The secret to Air America being successful is.....

[kentuck]

in my opinion, being totally irreverent and funny. People want to be entertained more than they want to be informed. Al Franken and the other hosts need not hold back on their irreverent criticisms of O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Liddy, Hannity, Bush, Cheney, Rice, and a million others. Personal attacks are not prohibited in the conservative media so it cannot be off limits on liberal radio either. Name-calling just for the sake of name-calling will not work. It has to be clarified as to why they need to be called names. ...because they are ignorant assholes that don't give a damn about anybody but their wealthy contributors. People that vote for these assholes are not too bright themselves.

However, these criticsms have to be tempered with comments on public policies and the failures of the compassionate conservatives and their inability to make government work. Because they do not believe in government. They are anti-government. All government is bad. We need to keep that in perspective.

Bottom line is that liberal talk radio needs to be funny and irreverent and not afraid to step on a few toes. There are plenty of targets. All they have to do is aim.

[movonne]

1. They need Mike Malloy.

[Zinfandel]

11. Yes, Malloy is as funny as they come, when his republican anger

get to him...there's nobody funnier...Mike Malloy is so fucking funny I don't even know if he knows how funny he's being...and he's the king of names "Bush Crime Family" "the Pigman" "the baby Jesus (Hannity)etc. etc...Man, do I miss Mike Malloy!!!

[NightTrain]

13. Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps Air America offered Malloy...

...a job, and he turned it down?

Mind you, I don't know if that happened, but it's possible. Perhaps Malloy didn't want to live in New York. Or perhaps he wanted too much money.

There could be 1,000 different reasons why Mike Malloy isn't on Air America. And bitching and moaning about their having Franken and Rhodes but not Malloy isn't going to change that. So deal with it.

[OKNancy]

14. Everytime someone groans about Malloy

I'm tempted to post that I couldn't stand him. Too loud and too "tinfoil".

[Zinfandel]

15. Too liberal too for you I'm sure...you want loud listen to Randi Rhodes

I love Malloy and like Rhodes quite a bit!!!

You need nice neat polite liberals...there's a million of them around, just read this forum!!!!

[NightTrain]

18. Polite does not automatically equal liberal.

William F. Buckley is polite. Would you call him a liberal? :eyes:

[Zinfandel]

25. You got that right...No I'd call Buckley a cold impotent snob!!!

[OKNancy]

20. I'm listening to Randi right now

and I like her. One can be a raging liberal and still discount nutty conspiracy theories.

[Zinfandel]

29. Yes good for you...everything is exactlly like they tell you, don't let

anyone plant an idea in your head.

[OKNancy]

30. That's the problem

with your type. Somehow asking for proof, from reliable sources is somehow transformed into being uninformed. I'm a skeptic and even-tempered in just about everything, and I do stay informed....that's why I'm skeptical of tinfoil and emotional outcries.

[Zinfandel]

32. Conspiracy is the unspeakable truth. Have you tried to read

Greg Palast "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy"? (Those same conspiracies you speak of that Mike Malloy talks about, are all in that book.)

Have you read "Blood, Money and Power" (2003) by Barr McClellan or "Rule by Secrecy" by Jim Marrs or even David Brocks book "Blinded by the Right"? or books by Gore Vidal or Noam Chomsky or Robert Gaylon Ross or even Joe Conason???

"What kind of proof do you want? Bush coming out saying "yes, we blew up Wellstone’s plane because he was the most liberal senator in the country"? Do you expect to see it on Fox or CNN...Bush's federal FAA doing the investigation?

Conspiracy is the unspeakable truth…

What major "news" organization would report any of this? The republican owned and operated corporate media? They know people will accept ANYTHING they tell them and the sheep will only have "DOUBTS"...that's good enough for them. "Mission accomplished."

Are you still with me twinkle toes?

[OKNancy]

34. Those aren't conspiracy

writers. They are mainstream. I'm talking Mike Ruppert and Debka and Scoop-New Zealand.

I don't appreciate your tone either. I haven't been a dance teacher all of my fifty-five years. I was a high school and college history teacher in a previous life. Don't talk down to me wine-breath.

