Progressive think tank calls for talk radio equality! Fines, taxes and limits on ownership

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If you can't compete then increase fines, taxes and set limits. That the American Socialist way. Air America was a great success wasn't it?

REPORT: The Right Wing Domination Of Talk Radio And How To End It

The Center for American Progress and Free Press today released the first-of-its-kind statistical analysis of the political make-up of talk radio in the United States. It confirms that talk radio, one of the most widely used media formats in America, is dominated almost exclusively by conservatives.

The new report — entitled “The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio” — raises serious questions about whether the companies licensed to broadcast over the public radio airwaves are serving the listening needs of all Americans.

While progressive talk is making inroads on commercial stations, right-wing talk reigns supreme on America’s airwaves. Some key findings:

– In the spring of 2007, of the 257 news/talk stations owned by the top five commercial station owners, 91 percent of the total weekday talk radio programming was conservative, and only 9 percent was progressive.

– Each weekday, 2,570 hours and 15 minutes of conservative talk are broadcast on these stations compared to 254 hours of progressive talk — 10 times as much conservative talk as progressive talk.

– 76 percent of the news/talk programming in the top 10 radio markets is conservative, while 24 percent is progressive.

Two common myths are frequently offered to explain the imbalance of talk radio: 1) the 1987 repeal of the Fairness Doctrine (which required broadcasters to devote airtime to contrasting views), and 2) simple consumer demand. Each of these fails to adequately explain the root cause of the problem. The report explains:

Our conclusion is that the gap between conservative and progressive talk radio is the result of multiple structural problems in the U.S. regulatory system, particularly the complete breakdown of the public trustee concept of broadcast, the elimination of clear public interest requirements for broadcasting, and the relaxation of ownership rules including the requirement of local participation in management. […]

Ultimately, these results suggest that increasing ownership diversity, both in terms of the race/ethnicity and gender of owners, as well as the number of independent local owners, will lead to more diverse programming, more choices for listeners, and more owners who are responsive to their local communities and serve the public interest.

Along with other ideas, the report recommends that national radio ownership not be allowed to exceed 5 percent of the total number of AM and FM broadcast stations, and local ownership should not exceed more than 10 percent of the total commercial radio stations in a given market.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/20/radio-report

Read the full report here:

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/200.../talk_radio.pdf

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A little follow up info.

Follow the Liberal Money

Well, well ... the author of the Center for American Progress report attacking conservative talk radio — Paul "Woody" Woodhull —just happens to be financially and professionally involved with two liberal talk radio programs — Ed Schultz and Bill Press. See here and here.

Nothing in this report discloses Woodhull's conflict of interest. You're led to believe that the findings were unbiased and untainted. It now turns out that the author has a direct financial interest in using the government to dismantle conservative talk radio.

link

Isn’t that something. Their actions aren’t so much in the public interest as in their own interest.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Hey, like all idiotic things liberal, this could potentially blow up in their faces. What if media sources have to hire with EEOC guidelines?

What about equal time on CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, etc? You know, where Conservative programming suddenly makes up almost 50% of the total? That would be awesome!

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately? Can you imagine the NYT having to hire 40% of the staff as Conservatives? This has GREAT potential upside.

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Hey, like all idiotic things liberal, this could potentially blow up in their faces. What if media sources have to hire with EEOC guidelines?

What about equal time on CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, etc? You know, where Conservative programming suddenly makes up almost 50% of the total? That would be awesome!

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately? Can you imagine the NYT having to hire 40% of the staff as Conservatives? This has GREAT potential upside.

Especially CNN Europe, Africa, Far East. Dude, those guys make what you hear and see on CNN here seem like Rush Limbaugh.

[AFTiger 282]

As a third party candidate once said, "the devil is in the details." Or in this case, the definition of "conservative" and "liberal" talk. I guess if you agree with liberal views, they are not liberal, just correct.

From the Radio Equalizer Blog:

KGO, Center For American Progress 'Structural Imbalance Of Talk Radio' Report

LIKE A BORDER FENCE

Talk Radio Report Downplayed Actual 'Progressive' Content

In cooking up their now- infamous report on talk radio's "imbalance", what exactly was the Center For American Progress trying to accomplish? Though your Radio Equalizer has argued the study should be ignored, it's getting so much attention that its overt flaws need to be addressed.

