Nice take on Progressive media (from DesMoines paper)

[SoCalDem]

Columnists
http://www.highlinetimes.com/articles/2007/10/02/interact/columnists/column02.txt
Radio godfather wrong, liberal radio entertains

By Eric Mathison

Thanks to the wondrous Web, within 24 hours of my column on progressive radio KPTK's lousy ratings being posted, I heard from two icons from the golden age of KJR/KOL.

In the column, I likened KPTK's Jim Ward, who contributes funny impressions to Stephanie Miller's morning show, to local legend Robert O. Smith.

Up popped in my inbox an e-mail from Robert O. The former hippie dippy DJ claimed he competes in bench press competitions now. Always the kidder. But his web site (www.robertosmith.com) provided photographic proof that at age 64 he bench pressed 536.6 pounds at Alki-a world's record!

The other contact wasn't as pleasant.

Seattle radio godfather Pat O'Day commented on our Web site that, "KPTK ain't funny! ...It's not from lack of potential Liberal listeners. It's from a lack of enjoyable entertainment...." Arguing radio programming with O'Day is like arguing painting with Picasso.

So out of respect for O'Day, who turned 73 last week, I stocked up on nitroglycerin pills and vowed to listen to right-wing radio. The conservative hosts displayed varying degrees of entertainment value. However, I noted conservative talk king Rush Limbaugh is lauded for his amusing showmanship when he labels Republican Chuck Hagel, an Iraq occupation skeptic, as "Senator Betrayus." (www.blatherwatch.blogs.com) Liberal MoveOn.org emulated the clever and memorable branding that wins praise for the conservative noise machine with a "General Betray Us" newspaper advertisement. With support from 22 wimpy Democratic lawmakers, a Senate resolution condemned MoveOn.

snip

Now I find the Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz and Rachel Maddow shows often funny and always entertaining. Admittedly, it is sometimes difficult to be hilarious when talking about the Middle East, climate change, etc.

So then why doesn't progressive radio do better?

1. Seattle's progressive talk station is actually number one

Public radio stations, which conservatives brand as left wing, are now being counted in the ratings. For the last two rating periods, NPR's KUOW in Seattle has been the most listened to station in the area. Liberals listen to NPR because they have a tendency to be a little, "On the one hand, but then on the other hand." Studies confirm conservatives tend to be more authoritarian or seek an authoritarian voice ("Conservatives without Conscience" by ex-Nixon lawyer John Dean).

So if the conservatives want to give us KUOW (No. 1), and Tacoma NPR's KPLU (14th), along with KPTK (24th), progressive radio beats the pants off right-wing radio.


snip for the rest

[yewberry]

1. The comments at the end of the story sold me.

So you know, that's Des Moines, WA.

Good article--thanks for posting.

[SoCalDem]

2. Shit.. i thought it was in Iowa.. back to the drawing board

Here I was all excited ..thinking that Iowans might be breaking through to the other side....

The Portland radio station mention should have clued me in :silly: