But, there’s one more factor which does not bode well for most of the lineup at Air America Radio. Their reason for being did not emerge from a will to entertain their listeners.
Foremost in Franken, Garofalo, and Rhodes' sights are the Republicans, the President, and the upcoming election. After some listening, it's painfully clear that entertainment has been subjugated to what is mostly a political safari where anger and resentment overshadows all else.
Certainly, the Air America Radio hosts have a right to espouse their views. But, please: keep me awake.
Take a guy like Rush Limbaugh. Say what you want about his politics but as a compelling host, he is brilliant. Limbaugh worked his way up the Radio ladder and knows that to keep listeners, entertainment is key. And that's not an opinion, that's a fact: he's heard on over 600 radio stations - proof the man is doing something right.
The lesson from Limbaugh is simple. Like a salesman who has to call on many clients, you can’t expect to sell the product before you sell yourself. A great salesman takes the time and finds a way to make his client like him first. Once that’s done, the sale is easy. This is what Limbaugh mastered a long time ago.
If I had been in charge of recruiting hosts for Air America Radio, I would have looked elsewhere. For instance: Tom Leykis. He's funny, irreverant, political poised to the left, confident, and above all he has a successful radio track record. He's easy to like.
The Air America Radio personalities haven't made me like them, yet. If Franken and Garofalo - and even Randi Rhodes - would spew less venom in their pursuit of listeners, they might be surprised to find they could pick up the liberals they seek and even curious or open-minded conservatives as well.
Granted, Limbaugh spits his own poison at times, but there’s always a satirical smile somewhere in his presentation. I don’t get that from Air America Radio. I get anger, resentment, and bitterness. It’s depressing. Somebody send these guys some Zoloft. No wait: send it to me, instead.
Between the dozens of syndicated conservative talk-show hosts and the hundreds of radio stations they are already embedded in, Air America Radio has an upward battle in a war that may already have been lost a long time ago.
