Category: News New Format

updated news links from around the world

15,000 attend Southern California tax revolt rally, national media silent

tax revolt poster

We hate the media in general, but we love afternoon talk show hosts John & Ken of KFI radio in L.A. And if the media ignores their popular tax revolt, we’ll give them a hand.

The talk team drew 15,000 people last week to their “Revolt, Recall, Repeal Rally” to protest California’s $50 billion tax increase and to begin recall efforts aimed at the governor and several state legislators. it was covered locally, but did you see any national coverage? Ten NOW protestors on the on the White House steps makes news, but not 15,000 in a tax revolt? Of course, we’re not surprised.

During the rally, DVDs and VHS tapes of Schwarzenegger’s movies were enthusiastically trashed by the crowd. John & Ken provided “The Shredinator” to shred other Schwarzenegger memorabilia.

The KFI hosts also played recordings of Schwartzenegger promising he would never raise taxes, which elicited a loud, angry response from the crowd.

“This has been a complete disaster and it’s time to do something about it,” they said. “He should be apologizing to you and he should be resigning!”

John & Ken are the best talk show hosts in America. If you’ve never heard them rant and rave, check them out at KFI640.com.

Source: 640 KFI and Fullerton Examiner

Wikipedia censors Obama entry, removes scandals and controversies

wikipedia logoSo much for Wikipedia’s credibility. According to WorldNetDaily, the online entry for Barack Obama is quickly and continuously censored to make sure the president appears to be scandal-free.

Obama’s current Wikipedia entry paints a remarkably positive picture of the president. The most controversial parts of his life, including Rev. Jeremiah Wright and terrorist pal Bill Ayers aren’t even mentioned. The controversy regarding Obama’s eligibility to serve as president is also ignored.

To make matters even worse, Wikipedia administrators have quickly deleted any negative comments and suspended those who had the temerity to write them.

How ’bout they just quit beating around the bush and put the fully-censored Obama listing under “F” for “Fearless Leader.”

Source: WorldNetDaily

Liar to hire. Rather is looking for help.

dan_rather_reportsDan Rather says he’s hiring. Can we believe him this time?

HDNet’s “Dan Rather Reports,” a show no one watches, is supposedly looking for more correspondents. We use the word “supposedly” because we’ve learned to be careful when judging the veracity of anything reported by Rather.

“We’re doing an enormous amount of shows—42 a year,” said Wayne Nelson, Rather’s executive producer. “Which is hard for anybody. Dan’s been all over the place, and he’s not stopping.”

Nelson added that bringing in additional correspondents would reduce Rather’s workload and give him time to visit more international hotspots.

What is “Dan Rather Reports” looking for in a new hire? “Give me another Dan Rather,” Nelson said. “I’ll take one of those.

So if there are any 78-year old confirmed liars out there looking for work, call Dan Rather.

He has a job for you.

Source: NY Observer

Democrats threaten future of Christian radio

If the democrats have their way, the ACLU could go after Christain radio shows such as this one.
If the democrats have their way, the ACLU could go after Christain radio shows such as this one.

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, the most rational man in Washington, DC has given an impassioned speech on the floor of the Senate in defense of Christian radio.

“In a straight party-line vote, Democrats chose to adopt Senator Durbin’s Amendment 591, which calls on the FCC to quote, ‘encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership…and to ensure that broadcast station licenses are used in the public interest.’ That’s a quote and essentially it makes an end-run around the Fairness Doctrine.”

“The ACLU and other liberal organizations could attempt to file lawsuits against anyone who presents a message that they deem to be counter to federal localism and diversity regulations,” Inhofe continued. “…the chilling effect that the mere threat of a lawsuit will have on religious broadcasters could be substantial.”

“This legislation is so incredibly vague and so potentially far-reaching that I can’t say with any certainty what the end result will be,” Inhofe said. “This is not good governance and it is not good legislative practice to cede such authority to any agency of our government, specifically when the right to speak freely over the airwaves will most certainly be impacted.”

