourself too seriously and having fun along the way is a big winner.

But if Air America wants to play in the big leagues of radio, they have to operate as a syndication company (like Premiere, ABC/Citadel, Westwood, Jones, etc). They have only two shows which are syndication-worthy: Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann. They should (re)start a separate syndication operation, only this time NOT under the Air America name (leave that for the turnkey network).

Hartmann cannot even get clearance on AAR's own channel on XM. Rachel Maddow has more potential than he does. Some of your views are sounding eerily familiar to one of our departed former members who also loved Thom Hartmann.

 

[evnlee]

Yes, I agree with your friends. The outrage style (up to a point) may play well for conservative talk but it mostly doesn't work for liberals. I note that Phil, and apparently his friends, may like outrage. They may represent Air America's hard core; the ones who are still upset about the departures of Seder and Maron, and hate Colmes for not out-Hannitying Hannity. But I don't think they represent the disposition of most liberals (and the liberal prone) in the audience. There is a lot of room between the Rush-style and the Terry Gross-style and somewhere in there may be the right note for commercial liberal talk.

You have evidently not been around long enough to know I am not one of those livid about the departure of former AAR hosts. I honestly could care less if they dump Seder, Maron, or any of the other shows they've had that attracted little station carriage and few listeners. I am definitely not one of those who feels AAR needs to have a political mission - I think it needs to find entertaining programming that draws listeners and ratings and succeeds as a business. Anything else is Pacifica reborn with ads. Just listen to Democracy Now which plays Hugo Chavez speeches and travels in circles far more leftist than I do. It's ponderous radio and Amy Goodman is irritating to listen to on radio.

You have also mischaracterized my position as being pro-outrage radio. That's not it at all. I want pro-entertainment radio. My favorite show is Stephanie Miller, and it's because it is light hearted and entertaining. Randi Rhodes can also be the same way, as can Lionel. Sam Seder can bore you to tears with academia as guests. And I personally loathe Fresh Air with Terry Gross... I slowly slice my wrists when her show is on because it is so freakin dull.

I have no interest in the Michael Savage for the left wing. I think screaming angry radio doesn't work in the long run. I think libtalk that tries to aim for the Daily Show style formula of not taking yourself too seriously and having fun along the way is a big winner.

But if Air America wants to play in the big leagues of radio, they have to operate as a syndication company (like Premiere, ABC/Citadel, Westwood, Jones, etc). They have only two shows which are syndication-worthy: Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann. They should (re)start a separate syndication operation, only this time NOT under the Air America name (leave that for the turnkey network).

Hartmann cannot even get clearance on AAR's own channel on XM. Rachel Maddow has more potential than he does. Some of your views are sounding eerily familiar to one of our departed former members who also loved Thom Hartmann.

Phillip, your not telling the whole truth.

You do care greatly about who gets dumped/picked up on AAR. If AAR dumped Lionel's slot for Alan Colmes, you'd be spinning on your eyebrows for a week! If they canned Racheal Maddow for Ed Schultz, I think you would expire.

Randi Rhodes IS 'Savage of the left', even down to the accent and inflection. Many liberals were programmed to 'marginalize' these types of hosts, so why is it such a surprise that thier P1 is NPR?

Al's telling the truth, as are my liberal friends ( the ones who laughably are now calling themselves 'progressive') 'outrage radio' doesn't 'work' for them. Only the 'crazed left wing' still angry about supposed election fraud tunes in. :

 

[dampier]

You do care greatly about who gets dumped/picked up on AAR. If AAR dumped Lionel's slot for Alan Colmes, you'd be spinning on your eyebrows for a week! If they canned Racheal Maddow for Ed Schultz, I think you would expire.

Randi Rhodes IS 'Savage of the left', even down to the accent and inflection. Many liberals were programmed to 'marginalize' these types of hosts, so why is it such a surprise that thier P1 is NPR?

Al's telling the truth, as are my liberal friends ( the ones who laughably are now calling themselves 'progressive') 'outrage radio' doesn't 'work' for them. Only the 'crazed left wing' still angry about supposed election fraud tunes in. :

The possibility of AAR hiring Alan Colmes is about on par with you becoming the campaign chair of Elect Hillary 08. The Green's despise Alan Colmes collaboration routine as much as I do - Mark Green considers him a traitor to the liberal cause, playing a role akin to Stepin Fetchit for Fox News. Schultz doesn't want to be a part of Air America. I don't particularly care for his show, but he's definitely reaching an audience of center-right (which these days is akin to Goldwater Republicans who are loathing the GOP of today) folks who think he speaks common sense without dining with the Berkeley set. Just keep him 12-3 and Randi 3-6 and I'm happy.

Randi Rhodes is HARDLY the Michael Savage of the left. The closest a libtalk show host comes to Michael Savage (and still doesn't reach his level) is Mike Malloy.

As far as what is truth, apparently when someone agrees with your perennial putdowns of Air America, that is "truth" in your eyes. Show me the "anti-outrage" lobby in here.

Radio Realist and you and the occasional hit and run posts of raccoon (who will end up proverbial roadkill someday if he keeps quoting from Baloney) represent the usual suspects of sweeping anti-libtalk generalizations. At least you're consistent... and wrong. :

 

[evnlee]

......You do care greatly about who gets dumped/picked up on AAR. ......

The possibility of AAR hiring Alan Colmes is about on par with you becoming the campaign chair of Elect Hillary 08. The Green's despise Alan Colmes collaboration routine as much as I do - Mark Green considers him a traitor to the liberal cause, playing a role akin to Stepin Fetchit for Fox News. Schultz doesn't want to be a part of Air America. I don't particularly care for his show, but he's definitely reaching an audience of center-right (which these days is akin to Goldwater Republicans who are loathing the GOP of today) folks who think he speaks common sense without dining with the Berkeley set. Just keep him 12-3 and Randi 3-6 and I'm happy.

thanks for proving my point, Phillip.