Ed Schultz: ‘How Many Markets Do I Have To Beat Hannity In Before I Get 200 Or 300 Stations?’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/22/schultz-on-radio-report/

Ed Schultz: ‘How Many Markets Do I Have To Beat Hannity In Before I Get 200 Or 300 Stations?’

Progressive radio host Ed Schultz appeared on MSNBC last night to discuss the new report by the Center for American Progress and Free Press, which revealed the conservative monopoly that currently exists over talk radio.

Schultz — the host of the most popular progressive radio show in the country — debunked the right-wing myth that conservatives dominate simply because they are winning in a “free market.” Schultz explained that the market is being controlled by a few ownership groups that are forcing conservative talk shows into local markets:

I beat Sean Hannity in Denver. I beat him in Seattle. I beat him in Portland. I beat in San Diego. How many markets do I have to beat Hannity in before I get 200 or 300 stations? It’s an ownership issue. … The fact is, it’s market opportunities and liberal talkers, progressive talkers are being held to a totally different standard than conservatives.

Watch it/read transcript at link~

John Halpin — one of the principal authors of the radio report — noted that there is no “free market” under the current system. “There is little free speech or free choice in a market system that pushes out one-sided information 90 percent of the time on the radio,” he said. “Radio stations are licensed to operate in the public interest. Promoting one point of view over all others does not meet any reasonable public-interest standard.”

[LSK]

1. his show is talking about that today

Also see this report:

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

[BlooInBloo]

2. That was funny.

[DrDan]

3. I listened to this interview

Schultz is one of the driest hosts on the radio. And calling him progressive is a stretch.

[NewJeffCT]

6. it's probably because

The rest of talk radio is so far to the right that Shultz looks like a tree-hugging hippy compared to them.

[DrDan]

17. good point

I guess it is all relative

[BOSSHOG]

4. Promoting one point of view is so reaganesque

who needs the Fairness Doctrine? Who needs to swear to tell the truth?

[NewJeffCT]

5. Progressive radio hosts usually do fairly well

when they're allowed to actually compete.

And, I mean actually radio hosts like Shultz, Stephanie Miller, etc. I like a lot of what Franken does with his writing, but he was not a natural on radio.

Unfortunately, with Friends of Bush controlling a lot of the radio market, it's really difficult to break into new markets... and, even then, it's often on a weak-ass station. I can listen to Hannity on a choice of several 50,000 watt stations (NYC, Boston and Hartford), yet I cannot get AAR in the Hartford, CT area whatsoever, and have no hope of getting them out of NYC

[EnviroBat]

14. And even if you can pick up an AAR affiliate, Clear Channel

swoops in and buys up the station. They did it here in Central Ohio, and you could barely hear the station on good days.

[Nikki Stone1]

7. And Ed's no progressive, really. Just a centrist. And HE can't even get airtime

Real progressives end up on NovaM.

[ProudDad]

8. My main beef with Ed Shultz

is his use of large percentages of his broadcast for rather shameless self-promotion. He's the Jim Bakker or Jimmy Swaggart of "left of center" radio.

And he's not always "left of center" either. The Center is represented by Michael Moore, not Ed Shultz.

But, I'm glad he's on. He sounds so much like rush that he must fool a lot of the sheeple into changing their orientation from the far right to the very near right -- they are so easily led and that is an improvement.

[HereSince1628]

10. "He sounds so much like Rush..."

that I just can't stand to listen to him.

And I LIKE fishing stories. Dammit!

[ProudDad]

12. I didn't listen to rush enough

to get the visceral reaction you poor souls who subjected yourselves to his bloviations get.

I feel your pain... :hi:

[baldguy]

9. There is no free market under the current system.

Propaganda would not survive in a free market.

[Rick Myers]

11. The IRONY, of course, is...

Both of Ed's bidness partners were major players in Clear Channel, Friends of Bush, and had ALOT to do with getting Rush where he is today. Ed has the BIGGEST ego in progressive talk!!!

[Scriptor Ignotus]

13. it's partly the market choosing RW voices

partly Sinclair and Infinity promoting RW voices. Plus there is not much talent in LW radio, in my opinion. For some reason progressives entertainers work better on TV. Not sure if that's just random or if there is a reason behind it.

[diane in sf]

18. I disagree that cons are better on radio. I love Thom Hartman, Rachel Maddow,

Stephanie Miller and Mike Malloy. I also really enjoy Karel (sp?) who is screamingly gay and runs on KGO on weekend evenings here in SF.

It's the reason above--they are not allowed to fairly compete. When I visit Albuquerque, Air America is on a really feeble station and that situation is echoed around the country.


edited to add more thoughts!

[AmandaRuth]

15. Ed is fighting for more outlets for

left liberal talk. That's OK by me.

[Uncle Joe]

16. I believe this is why we have, the something like 59th ranked

free press in the world. That's piss poor if you ask me.

[diane in sf]

19. 59th! that's even worse than our health care ranking! eom

[Uncle Joe]

20. I might be off by a number or two, but it's fifty something.

I also believe our lack of a free press and the health care crisis are related.