This has to be said -- About Air America

I keep seeing threads started by posters bitching, moaning and groaning about Air America's lineup.

While I agree there is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, from what I've seen there is nothing constructive going on in these threads.

If I was starving and someone gave me a slice of bologna, I'd be ever go grateful for that thin slice of meat. I doubt very seriously that I would grouse and insult my benefactor for not giving me filet mignon.

Air America is in its infant stage and still has a long way to go. Nothing is perfect, especially new entertainment ventures. The search for perfection takes time, patience and nurturing.

You can be thankful for that thin slice of bologna, or you can get off ass and dig up some worms and grubs.

Me? I'll take the bologna.

and I'll also take a side of Pacifica and NPR :hi:

sling Rovian talking points at Wes Clark week after week on Democracy Now? Carrying water for that paragon of democracy and enlightened self-interest Slobodan Milosevic?

And NPR? Starring that notable liberal Cokie Roberts??

Riiiiight.

On second thought I do owe Amy & Co. a debt of thanks for helping me to the realization that I despise the far left every bit as much as I do the far right.

IMHO, both sides are testosterone-driven sloganeering childish morans & completely tone deaf politically.

Present company excepted of course. :evilgrin:

Ya got me! :bounce:

:hi:

Fianlly there is a station I can listen to that isn't right wing puppets selling the same merchandise day after day.

:yourock:

For the first time yesterday, I actually heard someone on a talk station (Air America) refer to W as the Chimp. How often did we hear the term Slick Willie?

Its only after you hear your side on the radio that you realize how totally biased to the right that the media is.

Someone needs to tell Hannity that he sounds like an ignorant fool when he does those imitations.

:hi:

I wish the negative stuff could be reserved for the Smirkster and Company....Remember that PERFECT is the enemy of GOOD....Air America is a great improvement over no Air America.... and 1000% improvement over Rush and Hannity....and the gang-bang at Faux.....

I have a right to complain, and besides, what's wrong with some constructive criticism like "Randi's grating voice stinks! Air America is doomed!"?

Why do you hate our freedoms?

is responding to criticism and pointing out when criticism is destructive, even when unitentionally so, as yours doubtlessly was.

My constructive criticism pointing out how supposed "constructive" criticism is not constructive was not constructive.

It never is

everyone has the right to complain. Everyone also has the right to complement. Everyone has the right to complain about the complaining.

Saying "taking away my rights to complain", here is total BS.

So complain away if that makes you happy. Everyone also has the right to say your complaints are "destructive" or pointless. You'll know your rights are being "suppressed" when jack booted thugs knock down your door. Besides... I haven't see any posts complaining about AA being deleted by the moderators, so it appears that your right to complain is being upheld.

Sangh0 --

I've been reading your posts in those threads :D

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

but as far as radio goes, pacifica is for me.

however, i agree with the intial post: they're just getting going, and over time will develop better and more widely ranging programming options. first they have to "prove" to advertisers that the money is well spent on a real audience...our radio folks here have talked about the reality behind the show. i think AA is doing great given the time, and what little i've heard has really impressed me even when i don't like some part of the show. plus, the guest list is AMAZING! i've already hear the likes of albright and half the clinton administration and i've only listened a few times this week. talk about starpower.

give 'em time, friends. listen, call and write to advertisers even if you've no intention of using their products (like i did with AmEx- as if they'd ever give me credit ;-) this is exactly what we have to do to take back the media.

it's also the way the right started this mess decades ago. think on that before you say that AA will make no difference.

Let me guess - You like to read?

Radio news is for people who don't like to read newspapers.

See this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1354814

Old cliche, I know, but it fits.

How can anybody not like O'Franken's..."LLLLEYI-IARRRUH!"

there are some acts I like more then others, but overall I like the programming alot. It is a network for god sakes so If one commentator doesn't work they can put a different person in that slot. All are moderate left to liberal.

:thumbsup:

edit: nothing is ever perfect out of the starting gate. If we want AA to be around a while, then we have to work with them to help it grow.