Oh, and by the way, you obviously haven't read Chomsky...he thinks "LIHOP" is bunk.

[Zinfandel]

38. Try pot-breath, twinkle toes...you know nothing of what you speak...

princess...I adore your tone though!!!

Greg Palast writes a chapter on the Florida voting conspiracy, as Mike Malloy spoke of constantly.

Barr McClellan's whole book is all about conspiracy and corruption, that Malloy spoke of all the time.

Joe Conason's book is all about the lies and conspiracies the right-wing succeeded with Clinton...also what Malloy spoke of often.

Conspiracies is what Robert Gaylon Ross' book is all about...and read "Burr" or "Lincoln" or any book by Gore Vidal and the books are laced with consperacies...that's what power hungry greedy human beings do, sugar plum. Many of the same conspiracies Mike Malloy talked about quite frequently are in these books, being as well read as he is...(something you should look into).

But don't believe anything you can't see yourself, Love, it is best to go through life voluntarily blind.

[Zinfandel]

17. Gee, no, what a concept...duh never occured to me...hic hic!!!

[NightTrain]

19. Thanks for your intelligent, well thought-out contribution to this thread!

n/t

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NightTrain]

36. You're quite the debater, aren't you?

I'll bet you're all up in arms whenever Randi Rhodes talks down to a caller like you're talking down to everyone in this thread who disagrees with you. But personal attacks are just fine as long as *you* make them. Right? :eyes:

[eleny]

23. Mike always said Air America never contacted him

He was pretty clear that he wasn't offered a job. If I recall correctly, he mentioned that he approached them but he never heard back. At any rate, they never offered him a job.

As far as some of us wanting him on A-A - As consumers of this medium, we know that the squeaky wheel often gets greased. So, contacting A-A and requesting Mike be offered a broadcast is not out of line. I don't have to "deal with it". I can keep squeaking. I'm the customer and I'm used to expressing what I want from companies. And guess what? *You* can just go deal with that - or not.

SQUEAK-SQUEAK!

[NightTrain]

33. OK, I'll take your word for it.

Having worked in radio, I know what it's like to find out there's an on-air job available, for which you're immensely qualified, for which you apply, but you never hear back from the people. It sucks big-time!

So if that's truly the case with Malloy, he has my sympathy.

[eleny]

37. He has gotten a weekend gig on CNN

Someone posted about it here the other day. It's their early, early morning program on Saturdays. He and Boortz have the spot. So, hopefully, it will keep him out front, so to speak.

Take care!

[hexola]

2. The secret is BUYING THE PRODUCTS THEY ADVERTISE

and nothing more...

[KissMyAsscroft]

3. I disagree..

They have to attack, attack, attack. They have to slam the right wing relentlessly, unapologetically.

[kentuck]

4. I disagree....

I think that is a recipe for failure although it may be successful for a short time....

[Maat]

5. You know...I like listening to a mix.

I liked the more polite hosts during the day, but coming home from law school, I need Malloy (definitely not Alan Colmes).

[Zinfandel]

22. "Talk" radio is entertainment and people want to laugh and be entertained

at the same same time if they just wanted to be informed public radio and C-SPAN would be gigantic hits...

As much as I hate the fucker...Limbaugh is one of the best (Malloy comes right up there) at entertaining their audience...while getting their political philosophy and ideology across which makes for loyal listeners...

Randi Rhodes has it down as well, see how see even pisses off the meek liberal, and is loud and entertaining as she gets her liberal ideology acroos...she will have many, many loyal listeners.

[Mountainman]

6. I've been listening off and on this morning and it seems very intellectual

I don't know if what I heard is typical but it seemed quite dry and intellectual. It was definitely something I have to pay attention to to understand what they are talking about and to understand them. It is way up the intellectual seriousness ladder from Rush's stuff.

[kentuck]

7. Will the average person listen to intellectual seriousness ..?

Rush is certainly no intellectual... I'm not sure that will appeal to a large number of people.........

[hexola]

9. I didn't get that...

Franken was horsing around...playing the O'riely "Shut UP" clip over and over...

