Air America has been watered down

[live love laugh]

That's the best way I can find to describe the boring schedule of programs on their current lineup.

They used to have show hosts who were entertaining and colorful--like Randi, Jeaneane, Sam, Mike... Now there's shows like David Bender (zZZZzZzzzZZZZZ), Family Values with an Oy Vey (totally lame) and shows on things like organic gardening :wtf: during prime time and weekends when people like me have time to catch up and are available to hear the news that the corporate media is already suppressing.

What I find even more upsetting is that during evening drive time, Rachel Maddow's first hour is spent interacting with MSNBC hosts who spew nothing but right wing talk points and bullshit (IMHO) while Fox-esque sound effects like whooshes and the like are played in the background as the comments move from one host to the other. I usually have to end up turning her show off within five minutes of hearing this utter crap. My only struggle now is to remember not to turn it on at all in the first place.

During morning drive time I hear Bill Press followed by Stephanie Miller. Bill Press is pretty dry. I love Stephanie Miller for the record. She's funny and she still gets the new out amid the jokes.


I have been saying since they got right of Malloy that Air America has a death wish. Seeing what they have become now, I think that the death has occurred and the right's point will be proven--that people don't want liberal radio. Of course, people like me are starving for liberal radio but if the crumbs I am getting from Air America are "it", then I will settle for nothing.

Also, if you look at the way BushCo has replaced competence with incompetence at all levels of government there is a resemblance to what has happened at Air America. While the hosts that are in the current line ups are competent, they are not the right people to carry prime time shows and the ratings of an already fledgling network. It makes me wonder if sabotage is the reason for the decline. All I know is, once again I am sad and disappointed that I cannot readily get information in my country about my country.

[burythehatchet]

1. You don't think David "Karl can I hump your leg" Gregory is a liberal?

Seriously, I cannot stand that tool.

[live love laugh]

2. "Tool" is the right word. David Gregory is just another whore like

so many that I have unfortunately come to see on the air.

[Sanity Claws]

3. I agree, regretfully

Air America's flagship station is 1600 Am in New York and they recently replaced Thom Hartmann with Ed Schultz. Thom is without a doubt progressive, super smart and has great guests, including Sen. Bernie Sanders. Ed is more middle of the road and is so NOT New York. I don't understand why they put him on -- he's not even Air America while Thom is.

Edited regarding station

[undeterred]

7. Fortunately my affiliate carries both Hartmann and Maddow

who are the best. They've also added back Mike Malloy. He and Stephanie Miller are not Air America but they have both been kept by the affiliate because they are popular. We also have Ed Schultz, who I'm not wild about, but I figure he reaches people the others don't.

[ihavenobias]

12. You're right

Hartmann and Maddow are the only things left on Air America to get excited about. They've lost so much good talent.

I also agree on Ed Schultz, he's not especially insightful or funny but I figure he's great for appealing to more conservative dems or those who aren't sure where they fit in politically (much better to have them listen to Ed than Limbaugh).

Obviously my favorite progressive show is , who are actually streamed on Air America again even though their radio show is on XM 167 (Stephanie Miller is also on XM 167 now).

[OhioChick]

22. Agreed.

I love Cenk....Why can't he have his own television show? :)

[undeterred]

23. We had them in the early morning for awhile

but let me tell you the best thing about our Air America affiliate- we have a great local guy (Lee Rayburn - sometimes he subs for the national shows) for 2 hours every morning. Since this is uber liberal Madison and there are lots of activists and people to have on the show we get our own version of Local Air America radio. All the candidates and politicians get interviewed and the activists do too. Radio at its best.

[ihavenobias]

25. That's cool, getting the local people involved.

Although like you said, I'd expect that in Madison!

[live love laugh]

9. Your name says it all--in search of sanity. Sounds like New York and Chicago

are getting the same kind of programming which probably means it's the same way all over the country.

Seems like we were lured in and then they did a bait-and-switch routine.

[Sanity Claws]

11. When I can, I listen online to te Seattle station

KPTK, the Air America affiliate in Seattle, has Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann and several other of the best progressive hosts. I used to live there and got used to their better hosts.

[beltanefauve]

26. Ed Shultz

gets three hours in mid-day in the SF Bay Area. Go figure.

[annabanana]

4. Alas, I've had to resort to podcast subscriptions for my faves.

The NY station has lost all it's umph...

[Breeze54]

5. Ever tried 'Head On Radio' ?

http://headonradio.com/

You can listen on iTunes also.

(877) 4-HEAD-ON

(877- 443 - 2366)

[sasquatch]

13. Bob Kincaid is the man, he's a lot like Malloy in the ass whippins' he hands out

:)

[BrklynLiberal]

6. I used to listen almost 24/7. Had every radio tuned to it. I stopped listening when

they killed the Marc Maron morning show.

