July 18, 200422 yr Brent Batten: Liberal network Air America invades local airwaves By BRENT BATTEN, bebatten@naplesnews.com July 18, 2004 The liberals are coming! The liberals are coming! Collier County's conspicuously conservative airwaves have been invaded by Air America, the upstart liberal talk network of Al Franken, et al. The new network slipped quietly into town via a program change at 940 AM of Miami. The station had been an affiliate of Fox Sports Network, carrying shows like Jim Rome's sports talk program. But as of Monday the station, call letters WINZ, has taken a turn to the left. It now bills itself as "South Florida's Progressive Talk." In its first week, the new format hadn't exactly taken local political leaders by storm. Chuck Mohlke, chairman of the Democratic Party in Collier County, wasn't aware of the change until he was told on Friday. "I had no idea. Most of our folks don't have occasion to spin the dial, so to speak," he said. Republican party chairman Mike Carr greeted the news with a literal and figurative yawn. "Apparently he (Franken) has gotten some bad reviews for being boring," Carr said. The 940 AM signal is passable, not strong but passable, as far west as the Collier coast. Mohlke said he hopes listeners in East Naples and Golden Gate Estates, where Democrats make up a larger portion of the population, will be able to pull the signal in consistently. Those who do will hear Franken from noon to 3 p.m. going up against the likes of Rush Limbaugh (AM 1270) and Dennis Prager (AM 1660). From 3 to 7 p.m. Randi Rhodes offers a counterpoint to conservative Sean Hannity (AM 1660). WINZ is owned by Clear Channel Communications, the media giant that runs some 1,200 stations nationwide. The conglomerate has made news this year by dropping Howard Stern after it was fined a record $1.75 million by the FCC for comments made by Stern and other on-air personalities. That's fueled the charges that the company exhibits a pro-Republican bias. Proponents of that theory also contend the chain banned the playing of music by the Dixie Chicks after the group's lead singer made disparaging remarks about President Bush. The company's support of rallies supporting U.S. efforts in Iraq also feeds the Clear Channel-Bush rumor mill. On its Web site, Clear Channel says its local station managers decide which music to play and which local events to sponsor. If there is a tilt to the right at Clear Channel, you'd never know it by listening to WINZ. Rhodes and Franken can't seem to decide whether George W. Bush is more of a liar, a hypocrite or a loser. On Wednesday, Rhodes predicted a landslide vote in favor of Democratic candidate John Kerry come November. Air America has struggled to get footing after its inception earlier this year. The network was taken off the air in Chicago and Los Angeles due to disputes over money. Miami is the second largest market of the 17 in which the network has a presence, behind New York. Naples may be the most conservative. E-mail Brent Batten at bebatten@naplesnews.com. To order "Batten 100," a compilation of some of Brent Batten's best humor columns, visit http://web.naplesnews.com/batten/. The book is also available at area bookstores.
July 18, 200422 yr Why do liberals think they can even close to matching what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have? :lol
July 18, 200422 yr Why do liberals think they can even close to matching what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have? :lol 462821[/snapback] Because it's everyone's dream to become popular based on misinformed rants.
July 18, 200422 yr Why do liberals think they can even close to matching what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have? :lol 462821[/snapback] Because it's everyone's dream to become popular based on misinformed rants. 462907[/snapback] That was simply and truthfully put Rune. :thumbup
July 18, 200422 yr Why do liberals think they can even close to matching what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have?? :lol 462821[/snapback] Because it's everyone's dream to become popular based on misinformed rants. 462907[/snapback] F-9/11? :shifty
July 18, 200422 yr Why do liberals think they can even close to matching what Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have??? :lol 462821[/snapback] Because it's everyone's dream to become popular based on misinformed rants. 462907[/snapback] F-9/11? :shifty 463257[/snapback] Yes, Moore got away with the movie mostly due to the assumptions he made which are obviously harder to disprove. He provided some facts but then spun them into his own story which was wrong. Franken is not the most honest but if you're a liberal, he's hilarious beyond belief and some of his stuff in his book had me on the floor, which is why I would listen to Air if it came my way. Not to be informed but simply to laugh. If I want to read to be informed on the liberal side, my favorites are IIvins, Carville, and Press.
July 18, 200422 yr I like to read Molly Ivins.. she's easy... to see through, that is. I don't like Rush. Boortz > Rush
July 18, 200422 yr I advise everyone who cares about Campaign Finance Reform and shifty fundraising to read The Money Men by Jeffery Birnbaum. An amazing book, I took out from the library and was hooked. It's A Bi-Partisan look so this is not some liberal bash book.
July 18, 200422 yr oohh ooohhh can i create ANOTHER liberal v. conservative radio/media thread? Please please please!
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