The summer, so far

As the summer season reaches its peak, it seems that news in the media biz has slumped somewhat. Like last summer, there just isn't a whole heck of a lot going on. At least not a whole lot to write about. Meaning that I've been taking a bit of a break (as it often seems like I'm handcuffed to this crazy thing). Now, I'm not saying that I'm about to ditch LTR and venture off into the sunset, but a little break now and then is never a bad thing, right?

I've been keeping busy, doing stuff such as learning how to outdo Maaco on the car with house paint and a roller and how to build a sideways bicycle. Oh, the fun of summer!

In today's fun-filled episode of LTR, I felt it would be a good idea to bring you all up to date on various goings-on across the land.

First off, a breaking news story in the Mike Webb case. KIRO-TV reports that police have arrested a suspect in the murder of the Seattle talk radio host. Scott White, 28, was previously described as a "person of interest" in the case. Police said he was arrested without incident last night. White was allegedly one of the last people to see Webb alive.

Speaking of Seattle, the city's Town Hall was the location last Saturday night for a big standing room only shindig featuring some of the biggest names in liberal talk. Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Mike Malloy, and the Young Turks (Ben Mankiewicz, and Cenk Uygur) were all there at the event, and there weren't even any fights. Just kidding. The event was sponsored by local libtalker KPTK (1090). If you missed it (and I'm sure many of you did), you can catch podcasts of the event at KPTK's website.

Elsewhere, Bob and the gang at Air America Place have been quite busy. As of earlier this week, they are now hosting free archives of just about every single show ever broadcast on Air America Radio. That means you can hear what Randi Rhodes was talking about three years ago. Or listen to long-forgotten shows like "Unfiltered" or "So What Else Is News" with Marty Kaplan, or even old favorites like "Morning Sedition" and Jerry Springer. In short, Air America Premium carries newer shows done in the past month. After that, they go to Air America Place. The shows in the deep archives are free, but if you plan on going on a wild downloading spree, consider flipping them a few bucks, since bandwidth can get a bit expensive. This is all donation-driven, so keep that in mind or it will be gone. You can start exploring the vast Air America archives here.

As stated before, the bandwidth for podcasting costs money. Some sites, such as White Rose Society, rely on donations. Some have sponsor-supported underwriting to cover expenses. Others do it for free (such as Clear Channel and CBS-owned radio stations, which offer a generous amount of podcasts). And others, such as Air America, Nova M and Stephanie Miller, have to charge money in some cases to offset bandwidth costs. Add to the latter Ed Schultz. Podcasts and audio highlights from Schultz' show are from here on out available only to subscribers. The price tag? A mere $5.95 per month. Now, I've never been a fan of charging for podcasts and audio archives, but I do realize that this stuff costs money. One idea would be to offer lower quality files, which take up less space and use less bandwidth. Sure, Mike Malloy's show sounds great at near soundboard quality 128k. But 64k would do the job nearly as well, and use up less space. Nova M does offer a 24k version of the show, which gets the job done and can fit easier on an iPod Nano. Another solution would be the underwriting method, where a sponsor helps to pay for it, in exchange for a commercial at the beginning and/or end. Emmis does this with Jonathan Brandmeier's morning show clips from WLUP in Chicago, and I think it works well. And this way, the audio clips can reach many more ears.

Sadly, ESPN Radio's best on-air host, Dan Patrick, is leaving both the radio and TV sides of the network after a total of 18 years. He currently holds down a three hour afternoon show on the radio end, and still hosts the afternoon version of TV's SportsCenter. Patrick felt that his efforts as of late have not been up to his personal standards, and he's been feeling a bit burned out. He also wants to spend more time with his children. He won't be replacing Bob Barker on The Price Is Right, as had been rumored. In fact, he's signed a new deal with a company called The Content Factory, which will produce various multimedia projects featuring Patrick, including a radio show. The first person to be offered Patrick's ESPN Radio gig was old friend and frequent co-host Keith Olbermann. Olbermann, citing his busy schedule with his main gig, MSNBC's Countdown, declined. He may however resurface on the radio, in the same role as before on Patrick's new show. Patrick's final ESPN Radio show and SportsCenter appearance will be August 17. No word on when his new one will begin. In the meantime, Patrick will still be hawking sub sandwiches.

Speaking of Olbermann, he'll be moderating the AFL-CIO's Democratic Presidential Forum on August 7. Congrats!