We don’t think the Democrats really want to outlaw religious broadcasters. We suspect they’d be satisfied if they could merely outlaw about seven of the Ten Commandments, pass legislation that Reverend Wright be given equal time on all current religious broadcasts, and have Obama’s inauguration officially designated as the Second Coming.

Is that too much to ask?

Link: Entire speech by James Inhofe at The Hill

Economy in the sh*tter,
Obama gets advice from Twitter

Here’s the oddest news item of the day.

Evan Williams, CEO of Twitter, is winging his way to Washington, DC today. President Obama has asked him to sit on a panel of “young business leaders” charged with coming up with ideas to solve the economic crisis.

Even Williams understands how silly this is. As he put it in a Twitter message, “Going to the White House tomorrow for a meeting about the economy (which must mean they’re *really* out of ideas). What should I tell them?”

Don’t get us wrong. We love Twitter. We tweet all the time. It’s a great way to keep in touch with friends and like-thinkers. But a lot of people don’t and its economic model is…well…a mystery.

For example, Jon Stewart offered his take on Twitter during a recent “Old Man Stewart Shakes His Fist at …” segment. “I have no idea,” Steward said, “how it works or why it is.”

That being said, we fear Obama is asking Williams for advice because Twitter is built on the same economic model that led to Obama’s “stimulus” plan:

Both have millions of people dependent on them, both are growing at astronomical rates, and neither care how much money they lose.

Link: Daily Show on Twitter

Senator Dick Durbin takes it in the back door

dick_durbinSenator Jim DeMint’s amendment to kill the Fairness Doctrine was pretty straightforward.

But an aide to DeMint said Senator Dick Durbin’s amendment requiring “diversity” in radio ownership will “impose the Fairness Doctrine through the back door by trying to break up radio ownership.”

The Democrats can disguise it, rename it, and repackage it any way they want. But DeMint’s aide called it “an attempt to break up companies like Clear Channel and hurt their syndications and therefore putting many local radio stations out of business that depend on those syndicated shows for revenue.”

The measure passed by a vote of 57-to-41 without a single Republican vote.

Censorship is like the Rasputin. You can poison it, shoot it, stab it, and drown it, but it won’t die as long as Democrats are running the show.

McCain chooses Twitter to reveal Top 10 Porkiest Projects

McCain, a lifelong opponent of earmarks, released his list of the top ten porkiest projects in the Omnibus Spending bill the Congress is about to pass. Did he hold a press conference or release a statement to the press? No, instead, he went to the new media–but not Facebook or Youtube. He choose the new rising star in social media, Twitter. He merely made a tweet yesterday that began with “”Tmr I am gonna tweet the TOP TEN PORKIEST PROJECTS in the Omnibus Spending bill the Congress is about to pass”. And his 110,000 followers were instantly alerted, who in turn most likely passed it on to millions of their followers within minutes.

And today he released them. Here is John McCain’s Top 10 Porkiest Projects list:

#10. $1.7M “for a honey bee factory” in Weslaco, TX

#9. $475,000 to build a parking garage in Provo City, Utah

#8. $200,000 “tattoo removal violence outreach program to could help gang members or others shed visible signs of their past” REALLY?

#7. $300,000 for the Montana World Trade Center – enough said

#6. $1 million for mormon cricket control in Utah – is that the species of cricket or a game played by the brits?

#5. $650,000 for beaver management in North Carolina and Mississippi”

#4. $2.1 million for the Center for Grape Genetics in New York – quick peel me a grape.

#3. $332,000 for the design and construction of a school sidewalk in Franklin, Texas – not enough $ for schools in the stimulus?

#2. $2 million ‘for the promotion of astronomy’ in Hawaii – because nothing says new jobs for average Americans like investing in astronomy”

#1. $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa”

We’re sure the traditional media is aghast at not receiving a call first. Well, they all better sign up and start following the important people on Twitter. Like us at Twitter.com/ihatethemedia.

Source: John McCain’s Twitter page, of course

Bill O’Reilly out, Fred Thompson in

fred_thompson_jeri_kehnBill O’Reilly’s giving up his day job. He’s leaving “The Radio Factor” and passing the baton to Fred Thompson.

Thompson has an incredibly serpentine career path. Actor. Senator from Tennessee. Actor. Presidential candidate. Actor. And now, radio talk show host.

The Washington, DC-based “Fred Thompson Show” will focus on politics and pop culture. He’ll have guests and take phone calls. It will premiere on more than 125 stations March 2.

One one hand, we’re not really sure if the slow talkin’ southerner will be a very compelling radio host. On the other hand, his wife Jeri Kehn is hot.

Good enough for us.

Radio execs willing to do almost anything for a beer

budewiser_friendsIf there’s anyone who could use a nice, cold brewski right now, it’s the poor guys struggling to survive in the radio business. But Budweiser’s not buying a round for the house.

According to Radio Daily News, Budweiser beer, owned by brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, has informed radio stations that they won’t be paid for 120 days after its commercials run.

To make matters worse, Bud also told stations that they must maintain the current level of “value-added” promotions (things like personal appearances, on-air mentions, etc).

A few years ago, radio stations would have laughed at Bud’s draconian conditions. But with advertising revenue rapidly drying up, broadcasters are expected to meekly acquiesce.

Anheuser-Busch is currently under investigation to determine if they “donated” to Al Sharpton’s various “charities.” Our guess is that Sharpton didn’t have to wait for 120 days for his money.

Fairness Doctrine: Senator DeMint tells Dems to put up or shut up

jim_demintThe Obama administration may have said it wouldn’t attempt to revive the Fairness Doctrine, but that’s not enough for Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina. He wants to force Senate Democrats to put up or shut up.

In order to prevent the FCC from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine, DeMint will propose the Broadcaster Freedom Act as an amendment to the D.C. Voting Rights bill.

“I’m glad President Obama finally confirmed his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine, which attacks the right of free speech on talk radio,” DeMint said, “but many Democrats in Congress are still pushing it…now is the time for Congress to take a stand against this kind of censorship. I intend to seek a vote on this amendment next week so every senator is on record: Do you support free speech or do you want to silence voices you disagree with?”

We’d guess DeMint is surely hoping the vote will take place before Al Franken can be seated in the Senate. There’s no shutting that guy up.

Ahmadinejad introduces Iranian Fairness Doctrine

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and those fun-loving Iranian mullahs have re-introduced the Fairness Doctrine in Iran by blocking access to several websites promoting reformist presidential candidate Mohammed Khatami.

Reformists say the move is an attempt by the powerful hard-liners to silence Khatami and weaken his challenge to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the upcoming elections.

Khatami, who tried to open dialogue with the West during his eight years as president, believes his sites are being censored because his candidacy poses a serious threat to the increasingly unpopular Ahmadinejad.

“Censorship? That’s nonsense,” a spokesman for the mullahs said. “We’re just trying to assure that a wide variety of approved voices are heard. And, of course, that divisive moderate voices aren’t heard.”

Via InfidelsAreCool

MSNBC to bolster its line-up with another unknown, unsuccessful talk show host

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0RCJdjUfO4Add a dollop of dementia. A pinch of paranoia. A smidgeon of socialism. Mix it all together into an ideological olio and half-bake at 450 degrees. Voila! You have the next MSNBC primetime host.

Ever since news got out that MSNBC wants to create a new show for its 7:00 p.m. time slot, fans of libtalk radio have been flooding the lefty cable network with unsolicited endorsements of various libtalk hosts

Two fan-based Facebook groups have been founded to promote Cenk Uygur of “The Young Turks” internet radio show and Sam Seder of Air America.

We say either of these guys is perfect for MSNBC. No one’s ever heard of them. No one’s ever listened to them. And no one will ever watch them.

The trifecta!

Democrat senator goes on the radio to promote censoring the radio

Every once in a while, Democratic senators visit their home states just to remind the local folks what arrogance sounds like.

