Ed Schultz to move head-to-head with Limbaugh, Franken

[rawstory]

By John Byrne | RAW STORY

Move over, Rush Limbaugh.

Ed Schultz, the nation’s largest progressive talk radio host, is moving head-to-head with Rush Limbaugh’s sometime in December, industry insiders familiar with the deal tell RAW STORY. The move – which puts Schultz in the choice noon to 3 p.m. window – will also bring him face-to-face with Air America’s flagship talker, Al Franken.

Two radio insiders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the move. Both characterized the decision to move The Ed Schultz Show from drive-time to early afternoon as one intended to bolster a rapidly growing national audience.

The decision to move Schultz to noontime eastern could put another nail in the coffin of Air America, which filed for bankruptcy Oct. 13.

A 2006 survey by Talkers Magazine pegged the Fargo talker’s listenership at 2.25 million, tying Schultz at #10 among radio hosts nationwide. Air America’s Al Franken rated #12, with an audience of 1.5 million.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Ed_Schultz_show_to_move_headtohead_1130.html

[JDPriestly]

1. That is not a particularly good time for liberal talk.

Liberals tend to be working at that time. Drive time is better for liberal radio. I can listen during drive time, in the evenings, on weekends and occasionally when I have to drive during the day for my work, during the day. I think we get recorded broadcasts of some of these shows out here on the West Coast anyway so maybe it won't make a difference.

[onehandle]

3. Limbaugh does well during that time because...

...his biggest fans are usually celebrating the arrival of their latest welfare checks by having sex with their sister/wives in their trailers with Rush in the background at full volume.

[maseman]

31. Let's get some stuff straight here

Al Franken is leaving Air America. There's a good chance he'll either not come back after his USO tour or he may stay a month or so. Ed Schultz would not be leaving something that is working for him if he thought Franken was staying.

Remember, Schultz (Jones Radio) is a competitor to Air America. Thom Hartman would most likely easily slide into the Franklen time slot uncontested. Schultz is trying to gain the edge by moving to 12noon to 3PM and take over a number of Franken's affiliates once he leaves.

His show will air live from 12noon to 3PM and Jones will re-play his show from 3P-6P. That gives them a huge advantage because some stations will air the replay (his show can pretty much run anytime live or re-feed without people knowing it is a few hours old.)

This will help Randi Rhodes show because a number of stations carry Schultz 3p-6p and then air Randi either in the evenings or not at all. Many stations will fill their Schultz void with Randi live which is a good thing.

[Robbien]

2. Ed Schultz is the nation's largest progressive talk radio host? Wha??

The man is a centrist who turns off many progressive listeners. If he is the largest progressive talk radio host, then progressive talk radio is in the crapper.

This head to head fight of Schultz with Limbaugh won't even be a blip on the radar.

[liberalnurse]

10. I like him.......He will talk about what " is being said"

around town....not what we want to hear. He evokes discussion in a realistic fashion. I'd say he is indeed #1......because he garners listers from all sides, left, right and independent.

[Robbien]

13. He gathers listeners from all sides? Oh wow, he must be HUGH!!

Gather around all you freepers. Come join with DUers and sit and listen to Ed! We will all join hands and listen to the man who brings us all together!

Bull. Ed garners centrists listeners. You know, those centrists who believe they are part of every group, left, right and center, but in reality are part of no group.

Centrists, the small group who belongs nowhere.

[liberalnurse]

17. Your nasty sarcasm

is not appreciated today. Discussion is the mission here....not a typical drive-by shooting style post...thank-you.

[Robbien]

18. "Gathers listeners from all sides"

is a typical drive-by shooting type post. When you throw out a ridculous type post such as that one, the only response is sarcasm.

Sorry you did not appreciate my responding in kind to your post. I wish the rest of your day goes better.

Peace

[pennylane100]

20. Its appreciated by me

I think Ed Shultz is an intellectual lightweight and often runs his mouth without a full understanding of the issue he is discussing. I can only listen to him in very small doses, so it will not be a hard decision to choose between him and Al Franken.

[liberalnurse]

27. I'm so dissapointed that you would appreciate

insulting scarcasm.

[RamboLiberal]

22. He has good ratings - and that's what drives station managers

to carry the show. And yeah I do think he attacts listeners who may be moving over from RWing radio. I'll take those converts. Can't hurt.

[krispos42]

45. He's the 'gateway host'

When I first began listening to AAR, I turned off Mike Malloy. About a month later, I was listening to both avidly!

If he can keep people from slipping off the edge into Freeperdom, he's done good enough for me. It helps that he sounds kinda like Rush when you're flipping through the stations.