Back in May, former Air America Radio VP John Manzo was hired by upstart rival Nova M Radio to be their Chief Operating Officer (COO). And now, he has moved up the corporate food chain to the CEO position. "What took you so long?" quipped Manzo. "Seriously though, what I viewed as a plucky company with exciting potential just a month ago has quickly been shaped into a well-focused organization with a fresh, incredibly sound business strategy going forward." Manzo will continue to oversee all aspects of programming, sales, operations, affiliate relations and web strategy for the Nova M Radio Network and its flagship Phoenix affiliate, KPHX. In addition to Nova M and Air America, Manzo is a 20-year veteran of Saga, Jacor and Clear Channel.

And finally, speaking of Nova M Radio, since news has been traveling slow as of late, LTR failed to notice that nighttime host Mike Malloy celebrated his 65th birthday on July 1. One gift he received was what he referred to as "geezer slippers." Happy belated birthday, Mike.

"Penn Radio" is history

One of the most entertaining and outspoken hours on radio is no more.

Comedian, magician, author, television host and emmy award winner Penn Jillette announced on the air this past Friday that he was bringing his daily CBS Radio show to an end. Penn Radio, which was first launched in January of 2006, aired live from Las Vegas from 2-3PM ET and was heard on various CBS Radio-owned outlets, mostly ones carrying the company's "Free FM" format. Penn Radio especially took off thanks to the popularity of podcasting, as the show's length lent itself well to the format. One fan site even posted mp3 files of every single one of his shows.

There have been various rumors why he decided to leave radio, such as ongoing technical issues related to the show, CBS' desire to expand the show from its one-hour length, and the show's brevity being problematic in clearing affiliates (the show never expanded beyond its eight CBS-owned stations). However, the real reason is Jillette's highly demanding schedule, which includes ongoing TV (as host of NBC's game show Identity and Showtime's brilliant Penn & Teller: Bullshit!) and film projects (most notably "The Aristocrats," perhaps one of the raunchiest movies ever made).

And of course there's that magic act. Jillette and his sidekick Teller appear nightly at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where they have a multi-year performance deal. Nonetheless, neither Jillette nor his radio sidekick Michael Goudeau have completely shut the door on radio in the future.

All in all, Penn Radio was a highly entertaining hour. The show itself was a fast-paced mix of comedy, science, religion, entertainment and politics, via the "nut point of view" perspective of an outspoken libertarian athiest skeptic. He refers to Democrats and Republicans as the "bloods" and "crips." A fellow radio host offered a cash bounty on his life after he said rather tasteless things about Mother Theresa. On the show following Donald Rumsfeld's departure as Secretary of Defense, Jillette invited listeners to call in and tell their "swear-to-god true stories" (a.k.a. truly outlandish) about their experiences hanging out with him. He did likewise prior to the most recent "State of the Union" address. And for awhile he devoted one day a week to stories about interesting encounters with simians, as "Monkey Tuesday" became a popular feature.

Considering that he had no prior experience in hosting a radio show, Jillette proved to be a natural, thanks to his vast experience in magic, television, comedy and even traveling with the circus in his youth. And in one hour increments, he didn't overstay his welcome.

Granted, many reading this are probably wondering what the hell a liberal talk radio blog is doing with a story about Penn Jillette, a man many on the left probably loathe with the intensity of a thousand suns. Many have wondered why I even included a link to his show on this site. The truth is that sometimes we can learn quite a bit listening to people that we don't necessarily agree with. And I felt comfortable in the fact that Jillette really had no sacred cows, aside from the art of juggling. Not many people can effectively tear apart everything and anything, as the norm these days often seems to be pushing some kind of agenda. Regardless, for people who have a rather wicked sense of humor, an open mind and the ability to laugh at themselves, Penn Radio was a pretty entertaining and enlightening way to spend an hour. Even for a Catholic lefty such as myself.

Podcast Picks - 1/16/07

I know, I know. My goal has been to have this thing up over the weekend. Well, things happen and I was bogged down with many other issues over the past few days. In addition, I got pretty burned out on the whole political talk thing. It happens to all of us.

Therefore, I decided to broaden my horizons. To move away from the host-and-a-megaphone thing. I wanted something different. Something that departed from the 'loud voice and a microphone' thing. Something creative. Something with a little music, perhaps.

As the weekend of Martin Luther King Day arrived, by coincidence I discovered a rather intriguing podcast. Years ago, in describing his music, Chuck D of Public Enemy often referred to hip-hop music as "CNN for black people". And since the mid-80's, he's been brilliantly approaching his politically and socially-charged music as just that. Other hip-hop artists told their own stories, from the Afrocentric pride of X-Clan to the socially conscious KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions to Ice T's and N.W.A.'s tales of strife in the ghetto to the New York-centric tales of early rappers such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Nowadays, hip-hop has taken a rather unfortunate turn, as it has become overshadowed by misogyny, violence, vulgarity and materialism. Now, I'm no prude when it comes to anything in music, but one wonders what it is we let our children listen to these days.

