Oregon Media Insiders

I listened a few times and found the whole thing bizarre - nothing but Bush bashing as far as the eye (ear?) could see.

Still like O'Reilly better since he's an entertainer and his IQ must be way up there as well.

AAR deserved to die imho and I'm a liberal to the max!

I thought all their supporters were bragging about the high ratings.
Ratings sell ads. Ads being in money. Where did all that money go?
I've only listened a few times and like the above poster, found them to be doing nothing but Bush bashing.
20 minutes of the same is enough. 24 hours is a positive turnoff.

If you ever get a chance to watch the documentary "Left of the Dial," do. Whether you like AAR's programming or not, the startup of the network is fascinating. It becomes clear watching it that at least one of the guys founding the network was a blatant scam artist; he lies, repeatedly, right on camera, without blinking. Interestingly, this man, Evan Cohen, turned out to be a Republican operative from of all places Guam. I'm not saying he was out to tank the network from the beginning, I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, AAR *has* gotten good ratings from the beginning. KPOJ has been at some times #1 in the demo here in Portland, and in other areas of the country it's posted very strong numbers. Even with the bankruptcy, Clear Channel--that noted altruist and Democratic Party supporter--is sticking with AAR on 24 stations, which means it thinks there's still money to be made in progressive talk. The original partners' financial misdeeds pretty much doomed AAR to always playing fiscal catch-up, though, and while it has definitely proved there is a market for progressive talk radio, I don't expect it to survive in its current form.

I've been pissed at AAR ever since they canceled Morning Sedition, which was the funniest damn show I have ever heard on the radio. It was freakin' brilliant.

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Lynn Siprelle * Fairy Blogmother

First a disclaimer: I do not listen to Air America. I also don't listen to Rush, Lars, O'Reilly or Hannity. I don't listen to talk radio. I actually don't listen to radio much anymore. I do, however, have a 22 year background in radio. A few years ago I left broadcasting to become a political consultant and freelance writer. Nowdays I do mostly writing and very little politics.

KPOJ is actually one of the few AAR success stories. The success of AAR here did, however, cause Clear Channel to adopt the format on many of its failing and/or low rated AM radio stations. Clear Channel will likely continue AAR on these stations as long as it exists but don't excpect them to continue the progressive format once AAR fails.

What happens to KPOJ when AAR ceases to exist is unclear. The station has been an unqualified ratings success, but I hear sales have not reflected the numbers. Will Clear Channel take Schultz, Hartmann and maybe Rhodes and build a progressive format around them, or will they go back to playing oldies?

AAR will fail. They have been in the process of failing since day one. As Limbaugh reportedly said, "AAR was not set up to be a radio network, but to impact elections." AAR is a scam started by scammers. For some reason, whatever it is, liberals do not want to listen to other liberals rant about Bush. They do not want to listen to the mad and mean spirited Al Franken.

Garofalo has left, Malloy has been fired and Franken will inevitably leave to run for the senate. Franken's departure will be the end of AAR. The only problem is the demise of AAR will come about three years too late.

I don't need to listen to AAR to hear Franken. He does the same schtick on Matthews and Olberman on MSNBC.

Or Morning Sedition. If I want liberal tinged comedy I'll listen to Stephanie Miller. IMO the only one with any real intelligence on AAR was Rachel Maddow. I think she knew her stuff better than Franken or Rhoades.

The dough's ready and the oven's set to preheat... :(

The afternoon anchor always laughs at me and says she is a "proud Bush propagandist" and what will we do about it?

Not listen, like the 30 percent of Fox News viewers who have left that network in the past six months.

For good.

At one point Rush's audience was over 22-mil. Now, as the Washington Post included in it's article about his rant against MJ Fox, Rush claims 10-mil.

As far as negative ranting is concerned, the conservative talkers have been negative for years, on a very personal level. Listen to Rush, Savage, Hannity, O'Reilly. They go negative all the time. No high-minded explanations of their opinions with them.

Perhaps this is the beginning of the end for political talk-radio in general?

especially during the Lars show. Listen sometime. I don't know what language those network anchors are speaking but it's not English. It's so annoying when they drop works like is, and, an, in, on etc... and add a present tense to everything.

If AAR fails it is because, for those who really think in depth about the issues, a constant rain of negativity becomes just so much static on the airwaves. Static appeals to hate-mongers, because it jams any real communication, which is why Rush is a success. But that will never fly with people who actually listen. Al Franken is extremely bright and his observations are right-on. He would be far more effective in reaching his audience (and maybe even changing a few minds) if he were to focus a little more on the message and less on the mudslinging. One might say he's first and foremost a comedian and entertainer, but I disagree; his insights and his grasp of the issues have given him a higher calling.

Huh?
If this were true Rush, Bill & Lars would have been off the air years ago. They fill the airwaves with anger and hate daily.

Also note..
AAR may be having trouble nationally -- but here in Portland KPOJ is drawing stellar numbers.

But one station can't save a network.

I'm saying negativity does not play as well to those who think in depth. That's why it works so well for Rush's crowd, their thinking is more gut-reactionary. In my observation, most people left of center (or in the middle for that matter) are looking for substance in their talk radio, and don't find the low-slug jabs very listenable.