Yes, WHLD's LMA Is Ideological
> Yeah, and some people on the Buffalo board accused WHLD of
> being in bed with the far left elements only. Without
> Malloy and Majority Report, that falls apart. From what I
> can tell, WHLD is a brokered operation who is taking a
> chance on two AAR shows. I don't know what they do on
> weekends.
I may be one of those people you talk about, as I've called WHLD's LMA operation "activist/labor radio". It is. My goodness, take a look at the people involved! I'm surprised the conservative critics haven't called it "Socialist Workers' Radio". (Maybe Mr. Maloney already has, and I haven't seen it.)
It's ideologically based. The groups and people behind it have been producing "community oriented public affairs" shows that focus on left-leaning takes on social issues...many of them already airing on WHLD's brokered schedule.
It's also hard NOT to call a group that brokers time to put Pacifica's "Democracy Now" on a commercial AM radio station not "ideologically based". Heck, as far as I know, they (LMA group) can't sell commercial time on that show, as it's not a commercial show!
Meanwhile, over at Entercom, WWKB is airing commercial liberal talk radio shows to try to get ratings and revenue. That seems almost secondary for the Niagara Independent Media folks. Not Citadel...Citadel's just taking their checks.
> I also still don't understand this thing about
> bumping Randi to post-drive. If this woman continues to
> beat Hannity in some markets and gains clout, she should
> achieve Big Ed status and start clamping down on all the
> time shifting on the east coast.
I obviously prefer Randi to Big Ed, though I don't listen to either much anymore. And I do agree, I can't see bumping her too far out of afternoon drive... but again, this local PM drive show seems more "preaching to the choir" then trying to attract new listeners.
> As far as Pacifica goes, I still can't figure that out.
> They are non-commercial, so I wonder who is paying for this.
> Pacifica programs are strictly for the "meat is murder"
> crowd and is too fringy left even for me, but they seem to
> draw very young activist audiences so maybe that works, I
> don't know.
See above. Pacifica's content is WAY out of place on ANY commercial AM station trying to run talk that isn't "in-house crowd pleasing".
> You're buying into the unconfirmed Unequalizer reports about
> that. Miller was laughing her ass off over that entire
> story, which she said was so outrageously nonsensical that
> she's amazed anyone would have accepted it as fact. No
> producer anywhere is paid the amount Brian claims Franken's
> staff is getting. Not even close.
I heard that segment, and laughed along with Steph (and producer Chris LaVoie, who is certainly making a fraction of that
). But...Franken's "entourage" is well known. He's got a staff that'd make Saturday Night Live's staff look small. Randi Rhodes complained about it on her show from day one...she is a traditional radio person, and can't understand why Al needs so many people.
I don't know if Franken's producer is getting over a half-million a year... I don't know where Brian gets his info. But he's certainly lapping Randi's producer (whoever that is now, I lost track after Tim Allan Walker left) and Mr. LaVoie in the salary department...I'd almost guarantee that.
> It suddenly dawns on me Hartmann might be great as an early
> morning alternative to Press' show. He doesn't have enough
> oomph for midday, but perhaps his show would work a-la NPR's
> Morning Edition first thing in the morning. It would have
> to be time-shifted though.
Maybe Hartmann would eventually shift his syndication to morning drive on AAR? Would he get up at 3 AM PT to do a 3 hour national show before his KPOJ show?
I get the idea the only reason that hasn't happened is that A) AAR likes Rachel Maddow, and she's becoming the next breakout personality for them, and B) they're apparently still stuck with Mark Riley from the WLIB LMA deal.
> I'm still gravitating to the theory that Randi would become
> the AAR star in a post-Franken world. I had forgotten about
> the self-syndicating arm of AAR (I suspect I'm not alone),
> so thanks for reminding me.
I think that'd happen, too. But Hartmann could be Star B. It'll be tough for him to claim that mantle, because he doesn't have the national "name" that Franken has/had pre-AAR.
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