Talk Radio Joins Together In Support Of Our Troops

A UNITED FRONT

To Help Soldiers, Talk Radio In Rare Joint Broadcast







Owing to their naturally individualistic nature, bringing radio talk show hosts together for nearly any reason has often been compared to herding cats.

But that's not to say it can't be done, as former KSFO/ San Francisco talker Melanie Morgan and Move America Forward have proven. Given the right cause, in this case helping our troops overseas, the medium is more than willing to join forces.

That sentiment, combined with her tireless efforts, has led to an unprecedented event: From The Frontlines, an eight- hour telethon hosted by Morgan and Michelle Malkin.

Featuring a stunning lineup that includes Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Dr Laura Schlessinger, Ollie North, Monica Crowley, Ann Coulter, plus additional support from Nancy Reagan, Brent Bozell of the Media Research Center, actor Kelsey Grammer and Drudge Report honcho Andrew Breitbart, it is sure to provide a shot in the arm for our troops.

While some talk stations will pick up portions of the telethon, the entire event can be experienced live at UStream.tv.


Your Radio Equalizer recently checked in with Morgan to get a sense of how this highly unusual event came together and what it means for talk radio and our troops:


THE RADIO EQUALIZER: Melanie, what sparked this idea?

MELANIE MORGAN: When the idea popped into my head during a discussion about the future of Internet television with Michelle Malkin, this vision just started unspooling like an old VHS tape.

Michelle shocked me when she said she loved the idea and left it to me (and our staff at Move America Forward) to get the ball rolling. Talk about pressure.

So I put together my list of 'Dream Team' of conservative talkers with whom I had a personal relationship, or at least a professional acquaintance. Rush, Sean, Mark, Dr. Laura, Laura Ingraham, Ollie North, Ann Coulter, and Monica Crowley were all at the top of my list.

I reached out to Sean and Mark first, because I know them very well. I wasn’t at all confident they would be interested in helping, only because they are so very busy with this election cycle and have punishing schedules. But I knew that if Mark and Sean could help, they would help. Both are such incredibly generous friends, and almost saintly in their fierce devotion to supporting our military. Sean Hannity and Mark Levin immediately said yes.

So, I had a show, but still had a lot more work to do.


TRE: and Rush?

MORGAN: Then, I crossed my fingers and emailed Rush. The King of All Radio. My palms were sweaty as I clicked send, and I believe that I had an adult beverage to calm my nerves afterward. I figured that the worst Rush could say was no thanks, but it still made me nervous to impose on a relationship with such a huge request.

Rush emailed me back at 10:38pm on a Sunday evening, not that I remember such details. 'Melanie, I would love to help,' Limbaugh said.

Sean, Mark and now Rush.

I remained handcuffed to my keyboard for the next seven days, pounding out invitations. I worried that by the time they saw my email it would be too late.

However, Monica Crowley responded five minutes after I sent her the invitation, Colonel North’s friend and co-author Chuck Holton (whom I had met in Iraq while delivering 225,000 Christmas and Hanukkah cards collected by Move America Forward) had an answer for me in the next 24 hours, in addition to Dr Laura Schlessinger and Laura Ingraham the following day.

I prevailed upon Phil Boyce, National Program Director for Citadel Broadcasting's stations, for help. Phil jumped in and sent emails to all of the stations and asked individual managers to link to our event and give assistance if they could.


TRE: How did you manage to get so many hosts to work together?

MORGAN: I really believe that the reason the 'All-Stars of Conservative Talk Radio' eagerly embraced From the Frontlines is because it's a moving way to involve America in celebration of our military men and women, who are largely ignored, or worse, openly mocked by some fringe elements of the political parties.

The cutting-edge use of technology, blending the Internet, talk radio, aggregating websites and televising an affirmative message of love and support, plus a definitive goal of breaking the record for care package shipments, made it easy for my friends and colleagues to say yes.

Plus, everyone loves Michelle Malkin. She is fearless, incredibly smart, adored in the conservative community, and takes big chances technologically which have always paid off.


TRE: What is the significance of using Internet broadcasting as a major component of the telethon?

MORGAN: Talk radio has been a successful stand-alone for dozens of years as the elite media fell victim to the web. But now that the web is putting pressure on talk radio, it’s essential that those of us who love broadcasting to incorporate the new media in exciting ways that people can understand and use effectively.


This eight hour, web-based telethon for Move America Forward has one goal: to raise enough money to send the largest number of care packages in US history. For more information, see Move America Forward's website.


UPDATE: additional hosts have signed on to this event:


Brian Sussman - KSFO/ San Francisco
Roger Hedgecock - KOGO/ San Diego
Larry Marino - KRLA/ Los Angeles
Martha Zoller - WDUN/ Atlanta/Gainesville GA
Michael Graham - WTKK/ Boston
Andrea Shea King - Recently of WDBO/ Orlando (now on BlogTalkRadio)
Mark Williams - WROW/ Albany NY


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


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