"Equalizer" Visits O'Reilly For Franken Report

[mwebster]

All Access:
<blockquote>Look for RADIO EQUALIZER blog proprietor BRIAN MALONEY on FOX NEWS CHANNEL's "THE O'REILLY FACTOR" on WEDNESDAY, discussing his report on AL FRANKEN's compensation from AIR AMERICA RADIO and its relation to the network's GLORIA WISE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB loan scandal, including payment of the entire 2005 base salary figure in advance. Check out MALONEY's report by clicking here. </blockquote>
This is the link to Maloney's "report" on Al Franken.
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2006/01/did-al-frankens-outrageous-demands.html

FYI: I don't endorse Maloney's article. I'm just passing this along. Enjoy the show.

 

[tbetz]

> This is the link to Maloney's "report" on Al Franken.

More baloney from Maloney.

What was that you said about credibility and political blogs?<P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P>

 

[mwebster]

(Update) Maloney blames Franken's "greed" for AAR $ woes

Getting past all the spin in "The No Spin Zone" (mostly rehashing old news about Gloria Wise and making highly selective use of ratings information), O'Reilly and Brian Maloney, freely admitting they are not fans of Air America Radio, offered the following new assertions:

AAR is paying for clearances. Specifically, $1 Million per year to be carried in LA; $1.28 Million for San Francisco. For their LMA on WLIB, New York, AAR pays $2.5 Million a year.

Al Franken's salary has built-in increases and is currently at $2 Million a year (starting at $1.725 Million) and is scheduled to hit $3 Million by 2008. Maloney calls Franken's staff "bloated" and says his executive producer gets $600 Thousand a year. Maloney claims Franken is getting 10 times what other hosts with comparable audiences receive. Maloney says Franken's show accounts for over 50 per cent of AAR's programming budget. His blog article says Franken was "demanding" in his contract negotiations and Franken's "greed" may be behind the company's financial problems.

He adds:
Randi gets $225 thousand.
Janeane Garofolo gets $350 thousand.

Maloney claims that AAR CEO and Real Networks founder Rob Glazer is bank-rolling the operation which Maloney says continues in the red.

I suppose it is too much to hope that people will actually watch the TV program or read the blog article before commenting; or that people will do other than dismiss these assertions simply because the come from Malloney. Recalling the HBO documentary on Air America Radio, IMHO what Malloney says now does not seem improbable. However, to blame this all on Franken's greed does not seem credible. There is no indication Franken held a gun to any one's head in his contract negotiation. From the documentary and other sources, it does appear that AAR has been spending way over their heads (at least at the outset).

 

[Scribbler]

> > This is the link to Maloney's "report" on Al Franken.
>
> More baloney from Maloney.
>
> What was that you said about credibility and political
> blogs?

If Maloney ever gets a real job again, mwebster would be a perfect replacement on the Equalizer blog, since he's been doing the same thing here (I'm assuming they're not the same person). It's now been more than 16 months since Maloney lost his weekend gig at KIRO.

 

[mwebster]

A mind is a terrible thing to waste

Nice to know you two have such open minds. Maybe there is something to what Maloney is saying since you two are not able to respond specifically to any of his assertions and are only capable of your usual lame cheap shots.

I had the unpleasant experience of having to watch Bill O'Reilly "at work" this evening and I see little difference between his "act" and how you two "contribute" to this board (only he is better at it).

I strongly suspect that if a conservative broadcaster were involved in the Gloria Wise loan, you two would be throwing fits. But with AAR, you dismiss it and look the other way. No it's not the end of the world as O'Reilly and Maloney claim; neither is it nothing, as you claim. And by so claiming, you forfeit any moral or ethical standing.

 

[Scribbler]

Re: A mind is a terrible thing to waste

> No it's not the end of the world as O'Reilly and Maloney
> claim; neither is it nothing, as you claim. And by so
> claiming, you forfeit any moral or ethical standing.

Huh? Who said it's "nothing?" I've said that I believe Franken when he says that Evan Cohen is and was a "crook." From what I've read in reputable newspapers, Franken is absolutely right. But Cohen has had nothing to do with Air America for almost two years!

On the other hand, I believe nothing that you pass along from the loathsome New York Post, Maloney's blog, and Maloney's appearances on O'Reilly.