[nolabels]

26. Ah ha, like belonging to something was important

People like you i get a kick out of also. I listen (sometimes) to Ed to for them unwitting bigots that come out of the closet ever so often. I gets to be quite hilarious

Positions, possessions and followings are for people who think they need one

[Mr_Spock]

34. Childish and insulting to those of us open-minded enough to listen to him

Speak for yourself groucho.

[snappyturtle]

4. What does this do to Lynn Samuels?

She sorta drives me nuts but when she's "ON" the repugs, she's good. Ol' Ed is not my favorite. Give me Bill Press or Thom Hartmann.

[maryallen]

32. Lynn Samuels is horrible!

Her language is foul, disgustingly so; and if I wanted to read The National Enquirer, I would buy it myself.

[snappyturtle]

41. Yes--you're right! Lynn's mouth is, well, trashy! n/t

[Epiphany4z]

5. AL is going to

have to leave his show eventually anyway...if he is going to run for office...so its a good idea to have a good talker across from the righty drugy gas bag.

[kstewart33]

6. Sounds good to me.

We need some competition to boost the quality of Ed's and Al's shows. They're good but both could be better, especially Al's.

[Bentcorner]

7. I hope this means he will come back to XM Radio.

They recently cut his show down to only one hour. From 4pm to 5pm. I would much rather listen to him from noon to 3pm.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Schultz has the same intonation and diction of Limbaugh. How will we tell the difference?

I think I'll pass.

I tired of people yelling at me.

[chelsea0011]

9. HMMMM. Boston prog talk carries both Big Ed and Al. Who will fall?

[ronnykmarshall]

11. This should be interesting.

Here in LA, Ed is on live at noon to 3 pacific. Randi is tape delayed 3pm to 6pm. I wonder how they are going to adjust the line up.

Does anyone know what's going on at AAR? Did they find a buyer yet?

[frylock]

24. i hope they don't gibber up that lineup too badly..

we have the same lineup down here in the 619. I quite enjoy my evening commute listening to Randi.

[ronnykmarshall]

25. Me too.

Since I'm at work, I miss some of Randi online ... so I love hearing her in the car on the way home.

[napi21]

12. I like the idea! I listten to Ed all the time already, but I work frrom

home, so it doesn't matter what time he's on.

Yes he does have a similar diction to Limpball, but I thik he does that to attract the RL listeners too. Ed is more of a centrist that many of the other progressives, but he does garner support from all sides too, and that's important!

[still_one]

16. I agree. Anything that attracks more people to our side is good

I know there are some on DU who call him a DINO or republican lite, but actually he is a moderate who argues for many progressive causes

There is also a rumor going around the Sirius and XM may merge next year so that should also be interesting since XM moved schultz to another channel, and gave him only one hour time

Ed schultz is necessary for our cause because he attracts listeners who would NEVER turn on to progressive radio. Having people just preaching to the choir moves us no where

[Skarbrowe]

14. I listened to him yesterday and he sounded like Bozo the Clown.

I'm not cutting him down. He really did sound like Bozo the Clown. Anyone remember him from the Chicago area? Ed was talking about his new diet and tread mill work outs and he was laughing a lot. Every time he laughed/chuckled, I kept hearing old red-headed Bozo! Personally, I would rather listen to Stephanie Miller than just about anyone because DAMN that woman is funny, but at least Ed is progressive. I hope Air America is not gone. I won't mind listening to someone other than ED on our 940AM in my car from three to six.

At times, Ed sounds a little too much voice wise like Rush, so I wonder if people will get confused. :) I bet Franken will eventually end up doing something else anyway..who knows.

[bagrman]

15. More of a mis-informationist. Can't call him a Progressive or Liberal.

After R Kennedy had his piece published about the voting of 00, he said that he read it, or part of it and said that it wasn't worth the time.

[Mika]

42. Yep. Big Ed though Bernie Kerik was a good selection for HS director, until the emails came in..

.. then, on the day Bush nominated Kerik, after Ed was extolling what a great job Bernie and Rudy did on 9-11, like the true wind sock talker that he is, Big Ed changed his mind.

90% of the time Ed is a stick-your-finger-in-the-air-see-which-way-the-wind-is-blowing talking head, and about 2 or 3 days behind on the news.

[goddess40]

19. That way the ditto heads won't be able to listen to lib-talk radio

They will have to make a choice and Rush is counting on his people choosing him - I'm sure they will but those people are so brainwashed they are unreachable.

[RamboLiberal]

21. I think this is good - for one means he won't be competing

head to head with Randi assuming Air America survives.

I listen to him from work on the net, but I am going to lobby 2 of my local stations to carry him. In my town of Pittsburgh I think he'd be a great fit talking fishing, hunting, football besides politics.

