Air America

LA Times reports Why the Liberals Can't Keep Air America From Spiraling In

The liberal Air America Radio, just past its first birthday, has probably enjoyed more free publicity than any enterprise in recent history. But don't believe the hype: Air America's left-wing answer to conservative talk radio is failing, just as previous efforts to find liberal Rush Limbaughs have failed.

Wait a second, you say, didn't I read that Air America has expanded to more than 50 markets? That's true, but let's put things in perspective: Conservative pundit and former Reagan official William J. Bennett's morning talk show, launched at the same time as Air America, reaches nearly 124 markets, including 18 of the top 20, joining the growing ranks of successful right-of-center talk programs (Limbaugh is still the ratings leader, drawing more than 15 million listeners a week).

And look at Air America's ratings: They're pitifully weak, even in places where you would think they'd be strong. WLIB, its flagship in New York City, has sunk to 24th in the metro area Arbitron ratings — worse than the all-Caribbean format it replaced, notes the Radio Blogger. In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still.

So why do liberals fare so poorly on air? Some on the left say it's because liberals are, well, smarter and can't convey their sophisticated ideas to the rubes who listen to talk radio. Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, whose own stint as a talk-show host was a ratings disaster, gave canonical expression to this self-serving view. Conservatives "write their messages with crayons," he maintained. "We use fine-point quills."

Michelle Malkin blogged Anderson also notes the effort by Rep. Maurice "Unhinged" Hinchey to revive the "Fairness Doctrine"--a legislative sledgehammer targeting conservative viewpoints. Because if you can't beat 'em, regulate 'em.

Metacass blogged Not to mention, of course that our good friends the liberals have displaced ethnic and minority programming on the radio stations where they broadcast. How funny is that? Now who will represent the diverse rainbow traditionally oppressed by right-wing America? It looks like those silenced voices will be (better?) represented by rich, write successful entertainers like Al Franken and Janeane Garafolo than by their own voices.

Mark blogged Read the whole thing. It explains in detail why Err America is sliding down the tubes, besides the fact that their jocks are not funny and liars, and what lengths the left will go to gain power.

Dirty Harry blogged Imagine if Rush or Sean were doing poorly. Think maybe you'd hear more about it in the MSM? Especially after all the publicity it's launch received? But of course Air America's dive is either ignored or spun into "expanding to 50 stations." In other words, the liberal media focuses on the positive so as not to pile on and thus fuel the inevitable. Something they would gleefully do if Air America were conservative.

Liberals want an acknowledgment of Bush successes -- because they're real -- but want to know why and how they can hang onto their ideology in the face of them. During the Clinton years, that's what Rush did. He didn't ignore the economy -- he explained how it was Reagan's tax cuts still working. And he explained it in a way that made sense. Rush didn't ignore the shrinking deficit of the 90's. He explained why it was congressional Republicans and Reagan policies that made it possible.

Liberals aren't doing that (because they can't). So, Air America and other liberal talking heads are forced to holler, "WMD!" every time the Iraq election is mentioned. They're forced to holler, "Deficit!" every time the economic recovery is mentioned. They're forced to holler, "Theocracy! Hitler! Chimp! Halliburton!" every time any other Bush success is mentioned.

"Hate" is not a debating point. "Anti-war" is not a debating point. Cheap shots and hip-cynicism are not debating points. In order to survive hour after hour, day after day, year after year, the host's ideas must be sustainable intellectually and today liberals are forced to ignore the Oil-For-Food scandal (unless it involves a Texan) and Bush successes in Iraq, the greater Middle East, and the economy. Liberal listeners notice their Air America hosts ignoring the facts and it makes them uneasy.

Conservative Talk Radio was successful because conservatives were hungry for a media outlet that cover what was happening in language they understood, and with the MSM they were not getting that. NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, NYT, WaPo, and many other segments of the MSM already cover what is happening from the liberal point of view. Liberals don't need a Liberal Talk Radio station, so they don't listen.