Any info on when Bill Press enters National Syndication?

Any info yet~Nothing yet at the democracy radio web site where he is on the board|

> Any info yet~Nothing yet at the democracy radio web site
> where he is on the board|
>

There's a whole long thread on this page all about Bill Press. Did you even bother to read it? Too bad you came along too late for "no child left behind."

To Recap From Below...

> There's a whole long thread on this page all about Bill
> Press. Did you even bother to read it? Too bad you came
> along too late for "no child left behind."

Hey, give the guy a break, it's a big thread.

To recap: Both WARF/1350 Akron (his apparent first affiliate) and Press himself say the show starts Monday.

I don't know for sure if it's a Democracy Radio effort...it is being syndicated by Jones, but maybe they're doing this one on their own?

It will also appear on Sirius Satellite Radio. In fact, that may be considered the primary outlet, and the broadcast affiliates may be secondary, at least at the open.

-OA

Re: To Recap From Below...

A very good thread, OA. Once again you are on top of the story. The guy should read it/have read it. And, sorry, I don't cut slack for people who arrive late and then want everyone to stop and bring them up to speed. I put them in a class with people who come on here and ask questions to which they could easily have looked up the answer themselves. But I commend you for your generous spirit.

However, the recap is not the thread. Just as those who read the Cliff Notes or Classic Comics version before a test really don't get Moby Dick.


>
> Hey, give the guy a break, it's a big thread.
>
> To recap: Both WARF/1350 Akron (his apparent first
> affiliate) and Press himself say the show starts Monday.
>
> I don't know for sure if it's a Democracy Radio effort...it
> is being syndicated by Jones, but maybe they're doing this
> one on their own?
>
> It will also appear on Sirius Satellite Radio. In fact,
> that may be considered the primary outlet, and the broadcast
> affiliates may be secondary, at least at the open.
>
> -OA
>

Re: To Recap From Below...

> However, the recap is not the thread. Just as those who
> read the Cliff Notes or Classic Comics version before a test
> really don't get Moby Dick.



Well, I doubt the story of Bill Press' syndication is on a par with "Moby Dick".

BTW, for anyone who cares, I have my little radio recording device set to pick up and record Bill's scheduled first hour tomorrow (later this) morning at 6 AM ET. I'm only recording it because I expect to be sound asleep at 6 AM

I'll report back if he says anything about his show or its future, or other affiliates, etc.

-OA

Bill Press Launch Update

> I'll report back if he says anything about his show or its
> future, or other affiliates, etc.

And it appears for day one of his show, Bill Press was only heard here in Akron via WARF/1350. He even made constant mention of that, treating it like it was a local show.

However, it's my understanding that Sirius comes aboard as soon as NEXT Monday, 6/13, and other affiliates as they're sold. Despite his constant mentions of "Radio Free Ohio" on Day One, the show is structured as a network show, and the other liners and such do not solely mention WARF (still legally WTOU as of this morning).

In fact, this may be one reason they're doing this "dry run", as it were, only for Akron...the station's automation cut off the first few seconds of his returns from break. Maybe 2-5 seconds or so. He was clearly A) not in the studios here and B) being fed to WARF, even as his only current affiliate, via satellite.

Impressions? Bill is pretty much as I remember him, as a talk host fill-in and a panelist on CNN's "Crossfire" (I didn't catch the MSNBC show). He has a co-host/sidekick, Christy Harvey, who is actually in her day job a communications higher-up for the Center for American Progress.

She's appeared on AAR's Al Franken Show, and in this show she apparently takes the role Katherine Lanpher does on Franken's show, except for all that radio formatics stuff. She seems smart enough, but her laugh is VERY, VERY annoying.

There were no calls in hour one, but they also didn't give out a call-in number. I didn't record hours 2 or 3.

-OA

Re: Bill Press Launch Update

I welcome Bill to progressive radio...Christy Harvey is a great, intelligent, and well informed side kick...I wish the show success!


> > I'll report back if he says anything about his show or its
>
> > future, or other affiliates, etc.
>
> And it appears for day one of his show, Bill Press was only
> heard here in Akron via WARF/1350. He even made constant
> mention of that, treating it like it was a local show.
>
> However, it's my understanding that Sirius comes aboard as
> soon as NEXT Monday, 6/13, and other affiliates as they're
> sold. Despite his constant mentions of "Radio Free Ohio" on
> Day One, the show is structured as a network show, and the
> other liners and such do not solely mention WARF (still
> legally WTOU as of this morning).
>
> In fact, this may be one reason they're doing this "dry
> run", as it were, only for Akron...the station's automation
> cut off the first few seconds of his returns from break.
> Maybe 2-5 seconds or so. He was clearly A) not in the
> studios here and B) being fed to WARF, even as his only
> current affiliate, via satellite.
>
> Impressions? Bill is pretty much as I remember him, as a
> talk host fill-in and a panelist on CNN's "Crossfire" (I
> didn't catch the MSNBC show). He has a co-host/sidekick,
> Christy Harvey, who is actually in her day job a
> communications higher-up for the Center for American
> Progress.
>
> She's appeared on AAR's Al Franken Show, and in this show
> she apparently takes the role Katherine Lanpher does on
> Franken's show, except for all that radio formatics stuff.
> She seems smart enough, but her laugh is VERY, VERY
> annoying.
>
> There were no calls in hour one, but they also didn't give
> out a call-in number. I didn't record hours 2 or 3.
>
> -OA
>

Re: Bill Press Launch Update

> I welcome Bill to progressive radio...Christy Harvey is a
> great, intelligent, and well informed side kick...I wish the
> show success!

