Censorship Senator's Husband involved with Left-Wing Radio

[Whet]

Gee, is this coincidence? Riiight, and pigs can fly!


“Did Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) really believe she could get away with calling for conservative talk radio censorship without revealing her husband's past ties to its troubled liberal counterpart?” the Radio Equalizer's Brian Maloney asked in a Friday night posting (http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-is-senator-debbie-stabenow-d-mi.html). “One day after telling libtalker Bill Press she was interested in pushing Senate hearings (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/seton-motley/2009/02/05/politico-sen-stabenow-wants-hearings-radio-accountability-talks-fairne) into the issue of regulating talk radio content, that's the jaw-dropping conclusion we must make.” Maloney provided a rundown of “the Stabenow-Athans connection to 'progressive' talk radio” as he listed a “connect-the-dots recap....between her stance and the longstanding ties of Athans to the fledgling libtalk format.” Specifically:

- Athans first found a role in "progressive" talk radio back in 2004 as CEO of Democracy Radio, which preceded Air America and whose programming (Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller) was ultimately absorbed by Jones Radio Networks (now part of Dial Global). - In November 2005, we reported exclusively that Athans had received a cushy (if not downright fishy) deal to establish a "DC office" for Air America Radio, at an annual salary of $165,000 once he went full time in 2006. His job duties were fuzzy at best and any real results even harder to quantify. At the time, we wondered if he was hired simply to gain political access to Stabenow.
- Lasting less than a year in that position, Athans left Air America once it could no longer afford him, departing to start yet another liberal talk radio network, Talk USA Radio. What ultimately became of that venture is anyone's guess.
- We next heard from Athans in 2008 as he was arrested as part of a prostitution sting in Troy, Michigan.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb-staff/2009/02/08/censorship-advocate-stabenows-husband-active-left-wing-radio

[Whet]

And another censorship supporter - this time, a liberal journalist.
Any objectively-mined person can see where the liberals want to start censoring free speech on the radio - after all, that is the ONLY medium they do not have overwhelming dominance to control what information is released (and how it is portrayed).

This is the liberal journalist's column from Sunday's Washington Post (2/8/09):

Notice the new method for referring to the old term "Fairness Doctrine." It's now all about diversity of thought on the public airways.


Another Right-Wing Conspiracy in Washington?
Sunday, February 8, 2009; B08

If you're looking for a break from those conservative voices that dominate talk radio, take time out today to listen to local station OBAMA 1260 AM. You'll hear the progressive voices of Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, Lionel -- or, during morning drive, my own "Bill Press Show" -- providing welcome relief from the constant Obama-bashing by Rush Limbaugh and others. Unfortunately, today's the last day you'll be able to do so.
As reported by The Post [Style, Feb. 2], Dan Snyder's Red Zebra Broadcasting Co., owner of OBAMA 1260, has announced plans to jettison all progressive talk and replace it with pre-recorded financial advice programming.
The commercial use of public airwaves is supposed to reflect the diversity of the local community, but that's not how it works in Washington. On the AM dial, WMAL (630) features wall-to-wall conservative talk. So do stations WTNT (570) and WHFS (1580). For the past two years, OBAMA 1260 -- even with a weak signal that cannot be heard in downtown Washington -- was the exception. No longer. Starting tomorrow, our nation's capital, where Democrats control the House, the Senate and the White House, and where Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to one, will have no progressive voices on the air.
Or maybe one.
To mollify critics, Red Zebra has said it will add Ed Schultz to its conservative lineup on 570 AM. This means Shultz will be outgunned in this market by at least 15 conservative talkers: Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, Chris Plante, Michael Smerconish, Michael Savage, Andy Parks, Fred Grandy, Bill Bennett, Monica Crowley, Bill O'Reilly, Dennis Miller and Lars Larsen. No matter how good Schultz is, that's not a fair contest -- nor a fair use of the public airwaves.
Unfortunately, what's happening in Washington reflects what has happened in one city after another across the country. In Miami, Clear Channel recently dumped progressive talk for sports: Clear Channel stations made the same move in San Diego and Cincinnati. Sacramento abandoned progressive talk for gospel music. In fact, according to a study released by the Center for American Progress and Free Press, there are nine hours of conservative talk for every one hour of progressive talk.
Why? Station owners complain they can't get good ratings or make any money with progressive talk, but that's nonsense. In Minnesota, independent owner Janet Robert has operated KTNF (950 AM) profitably for five years. In Madison, Wis., WXXM, 92.1 FM, just scored its highest ratings ever. And KPOJ in Portland, Ore., soared with progressive talk from No. 23 in market ratings to No. 1. Nationwide, progressive talkers Randi Rhodes, Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller have proven that, given a level playing field, they can more than hold their own in ratings -- and make money for their stations.
In fact, the only reason there's not more competition on American airwaves is that the handful of companies that own most radio stations do everything they can to block it. In many markets -- witness Philadelphia, Boston, Providence and Houston -- they join in providing no outlet for progressive talk. In others, as in Washington, they limit it to a weak signal, spend zero dollars on promotion and soon pull the plug.
Companies are given a license to operate public airwaves -- free! -- in order to make a profit, yes, but also, according to the terms of their FCC license, "to operate in the public interest and to afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of issues of public importance." Stations are not operating in the public interest when they offer only conservative talk.
For years, the Fairness Doctrine prevented such abuse by requiring licensed stations to carry a mix of opinion. However, under pressure from conservatives, President Ronald Reagan's Federal Communications Commission canceled the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, insisting that in a free market, stations would automatically offer a balance in programming.
That experiment has failed. There is no free market in talk radio today, only an exclusive, tightly held, conservative media conspiracy. The few holders of broadcast licenses have made it clear they will not, on their own, serve the general public. Maybe it's time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine -- and bring competition back to talk radio in Washington and elsewhere.
-- Bill Press
Washington


