LA Times has harsh article on AAR...

[stopthegop]

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/cl-ca-shaw18apr18.column?coll=la-news-columns

rough review...anyone know this reviewers background?

[JohnOneillsMemory]

1. Lots of irrelevant criticism but a little bit of valid stuff, too.

I think the most valid criticism in this harsh review is that, so far, AAR is not very suited to conversion of swing voters.

Most of his criticism was about name-calling, not being funny enough, and the sound of Randi Rhodes' voice. Granted.

Those are mostly cosmetic concerns that affect the surface-grazing listeners. But those might be the swing voters we do need to appeal to.

I agree that there's a lot of unneccessarily reckless banter bashing religious views and juvenile sex talk that can severely alienate those who are defensive and squeamish on those topics. And, unfortunately, that's a lot of Americans.

What he didn't mention is all the well articulated expose of massive corruption, incompetence, and deception in government and media that AAR is fabulous at delivering.

There's the rub. You gotta get folks to listen and not run away to get them to digest and react to information. So doing more than preaching to the choir in righteous outrage is called for to save our crumbling democracy.

And that's a valid criticism.

[rucky]

2. Ed Shultz is on AAR station in Portland

and he is quite well-suited to convert swing voters - being a convert himself. He's friendly & colloquial - into huntin' & fishin' and he preaches common sense.

Our weekly rag have Shultz's show a good review.

[erformc]

3. Air America

Much as I hate to say it, the radio program is pretty bad. yes, its just starting out, but they need help. I think they should have started a bit smaller w/o fanfare at first instead of getting all the press before doing their first show. I think Limbaugh had about 6 programs he got fired from before he caught on in CA. These guys aren't giving themselves any room to fail.

[Skittles]

5. you sure hate saying a lot of stuff

don't you

[Kathy in Cambridge]

6. Hmmm...something sure does SMELL around here

:eyes:

[Catt03]

4. I think it is embarrassing

Surely they can do better than all the name calling and gratuitous sex talk.

Maybe they will get better.