Liberal Talk Radio Host Contest

DESPERATE MEASURES

Devoid Of Talent, Firms Seek Progtalkers






Just how bad is liberal talk radio's current state of affairs?

So unmistakably horrible that several media players have now gone as far as to seek new talk hosts from right off the street.

Hey, no need for experience, after all, anybody can host a show, right? Even trained zoo animals can do it!

Talk about desperation.

From the Baltimore / Washington Business Journal:

The contest begins Monday and will culminate with a final broadcast in front of a live studio audience in the District. Entries will be judged by an expert panel that includes Ed Schultz, one of the highest-rated syndicated progressive talk show hosts on the airwaves.

The entire at-large contest will be managed online at TalkProgress.com, a Web site designed by Seattle-based Internet development company Nakea and by local promotions.

Clear Channel Radio developed the progressive talk format in March 2004 at one of its AM radio stations in Portland, Ore. The station's rating shot from 23rd to first in that market. Since then, nearly 100 radio stations industrywide have begun airing syndicated progressive talk content, including eight in the top 10 radio markets.

Clear Channel Radio alone has 23 progressive talk radio stations.

"Talk radio has emerged as a potent force for driving the national debate," said Center for American Progress Action Fund President John Podesta. "We're working towards a return to a balance in the airwaves by supporting this initiative to bring more progressive voices to the microphone."

The Center for American Progress Action Fund is the advocacy organization of the Center for American Progress. The Action Fund works to turn progressive ideas into public policy through communications, legislative action and grassroots organizing. It also publishes the Progress Report.

For years, talk radio had been the bastion of conservative hosts. However, radio broadcasters are finding a sizable market among listeners from the other side of the political aisle.

To be fair, a few conservative radio stations have also stooped to this level, with generally wretched results from open talent contests. Guess what: tennis also looks easy from the stands, but does that mean you should play at next year's Wimbledon?

So what's behind this effort? First, let's look at who isn't involved: Air America Radio. And that speaks volumes about the real agenda, which is quite clearly to get hosts in place for the day Franken & Company shuts down for good.

And note the reference to "100 stations" having tried progressive content, yet with no mention of Air America having been the firm behind it. But how many libtalk shows are heard in more than 50 markets today? Contrast that with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, who have many hundreds of outlets each.

When the talent pool is this shallow, however, it becomes necessary to resort to plucking pedestrians off of the street. And that's where libtalk's backers find themselves today. Not encouraging, is it?

After all, the list of famous lefties who have tried and failed at this game is now so long, there's virtually nobody around that hasn't yet given it a stab.

It certainly is telling that those still pushing lefty talk want to pretend that Air America never happened, isn't it?


FOR THE LATEST on key Massachusetts races, visit Bay State Showdown, our other site.

Your Amazon orders that begin with clicks here, regardless of what you ultimately purchase, greatly help to support this site's efforts. Thanks again!

Technorati tags: progressive liberal talk talk radio democrats republicans rush limbaugh al franken sean hannity

Images: Pete at IHillary, David A Lunde