Why "The Ed Show" will not have the same popularity as Olberman?

[kentuck]

and other political talk shows on MSNBC?

It's not that he sounds like Rush Limbaugh sometimes. It's that liberals and left-leaning folks do not trust right-wing talk radio. Although Ed is not a right-winger, he is still a part of talk radio. There is something about talk radio hosts, liberal and conservative, that is not transferable to the television medium. I think his show is doomed to fail. Just an opinion.

[mod mom]

1. um...what about Rachel's popularity?

[kentuck]

4. Rachel is an exception.

She is exceptional. Ed is not.

[mod mom]

13. Ed reaches a different demographic than Rachel or Keith. He speaks to blue collar

types. I think he was a great choice to expand our base.

I started listening to Ed in '04 and thought he was too right wing, but he was willing to listen to other Democrat's opinions. I can no longer get him because progressive radio is gone in my area, but I believe he convinced many listeners to vote Democratic. I hope he succeeds. I have not seen his show yet because of the time it's on, but I wish him all the best.

[hlthe2b]

2. How do you explain Rachel Maddow's success?

[ThomWV]

39. Easy answer - she has the only intelligent conversation on Television

[ecstatic]

3. I think his time slot is all wrong

I haven't really watched his show yet. I preferred Shuster in that time slot--Shuster is a lot more hip and current.

[ThomWV]

40. Why not give him Tweety's timeslot? Its not like the hour is being put to good use now.

[NightWatcher]

5. I was never a fan of his bloviating style either. Regardless of substance

I'm not a fan of his style. I dont like the "preachy" fist pounding type.

[Fuzz]

12. You may have hit on something there. I've tuned in a couple times and just didn't

like it. That may be what I couldn't put my finger on.

[NightWatcher]

15. I'm glad he supports the working man, but I prefer the coversational styles of Rachel or Hartmann

I am more of a fan of the Socratic Method in lieu of preaching.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

25. Same here

[Ian David]

6. Plus Ed isn't pleasant to look at.

I keep wondering when the swelling on his head will go down, or if it will always be that huge.

[TwilightGardener]

17. He's got a face for radio, that's for sure.

[xxqqqzme]

43. I was noticing yesterday

the camera is not kind to him at all, plus his make-up is too yellow (even tried adjusting the color).

OTOH, the camera loves Maddow, but msnbc does need to spend a few bucks on a wardrobe for her that fits.

[babylonsister]

7. I'm just not that crazy about him. I liked Shuster better,

but I have a sister who couldn't stand him.

It's dinner time in many places, so I don't see Ed doing that well either. imo...

[rucky]

8. He'll be fine.

The radio show was pretty clunky it's first year, as well. He'll hit his stride.

[Brazenly Liberal]

9. Rachel Maddow came to TV from radio and she's wildly popular

Ed is different from KO and RM, so he might draw a part of the liberal audience they are less successful at reaching. I think his biggest problem here is the time slot. At that hour, folks in these parts are getting home from work or finishing up farm chores or eating dinner.

[kentuck]

10. One thing for sure...

We can never have too many voices speaking for our side. Considering how many "conservative" right-wing voices are in the media.

[annabanana]

11. I think it's because he is not as well informed...

There seem to be big holes in his understanding of issues. He needs to do WAY more reading.. .n/t

[kentuck]

14. Good point.

We want to hear rational, well-reasoned arguments based on facts, moreson than just political emotional hot-button issues, which Ed does very well. It is too close to the Republican modus operandi.

[Ian David]

19. And less time eating dungeness crabs. n/t

[hangman86]

16. How many liberal radio hosts have we given a chance to host their own TV show?

I don't think I'm going to need all ten fingers to count that number. I'm with you that I don't see Ed's show becoming a success. I like him on radio but he's just too stiff and awkward on TV. But there are numerous other liberal/progressive radio hosts who I think would ignite the mini-screen. Cenk Uygur, Stephanie Miller, Sam Seder, and Lionel to name a few.

[Ian David]

20. I can't believe you said Lionel. n/t

[hangman86]

21. Are you saying that's good or bad?

I know he he has some libertarian leanings, but he's independent minded, intelligent, and very likable. I'd definitely tune in if he had a TV show.

[Ian David]

42. lionel is a giant bag of douche and an awful human being.

[booley]

18. Not a fan of Schultz but

But it's not because he used to be a right winger.

I think he presses his commentary to hard. Yes Olbermann could be rantish as well but somehow it seems more forced with schultz. He started off his program with "these are the things I believe" which leaves the impression that only those things that support his positions will be seen on his show.

Not to say that is what he is doing. But I think like Rachel, he would benefit from getting the facts out first and then showing how his position fits the facts.

I will give the man a chance to work it out. A show can take a while to hit their stride.

But Schult's past views are not an issue to me. Something is true because it's true, not because of who says it.

[WolverineDG]

22. Ed was the ONLY "Liberal" radio talk host who gave EVERY Democratic Candidate an open mike

During the primary season, he invited ALL of the Democratic presidential candidates to come on his show. He gave them as much time as he wanted. IIRC, he spent at least one full show with Kuchinich, another with Edwards.

He's been advocating for single payer health care for a long time, & has ALWAYS pushed for unions. He has a segment on his show on Fridays called "Recession Busters," where he lets small business owners call in & tout their services &/or products FOR FREE. (they do have to pay if they want to advertise on his website though) BUT, everyone who has done this has called back to let him know this is a huge success & they are able to stay in business & keep people employed.

But yeah, let's can him or hope he fails because he sounds like Limbaugh or is "too righty" or doesn't pass some other elitist "purity" test. :eyes:

dg

[annabanana]

24. I'm not sure he understands the single payer option... or he wouldn't

have been so vocal about supporting Wyden's Massachusetts plan.