Fortunately, the great folks at Voxunion realize this, and have taken to heart the ideas of Chuck D. And they use a key staple of hip-hop's history, the mixtape, to tell their story. FreeMix Radio describe their effort as being a 21st century equivalent to David Walker's Appeal, Ida B. Wells' The Crusader and Robert Williams' Radio Free Dixie. They utilize the mixtape concept as a news and information source, where music and news are packaged for the hip-hop community in a way designed to grab their attention, as they mix stories, news and interviews about the black community in ways no other media outlet can. Stuff you don't hear about in the mainstream media get ample coverage here, such as the violent African conflict diamond trade, how money has corrupted many black politicians, the travesty of the (lack of) response to Hurrican Katrina, the exploitation of inner city youth by military recruiters and human rights abuses in our nation's penal system. And, of course, it's surrounded by music that helps tell the stories. You may not agree with all of it, but it will open your eyes. And the music is powerful, even if you gave up on hip-hop long ago (as I have). All in all, it is damn good, and is highly recommended. In addition to their eight shows that can be downloaded from their site, FreeMix Radio is also distributed freely in stores around Washington, DC and Baltimore. And yes, it does live up to Chuck D's idea of a "black CNN".

In last week's "Podcast Picks," you read about a show called "Best Of The Left," which is essentially a sonic collage that brings together many of the voices you hear on liberal radio and TV. Upstart Radio has something similar, called "Mindwalk." It too is a collage of music and sound (and sound bytes), similar to "Best Of The Left," and presented almost in a magazine format. At a half hour each episode, it also doesn't overstay its welcome. The show also airs on several stations, including Free Radio Santa Cruz, KRFP in Moscow, ID, and others. A recent episode about "Freedom of Speech" includes commentary from Keith Olbermann (blasting Newt Gingrich's ideas about limiting free expression) and graffiti artist Banksy, who's recent claims to fame include painting the West Bank Wall and defacing Paris Hilton CDs. A worthy listen.

Podcast Picks - 1/06/07 (first edition)

We don't listen to audio the same way we used to.

Back in the day, it was strictly radio. Then came tape. Then CD. Then the PC with broadband capability.

And now, the digital media player has changed the way we get our entertainment and information. We no longer have to rely on the radio when we're driving, walking, jogging or commuting. We're much more in control these days. We are the radio station.

Perhaps one of the most notable examples of this is the podcast. Don't like the shows your local stations offer? Well, you can pick and choose. Your station's running Stephanie Miller while you want your Sam Seder? No prob. Or perhaps you just want something different, something your local station doesn't think attracts, say, middle class white females, age 25-45, who live in 'X' county and has 'X' amount of disposable income, and therefore must like to listen to "Delilah" on Lite FM. Had enough of this nonsense? Well, you're not alone.

Now, you're in control. You are the radio station! Even radio stations have realized this, with even stations owned by the biggies including Clear Channel and CBS currently offering podcasts of their radio shows. Sure, it's not live, but do most people call in to shows anyway?

And you don't even need the radio industry. Anyone with the capability to record audio on a computer and convert it to mp3 or other audio format can make their own. And many have. And if you're capable of hearing mp3 files, you're capable of hearing most podcasts.

Of course, with the advent of new media, there's a lot of stuff out there, and sifting through it can be mind-boggling. The purpose of "Podcast Picks" is to try and sift through some of this stuff, spotlight liberal radio shows, non-radio liberal podcasts, and perhaps make a few recommendations, and even suggest non-liberal talk stuff (since we've all got to broaden our horizons, right?). Since weekends are basically down-time at LTR, look for "Podcast Picks" then from here on out.

First off, since there's so much liberal talk material archived all over the web, how 'bout a condensed version? That's the goal of "Best Of The Left". Think of it as the Reader's Digest of liberal talk, without the corny humor. You'll hear snippets from Air America shows, public radio, Pacifica, even mainstream news sources such as CNN and MSNBC. Usually, a theme will tie it all together, such as a recent episode about the documentary "Jesus Camp". All in all, a nice listen backed with some pretty good backing music and professional-quality editing that create a rather interesting pastiche. Check it out.

Mike Malloy has long been very web-friendly. With White Rose Society, he collaborated to make almost every show from the past four years (and even a few early shows) available for download. Thanks to his new syndicator, Nova M Radio, his podcasts are still available and, for the first time, sans commercials. Nova M provides both hi-bitrate (128K) and lo-bitrate (24K) files, with the 128K files also available broken down into three different segments. Nova M's Mike Newcomb also has a similar arrangement for his show. Check it out at Nova M's site, and click the appropriate links to subscribe to the feed of your choice.

