Mike Hawk's Journal: Bumper Sticker Understanding

Due to recent changes in LA radio, I have the local Air America affiliate as a preset. It makes me laugh because they still broadcast the Clippers.

After checking if there was a Clipper game this evening on the drive home from work and finding there was none, and being an open-minded American, I decided to give them the whole drive home. I listened to Air America for about an hour. Wow. Janeane Garofalo and Lewis Black were guest hosting for someone.

First off, two comedians. Check.

I tried to give them a chance, but after about 2 commercial breaks, it donned on me that they were not really talking about anything deeper than "W is dumb". So I began to time them. For the entire ride home they never spent more than 4 minutes on a subject. They couldn't even fill a whole segment with exactly why they thought he was dumb. Embarrassing.

This is the voice of the opposition. Bumper Sticker Understanding.

PS Thanks to the broadcast I learned that there will be some rally to bring the soldiers home from Iraq in Central Park in NY, NY. Thats a stupid fucking idea. Kerry '08!

A couple of theories

[Bill Dog]

For the entire ride home they never spent more than 4 minutes on a subject.

I can think of two possible reasons for this:

1. It might be the producer's/s' fault. If they want a show that's more entertainment than info, or want to cater especially to short attention spans, they'll set it up like this. A host that's not a co-producer might not have much say in the matter, and guest hosts certainly less.
2. It may be that this is what that audience demands. Left-leaning people I know tend to make the mistake of assu

Re:A couple of theories

[bryanthompson]

A couple more reasons:

The network is run by people that don't know the radio business--it's run by comedians and politicians. Radio is a very complicated industry, and every station/network is always on the edge of being a success or a failure, and it could change at any time.

So, they are targeting the same audience they've been trying to target, and they don't seem to have any interest in attracting listeners from the other side, or even 'moderates'. If you want to hear liberal hate speech, anti-

Now why

[Red Warrior]

Would the soldiers in Iraq want to go to Central Park?....

You're right. A stupid idea on many levels. And a second the emotion on Kerry in '08. :-)