Democract Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico visited his home state recently. While he was there, he went on the air with Jim Villanucci of KKOB Radio in Albuquerque.

“KKOB used to live under the Fairness Doctrine,” Bingaman asserted.

“Yeah,” Villanucci replied. “We played music.”

It was somewhat ironic that Bingaman’s was promoting censorship of the radio while speaking on the radio, but that irony seemed to go right over his head.

Put a fork in another libtalk radio network, it’s done

nova_m_radioThe “On the Air” sign has been turned off for the last time at floundering libtalk network Nova M Radio.

Nova M’s employees remain unpaid for the past two weeks and the company will reportedly seek bankruptcy protection next week. Lunatic talkers Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy had been the network’s two “big” stars. We use the term “big” advisedly, because Malloy’s program was carried by only eleven radio stations.

Nova M was founded by Anita and Sheldon Drobny, the financial wizards who previously founded Air America, another floundering libtalk radio network.

This is like the old joke. How did Sheldon Drobny make a small fortune in talk radio? He started with a large fortune.

Howard Stern jilting satellite, returning to “real” radio?

howard_sternWhen Howard Stern left terrestrial radio for the world of satellites, he was replaced by three different regional hosts. Two of them went down in flames almost immediately, but CBS Radio had high hopes for the third, comedian Adam Carolla.

Had. As in past tense. Formerly. No more.

AllAccess.com, a popular radio news site, reports that affiliates have been notified that Friday will be Carolla’s last day at CBS Radio.

“Yes, there will be a large announcement, Carolla said. “We will do that tomorrow or later today. We’ll play it by ear. You will find me via the webcast. So all you junkies can get a little hit of the Ace Man methadone.”

Rumors have been floating around the radio industry that CBS wants to kiss and make up with Howard Stern, lure him away from the failing satellite radio experiment, and back to “real” radio.

No matter what happens to Stern, we wish good luck to Carolla. We enjoyed his neurotic ramblings.

NOW’s Statement on the Buffalo Beheading


now_beheading_statementNot even a news story, let alone a statement. And no, we didn’t mean buttons. ‘Nuff said.

Can we Digg this one, please?

Quote of the Week:
Republican Congressman Greg Walden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoeeq-BH4whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQfkATCpW3cRepublican Congressman Greg Walden, who once owned a classic rock radio station in Oregon, put the Fairness Doctrine in perfect perspective when he said it’s “the musical equivalent” of “every time we’d play a classic rock song we’d have to play a polka.”

And here, for your entertainment pleasure, are two videos showing you exactly how that would work.

MUST LISTEN: Camille Paglia Trashes “Immature” Democrats for Pushing Return to ‘Fairness Doctrine’

Camille Paglia, noted democrat, dissident feminist, college professor of Humanities and Media Studies, and registered Democrat whose 2000 presidential vote was Ralph Nader, slams her fellow liberals for straying away so far from the free speech ideals of the Democratic Party with their support for the Fairness Doctrine. Forward the link to this article to your democrat representatives.

Axelrod on Fairness Doctrine: “I don’t have an answer for you now.”

Quick Link: On Fox News Sunday today David Axelrod told hold Chris Wallace “I’m going to leave that issue [Fairness Doctrine] to Julius Genachowski, our new head of the FCC, to, and the president, to discuss. So I don’t have an answer for you now.” Read: Axelrod punts on fairness doctrine.

Obama the Musical, starring Joe Biden as the Scarecrow

They say Barack Obama inspired millions around the world. But the inspiration doesn’t stop there. No siree, bob.

“Obama on My Mind,” an Obama-inspired musical, opens at in London in March. Teddy Hayes, a U.S.-born writer, wrote the music and lyrics.

The “humorous romp” takes place in an Obama campaign office, complete with songs that mix pop, gospel, jazz, Motown, and even tango.

Luckily, the producers don’t have to find a singing Commander In Chief look-alike, because the Obama character never appears onstage. “Nobody can really impersonate Obama, can they?” Hayes quipped. “He’s a one-off.”