[napi21]

8. Good statement. We have been too nice for too long!

Al is still learning as I'm willing to give him a chance......OF MORE THAN 2 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

But he can't worry about some people hating him, because that's what happens. We all hate Limbaugh etc.!

Slams and anti RW statements are GREAT, but they also must be interspersed with good ideas that will work better for the general public than the ones this admin. has today.

[NeoConsSuck]

10. I think they're doing an excellent job..

they're not too left-leaning that they turn off the moderate voter. Knock me all you want, but without the moderate voter on our side, Bush is back in.

[Wells]

12. The Moderate Middle must learn the truth

Republican Moderates and closed-minded Christians, (Is Bush really Christian?), have had no radio programs present Fair and Balanced reporting.

The Moderates have to vote Democrat. Arguably, a significant percentage of the Moderates who voted For DUHbya have already decided to vote Against him this year.

--BUSH------NOT--SAFER------NOT--STRONGER--

[Kahuna]

16. I was in my car for almost 6 hrs today listening to AA..

I so enjoyed Al Franken. Those two morning ladies and Chuck will take some getting used to.

[loftycity]

21. Slamming the Repukes is a good idea to get started--Malloy!

We have not had a voice and we all need to rant at the GOP till about mid-summer. I really believe we need Malloy he is a DJ. Al's good for now..he is no DJ. We are going to need a very real(Malloy)soon.
Air America is a bit to intellectual and thats not the greatest idea in Radio. We need sitting on the fence Rush listeners and Howard Stern fans. Malloy could capture the Rush/Stern audience and keep them. Al's not going to keep them.
NPR has got that glib intellectual area covered.

[booley]

24. just use the facts!

there's nothing inappropriate about calling Shrub a lier if you can show that he lied.

It's not libel if it's true!
or is this slander? Oh well, same thing.

[LTR]

27. From an ex-radio guy

The secret to creating succesful radio, in particular talk radio, is to keep the listener from turning the dial. Or to keep them tuned in even after they stop the car.

If they give people a reason to tune in, or get them to make it a habit, it will be on the raod to success. Stern and Lowbrow know this. Your top-rated local morning shows know this. Second and third tier Rush clones like Gallagher and Medved don't, which is why they're stashed away on low-powered Salem stations. People make it a habit to tune in to shows and hosts that intrigue them, 'appointment radio', if you will.

Compelling radio will win out in the end. So long as there is support to back it up (promotion, etc.). But both have to be in place. Glen Beck can be on a THOUSAND stations, but his show still sucks, and the only listeners he gets are people hanging around waiting for Rush to come on. Dr. Laura was in the same position a few years back (part of Premiere's contract with local Rush affiliates was being forced to carry her show). Local stations eventually revolted due to her lousy ratings and nasty personna, and ditched her show in obscure hours or obscure sister stations, and now she is fading fast.

Personality, content, and promotion are key.

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. Thanks for the professional input :)

[kentuck]

28. They should start every day with a joke about Orrin Hatch....

Move on to the rug on Trent Lott's head....mention in passing Clarence Thomas, JC Watts, and the "Toms" that get recognized and glorified simply by stating they are registered Repubs...then inform us about how many bugs are still in Texas since Tom Delay went to Congress?? Liquor sales are probably up since Dick Armey returned to the Lone Bar State...

Of course, we might want to mention that it's about time for Dick Cheney's heart machine to wear out...they don't last forever...and those Repub hypocrites are worried about John Kerry's health?? But Cheney isnt the pResident, is he? Well, that is debatable.

And, of course, no one would want to talk about that stickweed we have on the NSC that is so incompetent she never thought planes would be used as "missiles"! God! Who would have thought of such a thing?? Just the Arabs but they are so much brighter than the folks in this White House.

And if David Letterman shows Dubya hocking up a big wad of snot one more time, I'm gonna go outside and scream. And our question of the day is: "Did Bush become bowlegged from riding so many horses when he was younger or does he have a corncob up his butt?" :)

[loftycity]

31. Texans call it his phony Ivy league Texas walk --all put on.

Maybe he's got a skull and a bone up his...