TP Demands Radio Equality

Think Progress is whining about the fact that over 90% of talk radio is conservative. They don't believe that it was so much the repeal of an unconstitutional Fairness Doctrine, but more that the owners are conservative, therefore, they don't want to hire progressive radio hosts.

That may be true, but how about this suggestion; Maybe the advertisers who keep the radio station operating don't want to be associated with a liberal radio station who portrays big businesses as evil scum that has more money they should, and needs to pay it to the poor.

A perfect example of this...the progressive monster, Air America. A recent internal memo listed many companies who had been blacklisted because they specifically demanded not to have advertisements run on Air America. Some of the companies are Hewitt Packard, Home Depot, Proctor & Gamble, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, JC Penny, Kohl's, and many more. In all there are 90 of the largest companies demanding not to be aired on Air America. This has created between a 5 and 8 Million dollar shortfall in their budget. Oh, and I forgot to mention that almost ALL of Air America's Affiliates are losing listeners.

Radio Equalizer and Political Calculations have more on the downfall of AA from last year. Air America's head station, WLIB is ranked 27th in NYC (7th among AM stations) with only an estimated 130,000 listeners out of the 15 MILLION people over the age of 12 who live in New York City. That's a rating of about 0.9. The leading AM radio station is WABC, a CONSERVATIVE Talk radio station (Home of Sean Hannity) and has a rating of 3.7. Also, in 2006, the average Air America rating was about a 0.9. An estimated 1 million listeners out of almost 100 Million people over the age of 12.


Nobody is listening to you, so nobody wants to pay you to keep you on the air. That's why conservative radio is flourishing, and progressives are sinking fast.