"On The Media" is one of the most informative and entertaining shows on NPR. Produced by WNYC in New York, OTM's objective is to show what really goes on in the vast media, showing how they do it and why, and comes complete with a breezy, often humorous presentation. OTM also shows how we take in this media overload. The one-hour show is always entertaining, and definitely a must-listen for those who want to know how it all works and why. This week, the topics are how the media is handling Saddam Hussein's execution and the increasing ways that the internet is becoming a dominant force in our everyday lives, with reports on who controls it, how the spread of municipal WiFi networks will have a major impact, and all about the future internet. You can also check out archived shows via their site and their podcast feed.

Think public radio is silly? Well, the folks at Irrational Public Radio seem to think so. And what they've produced is even sillier, perhaps the most brilliant satire of the genre ever envisioned. Think "The Onion", only more ridiculous. They've been slacking as of late, and haven't added to their handful of shows since this past summer. Nonetheless, they have vowed to return soon. In the meantime, enjoy the brilliance of IPR via their feed.

Did you know that you can listen to Keith Olbermann on the go? Well, you can. MSNBC offers podcast snippets of many of their shows, including "Countdown". So, if you missed Keith's latest special commentary, look no further. Take it with you.

And finally, we here at LTR realize that we cannot live via talk radio alone. We'd go insane, right? We've gotta have music. "Crap From The Past" is an exploration of pop music, as seen through the cut-out bin. Obscurities, long-forgotten one-hit wonders, strange remakes, disposable pop and much more. You might even hear a big hit once in a while. Host Ron "Boogiemonster" Gerber has been doing CFTP for years, and it's currently based at KFAI in Minneapolis. He also has what could be seen as the strangest music collection in the world, if not the absolute coolest. He's the trash collector picking up the disposable pop tossed aside by the fickle masses of America. If it was any kind of hit, it's likely he has it, or has heard of it. Where else will hear Rupert Holmes sing something besides that "Pina Colada Song"? Or ABBA singing "Waterloo" in French (insert Napoleon joke here). Gerber is not afraid to go where many would rather not, and it makes for one of the coolest radio shows ever done. If you have an urge to reminisce about the likes of Gino Vanelli, the Average White Band or Stars on 45, then my sympathies. Nonetheless, CFTP is for you. And every single episode is available for streaming or download, in a variety of formats, thanks to the Internet Archive. Who knew bad music could be so entertaining?

Speaking of the Internet Archive, if you haven't ventured through their audio section, set aside a few hours. Or a few days. You'll need it. The Archive is massive, with a large variety of public domain and artist-approved material. You can hear classic 'books on tape', famous presidential speeches, old-time radio shows, obscure bands, and even live recordings of some of your favorites, as well as many, many bands you've never heard of. If you like Ryan Adams, Billy Bragg, Camper Van Beethoven or Blues Traveler, you'll enjoy the live music section, chock full of user-recorded live shows from taper-friendly artists. If you absolutely, positively must have as much live material from String Cheese Incident or Robyn Hitchcock, the Archive is a good place to find it. And yes, they do have the Grateful Dead. Almost 3,000 shows worth of the Dead. Happy digging, and look for more Podcast Picks next week.

UPDATE: If you're unsure what exactly podcasting is, here's a good article from OpEdNews that explains it all.

New features - just in time for the holidays!

As you peek around this site, you may notice a few additions. Namely, a few show and host links, as well as some funny little orange symbols that look like . What's that, you ask? Well, that little icon is used to denote an available syndication feed. In this case, it denotes a podcast feed link.

The symbols are located next to the names of various hosts and shows to show if there is an RSS/XML feed available. From that feed, you can download podcasts (mp3's) of those particular shows.

So, how does one do this? Well, if you currently have a browser that incorporates XML, RSS or other feed reading (such as Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox 2.0), you're all set. You can also 'copy shortcut' to insert link into your own feed reader or any podcasting program.

Many of you may already use iTunes to download podcasts and shows, and that's fine. I plan on adding iTunes links as well, for people who prefer this method, as well as for shows (such as "Real Time with Bill Maher" or Alex Jones) that seem to be available only through that service. Oh yeah, did you know HBO's excellent "Real Time" is available as an audio podcast? Or even highlights from "Countdown with Keith Olberman"? Well, you do now! Check the links.

There are also some shows that don't provide feeds, or even make programming available to services such as iTunes. Rather, they feature show archives exclusively on their websites. I have those marked with a . You can click on any of those little icons for feeds, sites, etc. Neat, huh?