 

[tbetz]

Re: (Update) Maloney blames Franken's "greed" for AAR $ woes

> I suppose it is too much to hope that people will actually
> watch the TV program or read the blog article before
> commenting; or that people will do other than dismiss these
> assertions simply because the come from Malloney.

When I see it reported by a credible source, perhaps I'll pay attention to it.<P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P>

 

[ajhenderson]

> If Maloney ever gets a real job again, mwebster would be a
> perfect replacement on the Equalizer blog, since he's been
> doing the same thing here (I'm assuming they're not the same
> person). It's now been more than 16 months since Maloney
> lost his weekend gig at KIRO.

I remember we had him on one of our morning shows after his firing; what a jerk to deal with. He kept blaming everything on some conspiracy at KIRO. Well, Brian, you should have known how they do business there - all live and local and usually liberal. Take a job in Tallahassee next time. Or preferably a city without an NFL team so you don't have to hide the real reason you got let go.

 

[FloridaBear1776]

There's a grand total of one talk radio job in Tallahassee...

Morning drive on the CC station.

Most of the AMs are owned by preachers or religious networks (e.g. Relevant Radio). One AM carries a bizarre mix of conservative syndicated talk and local gospel music.

 

[OldAkronite]

Al Franken's Brinks Truck

> I strongly suspect that if a conservative broadcaster were
> involved in the Gloria Wise loan, you two would be throwing
> fits. But with AAR, you dismiss it and look the other way.
> No it's not the end of the world as O'Reilly and Maloney
> claim; neither is it nothing, as you claim. And by so
> claiming, you forfeit any moral or ethical standing.

The Gloria Wise thing aside, and who (current or former AAR folks) is at fault:

Where is Brian getting his numbers re: salary? What are these "newly obtained documents" he mentions about three or four times by that phrase?

If they're accurate, holy crap...Franken's backing up the Brinks truck and taking out gold bars. But even though HE is the "name" and theoretically could justify his worth to the network... the figures seem to show that he's looking for SNL-style money out of an unproven radio show. And if Brian's right about Franken's producer pulling in over a half-million a year...sheesh.

It only shows to me that AAR is (as shouldn't really be surprised) a poor business operation. The producer in question is making, if Brian's right, about 3 times more a year than the network's afternoon drive star, Randi Rhodes! Not to mention more than Brian's reported salary for Jones/P1's Ed Schultz, and assuredly more than whatever Jones/WYD's Stephanie Miller gets.

This is something Randi has alluded to on the air at times, when I used to listen to her more, at least. Al's "entourage" is pretty formidable, and quite frankly, unnecessary.

Brian's certainly got a viewpoint and an agenda...he's not there to make liberal talk radio look great, and his readership is mostly the same red-meat conservatives that listen to right-leaning talk radio. But if his figures are accurate, there's some really bad business running going on at Park Avenue.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[FloridaBear1776]

Perhaps that's the real purpose behind Equalizer...

By reporting relative salaries and such, to stir discontent among Air America talk hosts, and have them fighting each other. Of course, I happen to think that such catfighting would add immensely to the entertainment value of AAR.
It was a mainstay of local talk radio in the pre-Limbaugh era, when stations actually had local staffs from morning to night.

 

[OldAkronite]

Re: Perhaps that's the real purpose behind Equalizer...

> By reporting relative salaries and such, to stir discontent
> among Air America talk hosts, and have them fighting each
> other. Of course, I happen to think that such catfighting
> would add immensely to the entertainment value of AAR.
> It was a mainstay of local talk radio in the pre-Limbaugh
> era, when stations actually had local staffs from morning to
> night.

I think that folks at Air America are generally well aware that Franken brings in the gold and most of the others get somewhat less. (Even movie star Janeane Garofolo is a comparative pauper pay-wise, again, assuming Brian's figures are accurate!)

As far as Randi is concerned, she's been griping about Al's entourage, high profile and salary since literally day one...so this will change little of it, it'd just change the numbers attached to it.

I'm not sure Brian cares if it starts infighting at AAR. He's feeding his readership that red meat, and getting himself on O'Reilly in the process. Presumably, he's hoping to keep his profile high in the conservative talk realm, enough to help him pick up a new full-time gig somewhere.