The threads crying foul about the so-called "DLC slant" of Air America and the lack of "diversity" on the network are annoying. I think it's partly the reason liberal radio hasn't been a hot commodity. Liberalism is such a big tent philosophy that some group will inevitably feel left out by any attempt at a network that identifies itself as liberal. Thus, it will have a sizable number of detractors who are considered to be their political allies (spectrum-wise).

Take what you can get, people.

When we are so adept at shooting ourselves in the foot?

very good. I agree with you. We bitched and moaned for two years about "Liberal Radio" a counter to Rush.

Now we have it and folks are saying it isn't good enough. Maybe when the bugs are worked out of the "stream" and they can have some time to develop the complaints will die down.

I don't know what folks were expecting. I'd like to see some serious segments sort of NPR style, but that's just me. Most folks will not leave Rush for an NPR type format,though. I thought the strategy for sucess was to try to get some attitudes changed by giving the "truth" in a humorous form. That's what folks praised Rush for (I personally never found him humorous) but he got an audience by being OTT and offensive. So, if AA can be humorous, OTT, offensive and give the truth then that would be great. If it could get some of the Rush crowd and the folks who gave up on Rush but listen to other stuff then even better.

For those who are complaining maybe they never listened to NPR or just want some favorites like Malloy (I'd like to see him, also, and "Symbolman and Stranger" who I liked on their TBTM show). There are lots of other folks but would they be better than Franken, Garafalo or Rhodes, Werbe, at this point when the station is just trying to get its act together?

:shrug: Too much complaining... I will be happy when they fix their "streaming" so I can listen once again.

I recall last year, when someone took out a Full page ad in the Post (I think), entitled the man behind the curtain, calling attention to Bush atrocities, etc. They crammed a lot of information into their full page ad.

I was shocked when so many here bitched about how ugly it was and how it was wasted money. So disappointing. Recall the time, that was when there was NO Bush* negatives in the press whatsoever. I saw it as a milestone, a wakeup call, an attention getter. Unfortunately, some were ready to eat their young because of aesthetics.

Yes, like the above example more might have been reached if it was done differently, but, hey, Air America is doing the work, spending the cash, taking the risk. They are bringing a liberal voice to the AM airwaves that has long been missing.

The ad I speak of helped turn the tide, pretty or not. Air America will help seal the fate of the Bush* cabal, warts and all.

CatWoman. I totally agree! What I find odd is that it seems not many Du'ers ever listened to Randi via the Internet stream when she was on WJNO. I have been listening via stream for about a year now. I am now lucky to be able to hear her via radio (WLIB). Makes for a much more pleasant commute!

:hi:

:toast: :toast:

Good call, Cat.
The Professor

even with the very annoying technical problems in Chicago, it's better than I ever expected. I haven't moved the dial all week and I don't expect to. What do I need NPR for now?

Plus...

The other day somebody was saying that AA is no Pacifica.

I had to laugh.

Pacifica is great, and is for people who ALREADY GET IT!!!

AA has the potential for bringing on-board people who have never been fed anything other that rightwing\mainstream media. And who are just starting to see the light, no???

BTW - :loveya:

:hi:

I'll make it out there yet!!!

:hi:

:loveya:

as they still have their panties in a knot over how Randi Rhodes put Nader in his place.

We just cancel Air America, and let Rush dominate again. Sheesh.

AirAm^®©TM
And I get the royalties!

:headbang:
rocknation

I have XM radio (at work live stream is too stressful on the network and my systems administrator).

I have made it a big part of my life now.

When are they going to have a station D.C.? Surely we want the Administration to share our joy?

I remember when we got our second PBS tv station here in Colorado. We had the slick and experienced KRMA for years. Then, a new station, KBDI, got started. When they would go off the air in the early days, it was a young woman, live, saying, "We're going off the air now. G'nite!". It was so darned cute and maybe even unprofessional for tv.

Same with A/A. Little problems, people getting used to being on the radio and whatever else, I love it. And I love their points of view and varioius deliveries. Franken having to learn the ropes but brilliant nevertheless. Contrast that to the obvious experience of Laura Flanders. No cookie cutters at the helm of A/A.