After the near- total failure of libtalk across the country, do they really believe they can force stations to carry what programmers already know won't work?

Short of the legislative action Hillary and Boxer are apparently planning, it just isn't going to happen. Any manager crazy enough to propose a libtalk format for one of their stations would be laughed out of the building.

Interestingly, libtalk still exists, though with few land- based affiliates. But it can be found on both XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, in addition to Internet streaming. Why doesn't that count?

That's why the whining is incredible. While your Radio Equalizer and syndicated host Mark Levin (photo right) have already revealed the personal connection one of the report's authors has to liberal talk radio, a quick glance at the study reveals something else: they've greatly downplayed the amount of lefty talk actually airing.

In fact, the mistakes are so obvious, they shatter the study's credibility. According to the methodology cited on page seven, "hosts were categorized as conservative, progressive/ liberal, or indeterminate/ neither based on self- identification, show descriptions, and listings in Talkers Magazine. Only hosts with evident and near- indisputable leanings were categorized."

That's where the survey's clear bias is exposed: they clearly have a much easier time labelling a "conservative" host than a "progressive" one. The results are comical:

San Francisco's KGO is listed as featuring only three hours of daily liberal talk! If this refers to Bernie Ward, what about the four hours of hyper- lefty Ray Taliaferro (shown in top- left photo)? Or two hours of liberal- leaning Pete Wilson? Finally, why don't the 17 hours or more of "progressive" weekend programming count?

The report lists KABC / Los Angeles as featuring no liberal talk, but morning host Doug McIntyre's four- hour show fits the study's "progressive" criteria, having sat on the "left" side of the Talk Radio Rumble panel at the recent New York City convention organized by Talkers.

In New York City, why weren't WOR- AM afternoon hosts Hennican & White listed in the "progressive" column? Ellis Hennican is not shy when it comes to promoting a leftist viewpoint.

In Washington, why isn't urban talker WOL listed on the liberal side as well? Take a look at the schedule: is there anything unclear about Al Sharpton's leanings? The same goes for the stations with this format in Detroit, Philly, Chicago and elsewhere.

In addition:

Why was Salem's lineup listed in the report at all? Like Air America Radio on the left, Salem is a network designed to provide syndicated conservative talk. Should Air America add righty hosts?

In the corporate survey, why leave out other major operators such as Entercom, where Seattle's KIRO features a considerable amount of lefty programming? Why was ABC Radio omitted? Yes, it did just merge with Citadel, but its stations aren't listed there, either.

And that's just scratching the surface in a report that is so full of holes it looks like a fence along the Mexican border.

Link and scroll down

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Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately?

Yeah, those Liberals Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace need some balancing!

[AURaptor 1,126]

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately?

Yeah, those Liberals Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace need some balancing!

You pick out 3 moderate to conservative hosts on that network, but fail to acknowledge that the rest of it is undeniably liberal.

...... huh.

[TexasTiger 13,006]

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately?

Yeah, those Liberals Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace need some balancing!

You pick out 3 moderate to conservative hosts on that network, but fail to acknowledge that the rest of it is undeniably liberal.

...... huh.

Who do you think are the ones with an overtly librul agenda? I don't know any Dem who sees CNN as liberal, especially these days.

[DKW 86 7,440]

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately?

Yeah, those Liberals Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace need some balancing!

You pick out 3 moderate to conservative hosts on that network, but fail to acknowledge that the rest of it is undeniably liberal.

...... huh.

No, he just named a Conservative, a pragmatist, and a celebrity whore. One Conservative on during 168 hours a week programming is not balance...

[TexasTiger 13,006]

So you got nothing, huh? List 'em if you got'em.

Giving a primetime show to Glenn Beck is like giving a primetime show to Al Franken. There is no comparable "liberal" on the network with a show just to spout his opinions.

And since you brought up "balance", who provides it on Fox "News"?

Can you imagine CNN having to actually report news fairly and accurately?

Yeah, those Liberals Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs and Nancy Grace need some balancing!

You pick out 3 moderate to conservative hosts on that network, but fail to acknowledge that the rest of it is undeniably liberal.

...... huh.

