TIME:Enter Talking, Stage Left

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040412-607810,00.html

Monday, Apr. 12, 2004
In promos, it calls itself "The radio Rush Limbaugh would be listening to — if he hadn't lost his hearing to drug abuse." This is Air America, the long-promised liberal talk network that came to squalling life last week. The kingdom of right-wing talk radio now has a band of left-wing insurrectionists in its bosom.

Part NPR (without the pretense of objectivity), part Comedy Central's talkfest Tough Crowd (with fewer sex jokes), Air America started on six stations — in New York City; Los Angeles; Chicago; Minneapolis, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; and Inland Empire, Calif.as well as on XM Satellite Radio and its own streaming website, www.airamericaradio.com. It can't yet touch the range or ad rates of Rush (600 stations, 20 million weekly listeners) and his ruck. Much of the "commercial" time goes to public-service spots — the same few spots. If we hear a certain parent-teacher ad one more time, we may turn the dial back to Limbaugh.

Air America can be as insightful and inciteful as right-wing ranters. Now it must learn, in a hurry, to provide what Limbaugh has from the start: great radio. "I am not a radio professional," says Franken. Well, become one! Garofalo and co-host Sam Seder, who have the sharpest rapport in the bunch, neared audio meltdown on Thursday with blown cues, inaudible phone calls and talk that stammered to a halt. Too often the network is Air Amateur.

Let's hope those are just birthing pains. For a raising of both political consciousness and the political temperature — America needs Air America.

Although he does talk up Bernie Ward and JIm Hightower, both of whom deserve a show on AA, especially if Malloy doesn't get one.

They are selling plenty of ads. I notice because I never view a TV ad (always use the remote) and only used to listen to NPR.


Cher

But they only started a week ago. They apparently have some REAL money behind it so they can hold out for a while until they have some demographic numbers. I think Jon Stewart was right, get some beer and casino ads.