That's not to say he doesn't have his facts in order. It's just saying that he probably has little concern about what actually HAPPENS to AAR as a result of what he's been reporting. In fact, it sort of reminds one of countries having a natural "enemy" to rail against...if AAR went away, would he be on O'Reilly after the "it's gone" story? It serves a purpose for him at this point. The same thing happens on the air on both sides of the political talk spectrum (Rush -Clinton, AAR hosts-Bush, etc.) every single day.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[KingDaevid]

O'Reilly airing whines about the salary of the guy who's whipping him silly? THAT'S DAMNED RICH

...when O'Reilly makes public HIS salary and how much Westwood One pays WOR to keep his losing show on in New York, I'll pay more attention to him (brief as that'll be)...<P ID="signature">______________
King Daevid MacKenzie
WLSU Wisconsin Public Radio, La Crosse
heard weekly on http://www.radio4all.net/
"Kill Ugly Radio." FRANK ZAPPA</P>

 

[mwebster]

Re: (Update) Maloney blames Franken's "greed" for AAR $ woes

You political zealots are getting predictable. First you demand a source (although you don't provide them for your own assertions). Somebody provides a source and you say you don't like it. Apparently to be credible, a source can't say anything you don't want to hear. You still have not dealt with the substance of Maloney's allegations (founded or not). You guys sound like lawyers (not a compliment) but apparently you couldn't get into or through law school.

Even if the source is (sniff) "credible" to you, PERHAPS you'll pay attention?

You pay close attention to Brian Maloney's resume. You know where he's worked and how long he's been unemployed. (Then you attempt to invalidate his comments on the basis that he is unemployed. Is this an example of liberal "compassion"?) Of course, all of this irrelevant to the issue at hand and has nothing to do with the validity of Maloney's assertions. But you apparently don't want to deal with Maloney's assertions.

I repeat: You would not tolerate in a conservative broadcaster what you defend in AAR.

>
> When I see it reported by a credible source, perhaps I'll
> pay attention to it.
>

 

[autopaint-1]

" FYI: I don't endorse Maloney's article. I'm just passing
this along. Enjoy the show."

Mwebster, if I may comment here. Your obsession with Air America should be of concern, if not to you then to those who know you personally. Let's be honest with each other, do you have a problem with their broadcasting? The constant negative observations you make about Air America and Air America alone come across to those of us who read this board as coming from a sadly fixated human being.

Now I have a question, if they are paying Franken 2 billion dollars a week, how is this illegal or underhanded? Air America like the junk talk radio filling the air from the other direction is after all, just entertainment. Don't you believe that both sides should be held to the same standard? By the way, the right isn't so self righteous either. They have Rush (pill popping) Limbaugh and Falafel fellow who claims to be "Fair and or balanced, Bill O'Reilly. At least Franken hasn't been involved with the legal system as the competition has. Maybe they all should share the same cell, Maloney can join them. Imagine the pay per view income generated by that.

 

[mwebster]

> Don't you
> believe that both sides should be held to the same standard?

If you read what I said rather than attempting to engage in online psychoanalysis, you would have realized that this is exactly my point.

My mission is to topple sacred cows.

But since you feel I am devoting too much attention to AAR, maybe I should start raking some muck involving the so-called "CBS Radio Network." Heaven knows, there is room for it.

Now I will dig out my psychology texts better to understand why criticism of radio provokes so much anger and hostility (sometimes expressed passively-aggressively) in some people.

 

[dampier]

> All Access:
> Look for RADIO EQUALIZER blog proprietor BRIAN MALONEY on
> FOX NEWS CHANNEL's "THE O'REILLY FACTOR" on WEDNESDAY,
> discussing his report on AL FRANKEN's compensation from AIR
> AMERICA RADIO and its relation to the network's GLORIA WISE
> BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB loan scandal, including payment of the
> entire 2005 base salary figure in advance. Check out
> MALONEY's report by clicking here.
> This is the link to Maloney's "report" on Al Franken.


Are you sure this isn't a rerun. He did precisely the same basic story last summer on O'Reilly's show with Michelle Malkin. It was the same old tired accusations and O'Reilly amusingly tried to play unbiased reporter. My favorite was the label Fox used on Baloney - "Industry Analyst."

Sorry, but the Unequalizer's sheets are off and anyone visiting his site can figure that out. I particularly enjoyed his commentary about how Canadians are supposedly joining some conservative revolution after electing Steven Harper as PM. Baloney apparently doesn't realize in America, Harper would be slightly to the left of Al Gore.

Stupid in. Stupid out.