No, he just named a Conservative, a pragmatist, and a celebrity whore. One Conservative on during 168 hours a week programming is not balance...

[DKW 86 7,440]

So you got nothing, huh? List 'em if you got'em.

Giving a primetime show to Glenn Beck is like giving a primetime show to Al Franken. There is no comparable "liberal" on the network with a show just to spout his opinions.

And since you brought up "balance", who provides it on Fox "News"?

Fox is a balance to the rest of the dial.

How about Chris Matthews, George Stephanopoulos, Al Franken, etc etc etc Like I said 168 hours on numerous channels to correct for.

The real reason there is no Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh on the Left?

The Lefties are failures at what they do. Just ask Franken about Air America. No one in his right mind would give Franken a prime time show because it would be doomed to be a colossal failure.

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So you got nothing, huh? List 'em if you got'em.

Giving a primetime show to Glenn Beck is like giving a primetime show to Al Franken. There is no comparable "liberal" on the network with a show just to spout his opinions.

And since you brought up "balance", who provides it on Fox "News"?

Fox is a balance to the rest of the dial.

How about Chris Matthews, George Stephanopoulos, Al Franken, etc etc etc Like I said 168 hours on numerous channels to correct for.

The real reason there is no Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh on the Left?

The Lefties are failures at what they do. Just ask Franken about Air America. No one in his right mind would give Franken a prime time show because it would be doomed to be a colossal failure.

Have you checked Beck's ratings lately? And you do remember that Rush once had a TV show, don't you?

CNN signed Beck because they are trying to compete with Fox for the same wingnut audience.

BTW, check that Republican identification these days...dropping like a stone.

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Rush had a t.v. show at the same time while trying to do a nation wide radio show, long before O'Reily. Only Rush didn't have an entire network assisting him either. He just decided it was too much work to do both, and decided to focus on his radio program.

[AUman43 5]

This is so funny because you ULTRA CONSERVATIVES have had one of the most DOMINATING HATE MONGERS on the airwaves spreading Republican Conservative propoganda for years now and you resent someone presenting an opposing point of view??? Typical! In case you haven't noticed, this nation is NO LONGER conservative..........it's MODERATE and slowly moving to the left on many issues. I'm not saying that's good either but I AM saying it's happening! If it's true, I cannot condone ANYONE trying to "squelch" another point of view but I CAN and do believe in ALLOWING other points of view without constantly screaming that MY POINT OF VIEW IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG as some on this board do. Is that not democracy and free speech? I thought so!

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Who do you think are the ones with an overtly librul agenda? I don't know any Dem who sees CNN as liberal, especially these days.

BINGO!!!! Give the man a cigar.

Dems don't see a liberal news show as liberal because it agress with them. Hell, liberals don't even see themselves as liberals. They don't recognize conservative views as legitimate points of view and if you disagree with a liberal, you are a right wing wacko (or a stupid, homophobic, hate filled, racist redneck).

Hatred from the left is justified by the left because it is opposition to conservatives who are always wrong and should be silenced or put to death.

[SupperClub 0]

This is so funny because you ULTRA CONSERVATIVES have had one of the most DOMINATING HATE MONGERS on the airwaves spreading Republican Conservative propoganda for years now and you resent someone presenting an opposing point of view??? Typical! In case you haven't noticed, this nation is NO LONGER conservative..........it's MODERATE and slowly moving to the left on many issues. I'm not saying that's good either but I AM saying it's happening! If it's true, I cannot condone ANYONE trying to "squelch" another point of view but I CAN and do believe in ALLOWING other points of view without constantly screaming that MY POINT OF VIEW IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG as some on this board do. Is that not democracy and free speech? I thought so!

So it's the government's job to get involved? If liberal talk radio is what the people wanted, the market would provide it. Air America was a miserable failure, so I guess if you can't beat 'em, legislate the hell out of 'em. I am guessing you are one of the people who think America is great because of its government.

