Tab article on Air America Radio

[Daniel Billings]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Halper" <dlh@donnahalper.com>
To: "Daniel Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>
Cc: <bri@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2005 1:24 PM
Subject: Re: Tab article on Air America Radio


> HUH?????  I've listened and watched him off an on, and while he claims to 
> have liberal views, I have never heard him do anything other than inflame 
> his audience over right-wing conservative culture war issues, and he 
> follows the Bush/Republican party line faithfully.

O'Reilly does play to his audience.  But if you listen closely, his real 
views occassionally slip in.  I don't think the guy really believes 
anything.  He is an actor playing a role.  "I'm not a conservative, but I 
play one on TV."

I find both O'Reilly and Sean Hannity to be incredibly shallow.  I don't 
think either ever has an original thought.  They are working off talking 
points written by others, IMHO.

Has anyone watched Lou Dobbs lately?  There is a guy that has seriously gone 
off the wall.  He has turned his show into a platform for his 
anti-immigration and anti-free trade crusade.

> But Dan B is right-- the key is for them to be entertaining.  Keep in mind 
> though, all you friendly right-wingers on this list, that just as the 
> right loves to beat up on its favourite whipping boys and girls (like 
> Hillary and Bill Clinton), so the left too has a large number of 
> frustrated and disillusioned people who want the chance to beat up on Bush 
> or DeLay or whoever.

They key is to be interesting and original.  One of the reason's that Rush 
lasts is that he is both.  He does plenty of bashing, but I also often hear 
him express thoughts and make connections that I do not hear or read 
elsewhere.  I can't say the same about Hannity or O'Reilly.