[BC] liberal versus conservative radio

[cld@admin.umass.edu]

Quoting Rich Wood <richwood at pobox.com>:

 >I do however wish there were more opportunities for listeners to get 
> >both sides of today's issues, and right wing talkers still dominate 
> >the playing field.  So, whether you like Al Franken or Ed Schultz or 
> >Stephanie Miller or Alan Colmes, that's not the real issue.  I still 
> >believe a few successful left or progressive shows are just what 
> >America needs.

> snip<

> What I'd like to see is neo-Conservative Talk up against an equally 
> strong Progressive facility where the content has an equal chance at 
> success. That's the only way you're going to discover its potential. 
> Right now the neo-Conservatives have all the good facilities.

For many years neo-con shows have positioned themselves as the antidote to 
the "liberal left wing media", i.e. CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, NPR (ha!), etc. etc.
They have convinced that share of listeners (the ones who believe that Saddam
was responsible for 911- which is a majority [where's Marshall McLuhan when 
you really need him?]).

So for many people, they believe they are injesting tons of liberal propaganda 
whenever they read or hear any story analytical or critical of the 
administration as it is. Therefore, that's a hurdle that any liberal show 
needs to overcome- that they are not echoing the corporate pap of mainstream 
news. I'm sure none of these people have heard authentic liberal voices such 
as anyone from The Nation (whereas writers and editors from the National 
Review or The Weekly Standard seem to pop out of the woodwork all of the 
time), Atlantic, New Republic, Mother Jones, etc. There is no discussion to be 
had.


> In my market we have a major newspaper called The Republican. Its 
> editorial pages are terrific. There are always Liberal and 
> Conservative columns, giving me analysis from both sides. It's a 
> great read and I finish reading it feeling like someone has actually 
> tried to give me the whole picture. That's rare.
> 
> Rich

Yes- it is quite good. I read it on Sundays. There is a discourse.

Chuck Dube