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/06/AR2009020602511.html

[yermom]

if we are going to bail out failed banks, why not failed radio?

but, in reality if this was to apply to music, i'd be all over it

it sucks to only be able to hear the crap that appeals to the lowest common denominator whether that's Nickelback and Hinder or Limbaugh

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

if we are going to bail out failed banks, why not failed radio?

but, in reality if this was to apply to music, i'd be all over it

it sucks to only be able to hear the crap that appeals to the lowest common denominator whether that's Nickelback and Hinder or Limbaughhaha, You might want to turn on NPR, ABC news, NBC news, CBS news CNN(24-7) etc. ad nauseum. You aren't stupid. Why be ignorant?(benefit of doubt, here)

[yermom]

heh, i can't stand NPR

for the most part i'd rather pull out my fingernails than listen to talk radio

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

"How many times must I tell you the Fairness Doctrine is dead? It was ruled unconstitutional."... in 3,2,1....

[bri]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Merge_sign.svg/600px-Merge_sign.svg.png

[KC//CRIMSON]

It's always a great idea to start a thread about another thread that got shot down less than 48hrs ago.

[bri]

THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW!!!

[Whet]

http://robertstevenson.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/funny_road_signs_005.jpg

[85Sooner]

Uh huh

In fact, the only reason there's not more competition on American airwaves is that the handful of companies that own most radio stations do everything they can to block it.

Yeah they don't want to make money. Oh wait, the previous paragraph said they did make money. Well if logic works and the progressive shows make that much money, I am sure the stations would love to make more money and thus would replace Limbaugh with the likes of what you hear on NPR, wait aren't they also gov subsidized?

[KC//CRIMSON]

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4253/captwhetjm3.jpg

You can't handle the truth!

[Scott D]

Unfortunately, what's happening in Washington reflects what has happened in one city after another across the country. In Miami, Clear Channel recently dumped progressive talk for sports: Clear Channel stations made the same move in San Diego and Cincinnati. Sacramento abandoned progressive talk for gospel music. In fact, according to a study released by the Center for American Progress and Free Press, there are nine hours of conservative talk for every one hour of progressive talk.

Clear Channel ditched local sports talk radio in Detroit for that swill known as Fox National Sports Talk Radio that nobody listens to outside of California.

[Scott D]

Uh huh

In fact, the only reason there's not more competition on American airwaves is that the handful of companies that own most radio stations do everything they can to block it.

Yeah they don't want to make money. Oh wait, the previous paragraph said they did make money. Well if logic works and the progressive shows make that much money, I am sure the stations would love to make more money and thus would replace Limbaugh with the likes of what you hear on NPR, wait aren't they also gov subsidized?

if by handful of companies you mean one company that seems to own at least half the radio stations in this country I might consider your argument.

Limbaugh isn't on any Clear Channel owned stations...yet. And I bet once that happens he makes the jump to Sirius/XM.

[bluedogok]

If they hadn't have allowed media consolidation to the extent that they did under Bush-I and subsequently fully opened the gates under Clinton with the TCA of 1996, there might already be more "diversity" on the radio dial like there was before there was ownership limits. The Clear Channels of the world drove the "value" of the stations through the roof to the point where others can't buy them or afford to run them. How a radio network running 24 hour national programming serves any local interest is a crock and just shows neither party cares as long as they keep getting paid off.

[sooner n houston]

I'll be all for the "Fairness Doctrine" just as soon as they apply it to TV and newspapers too!

[85Sooner]

If they hadn't have allowed media consolidation to the extent that they did under Bush-I and subsequently fully opened the gates under Clinton with the TCA of 1996, there might already be more "diversity" on the radio dial like there was before there was ownership limits. The Clear Channels of the world drove the "value" of the stations through the roof to the point where others can't buy them or afford to run them. How a radio network running 24 hour national programming serves any local interest is a crock and just shows neither party cares as long as they keep getting paid off.


The premier station in austin has 10 hours of local programming per day.

They tried a couple liberal programs but the ratings died on the vine.
Weekday Program Schedule

5:00AM - 10:00AM Mornings w/Mark Caesar, Ed Clements & Sgt. Sam Cox
6:56AM & 8:56AM Cactus Pryor
10:00AM - 11:00AM Todd and Don
11:00AM - 2:00PM Rush Limbaugh
2:00PM - 3:00PM Neal Boortz
3:00PM - 6:00PM Jeff Ward
6:00PM - 7:00PM Jeff Ward & Ed Clements
7:00PM - 10:00PM Clark Howard
10:00PM - 4:00AM Coast to Coast
4:00AM - 5:00AM America in the Morning with Jim Bohannon

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Still a timely topic. (this post made on the same day the Senate passed the Porkulus Bill)What sort of specifics will the left do on a national basis to silence talk radio?

[Scott D]

they'll sell every station to ClearChannel so you can get your Tejano fix in Rushy's time slot.