[greenbird]

23. I'm not crazy about him myself

but I do think that he can reach a demographic that neither Keith or Rachel can. And that can't be bad. Another good quality that he has is that he is courteous and respectful to his listeners - at least on his radio show.

[global1]

26. I Say Tell These RWer's That He Is Rush And Get Them Confused.......

most listen to Rush but have never seen him. Ed sounds like Rush. Let's fake'm out and tell them he's Rush. Maybe we can convert some - as they'll believe anything that is said.

[ginnyinWI]

27. Too partisan --but that's just me.

I've been a radio fan of Ed's, but since the last election I've become less interested in partisan politics--good guys v.s. bad guys--and more interested in just straight news. We don't have bush to kick around anymore, thank God, and that takes a lot of pressure off, but it makes this kind of show less interesting to me. I'm drifting back to PBS and NPR, because I'm just bored with outrage du jour.

Also the show has too much testosterone; I'd like to see them tone down the shouting and arguing and sports talk. But again, just me--whom you will find contentedly watching PBS.

[SoCalDem]

28. It's "herky-jerky" and he has too many right wingers on to "debate"

His ideas are good, but he needs to focus on his own ideas, and quit trying to "justify" them to right wingers who already have an overpowering presence in media..

[Overseas]

45. I also hope whoever chooses his panelists stops bringing on wingnuts

That's the only time I really need to click away from his show-- the panelist make up seems to be One Liberal, One Republican/Libertarian Conservative and One Hard Right.

I am still waiting for a liberal TV talk show to have One Liberal, One Left-Winger, and One Moderate instead.

Hope his programming team wise up and give us fewer conservatives on his panels. We get enough of them on the many other political chat shows.

At least eliminate the hard right people from the panels. The Hard Right is really a small part of the population. They've got Fox News on which to spew their venom 24/7

[WhiteTara]

29. he's also boring n/t

[KoKo]

30. I had the same thought....

Agree he doesn't translate well to TV. That set that MSNBC has rigged up is too bright and clownish and it's distracting along with the way the show is set up. I've tried to watch his new show...but have to turn it off.

Rush, himself, couldn't translate well to TV...so I agree with you that Schult's larger than life Limbaugh style might not fly. But, I hope he succeeds...we have so few voices.

[Phred42]

31. The reason is that Schultz is a BLOVIATOR

meaning the attitude trumps in depth knowledge (like Olberman, Maddow, Stewart even)

That works Ok on the radio but Schultz is going to start looking like a Left leaning Glen Beck. Bloviation is easy to shoot down.

I hope it plays to enough people to stay on.

[KoKo]

33. If crossover viewers view him as a Lefty Glenn Beck...he

will probably be a success given all the hoopla over Beck these days. :eyes:

I hope that won't happen because it could hurt the ratings for Keith and Maddow. They will be seen as too "intellectual."

[librechik]

32. Cuz Ed has a mean streak he can barely hide.I guess you can see it in his eyes.

He's not our Limbaugh, he's our O'Reilly.

Meh.

[DainBramaged]

34. DU, where nothing is give a chance to succeed, except failure.

Planting the seeds of doubt in the minds of capricious Liberals is a great way to push what few voices we have in the media into failure. I guess if you're not the typical 'stereotype' all bets are off and rather than just support our media, just cut them off at the knees.

[southernyankeebelle]

35. Really - Well

So far he speaks to my issues. I don't listen to talk radio at all wheter its left or right. I like what Ed says. He knows my pocketbook issues, thats for sure. Give him a chance.

[Bluenorthwest]

36. Doing a show like that is difficult

and Ed looks underprepared. Also, his guests are just not worth the listen. Lars Larson? And some Vegas conservative spewer? I have no time for that sort of thing. Radio talkers, talking among themselves. Self indulgent hooey.
But then again I'm not Ed's target audience. His radio show is much better, although not my taste either. The TV thing, I hope it is a work in progress. The snap is missing. It seems slack and then over packed. The pace is not right. The guest bring it to a halt, rather than helping the dynamics of the show. We shall see how it pans out.

[ThomWV]

37. Really? I think he adds another dimension to MSNBC's lineup and they will prosper for it

[WI_DEM]

38. I doubt he will be as popular as Keith or Rachel, but that's not the point

if he does better in the ratings than the show that he replaced then he will have succeeded.

[Echo In Light]

41. Don't have much of an opinion on Ed...but bring back Phil Donahue!!!

[kctim]

44. GO ED!

FINALLY, I have a political show I can watch.

[Joey Liberal]

46. I like Ed

Give the guy a break.

[JitterbugPerfume]

47. I dont care for him.

I like Schuster better , but that is just me.

I hope he can work out the "bugs" in his program and be a success

[dembotoz]

48. been an ed fan on radio for several years now

always thought of him wearing a flannel shirt somehow.

he has become more dem friendly over the years.

I have trouble with his small town folksy North? dakota common sence mannor on an msnbc set.
Its like seeing Mark Twain at the opera.


How to fix, I don't know.

i hope he does
as i said
I am a fan.

[omega minimo]

49. He's a blowhard who sounds like Foghorn Leghorn, a sexist faux "Lefty" hothead who cuts people off

[immoderate]

50. Ed lacks charm. He's not entertaining.

Keith has irony -- and humor. And Rachel has magic -- and humor. Ed has a sledge hammer, and not so much humor. At least it isn't getting through to me. I find his presentation tedious and not enlightening. And it looks like he's broadcasting from the devil's lair. He might do better if it looked more like a log cabin. Maybe if he wore buckskins and a coonskin cap...

--imm