The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

14 November 2007

Michael Savage Loses Major Sponsor, CAIR Pushes Boycott

NOT A CONSPIRACY

Firms Avoid Controversy, Not Liberal Views







One year ago, the liberal blogosphere and their mainstream media fellow- travellers were in an uproar over a supposedly "leaked" ABC Radio memo revealing a list of companies that had blocked themselves from advertising on Air America Radio.

And even when some of us tried to cut through the partisan hysteria and reason with our "progressive" friends, they wouldn't listen.

Instead, they cooked up additional ways to rationalize their conspiracy theory, rather than face the fact that these very firms also avoid conservative programming.

From the Huffington Post in November 2006, here's a great example:


This week we learned that some 90 major corporations demanded that their ads be pulled from radio stations that run Air America programming, demonstrating the fundamental challenge facing everyone working to promote critical journalism and a vibrant free press.

First off, let's clarify why this is taking place: The crime isn't that Air America is partisan. All or most of these firms advertise on politically conservative talk radio programs and/or stations. And the crime isn't even being "liberal." Some of these advertisers have moderate or liberal executives who donate to Democratic candidates and are far from rabid conservatives.

So what is the problem? While "liberal" Air America clearly favors big D Democrats, unlike virtually all other programming on commercial radio and television, it gives airtime to reports that are critical of corporations and the powerful politicians they keep in Washington.

This is the heart of the problem: Air America commits a crime called journalism. Almost none of the so-called conservative radio shows or networks do any semblance of actual reporting. They merely pontificate -- repeating talking points that seem to be emailed straight from Karl Rove's laptop.

Air America does its share of pontificating as well, and we leave it to others to compare its integrity to that of Limbaugh and Hannity. But we can say that Air America journalism occasionally focuses on corporate malfeasance. It examines closely the deeply corrupt relationship between corporate power and government officials.


Eventually, the flap died down, but "progressives" milked it for months to show how the deck was supposedly stacked against them. And yet, they had never been more off- base.


Now, the shoe is on the other foot, but don't expect our lefty friends to cry foul this time. Citing the host's inflammatory rhetoric, a major Michael Savage Show sponsor has pulled its support. The real story here is that a boycott effort led by CAIR's Islamic extremists is beginning to pay off.

From AdWeek:


Citrix Pulls Spots From 'Savage Nation'

November 13, 2007
By Steve McClellan

NEW YORK Software maker Citrix Systems has pulled its ad support for syndicated radio talk show Savage Nation, the advertiser has confirmed.

The decision was implemented on Nov. 5 and came within a week of inflammatory comments that the show's host Michael Savage made about the Islamic religion. On his Oct. 29 broadcast, Savage said that he didn't "wanna hear anymore about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you."

[...]

The comments prompted the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations to reach out to sponsors of the Savage broadcast and urge them to boycott the show.


In addition, CAIR's fringe activists believe they have convinced at least three other advertisers to dump his program:


A representative for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said that three other sponsors had agreed to pull ads, although he could not immediately supply their identities. "We call on all the other companies running ads on [Savage's] program nationwide to withdraw," the group said in a statement.


Funny enough, these particular comments are on the tame side for Savage, who regularly roasts Islamic extremists on his show.

For Citrix and other talk radio sponsors, however, the bigger question ought to be this: even if Savage is too extreme, is it any more appropriate to play into CAIR's censorship campaign? Does Citrix support its brand of fringe Islamofascism?

Beyond that, your Radio Equalizer suspects that very few advertisers directly support Savage's program to any great extent.

So how does he survive? Simple: he generates big ratings for stations at night, which boosts their overall standings, leading to higher ad rates in other dayparts. Nobody picks up his show expecting sponsors lined up to buy spots.


In the end, the main point is this: advertiser blacklists cut both ways in talk radio. There never was a conspiracy to kill off Air America and the motives behind the Savage boycott campaign are also clear.

Most companies avoid sponsoring controversial programming. That means it's up to the sales department to educate sponsors on the benefits of embracing talk radio's loyal audience.

Just ask those who have taken the plunge and joined Rush Limbaugh's show. Could they possibly be happier with the results?


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.

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8 Comments:

  • Weiner does not simply roast Islamic terrorists, he roasts all Muslims, period. CAIR is right on this, he does not single out terrorists, he calls all Muslims "throwbacks", "wearing midevil costumes" just to name a few of the insults. Now, imagine these remarks being made against any other religion or ethnic group becides Muslims???
    NOTHING on Air America, EVER came close to the level of HATE SPEECH, Savage broadcasts. AAR focus their ANGER on the NEWS, on POLITICANS, and it is not exactly very raging with hate or even anger. Lionel,Hartman,John Elliot, Rachel madow, these hosts very rarely EVER raise their VOICE. There is nothing to compare, AAR was targeted, you can not give me a list from ABC that says "these sponsers do not want to be on ANY POLITICAL TALK RADIO", instead it was AAR. Huffington nailed it. You site Savage getting in trouble with one sponser. WHERE IS THE LIST OF COMPANIES THAT BOYCOT CONSERVATIVE TALK??? You will never finds on, it does not exist.......


    anyway, read this Savage transcript and tell me, he is only talking about terrorists........


    everything we know to be true, we're told, "Oh, don't believe what your mind tells you, believe what the diversity trainers tell you. Believe what the government tells you. It's a religion of peace." Well why don't they prove it's a religion of peace? Why don't they put down their hateful little book for a few minutes, and tell us why, when we pick up their hateful little book -- I can read chapter and verse, I can see what it says, in their book of hate.

    It says that if you see a stranger, who is not a Muslim, either convert him or kill him. You want me to quote the Sutra? I'll quote the Sutra! Page after page after page is about religion -- a religion that teaches convert or kill. A religion that says oppress women, kill homosexuals, kill the Jew, kill the Christian, kill the infidel.

    Page after page after page, and we're supposed to sit here and listen to this rubbish about a religion of peace, and every day Bush brings in thousands of more of these throwbacks -- throwbacks wearing medieval costumes, walking around, spitting on the ground every time they see a Christian, or a Jew, or a so-called infidel. These throwbacks think they're better than you underneath it all, and 90 percent of them are on welfare. Ninety percent of them come in here, and all they do is breed more bombers. More bombers, and more bombers! And you're telling me this is a sane country? There, I gave it to you from the bottom of my heart. If you don't like it, it's too damn bad. Go write the FCC. Marlene in Los Angeles, you're on The Savage Nation.

    from 10/29/07 Michael Savage


    Basically he just trashed the entire religion, if this was done against sayyyyyy Jews or Christian religion, he would no longer have a radio show.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 14 November, 2007 09:38  

  • I'm really not sure that what Michael is saying is too far off base. I hear over and over that the Quoran teaches coversion or death. Is that something we really want here in a supposed "religiously and ethnicly tolerant" America. Not being particularly religious myself, I can't remember hearing about any passages in the Bible or other religious texts that preach convert or death. Really doesn't sound too friendly or peaceful to me, and not easily assimilated into our "melting pot."
    I also had the time to research CAIR a bit and it seems they have some issues or their own to work out. Definitely not an organization I am apt to support. Just look at the people who run the organization. No ties to terrorism my rear end, Any group that has that many members convicted of or indicted on as many charges as they do, come on already. I'm a dummy and even I can see that they are not on the up and up. Anyway, I have listened to Michael Savage on occasion and have heard him say "in my opinion,"" One man's opinion" before ond after he says something. Doesn't he have a right to do that?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 28 November, 2007 22:37  

  • If I remember correctly, it was Michael (Savage) Weiner that supported a boycott of Citgo not long ago.
    I hope he loses all his sponsers. He has free speech rights but he doesn't have the right to a radio program and sponsers. CAIR or anyone else has the right to oppose his comments. It's not a free country just for bigoted old white men like Michael.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 29 November, 2007 15:41  

