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| Home Front: Culture Wars |
| Air America Can't Sell Advertising Time |
| 2005-09-13 |
| A California radio station is pleading for advertisers to sponsor the liberal programming of the Air America shows it broadcasts, while noting the conservative Rush Limbaugh show is virtually sold out on its sister station. Feel free to substitute "virtually" for "completely" in the above sentence. "For liberal programming to continue ... you need to support it," said an ad by KOMY station owner Michael Zwerling, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "You can't be coy in this business," said Zwerling. "You have to spell it out, especially in Santa Cruz where everybody thinks they deserve everything." Zwerling brought Air America to the Central Coast region of California in July, and during initial negotiations, he says network executives refused to allow Al Franken to share a dial with syndicated radio host Michael Savage, known for statements such as "liberalism is a mental disorder." "As soon as I said Michael Savage, the door slammed shut," Zwerling said. As soon as you said "Al Franken", you mean. And even though there's been some letters and calls of appreciation, not a single business has purchased air time specifically during Air America's slot since its debut. I had no idea Karl Rove was this good. Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh, who is broadcast on sister station KSCO, gave some advice to Zwerling today on his nationally broadcast show. Limbaugh suggested perhaps the best way to support the liberal broadcast was to find a local Boys & Girls' club, and "tell them you need an operating loan" for some unspecified purpose, referring to the recent scandal involving Air America allegedly siphoning money from such a club in New York City. "I want to help this man because he took a great risk," Limbaugh said. "I don't want this guy to suffer out there." |
| Posted by:Chris W. |
| #16 That's kind of an insult to National People's Radio, really. |
| Posted by: Ernest Brown 2005-09-13 20:45 |
| #15 Those bastards sinking all their money on the R man show. Trying to change minds. Makes sense. Not preachering to the choir. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-09-13 18:41 |
| #14 I'll bet they could get "George Soros and Liberal Friends of Nancy Pelosi" to run a few ads. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2005-09-13 18:17 |
| #13 Maybe the National Right to Life Association could get some good discount air time. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-13 16:53 |
| #12 Mojo, the folks in Oklahoma City who listen to KOMA would take serious exception to Air America. It is a 60's - 70's good-time rock & roll station. Capitalism is a bitch for communists and socialists. The only way AA could survive is on NPR or, if they snark up their accents, on the BBC. |
| Posted by: RWV 2005-09-13 16:30 |
| #11 How do you spell schadenfreude? |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-09-13 16:13 |
| #10 JFM: Worse than just California, it's Santa Cruz. These are the people that think LA is too right-wing. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-09-13 13:14 |
| #9 Santa Cruz is where people protest because it's Monday (or it isn't Monday), and the locals applaud that they are making their voices heard, and speaking truth to power. My sister is very happy there -- I suppose I should be happy for her. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-09-13 13:01 |
| #8 KOMY? Better change it to KOMA, pal. It's brain-dead. |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-09-13 11:11 |
| #7 Interesting: Air America is doing badly in California. Where else do they expect to get decent ratings and revenues? I doubt Vermont's huuuuuge market will be enough to keep them afloat. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-09-13 10:31 |
| #6 Not surprised, hate doesn't sell forever. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-09-13 10:03 |
| #5 I love free market capitalism. It really shows how big of loosers the left really is. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-09-13 09:32 |
| #4 When you're not insulated by layers and layers of comgolomerate funding and the free and unrestrained marketplace comes into play, you can not sell your product of hate and loathing based upon emotion and ad hominem attacks unanchored on truth. So much for 'reality-based' politics of the left. That's what you get when you ban teaching capitalism in schools. Too bad NPR and PBS already are subsidised, otherwise I'm sure your shills in Congress would work to get you some all in the name of 'fairness' not to be confused with 'consent of the governed'. |
| Posted by: Phereque Omineger4095 2005-09-13 08:58 |
| #3 Given the programming politics is not appealling to even the middle of the road voter and the content is usually quite nasty, infantile, and devoid of any good natured humor why in the world would anyone seeking to sell goods or services to the public want to be associated with it? This is not rocket science or brain surgery yet the Air America crowd and their supporters don't have a clue as always. Would you have each of your customers, patients, clients, consumers suffer your minority political beliefs expressed in a nasty tone prior to asking them to do business with you? You wouldn't last too long in your business and Air America won't either. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-09-13 08:40 |
| #2 Given the programming politics is not appealling to even the middle of the road voter and the content is usually quite nasty, infantile, and devoid of any good natured humor why in the world would anyone seeking to sell goods or services to the public want to be associated with it? This is not rocket science or brain surgery yet the Air America crowd and their supporters don't have a clue as always. Would you have each of your customers, patients, clients, consumers suffer your minority political beliefs expressed in a nasty tone prior to asking them to do business with you? You wouldn't last too long in your business and Air America won't either. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-09-13 08:40 |
| #1 "You have to spell it out, especially in Santa Cruz where everybody thinks they deserve everything." Yes. Statements like that should have the locals banging down the doors to buy time... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-09-13 08:28 |