This past week has been more than a treat. I'm still in the "pinch me I'm dreaming stage". If anyone else has pressed lips over any of this and can't find other things to listen to, they aren't looking. I've got all sorts of choices listed in a couple of web sites that have urls for broadcasts all over the streaming radio dial.

Bottom line about A/A - "All this and heaven too!"

see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1354814

Give me more....I have been malnourished up until now!
I love everybit of it....it is a breath of fresh air!

.

Then they'll BITCH about the Sofa fabric ...

Or they'll BITCH about the clouds ...

Or they'll BITCH about how keyboards have mixed up letters ...

Or they'll BITCH about how the cereal tastes ...

GEEEZ ...

I gave up trying to please long ago ...

Fuck'm, I say .... Fuck'm ...

(Im doing my CA State taxes and I could go ON and ON about how FUCKED UP the Schedule CA is ...... But I wouldnt want to BITCH bout that ... )

You talking about stange men giving you their bolgnas....

Have you no shame!?!?

:D

you goddamn nut!!

:hi:

:loveya:

when it first started? I didn't think the show was going to make it, but it got better, even when Kilborn was there.

Give Air America some time to smooth out the rough edges. I'm still more of a Pacifica devotee than an Air America listener, but I really like what I hear on Air America so far.

:thumbsup: Catwoman!

:hi:

:hi:

:loveya:

made with love and served with toast and eggs.

right on, CatWoman! :thumbsup:

:loveya:

>If I was starving and someone gave me a slice of bologna, I'd be ever go grateful for that thin slice of meat. I doubt very seriously that I would grouse and insult my benefactor for not giving me filet mignon.<

I am thrilled to get that thin slice of bologna. I'll be even happier to keep getting it. Maybe next week we'll get a couple of pieces of bread, some mustard, and a nice piece of sliced cheese to go with it.

Julie

And it's only going to get better....

No. Same with Air America. You'll like some shows more than others. If you don't like Randi Rhodes, listen to Ed Schultz or some of the others that are linked here at DU. Or post here, or watch CSPAN or do something else.

I'm thankful that there is a national alternative to hate radio, and even though I don't love it all, I love that it's here.

that you've learned to drive that damn golf cart.

:hi:

Ive had posters assail me over stupid things. I believe these people are trolls looking for attention so I usually ignore them. Air America is starting new. Of course there are going to be snafus but some on here wanna fuk up our network before it even gets off the ground. I have one word for you types. STFU!

:thumbsup:

Though I despise the repugnantcans, you have got to give them this - they support their causes wholeheartedly. I am giddy, I am so happy about Air America. Have heard everyone except the morning folks. I am delirious and ecstatic to hear opinions backed by facts, opinions that are not goose stepping behind the bush administration. But the DU forums are full of 'Randi Rhodes is too shrill, Al Franken is boooring, Janeane isn't in your face enough' etc etc. It is the first week, people. What did you expect, what do you want? As usual democrats, liberals, progressives are our own worst enemy. Baby steps, folks.

I thought it was great. My favorite is the Bush/Stretch/Flyguy skit. I was laughing my rear end off. I didn't hear nothing wrong with it at all.

Don

:thumbsup:

some unbelievable comments going on.

And it is directed at posters not the radio network. Could we call this wonderful thing "AirAm" or AAR or anything but AA, I always think Alcoholics Anonymous. Would the older AA sue for trademark violation?

Only issue I'd have with 'em is the lousy signal, but for the moment, that's just how it is. So I'll take the bad (signal) with the good (programming).

...because after years of listening to nothing but non-commercial radio, they "just can't stand hearing all those ads!" Funny, that never seems to bother them when they're watching TV....

Swear to Christ, some people are never satisfied!

I usually like listening to opposing points of view, but listening to Randi on the my evening drive feels so good. And the morning drive is not bad either. Haven't experienced something like that since Bob Lasiter on WLS in the early '90s. Kind of forgot that feeling. Oh, Fairness Doctrine, where art thou?