[AFTiger 282]

This is so funny because you ULTRA CONSERVATIVES have had one of the most DOMINATING HATE MONGERS on the airwaves spreading Republican Conservative propoganda for years now and you resent someone presenting an opposing point of view??? Typical! In case you haven't noticed, this nation is NO LONGER conservative..........it's MODERATE and slowly moving to the left on many issues. I'm not saying that's good either but I AM saying it's happening! If it's true, I cannot condone ANYONE trying to "squelch" another point of view but I CAN and do believe in ALLOWING other points of view without constantly screaming that MY POINT OF VIEW IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG as some on this board do. Is that not democracy and free speech? I thought so!

So it's the government's job to get involved? If liberal talk radio is what the people wanted, the market would provide it. Air America was a miserable failure, so I guess if you can't beat 'em, legislate the hell out of 'em. I am guessing you are one of the people who think America is great because of its government.

AUman43 just made my point. When I went through POW training, we were instructed to never disagree and always address the guards with "By Com, Commrad." That would pass as free speech for certain people.

AUman43, by com, comrad.

[AUdaREALsecTigers 2]

This is so funny because you ULTRA CONSERVATIVES have had one of the most DOMINATING HATE MONGERS on the airwaves spreading Republican Conservative propoganda for years now and you resent someone presenting an opposing point of view??? Typical! In case you haven't noticed, this nation is NO LONGER conservative..........it's MODERATE and slowly moving to the left on many issues. I'm not saying that's good either but I AM saying it's happening! If it's true, I cannot condone ANYONE trying to "squelch" another point of view but I CAN and do believe in ALLOWING other points of view without constantly screaming that MY POINT OF VIEW IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG as some on this board do. Is that not democracy and free speech? I thought so!

So it's the government's job to get involved? If liberal talk radio is what the people wanted, the market would provide it. Air America was a miserable failure, so I guess if you can't beat 'em, legislate the hell out of 'em. I am guessing you are one of the people who think America is great because of its government.

Preach it brother! ( I'm sorry if my religious reference offended you guys on the left. ) Do we need Nancy Pelosi legislating what our opinion should be?

[AUman43 5]

No, many seem to believe that we need King George legislating what our opinions should be! Therein lies the problem in case you haven't noticed the polls. (oh yes, discredit the polls)

[SupperClub 0]

No, many seem to believe that we need King George legislating what our opinions should be! Therein lies the problem in case you haven't noticed the polls. (oh yes, discredit the polls)

If 'King George' is giving talk radio their talking points, then they must have missed the memo when the Illegal Immigration bill was brought up a few weeks back. Talk radio has been credited with informing Americans about the b.s. that 'King George' was trying to pass through Congress, encouraging them to contact their constituents and express their dissatisfaction with the bill.

However, I wouldn't expect someone who refers to Bush as 'King George' to see something so objectively.

[AFTiger 282]

No, many seem to believe that we need King George legislating what our opinions should be! Therein lies the problem in case you haven't noticed the polls. (oh yes, discredit the polls)

by com commrad

[AURaptor 1,126]

This is so funny because you ULTRA CONSERVATIVES have had one of the most DOMINATING HATE MONGERS on the airwaves spreading Republican Conservative propoganda for years now and you resent someone presenting an opposing point of view??? Typical! In case you haven't noticed, this nation is NO LONGER conservative..........it's MODERATE and slowly moving to the left on many issues. I'm not saying that's good either but I AM saying it's happening! If it's true, I cannot condone ANYONE trying to "squelch" another point of view but I CAN and do believe in ALLOWING other points of view without constantly screaming that MY POINT OF VIEW IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG as some on this board do. Is that not democracy and free speech? I thought so!

I'm at a loss as to this mystery ' ultra conservative ' hate monger is. Any clues ? And you're right, we would resent an opposing view, because it's the OPPOSITE of what most of us think. We might not like it, but you don't see anyone on the Right running to Congress to outlaw opposition speech. No, we fully welcome anyone into the fray. Wish the same could be said of the Left. But the fact remains, Talk Radio is currently by freedom, and is market driven. That means that shows which work are allowed to continue, and aren't mandated air time by some Federal Bureau of Fair Talk and Political Equality.

I can't say I've noticed any shift toward the Left, despite your claims. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have lower approval ratings than even George Bush. Though Bush isn't exactly all that conservative of a President.

Just because you have the right to say something doesn't mean it should be mandated that everyone else must hear you. The merrits of your opinion should flourish, or fail, on their own accord.

[AFTiger 282]