 

[dampier]

Re: (Update) Maloney blames Franken's "greed" for AAR $ woes

> Getting past all the spin in "The No Spin Zone" (mostly
> rehashing old news about Gloria Wise and making highly
> selective use of ratings information), O'Reilly and Brian
> Maloney, freely admitting they are not fans of Air America
> Radio, offered the following new assertions:

Did they label him Industry Analyst again?

> AAR is paying for clearances. Specifically, $1 Million per
> year to be carried in LA; $1.28 Million for San Francisco.
> For their LMA on WLIB, New York, AAR pays $2.5 Million a
> year.

AAR denies this, except for WLIB, but says the amounts are private. Of course, Maloney provides no proof, right?

> Al Franken's salary has built-in increases and is currently
> at $2 Million a year (starting at $1.725 Million) and is
> scheduled to hit $3 Million by 2008. Maloney calls
> Franken's staff "bloated" and says his executive producer
> gets $600 Thousand a year. Maloney claims Franken is
> getting 10 times what other hosts with comparable audiences
> receive. Maloney says Franken's show accounts for over 50
> per cent of AAR's programming budget. His blog article says
> Franken was "demanding" in his contract negotiations and
> Franken's "greed" may be behind the company's financial
> problems.

Well, at least he didn't remind his audience that Franken is Jewish like the last time. Again, he needs to show us the proof. He coughed up a .pdf of the lawsuit (which he then used to make baseless charges). But no supporting evidence this time? Is it plausible Franken is paid $2 million? Maybe. Does it matter? Of course not. Sounds like jealousy from the Unemployed One.

> He adds:
> Randi gets $225 thousand.
> Janeane Garofolo gets $350 thousand.

Randi has claimed she is the second highest paid AAR host but I can't give a show date since it was months ago. Garofalo literally phones in appearances and seems disinterested in the show, so I have to wonder if that even begins to pass a credibility sniff test.

Again, he needs to show us the evidence.

 

[dampier]

Re: (Update) Maloney blames Franken's "greed" for AAR $ woes

> You political zealots are getting predictable. First you
> demand a source (although you don't provide them for your
> own assertions).

I provide plenty of sources for my own assertions thank you, and I demand them of others who have a clear agenda.

> Somebody provides a source and you say you
> don't like it. Apparently to be credible, a source can't
> say anything you don't want to hear. You still have not
> dealt with the substance of Maloney's allegations (founded
> or not). You guys sound like lawyers (not a compliment) but
> apparently you couldn't get into or through law school.

People are asking for EVIDENCE. He was debunked on the DOI investigation and also posted the debunked Secret Service story Drudge ran with so he is definitely not 60 Minutes even with the Bush Guard Service story. All we have to go on is a guy who runs an agenda driven conservative blog who makes claims about things but then Great Defender mwebster gets upset when people asks him to provide proof? That's rich.

There is no reason to deal deeply with the substance of allegations from a guy who has been discredited on at least two major stories he did over the summer. Fool me once, can't get fooled again!

> You pay close attention to Brian Maloney's resume. You know
> where he's worked and how long he's been unemployed. (Then
> you attempt to invalidate his comments on the basis that he
> is unemployed. Is this an example of liberal "compassion"?)

He ran a conservative talk show and got fired because nobody was listening to him. He launched a blog, called it a news site, and then tried Fox-style reporting "fair and balanced" about his personal obsession - Air America. Then he got his tit caught in the ringer by making stuff up, using anonymous sources for headliner items, ripped off reports taken from columnists that he quoted as "news," and allows himself to be represented as an independent analyst of the talk radio business when he's anything but.

Liberals aren't stupid - compassion is provided to those who deserve it. This guy doesn't.

> I repeat: You would not tolerate in a conservative
> broadcaster what you defend in AAR.

An example, please. Nobody is crying about what O'Reilly is being paid or whether his show is getting paid clearances.

 

[dampier]

Re: Perhaps that's the real purpose behind Equalizer...

> By reporting relative salaries and such, to stir discontent
> among Air America talk hosts, and have them fighting each
> other. Of course, I happen to think that such catfighting
> would add immensely to the entertainment value of AAR.
> It was a mainstay of local talk radio in the pre-Limbaugh
> era, when stations actually had local staffs from morning to
> night.

It is unlikely any AAR talent is taking Brian Maloney seriously about anything. In fact, he is the weakest link of the talking points because his stuff is usually easy to debunk if he actually names someone. One phone call and it turns out his facts went through Katrina and look what happened.