  • Savage is right many times, and he does trash Christians (check his Jerry Falwell interview) and Jews (for being too liberal) pocked marked web designers (dont know why he does that but that one applies to me) he goes after Bush, he goes after Cheney, Rice, Janet Reno, Hannity, Clinton, Limbaugh, radical homosexuals, pornographers, hippies, pot heads as well as just about everyone else depending on the day of the week. That is what I like about the guy he has the nerve to go after anyone at any time. You people out there who want censorship are crazy as long as he does not call for violence or incite a riot he can say it. As for "hate speech" and raising your voice it's natural and normal to get angry ask any anger management counselor, also if YOU are going to decide what you don't like even if it's the truth is "hate speech" then what's next "hate thoughts"? If you dont like Savage, turn the station, go back to listening to failed hosts with no audience and no substance.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 29 November, 2007 21:53  

  • Savage is right about CAIR's links to terrorism. I say boycott Citrix and GoToMyPC for selling him and all who oppose terrorism down the river.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 30 November, 2007 14:48  

  • The words that CAIR is complaining are about are the following:

    -- I'm not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a burqa. And I'm not getting' on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I don't wanna hear anymore about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of you.

    -- What kind of religion is this? What kind of world are you living in when you let them in here with that throwback document in their hand, which is a book of hate. Don't tell me I need reeducation. They need deportation. I don't need reeducation. Deportation, not reeducation. You can take C-A-I-R and throw 'em out of my country. I'd raise the American flag and I'd get out my trumpet if you did it. Without due process. You can take your due process and shove it.

    -- What sane nation that worships the U.S. Constitution, which is the greatest document of freedom ever written, would bring in people who worship a book that tells them the exact opposite. Make no mistake about it, the Quran is not a document of freedom. The Quran is a document of slavery and chattel. It teaches you that you are a slave.

    So a couple points I want to throw out. A) I'm not very religious but have read the bible and have been reading the Qur'an (although I'm sure my translated version is far from perfectly accurate). I come off with that both are fairly equivalent in how they can be interpreted in ways that most of their believers would find reprehensible.

    For example, Leviticus 25 when the old testament says "The Lord said to Moses on Mount Sinai,"(...)_ 'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

    Do I think the bible condones slavery, of course not. You need to evaluate that type of thing as it relates both to the whole book, and the circumstances and customs of the people at the time it was written. I doubt there is a religion out there that could not be twisted to justify morally wrong behavior, especially when most people never even read the texts and develop their own understanding, and instead just trust in some leaders version that could have little to no basis in the actual works. And Savage is a smart guy, he knows this, I think he was just trying to get a rise out of people, because that's his strategy.

    That said, He still has the right to say, "all _______ (Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Women, Men, People shorter than 5'8", or whatever else) are horrible and evil and smell of elderberries". And in response, CAIR, or anyone else, has a right to say, "we won't support anyone who supports Mr. Savage." It's called free speech. I seem to remember it being pretty important at one time or another.
    -A Grouch

    P.S. Maloney, when talking about supposed media bias, it's probably a good idea to put the full quote in that CAIR had problems with. I'm not a fan of them either, but by having such glaringly obvious biased reporting, it definitely is going to make centrists take a reactionary jump to the left.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 30 November, 2007 20:33  

  • Savage is, simply put, a radio prostitute; ... he says whatever will draw the largest crowd so he can make a quick buck. He went from pro-Bush to anti-Bush simply because that made him stand out from the other right-wing radio whackos and to prove to his pin-headed followers that he was the "most Far Right" of all.

    Anyone who has listened to him over the past few years can see that he's like a bad stand-up comedian. Except instead of going for the cheap jokes, he goes for the cheap hatred

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 05 December, 2007 04:37  

  • I am now actively boycotting companies that abandon Dr. Savage. He is a national treasure. Dr. Savage should be proud to attract negative attention from CAIR. Anyone they are against, I am for.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11 June, 2011 19:49  

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