American Morning
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October 19th, 2009
03:00 PM ET
We Listen – Your comments 10/19/2009
Editor's Note: Carol Costello’s series on talk radio sparked Monday’s American Morning audience to angrily dispute aspects of today’s segment. Some believed the only people who listen to talk radio are other media. Others suggested that talk radio was so popular because broadcast media slanted left before Fox News became the alternative, and that liberal radio was failing due to lack of demand. Those opposed to conservative talk radio believed “What these people have to say is trash… because they cannot think further than their nose.” Another contingent rebuked the “liberal” label for PBS, calling it a moniker from “talk radio,” and not a true reflection of the network.
- Joshua: You just reported that Rush Limbaugh is the 'king' of talk radio with 15 million listeners. My guess is that 14,999,995 of those listeners are people like you in the media and the other five are his wife and children. Why would anyone spend their time listening to talk shows like his when they can get the Cliff Notes version of what they say from CNN?
- Anita: The vast majority of cable and TV news reporters are liberals. The vast majority of news is presented w/ a liberal slant, editorializing is liberal... liberal viewpoints are thrust down the collective American throat. I don't think some of these reporters realize their reporting is so opinionated-but viewers of other persuasions do. Why did talk radio become so popular w/ conservatives, or moderates, for that matter, who are willing to consider both sides? Because when it began, and hooked listeners, FOX wasn't big news & talk radio was the only alternative. ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, most print media, etc. weren't reporting news objectively. If talk radio is too conservative, take it as a backlash to the lack of objectivity in the media preceding it. If liberals don't like it, they should compete. Let the viewers decide. Conservatives are bullies? That's a little insincere. The only bully on the playground for the past few decades has been the liberal media.
- BT: Re: American Morning Show and comments by Carol Costello re "Talk Radio" wherein she stated that the reason people listen to talk radio is b/c it's entertaining. I can't speak for everyone but I wholeheartedly believe that those people would find her statement insulting. I believe most people (like myself) listen b/c it's the only place other than Fox News that we can get the truth. I don't mean to imply CNN lies – but b/c you don't report the entire picture (both sides) it's the same thing. I used to watch CNN most of the time until the year of the presidential election and lost faith in CNN b/ it was so terribly slanted towards Obama thus you did not report all on both sides. CNN almost never presents both sides and by your omissions, I quit watching. I have learned more about our gov't and politicians and the full picture of what's going on – from Fox news and talk radio than I ever did on CNN and your comments that people listen to talk radio b/c it is entertaining was very offensive and insults my intelligence. Just like the "tea parties" – and your comments that they are just a bunch of rebel rousers, etc. No they are people like myself, who happen not to agree with the current political agenda. We want health care reform but w/o government interference. Thank you for the opportunity to send this.
- Eliot: On the show today you stated that NPR is liberal. What […] is wrong with you? Have you heard it, or were you repeating the talk radio line unchallenged? Randi Rhodes is liberal, fine. Only a fool would think NPR is. Please make an on-air correction. Some people believe this stuff.
- Rick: Thank God I do not have to listen to these narrow minded radio talk show hosts. I do listen to PBS and there I get intellectual and intelligent talk. What these people have to say is trash anyhow because they cannot think further than their nose.
- Joy: With regard to liberal radio- only 9% listen but if people enjoyed it there would be greater demand – people listen to what they like – personally I can't stand the negative talk show-liberal or conservative!
How do you feel about “conservative” radio versus “liberal” radio?
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Its all economics. The liberal base is transitionally comprised of largely poor people, while the conservative, as in conserve the money among the few, is made up of the wealthier segments of the population. Economics has taught us that, for society to survive, there needs to be a certain percentage of the population that serve in the lower capacities.
Conservative talk, which is not news, is a form of brainwashing when it is repeated over and over, and furthers idea of keeping wealth and decisions in the hands of a few. It declares that health care, bonus systems and everything that our country is now debating are fine as they are, and we, the general population, need not worry our little brains about it. It furthers the concept of not looking too closely at the greed that the system supports because if we looked, we would see the corruption in the system.
Now I might change my mind if I could afford to fix my radio, but I can't. The corruption in the system has seen to that.
Now retired announcer, I spent my entire life in and around the radio and TV business, so I feel that I can offer something of an "expert" opinion.
The broadcast industry seems to have split into three entirely separate blocks...
"Crude and rude", "honest and slightly boring" such as NPR, and the "radical right-wing inciters".
"Honest and slightly boring" is a very small block compared to the other two... however they pride themselves in the quality of their "facts", and go out of their way to actually be fair and balanced, despite some claims to the contrary.
"Crude and rude" seems to appeal to the younger set who are looking for somewhat outrageous humor and nastiness for entertainment.
The "radical right-wing inciters" often seem to be motivated by profit, but are sometimes actually committed to the beliefs they expound.
