September 27, 2000

10:54 AM

Talk About Media Bias
While some people complain about "most weblogs' liberal bias" (even though the infamous Drudge gets more web traffic than all the blogs combined), here is one of Hollywood's most liberal corporations (with top execs throwing lotsa bucks at Gore) deciding that the way to succeed at radio in one of the most liberal media markets in America is to fill a talk station with voices that start with Limbaugh and turn right (and frequently cross the line between simple Incorrectness and out-and-out bigotry). Explain THAT in 250 words of less (No TiVos will be awarded).
Link lifted from Pop Culture Junk Mail's Alt-Log, an entertainingly biased medium
posted by wendell (8 comments total)

Strange addendum: here in L.A., word is out that Disney/ABC is going to buy KRLA, the station that, after Disney's KABC took a political right-turn, became a talk station with mostly-liberal ex-KABC hosts, but never got off the ground. In fact, the ratings of the new KABC and KRLA combined have not matched the OLD KABC. (Neither station has any of the highly-rated syndicated talkers - Stern, Rush, Leykis or even Dr. L.) Disney tried running a second L.A. Talk station years ago - even set up a Female-demographic format with a lot of non-Dr.-Laura women hosts, then pulled the plug after six months in favor of "Radio Disney". The fate of KRLA will be interesting... in the same way that car wrecks are.

Yes, I know this is probably of interest to >3 of MeFi's 1600 members, but at least I'm not blogging my own site!
posted by wendell at 11:31 AM on September 27, 2000

Are you familiar with the concept of the troll? So, then, what makes you think that the traditional media are not? I've long suspected that fully half of any foo controversial show's audience is the supposed opposition. There are actually a number of people out there who seem to enjoy getting offended. (Though apparently not as many as Disney had hoped...)
posted by Freakho at 12:50 PM on September 27, 2000

I find tradition media so corrupt I feel greasy all over whenever I hear something about them. That they have a liberal bias is so much of a joke -- all you have to do is look at who owns them. The days of having a liberal show on the air are over. They have been over for a long time and what was left of them (which wasn't much) was swiftly put to an end by the Telecom Act of 1996.

Of course, what we've got is all this talk about ratings: if the liberal shows could get an audience then there'd be more of them, etc. Well, judging by what's available on air, the country's full of right-wing lunatics. I'd say then as far as "ratings" go, that the wrong thing's being measured.
posted by leo at 1:14 PM on September 27, 2000

For those of you in LA, I would recommend "Ask Mr. KABC", weeknights on KABC from 7-10
posted by owillis at 1:48 PM on September 27, 2000

I just want to know what happened to the Jonathan Branmeyer Radio Showgram? Sure it sucked, but it's better than Frosty, Heidi and Loser or whatever.
posted by chaz at 2:44 PM on September 27, 2000

I've listened to Johnny B for ages here in Chicago. He's still on, here, although the station that he's on here pretty much stinks outside of him and Howard Stern (not my cup of tea though.)

Johnny never caught on in LA like he did in the glory days of the 80s here, so the station cut him. Interestingly enough, all traces of JB ever being on FM Talk have been erased. Check the details here (warning: site currently slow). There was massive editing of the LA Showgram, which is also strange.
posted by hijinx at 3:39 PM on September 27, 2000

that sucks. JohnnyB was no allstar but his show has its moments-- it was more original than 95% of talk radio, and i love how he venerates minor characters and not celebrities. Plus he seems genuinely nice, and funny. Oh well. But wait, doesn't he broadcast from LA? Do you know if anyone else plans to pick him up?
posted by chaz at 4:07 PM on September 27, 2000

No one as of yet. He does still broadcast out of LA.
posted by hijinx at 7:25 PM on September 27, 2000