America Left, and the advertisers led the way
I've been making a concerted effort to listen for paid advertising on Air America (or "America Left," as it's (prophetically?) labelled on my XM Radio display). The network's content is so awful - the exact kind of thing that embarrassed me about being a Democrat back when I was one - that I have to make a bargain with myself: I only have to listen until I encounter one paid spot. I left the house at 7:38 this morning and came in on the end of a commercial break, which was filled with an XM Radio promo feature, Megabyte Minute or some such. Then I had to listen to an entire segment, including the "Recovery Corner" (wherein one of the hosts takes on the role of a recovering alcoholic preaching to his "honorary sponsee George W.") in which the humorous point was made that since it's Saddam Hussein's birthday, George W. should apologize to him.
No, really.
I also heard my first "long time listener/first time caller" caller to Air America. Man, is it in radio callers' *genes* to say this? Even when it's obviously not true?
Oh, and an absolutely breathtakingly unfunny fake call from "William from Chappaqua/Bill from Harlem" (Good Bill Clinton/Bad Bill Clinton) which reminded me of nothing more than one of Kim Peterson's "Newsmaker Line" bits, complete with utterly out of proportion laughter from the hosts and the caller.
Anyway, hope sprang at the top of the hour: a commercial break! One minute of XM radio promos later, we were treated to headlines, which included the "news" that Republicans were questioning John Effin' Kerry's qualifications for the Purple Hearts he was awarded in Vietnam "because of his later war protests." I hereby challenge them to document this claim.
Anyway, mercifully, after headlines was an ad for Bill Hillsman's book, "Run The Other Way." As befits a commercial on Air America, it was probably one of the worst professionally-produced radio spots I've ever heard, purporting to be a warning from the government not to read the book. So they are apparently filling paid ad space, at the rate of perhaps one minute out of thirty.
I was so thrilled for them in a sort of patronizing way that I kept listening, to be told that only idiots believe anything George W. Bush says. Dang.
Comments
I guess I'll throw the crickets a bone and finally opine on Air America.
To be sure, Morning Sedition is the worst of the bunch that I've heard on the schedule. Relatively speaking, the fake Bill Clinton bits have been the most entertaining. Otherwise it's strictly amateur hour and hard to listen to. The lack of adverts? I wonder if it may be an XM thing, and if the broadcast from the home station (in this case WLIB in NY) contains more.
Al Franken, in the few weekend rebroadcasts I've heard (can't stream at work) is funny, but his co-host definitely helps keeps things moving. Ed Schultz is somewhat entertaining, but a bit of a sticky jowled blowhard (in that way he competes directly with Rush). We appear to agree that Randi Rhodes is the best, but only one hour a day? Also I wonder about Air America's picture of her on its website - not too appealing. But if you go directly to Randi's own site she is looking hot. What gives? Janeane Garafolo and the Majority Report, while better than Sedition, suffers from similar problems with strident shrillness.
But for me, ultimately, it comes down to entertainment value. Air America is still just talk radio. Babble, burble, bicker, banter, brouhaha, balderdash, ballyhoo - it's only TALK.
Posted by: Joe Martin | April 29, 2004 01:16 PM
Comments
I've been semi-diligent in making sure it's not an XM thing. For instance, next door at "America Right" the entire commercial hole at 5:21 tonight was filled with paid space - 3 spots. That same hole over at America Left was filled with XM spots, Air America promos, and PSA's.
That's only one example, and my checking of America Left's commercial hole against other stations' is still spotty, but the brief sojourns I've made down that way don't look good for America Left.
Ed Schultz gives me hives. He sounds like he's eating cupcakes while he speaks. I know Rush does a lot of the same schtick - ascribing wild motives to the opposition, etc. etc. Could just be the partisan in me, but I think it's funnier when Rush does it.
Posted by: Brian Jones | April 29, 2004 09:50 PM