Either way, they seem to use all of the old standard psychological manipulation tools to build a loyal and outraged following.
Frankly, I do not believe the right-wing broadcasters' claims that most news people are dreaded "liberals", and feel that they use this old myth to sell their listeners and viewers on the idea that ONLY THEY are the "honest" voices. The paranoids and the most gullible believe it.
The "radical right-wing inciters" standard tools also include the old "It's you and I against the evil world"... and of course the "evil world" seems to be comprised of anyone who doesn't wear their love of God country, family and race in plain sight.
Down through history, it's been this group that have proven to be the most dangerous because when they achieve power, like the Taliban, they tend to impose their beliefs on everyone else.
I have been a life long independent and I have found myself reading and watching several news originations. I could not imagine that as a disabled veteran that I would feel that my country is falling apart but it has. I have been a true public servant almost my whole life. First with the military and now as a Firefighter Paramedic. I feel we have lost our way on so many levels. The biggest one is the lack of true and honest news. President Obama is my president but he is not doing what is best for the country. The stock market is up but the country is down. The people he has placed as advisers show that this strong and wonderful county is being attacked by the left and the majority of the news originations don't care. To think that a Congressman or a Senator think he shouldn't read a bill that will have the impact that the stimulus bill will proves my point. It also shows that most of the news originations do not want to report true and honestly. This one action by our politicians should be cause to remove all in office that voted for it. What a criminal act the they perpetrated on this country.
Your piece on the justice that wouldn't marry the interracial couple contradicted himself on TV. He said he wasn't racist, commented on what he felt racism was (denying rights to a group), then DENIES marriage to these folks because they are interracial. Don't you think this is odd?
As for the school lunch and breakfast piece. They want to fight obesity, yet I have been appalled by the "research" over the last year in regards to this issue. My kids can chow down all afternoon some days and have done so over the years, yet my kids are in their target weight ranges. As I look at the kids at their school, about 80 to 85% of the kids at the school are healthy and in their weight range.
What needs to happen is to take a look at what these overweight children do and their metabolism. Do they go outside and play a few times a week? What do mom and dad let them chow down on? Why do the CDC and other interested organizations need to pass down sweeping reform and policy when they should focus on the root of the problem.
School lunch isn't it as my kids don't eat everything at lunch even if it is something they like. They aren't always as hungry as the food they are given. If a child is allowed to eat whenever they want, mom and dad have pop tarts, Twinkies, cookies, candy and other food with high sugar content and not things to offset it then they will gain weight.
My kids eat sweets, but also eat cheese, meats, crackers, cereal (for snack or dinner), pasta, ramen, cookies, cucumbers, squash, and so on. Parents and children eating habits are what need to be looked at and addressed. So if a school district has 60% overweight children, then maybe there needs to be a meeting as a group to educate these parents.
Don't give in to the kids for snacks, buy only one or two, increase good foods and as the children start to eat more healthy food, they won't miss the sugar as much.
What bothers me the most, is that years ago if you made any threats or hate statements against the President of the United States, it would be a wind storm coming down on you from the Government to investigate your intentions. This is the first time you get to see how these people use race in a reverse role and say a obvious racist statement and reply" I'm racist if I say that right, because he Black". They show no respect and it is the principle that this Barack Obama is your President and you are out o place.
I think too many people get political information from corperate talk show hosts (both conservitive and liberal), who usually bend the truth to gain listeners. I'm an Independant who listens to both conservitive and liberal talk, but I make sure to verify information from fact based web sites before I believe what they say.
The most important issue about Rush Limbaugh right now is not football but rather it is about how so many elected Republicans in Congress fear him and keep on apologizing to him. This is the silent elephant in the room whenever the subject of bipartisanship comes up and it is the main reason why Obama is having such a hard time getting Republican votes on his major legislation.
The "strategy" of demonizing Limbaugh and defining him as the leader of the Republican Party is unsound because it is only giving him more attention which is helping to make him even stronger. In the 2010 election, nobody is going to remember how Limbaugh was demonized in 2009 and they will be voting based on jobs, the economy, foreign policy, and on other important issues.
While I want definitely Obama to succeed, there is always the possibility that his policies could fail on the job market, the economy, health care, and with the wars we are fighting. If Obama's policies fail on any of these issues, then the Republicans could get back power almost by default. If that ever happens and if elected Republicans keep on fearing Limbaugh, then there could be big problems.
This is why Obama needs to try and implement a back door version of The Fairness Doctrine as soon as possible such as "local content," "diversity of ownership," or "public interest" rules while he still has his majorities in Congress and enough political capital to do it. This is the one thing that Rush Limbaugh and his followers truly fear.
Even if Obama eventually loses his case in court, this issue will be tied up for a long time which will put Limbaugh on the defensive and expose to the country how that so many elected Republicans fear Limbaugh. The main reason why they fear him is because they know that Limbaugh and his millions of followers can primary them just like how they did to Arlen Specter if they cross Limbaugh.
