Why Liberal Radio Bombs?
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Harrison
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air america camille paglia conservative radio liberal radio
Taking themselves too seriously?
Camille Paglia is a great thinker and I always enjoy reading her books and column. I came across this interesting bit on Salon.com that you may enjoy:
However, the popularity of conservative radio shows is a round-the-clock phenomenon. There are flamboyant evening hosts as well as night replays of the major daytime shows, extending well past midnight to dawn. Clearly, conservative hosts have an instinctive rapport with AM radio, which I have been arguing for years is a populist medium (an idea that finally seems to have taken wing in its invocation by other commentators).
Salon reader Cecil W. Powell writes: “The failure of talkers on liberal radio is in large part due to an absolute inability to poke fun at themselves.” How true! Liberal hosts like to snap and snip and chortle snidely, but they are weighed down by a complacent superiority complex, a paralyzing sanctimony. They mistake irony for wit. The conservative hosts love to rant and stomp and bring down the house. They’re doing breakneck vaudeville while liberal hosts are primly stirring their non-caffeine green tea.
I have six AM stations programmed into my car’s radio and as I flip through the presets on my drive to and from work I listen to a Liberal station sometimes. Stephanie Miller is on in the morning and, between the goofy sound effects and canned laughter I mostly hear snarkiness and snide remarks that do not make any larger point except to be ironic. I won’t listen to any host, Liberal or Conservative, who behaves like this which is why San Francisco’s Liberal station doesn’t get much airtime in my car. And judging by how “well” Air America has been doing, I’d be willing to be it doesn’t do too well in any car.
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9:24 AM
Now, now, Harrison. Everyone KNOWS the reason why Liberals can’t communicate with average listeners is because they’re WAAAAYYYYYY too smart and sophisticated to be understood by Joe Six-Pence. DUH!!! BUSH LIED, KIDS DIED! You can’t get more complicated than that.
http://indie-american.blogspot.com/
Independent-American’s last blog post..The Crackpot Jackpot
12:39 PM
It just proves that most of America leans more right to center….
Marc Chamot’s last blog post..Don’t Tread on Me Part II; Civil Libertarians under Fire Once again, Janet Napolitano Using the Janet Reno Playbook to go After Civil Libertarians:
3:17 PM
Harrison,
The major AM radio station here in Pittsburgh is KDKA. They used to present a fairly balanced program of talk shows throughout the day, but are now so biased toward the conservative viewpoint that it’s impossible to bear. What’s really strange about this is that Pittsburgh is a Democratic stronghold. I’m not looking for a real left-winger, just someone who can say more than two sentances without bashing Obama. Is that too much to ask?
askcherlock’s last blog post..The Republican Tea Party: The Joke’s on Them
5:03 PM
“Snarky” is the best word I’d use to describe ‘em.
5:04 PM
Probably because nobody was listening to the Liberal content. I listen to AM radio sometimes but as soon as it goes into heavy sarcasm and personal attacks I change the station.
7:57 AM
I have wondered about this also, only from a liberal viewpoint. For myself, I have never listened to ANY political radio. I only listen to music on FM stations. And to the occasional Bear or Cub game. I can’t imagine sitting in a car being harangued by either the right or the left. But I would imagine that left wing “hate” radio doesn’t exist because there is no market for it. As an open market freak Harrison, I am surprised that you didn’t see that right away.
(1) there is a market for hatred on the right so right wing hate radio is a success
(2) there is no market for hatred on the left – so left wing hate radio is a failure.
That and the fact that any left wing radio would be more likely to be fact or evidence oriented rather than fantasy oriented. And there is only so much boring “evidence” one can take in a day. Spewing hatred like Limbaugh and Savage do is much more “exciting”.
8:49 AM
Funny… the phrase “hate radio” was never mentioned in the article.
2:21 PM
That’s true, Harrison. I wonder why?
2:56 PM
Because it was not the issue for me, that’s why.
3:33 PM
Let’s face it guys, ALL talk radio blows, no matter whose piehole it comes from. Although I did enjoy some of the stuff on NPR.
Independent-American’s last blog post..Were the Tea Party Protests Carefully Staged Events, or Did They Represent a Genuine People’s Revolt?
4:18 PM
I enjoyed Pete Schwetty when he was on NPR.
7:21 PM
“I enjoyed Pete Schwetty when he was on NPR.”
Who was he? I liked TALK OF THE NATION and THE CONNECTION, or at least some of the stuff they did. Hated Terry Gross, thought she was a leftwing bitch.
Independent-American’s last blog post..Were the Tea Party Protests Carefully Staged Events, or Did They Represent a Genuine People’s Revolt?
7:31 PM
Unfortunately, Pete only did one special on NPR but it was a great one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXSyzeVWueI