An Anthology of the Best Political Opinion and Commentary
From the Progressive Internet -- www.crisispapers.org
The Anti-Rush:
Liberal Talk Radio, Featuring "Air America"
At long last, the progressives are fighting back and challenging the right-wing domination of the airwaves.
"Air America Radio" features Al Franken, Jeneane Garofalo, Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy, Jerry Springer, Chuck D, Laura Flanders, Robert Kennedy, Jr., to name just a few. Equally impressive are the guests: John Kerry, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Richard Clarke, John Dean, Paul Krugman, Robert Reich, and many more.
We've listened to many hours of Air America, and our primary complaint is that it is keeping us from our work -- hard to tune out. See for yourselves!
"AAR" was launched on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 on six AM stations. Now (July, 2005) there are more than fifty. Even so, isn't much of the US, not to mention areas beyond our borders, outside of the range of AAR?
No Way! Air America can be accessed anywhere with through the internet, and through Sirius satellite radio -- which, of course, means anywhere!
We urge you to tune in and, much more, to support the sponsors, since Air America, as a commercial venture, lives or dies on ratings and sponsor support. Jot down the sponsors and contact them.
Here's how you find Air America on the internet and, if you are within reach of a signal, on your radio.
Log on to www.airamericaradio.com. There you will find a listing of the stations -- call letters and frequencies -- and instructions for accessing the programs via the internet. This website also provides a program schedule.
Our preferred internet access is Air America Rado Place, where you can download, listen, and perchance record your favorite Air America programs at your convenience by logging on to the archives.
Of course, you will need an audio player and loudspeakers -- standard equipment for most computers. Speakers are available from Radio Shack or Best Buy for less than $20 on up, or you can connect your computer's audio outlet to the "AUX" tap in your Hi Fi amplifier. If you have a cassette recorded attached to your amplifier, this latter method has the added advantage of allowing you to tape the programs, which you can then listen to in your car.
An audio program, "Windows Media Player," comes with most Windows operating systems. (You will find it under Programs/Accessories/Entertainment). In addition, free downloads of RealOne Player and Apple QuickTime Player are available.
Another outstanding gateway to progressive talk radio is The White Rose Society which has tremungous archives of liberal/progressive programs by such notables as Thom Hartman, Peter Werbe, Enid Golstein, Guy James and Mark Levine. These too can be downloaded for listening and recording at your convenience.
The progressive website "Make Them Accountable" has an extensive list of liberal talk shows on its page: "Unconservative Listening," though these are not directly linked to the audio streams. The page also includes novice-friendly instructions on getting started with internet radio, recording programs, etc. (And by the way, http://makethemaccountable.com happens to be one of our favorite sources of progressive news and opinion. We visit it every day. Highly recommended).
Not much to report about progressive TV. The best, and virtually only, liberal outlet is Free Speech TV, inconspicuously placed in the broadcast boondocks, Ch. 9415 Dish Network. The highlight FSTV program is Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now," which is accessible at your convenience on the internet at www.democracynow.org. Democracy Now is also on DIrecTV, Channel 375. Now and then you might catch a liberal author, celebrity or conference on CSPAN. On the networks, about all we have is David Broncacio's "Now" and occasionally "Frontline" Fridays on PBS. (How we miss Bill Moyers!).
There is an urgent need for a progressive cable news station -- so far unfulfilled. How about it, George Soros, and all you "decadent Hollywood liberals"?