As long as Limbaugh stays in his current position of power where so many elected Republicans fear him, then Obama will not be able to unify the country or get that many Republican votes in the short term. In the long term, Limbaugh and his activist base will strongly influence who the next Republican Presidential nominee is which means we could risk having someone with the mindset of Jim DeMint or Michele Bachmann becoming President.
We got very lucky in 2008 that Rush Limbaugh's hand picked Presidential candidate George Allen lost his 2006 Senate race in Virginia which split the rest of the conservative Republican primary vote and allowed McCain to get in with mostly moderate Republican and veteran votes. Limbaugh refused to endorse a candidate even when his callers begged him to. We may not be so lucky the next time!
If Rush Limbaugh is not so powerful, then why do so many prominent and elected Republicans in Congress keep on apologizing to him whenever they upset him such as former Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) when he was in office, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA), and RNC Chairman Michael Steele just to name a few of these Republicans? Can anyone name just one well known elected Republican in Congress who has ever publicly crossed Rush Limbaugh, got Limbaugh upset enough where he called them out by name, and where they did not wind up apologizing to him if they planned to be on the ballot again?
Mitch Dworkin
Dallas, Texas
I only wish sports casters were liberal instead of being so obviously one sided.
I agree that if you want to listen to talk radio and get intelligent conversation, then you should turn your dial to NPR.
On change in pot policy, John Roberts asks the wrong question. Pulling back on the war on drugs IS moving drug policy forward. Pursuing and-marijuana enforcement is a huge waste and a total failure. Marijuana should be legalized, period.
Radio? I am a 30 year old male nurse, and I feel that myself and most of my peers, must push for a more accurate and independent presence in online media. One of my oldest friends, a member of the United States Army, has tried to get me to tune into Liberal AM radio, but the interest and blind faith that's required is just not there on my part. I get sick most mornings with the news... where do I go?
Rush Limbaugh is the last person in the world I would want to listen to on talk radio. The man is ignorant, an Obama-basher, promotes hate and prejudice and his comments are total trash.
Although this is an interesting story. Carol seems to have forgotten to point out that talk radio is NOT THE NEWS! Talk radio is just that talk, punditry. That's all. People that listen to talk radio need to understand that they are not hearing NEWS but OPINION. It's a shame Carol has not stressed this! It's also a shame that those listening can't discern the difference.
Like most corporate media, CNN leans to the Right...Not surprising that you're segment on Talk Radio did as well...Ho hum.
Both seem to work the same way. They are designed to entertain and make you mad. On a daily basis they are bad for your health. Coservative talk radio is way too negative and hateful. What is really pathetic about Liberal talk radio is that they advertise for Conservative talk radio by giving them so much attention. NPR lets you make up your own mind if you have one.
How much time in the segment for conservative viewpoint, how much for liberal, how much for public broadcasting. I rest my case. Please disclose that Carol dated Rush at one time.
I think that people have forgotten how wonderful that Falcon was not in the balloon. It gave us something to watch and talk about at the expense of the Heene family. I think they made a huge mistake thinking that they could do a reality tv show. I have read where they need to be charged to Keep others from thinking they could pull such a stunt. My personal feeling is if this is case the negitive publicity is enough to keep others from attempting such a silly stunt. This clearly was not the outcome that the Heene family wanted. Charging them with that hefty fine is something they will never be able to pay in their lifetime and their children would suffer as a result. Putting them in jail leaves the children in possible foster care. That does not solve a darn thing. Maybe public service of some sort would be the way to go about it. The folks that want them punished seem to forget that they were entertained by this stunt. They have been watching tv to see what was going to come of this. It's a relief to get away from the Kasey Anthony case where a child lost her life. This stunt was a mistake but knowone was harmed. What will we have to watch or talk about? I'd rather see something like this with a good outcome then some of the garbage they talk about week after week.
What to hear 'hate radio?' Listen to Mike Malloy, on of the most hate-filled liberals on the radio for a sample of what hate radio is all about. This report is just another attempt of a scared old media trying a last ditch effort to discredit the new media.
I don't think any of my liberal friends would appreciate me telling them what to listen to & when, I just ask for the same courtesy.
The justice of the peace that wouldn't perform the marraige for the interacial couple needs to check out the history of the time during the time that discusting whites owned slaves.
Does he not understand how some african americans have a lighter complection than others. Dah , could it be that it was ok then for an american man who owned slaves rape a slave girl. So, where does he get off judging interractial marriages. You can't tell me that he is not a racist.
How does a man get a position like his when he brakes the laws of the united states. He should be fired, don't waste time expecting him to step down. He should be ashamed , this day and age. When he mentioned about letting blacks use his bathroom that did it for me. There is no words to describe him other than racist.
Canada