She really, really needs to work on that laugh, though. It's pretty bad.

It would appear Press is doing the show from her employer, the Center for American Progress...a left-wing think tank in Washington, DC. CAP has an banner ad up right now on AllAccess offering free studio space to talk shows wishing to broadcast from DC.

-OA

Re: Bill Press Launch Update

> > I welcome Bill to progressive radio...Christy Harvey is a
> > great, intelligent, and well informed side kick...I wish
> the
> > show success!
>
> She really, really needs to work on that laugh, though.
> It's pretty bad.
>
> It would appear Press is doing the show from her employer,
> the Center for American Progress...a left-wing think tank in
> Washington, DC. CAP has an banner ad up right now on
> AllAccess offering free studio space to talk shows wishing
> to broadcast from DC.

This and a couple of bumbling comedians... I see great promise for libtalk in morning drive...

Re: Bill Press Launch Update

> This and a couple of bumbling comedians... I see great
> promise for libtalk in morning drive...

I don't see a need for a co-host w/ Bill Press-there are already two left leaning shows at the same time - Sedition/AAR with a comedian - Doug Stephan w/his multiple co-hosts and guests - if Press is the 3rd choice early a.m. maybe it should be just Bill Press + phone in guests and callers although I haven't heard the co-host so I really can only comment based from theoretical considerations but I still wish Bill Press the very, very best

In general I'm not sure of why Press, Franken, Seder, Riley, Stephan, Hartmann's local morning show in Portland and the former unfiltered all need co-hosts - this usually doesn't happen as much with the conservative shows - and there's nothing special or unique about lib talk that it needs co-hosts - and there are plenty of syndicated lib hosts w/o co-hosts with excellent shows and good ratings locally

any ideas for the proliferation of co-hosts w/lib talk?

Liberal Talk Co-Hosts

> any ideas for the proliferation of co-hosts w/lib talk?

Good question.

It may still be too early to see how much of a role Ms. Harvey will play. Monday, at least, she was on the air just as much as Bill was...though it's still the "Bill Press Show" and not "The Bill Press and Christy Harvey Show". She seems like quite a smart person, and may contribute yet, but she was doing the "laughing sidekick" thing WAYYYYY too much on Monday.

It IS early for them, and I'm sure they'll adjust and tweak. Maybe she's dialed back since that first show. I haven't listened to Tuesday's show yet. (I'm recording his hour 1 each day just to see how he handles the transition from his current presence only on 1350 here, to Sirius, and other affiliates. I'm told Sirius could be aboard next Monday.)

It's kind of odd in my eyes, since Press IS an experienced solo radio host (KFI/Los Angeles, numerous solo fill-ins). Notice that the libtalk shows with no co-hosts are those hosted by experienced radio hands? (Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy, Ed Schultz, just to name three.)

-OA

Co-hosts

>
> any ideas for the proliferation of co-hosts w/lib talk?
>

Only on Air America Radio: Jones Radio's hosts do not have co-hosts: Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, and Thom Hartmann. Neither do Lionel (WOR) and Phil Hendrie (Premiere), who are carried on many progressive talk stations.

Why some co-hosts?

Because Air America hired amateurs. Katherine Lanpher has to make sure Al Franken remembers to break for commercials and local cut-aways. Air America's hosts with broadcast experience (Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy) do not have co-hosts. Neither does the host of the show they distribute, who also has broadcast experience (Jerry Springer).

Because others have done it. Not Rush, Hannity et al. But Imus, Howard and Regis have co-hosts both to provoke their rants and to tone them down before they go over the top. Traditional talk radio is talk radio. Progressive talk radio, at least the Air America version, was conceived as entertainment. That's why they hired comedians, not broadcasters. So they operate more on the Imus-Howard-Morning Zoo model.

Proliferation? Now that I think of it, Air America Radio has co-hosts in only two dayparts (of six), dual hosts in one and single hosts in three. Plus five other top national progressive talk shows all have single hosts. And the majority of Air America's "affiliates" do not carry the "Majority Report," so in most markets there is only one progressive talk radio show with a co-host (Franken). One or two out of 11 is less than a "proliferation." And again, those two are the "celebrities" (comedy writer and comedic character actress not broadcasaters) Air America Radio promoted so heavily when they launched.