How do we combat RW radio and news?

[Marrah_G]

I watched Hotel Rwanda last night. The murder of a million people was propelled through lies and hate spread through the radio there.

I see the same sort of thing happening here. Hate radio and propaganda news stations fundamentally change the way people view things. I have seen it in my own birth family after they moved to the south. They are so swarmed with hate talk radio and RW bullshit that they have actually started to believe it. The only way to stop them is to go after the advertisers. Rush has lost most of his advertisers due to public backlash.

So the question I throw out for discussion is how do we do this on a wide scale? How do we get the masses to let the advertisers know we won't tolerate it any more?

My hope for this thread is that it will be filled with ideas because Duers are some of the smartest folks I know.

[leftyohiolib]

1. i think sandra fluke episode killed political radio. the right is now supported by kock brothers

and not thru ad buys and the left has to goto the i-net. unless the left finds a couple of kock-brothers to support left radio. but people are turning to the right cause the right is telling them what they want to hear

[lpbk2713]

2. Just as an aside ...

It still worries me that Limbaugh is still carried on Armed Forces Radio.
Even though he has been proven beyond doubt a liar, hatemonger and
totally against what most of the rest of us believe in.

[Marrah_G]

4. I agree- shows like his change people's thinking when they hear it over and over

Not sure how to get it taken off the AFR.

[conservaphobe]

3. Wait it out. Not many Millennials are tuning into radio programs.

Especially talk radio.

[el_bryanto]

5. Well you have to ask what does RW radio and Fox News provide? Why do Right Wingers seek them out?

They are businesses (although they obviously get subsidies (particularly in the case of RW Radio)), so they provide something their viewers/listeners want.

I think what they provide is a space where in RWers know that their beliefs won't be challenged but will be confirmed. If you want to know how people can deny climate change, well, if you listen to Limbaugh and Hannity and watch Fox News, you will be told again and again how it's just a theory and real scientists know that it's all nonsense.

I don't think LWers are looking to be cut off from the world in the same way. Yes we have our conspiracy nuts, and we have people who never want to see what the right wing has to say, but they aren't as common. Partially that's because our arguments can generally stand up to more scrutiny, and partially it's because we acknowledge we might be wrong, and so want to see both sides of an issue before we make up our minds.

The other issue is the subsidies mentioned above - many of these outlets had a certain cushion - they could take their time building an audience because the Koch Brothers (for example) would give them that time. I don't think LW outlets have the same cushion.

Bryant