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Home Front: Culture Wars
Wanted: Next lefty radio star
2006-10-10
A group of media and political partners is teaming up to launch a new star search for progressive talk radio. Clear Channel Radio, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Jones Radio Networks and Media Syndication Services, which is based in D.C., will conduct a nationwide talent search for the next voice of the political left.

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," says 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. "Progressive Talk has grown so big, so fast, that all of us in the industry are searching high and low for more great Progressive Talk radio talent," Media Syndication Services President Paul "Woody" Woodhull says. "Great talkers like Ed Schultz, Bill Press, and Al Franken are hard to find." Media Syndication Services is an independent radio production and consulting company. Jones Radio Networks is an independent radio programming company with offices in New York, Seattle, Denver and Nashville, Tenn. It also syndicates Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller and The Bill Press Show.
Posted by:Seafarious

#14  KPOJ-AM Talk/Personality

?
O' Lordy.
Posted by: Shipman   2006-10-10 19:37  

#13  The number #1 Talk Radio staion in Portland Oregon (according to recent Arbitron ratings) is KEX-AM. This station includes such progressives as Rush Limbaugh, Dr. laura, and Dave Ramsey. The #2 talk radio station includes such progressives as Bill Oreily, Mike Savage, and Lars Larson. The #3 station is actually honest to god LLL Mo0nb@t station. But as you can see the ratings for that station are not climbing but falling:
KEX-AM News Talk Information 4.4 5.1 5.0 5.2
KXL-AM News Talk Information 3.7 3.5 3.7 3.9
KPOJ-AM Talk/Personality 4.4 4.1 4.1 3.5
But hey LLL never let facts get in the way of a business decision. You know if Conservatives were really mean we could fleece these guys pretty good. But then they are having so much fun preying on themselves.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2006-10-10 16:59  

#12  "Progressive Talk has grown so big, so fast, that all of us in the industry are searching high and low for more great Progressive Talk radio talent," Media Syndication Services President Paul "Woody" Woodhull says. "Great talkers like Ed Schultz, Bill Press, and Al Franken are hard to find."

Whaddya smokin there, Woody, and can ya send me some...

Posted by: tu3031   2006-10-10 13:32  

#11  Funny graphic. I always think of the play, The Producers.
Posted by: anon   2006-10-10 13:28  

#10  We can call the contest "UnAmerican Idle".
Posted by: JDB   2006-10-10 13:17  

#9  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.

Who? Pretty funny that I've never even heard of this guy, and he's one of the highest-rated "progressive" hosts? Meanwhile, everyone else has heard of Hannity, Rush, even Boortz, Medved, etc. Jeebus, mcsegeek1's post sums it all up....this is a "thinker's" medium vs. the "feeler's" medium of film/print. This all goes back to the best summary I've ever heard:

Liberal rely on feelings to make policy/decisions. Conservatives rely on facts to do so.
Posted by: BA   2006-10-10 11:46  

#8  The station's rating shot from 23rd to first in that market.

Which market is that? The one for AM radio not over 5 watts unsupported by capital influx?
Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839   2006-10-10 10:44  

#7  What these fools miss is that allowing the public to call in and ask questions or make challenging statements will change TV and even Congress into a right wing movement.
Logic is on the right side of the political spectrum, and it is logic which leads to successful solutions of problems.
The left are basically parasites, and that position cannot be defended within public debate.
Victimhood, law suits, affirmative action and all other parasite positions just don't hold water.
Posted by: wxjames   2006-10-10 10:36  

#6  "Talk radio has emerged as a potent force for driving the national debate," says Center for American Progress Action Fund President John Podesta.

John Podesta? I thought he was dead.

John, it's not talk radio that's "driving the national debate", it's talk radio thats trying to stem the never-ending flow of leftist vitriol and propaganda in every other form of media.

Bring it on, John. Radio is a thinker's medium. TV is a "feeler's" medium. Since you come to it with no real ideas of your own, (unless you can call BDS an idea) you're destined to failure. We THINK out here in radioland, John. You're much better suited for 'short attention-span theater', aka TV.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-10-10 09:16  

#5  of course, this is easier than having someone become popular on their own merits, skills. Just designating someone as the new lefty star will be sooooo effective
Posted by: Frank G   2006-10-10 08:54  

#4  :>
Posted by: Shipman   2006-10-10 07:35  

#3  Joe, all we have to do is replace some of your words and phrases with some 'progressive' sounding ones and I think you are in with a big chance.

"Joe mendiola, gives us your thoughts on the current Administration."

"Has grown so big, so fast" > doubt it, but in any case still don't use the "S" word [SECURITY], "C" word [CAPITALISM], "W" word [BUSH], andor the "NC" word [NEOCON] to describe their ideo. The audience are the ones whom STILL have to guess what they truly stand for. * USE 'EM = USEM = USING SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY. The Neocons are happy as larks wid TOTALITARIANISM as long as doesn't apply to them."
Posted by: phil_b   2006-10-10 06:53  

#2  And if that doesn't work, there's still plenty of Boys and Girls Clubs around to rip off...
Posted by: tu3031   2006-10-10 00:19  

#1  "Has grown so big, so fast" > doubt it, but in any case still don't use the "S" word [SOCIALISM], "C" word [COMMUNISM], "W" word [WELFARISM], andor the "G" word [GOVERNMENTISM] to describe their ideo. The audience are the ones whom STILL have to guess what they truly stand for. * USE 'EM = USEM = USING SOMEONE ELSE'S MONEY. The Lefties are happy as larks wid TOTALITARIANISM as long as doesn't apply to them.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-10-10 00:15  

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