What about unauthorized feeds, torrents, etc.? Uhh... I won't go there. You're on your own with that. We're trying to be legit here, okay? However, some podcasters do use torrents to spread their shows. Those may be added.

More personalities, shows and podcast-only links have been added to the listings on the right-hand column, with more to come. So far, the list consists of both commercial (Air America, Jones Radio, Nova M, etc.) and non-commercial (Pacifica, NPR, PRI, etc.) radio shows, as well as podcast-only offerings (like the hilarious Irrational Public Radio). The goal is to create as complete a list as possible of liberal talk shows, hosts and podcasts, in addition to other recommended programming that isn't necessarily political in nature (i.e. Penn Jillette, Tom Joyner), but may be of interest to readers of this site.

If you know of any that you feel should be here, or that we just plainly missed, just drop an email. I've tried to keep up with links that have been sent in (thanks to Harry O, Barry Gordon and anyone else I missed for dropping me a note).

So, while other bloggers' 'added features' consist of massive amounts of slow-loading Amazon.com ads, we're giving you more of what you want. Just our way of saying "Happy Holidays".

Nashville radio has been "Liberated(!)"

From Nashville City Paper:

It’s one thing to be on the air. It’s another thing entirely to be profitable.

The founders of Great Minds Productions have quit their day jobs, and are now banking on their ability to do both.

Established Oct. 1, the company is now parent to Liberadio(!) , a liberal talk radio show. Liberadio(!) currently airs on Vanderbilt University’s WRVU (91.1FM) and distributes free podcasts daily. Liberadio(!) also publishes a blog and email newsletter.

“This is a niche,” said Mary Mancini, a local businessperson and political activist who co-founded the company with Freddie O’Connell. “In Nashville and in Middle Tennessee, you are swamped by conservative voices. But conservatives are not the only people who buy things.”

Anecdotal evidence indicates the talk show already has a respectable base of listeners – the show was ranked third most popular in the Nashville Scene Reader’s Poll, and both Mancini and O’Connell have been recognized by strangers who heard their voices and names. Their podcasts have 85 subscribers, in addition to listeners who download podcasts individually.

O’Connell and Mancini left their full-time jobs in September. Their plan is to accumulate sufficient funds to purchase three to six months of broadcast time prepaid at a commercial FM station, then hopefully grow from that point. Liberadio(!) is just one product the company hopes to market. The business partners have their sights set on books and documentaries in coming years.

“We’re at the point where we believe Liberadio(!) is a brand,” O’Connell said. “There are naturally ways to monetize all these content streams. It’s been lucky for us to be on that front edge of where technology is going.”

Currently, O’Connell and Mancini know of no other liberal talk radio show in the Nashville area, with the exception of shows on the low-wattage Radio Free Nashville. The market, they believe, is saturated with conservative voices. More than half of Nashville’s population voted for John Kerry in 2004’s presidential election, indicating an untapped audience.

(read more at City Paper)

Roll your own radio (Podcasting becoming a big hit)

...Just when the mainstream media had finally managed to figure out what blogging was all about, Adam Curry had to go ahead and invent podcasting. A podcast is a radio show that listeners subscribe to online. Every time a new program is posted, it automatically feeds into the subscriber’s computer. From there, the listener zaps it onto a digital music player and hits the road: Think of it as TiVo for your MP3 player. “There’s a lot of great radio out there that I would love to listen to when I am ready for it,” says Curry (Remember him from MTV? The guy who changed hairstyles whenever Jon Bon Jovi changed his?). “Anyone can come and party on my MP3 player.”

(snip)

And podcasting, unlike blogging, has been instantly, if cautiously, recognized by Big Media for its potential. Since its inception just a few months ago, Minnesota Public Radio, Air America, Boston public-radio station WGBH, Public Radio International’s popular “This American Life” and BBC radio, to name a few, have all started their own podcasts. Jon Gordon, host of Minnesota Public Radio's nationally syndicated program “Future Tense,” says his Web traffic doubled in October when he began podcasting. “Listening online, you’re tied to a single location, that’s the big difference,” he says. “This is very portable and you can dump a whole bunch of programs on your iPod and take it with you.” For the moment he says his podcasts include no original content, but he has plans to begin podcasting exclusive tidbits and segments of interviews he couldn’t cram into his five-minute radio spots.



Ooops! Sorry. That's not Adam Curry. This is:





You can check out Curry's audio blog here:

Daily Source Code

And you can do your own thing with lots of great liberal talk shows here:

White Rose Society

And here:

Air America Place