[hellbound-liberal]

8. IMO, EVERY decision that Bob Greene has made in the past year has been wrong

Thom Hartmann is the only person I listen to on AAR anymore and I get him through NovaM (KPHX). Rachel Maddow ran me off with RTTWH and, while I support her getting MUCH more exposure, I will not sit through an hour of David Gregory and his fellow hacks. I found Stacy Taylor at www.sandiego1700.com and I listen to him now instead of Rachel. He's just as entertaining and a bit edgier. AAR could close up tomorrow and I wouldn't miss them a bit. It's really sad when you think of the level of hope that they represented when they first came on the air.:-( And Bill Press sucks ass, BTW.

[Canuckistanian]

10. Maddow's 1st hour doesn't even have Maddow

Instead, it's David Gregory gushing over the latest Republican talking points in an "objective" manner.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

14. The affiliate here in Mpls is pretty good

Press
Steph
Ed Schultz
Thom Hartmann
Mark Heaney (excellent local guy)
Rachel
Jon elliot, whom I've not heard
Malloy late nite.

All in all a pretty damn good lineup

[Cleita]

15. I would say the water has passed through Mark Green's

bladder and has become the urine he pisses on his radio station.

[newmajority]

16. Nova M is now more like Air America than Mark Green's Air America is.

Three of the 4 founders of Air America are with Nova M: John Manzo and Sheldon & Anita Drobny.

Randi Rhoads and Mike Malloy - the only veteran radio broadcasters in the original AAR lineup are now with Nova M.

Sam Seder & Marc Maron are occasional guest hosts, and one of these days, Sam will have a permanent slot on Nova M. He has to know that Green Brothers Inc. will never give him the respect he deserves.

Rachel Maddow is likely to make the permanent move to MSNBC soon. That leaves Thom Hartmann as the last remaining holdout from the original weekday lineup to remain with Air America - and they made him take the back seat to Al Franken as a "syndicated program" as opposed to the network feed initially, even though Thom's show was much better, so in my opinion, he doesn't owe them any loyalty.

So bring Thom over, add Ring of Fire on the Weekends, and bury the rest.

[Cleita]

17. Yep, that's the line up I would be happy with.n/t

[ihavenobias]

18. Replace Press with TYT and I'm in! n/t

[defendandprotect]

19. Actually I think it's much, much more . . .

They were trying to kill Air America from the very first . . .

and I think your description of what's going on there couldn't be done better --- !!!

I think we have to look back at how exciting Randi Rhodes was and how successful she was

on Air America --- how many people she was waking up ----

and then, suddenly, she has an accident ----


and then a short time later she's kind of set up for a comedy skit which is heavily

publicized and -- poof! -- she's out of Air America ---


I think some people have been MAINLY interested in getting rid of Randi Rhodes where

people could hear her best -- on Air America ---

and also Sam Seder and others who were actually getting the info out ---


Bless Randi Rhodes and I'm thrilled she is OK and at NOVA --- but I can't listen to her

much of the time --- cause I'm often in my car!

And -- granted a lot of people have Satellite radio --- I don't --- and a lot of people don't . . .



It makes me wonder if sabotage is the reason for the decline. All I know is, once again I am sad and disappointed that I cannot readily get information in my country about my country.

Me, too ---
Randi was knocking the GOP and Rush to all hell ---

[live love laugh]

20. It's almost like Randi and the other good hosts were lures and now that AAR has an audience

they have done away with them and we are not supposed to notice now that we have tuned in or leave, or they are expect to lose a few of us, but they are counting on the unsuspecting people who think that are actually getting liberal news to carry them...and they are probably right, those people probably will stay.

[defendandprotect]

24. Randi Rhodes became enormously popular . . . killing Rush . . .

telling America what is really going on --- and being listened to!

I would think most listeners dropped off ---

Lionel? they finally let him go --- but only after he killed most of the audience ---

Should we believe these people are that dumb?

Or does this all serve another purpose?


In order for the right-wing to stay in power they have to ensure that there is NO

challenge to them. Every bit of truth or info that sparks thinking is dangerous for them.

And they have to protect RUSH ....

[XOKCowboy]

21. I was there the first day on XM..

Mark Greene is hammering the nail in the coffin on it now though. Lionel? He's been a disaster from day One. Great hosts like Rachel Maddow and Sam Seder are thrown to the side.. XM still has Big Eddie instead of Thom Hartmann but at I'm not unhappy that they dumped Air America.

I miss the early days of Air America. So much promise...