I'll take Ed over the Limbaugh, Hannity, etc., who dominate the air waves here.

A lot of people listen to talk radio at work - around my building it's polluted with Limbaugh and Hannity.

And a lot of people on the road; sales, delivery, truckers, etc are talk show addicts.

I think Schultz can appeal to a lot of listeners, especially those who may be turning away from the Repukes.

I like it cause now I don't have to choose between Randi and Schultz. Also assuming that Air America survives I think you may now find stations that carry both will run Schultz then Randi live.

[liberalnurse]

30. Pittsburgh will adore Ed.

I know it is rough breaking into the Clear Channel control there......Good Luck!

[Doctor_J]

23. and Hartmann

this sucks. OTOH, Franken may be off the air by then anyway.

[NashVegas]

28. "the nation’s largest progressive talk radio host

You might want to re-word that?

[Odin2005]

29. Eddy will crush OxyRush with is bare hands.

And I see the ideological purists purists have already starting the Ed bashing...

[Mr_Spock]

35. lol - yep, the 'purity test' - shown in it's full glory

If only people knew how much this makes us look closed-minded - kind of like the people we are supposedly 'different' from :eyes:

[Edgewater_Joe]

33. ZZZZZzzzz--- wh-wh-what?

Oh, sorry.

Sounded like people were talking about how entertaining Ed Schultzzzzzz....

Oh. Sorry.

Randi deserves that slot. She'd kill 'em all (ratings-wise).

[ejbrush]

36. Eeek! A Centrist! Hide the children!

Hello again-
Here in Beerbratistan, our local AAR affilate carries both Franken and Shultz (and Rhodes as well). On my various wild-goose chases to track down non-existent parts during the day, I get a chance to listen to all three. Here's my take, not that it matters, but a forum's a forum.
Franken is extrememly bright and very well read. He is an author, and has a good grasp of the in's and out's of the political machine in Washington. I enjoy listening to his interviews, but his humor leaves me, eh, a little eh.
Shultz is a self-admitted convert. He has the tone and inflection of an average human being. He isn't polished, he isn't nuanced, but most of America isn't either. To his credit, he has the gift of bullshitting, which is sometime lacking in political junkies. The fact that he does ramble on about fishing or hunting or the football game on Sunday is an advantage.
As to the Evil of Centrist, remember that the majority of Americans are probably centrists. To try and shoehorn people into little "R" or "D" boxes based on a political sniff test is foolish. Big tents, folks, big tents.

[Odin2005]

37. The purists don't understand that his show is NOT for the party base.

That's the whole point. Ed's trying to overcome perception among blue collar Americans of us being the party of "Latte-drinking elitists" the Pukes have encouraged for the past 30 years

[Edgewater_Joe]

39. Ex-CUSE Me?!

It's not for the party base? Dude, do you know who PAYS for Ed Schultz' syndication? The Democratic Party, through an initiative started in 2000 to get more left-wingers to talk radio -- on the condition that they toe the party line. (Or do you not know who funds Jones or the Center for American Progress, for that matter?) A party line far more in tune towards the neo-centerist, Hillary-Lieberman-DLC end of the party than the Dean activists who are responsible for the kick-start the party got in this past cycle, by the way.

It's for the party base who thinks Dean should sit down and shut up, and it's done with all the verve of paint drying.

[mzmolly]

46. You are correct.

Welcome! :hi:

[bdamomma]

38. any more word about AAR??

I hope things work out.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

40. ed's ben on al's show a few times

and al makes references to hanging out with him off the air

maybe he knows al's leaving aar to run for the senate

[infothe]

43. Tired of war? We need your sentence!

Click on the next URL or visit thesentenceoftheyear.com to know more!!
http://thesentenceoftheyear.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=13
Many thanks

[Paula Sims]

44. For those in the Chicago area, new lineup Dec 11, 2006

From WCPT's web site
http://www.wcptam.com/news/view?articleID=52

They're dumping Springer (yea!!), adding Stephanie Miller (more yea!!), slashing Frankin's time and moving Schultz to Frankin's time. Just dump both of them and go with Thom Hartmann.

My dream-team is: Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes, Sam Skinner, Mike Malloy. A girl can dream, can't she??


Paula

[rocktivity]

47. Who decides whether to listen to Limbaugh or Schultz?

Is the Schultz camp hoping that they'll be fooled by the similar vocal styles?

:headbang:
rocknation

[minnesota_liberal]

48. Stations carrying Schultz and Franken will likely tape-delay Franken

Al rarely has listener call-ins. Tape-delaying him will have minimal impact.