Our toes are tappin’ already. Oh, wait, that’s just the nervous tic we developed since we heard the details of the “stimulus” plan.

Ed Schultz booted off the radio, lands at Obama press conference

ed_schultz_radioWhen Ed Schultz, floundering left-wing radio host, was booted off the air in Washington, DC yesterday, observers wondered where he would end up next.

The surprising answer? In the front row at President Obama’s press conference.

As if to segregate the unsuccessful and the unattractive in one small area, Schultz was seated next to aesthetically-challenged reporter Helen Thomas. Miffed network correspondents were relegated to the second row.

“What’s the problem,” Helen Thomas thought to herself. “This dough-faced lunatic is just as impartial as I am.”

China demonstrates how the Fairness Doctrine would work

Those wily Chinese always seem to be one step ahead of us lately. Even in implementing the Fairness Doctrine.

A protestor recently tossed a shoe at Chinese premier Wen – in imitation of the Iraqi reporter who hurled a shoe at President Bush – during his speech in England.

Chinese state-run newspapers and websites reported on Wen’s speech but ignored the shoe-throwing. Independent websites that mention the incident appear to have been censored. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that Britain apologized for an incident but never mentioned what what it was apologizing for.

Consider this a preview of American radio after politicians implement the Fairness Doctrine and begin their own favored programming.

Liberal talk radio dies in DC today

Ahh...a breath of fresh air in D.C.
Ahh...it just smells better in D.C.

The air seems a little cleaner in the nation’s capitol today. Lib talk radio is dead in the District of Columbia.

WWRC-AM had marketed itself as “Obama 1260,” proving that the FCC doesn’t consider stupidity to be sufficient grounds for revocation of a broadcast license. The station has now flipped to a business talk/news format.

Losing affiliates is nothing new for Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, Bill Press, Ron Reagan, Rachel Maddow and Lionel. But the loss of the Washington, DC market is a particularly harsh blow for liberal talk radio, because the format is rapidly running out off major markets in which it can be dumped.

Miller, often referred to as the rising star of libtalk, has lost market after market and now retains affiliates in just 11 of the top 50 markets. Like many lib talk stations, WWRC ranked dead last in the Washington, DC ratings, 30th out of 30 stations.

As of today, Miller, Schultz, Press, Reagan, Maddow and Lionel are on the street, where they will presumably organize protests and carry picket signs calling for the re-introduction of the Fairness Doctrine.

Glenn Beck begins “Comrade Update” to honor Fearless Leader

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwgHNtyD54Complete with an animated graphic showing us racing down the road to socialism, Fox host Glenn Beck launched a new feature last night dedicated to the glory of our new Fearless Leader.

“Comrades, good news from the western front,” Beck said, “Our glorious revolution is starting to take hold. Oh, the revolution of change. He just signed in S-Chips and earlier today He spoke out against capitalism.”

“These people may not be taking us down the same road as fascist dictators took the rest of the world on a long time ago,” Beck continued, “but they’re using the same tactics and the same propaganda. Our very country is at stake when people use emergencies to quickly shove down programs down our throats without any discussion.”

If Beck keeps this up, it won’t be long before they start regulating the salaries of talk show hosts.

US Senator, married to Air America exec, wants to bring back Fairness Doctrine

SEnator Debbie Stabenow and husband
Senator Debbie Stabenow and husband Thomas Athans want to kill your choices in Talk Radio

When you’re listening to someone from Washington, DC, what they don’t say is often more important than what they do say.

For example, Democrat Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow says she wants to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. What she doesn’t say is that her husband, Thomas Athans, is the Executive VP of floundering Air America.

“Whether it’s called the Fairness Standard, whether it’s called something else,” she told Bill Press, “I absolutely think it’s time to be bringing accountability to the airwaves.”

When asked if she would push for hearings in the Senate this year, Stabenow said, “I have already had some discussions with colleagues. And, you know, I feel like that’s gonna happen. Yep.”

“A law that would force people to listen to me,” Press thought to himself. “That sure seems a lot easier than having talent.”

Ciick to listen.

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