Posted on 03/31/2005 2:32:53 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
Left of the Dial, which looks to be a 90-minute documentary that will deliver a glowing tribute to the left wing Air America radio talk show service, will debut Thursday night on HBO. The HBO Web site touted how "a group of investors set out to launch a liberal radio network that would challenge the dominance of America's airwaves by conservative talk radio." A synopsis of the documentary recounted how "in the days before launch, the energy picks up amidst a whirlwind of photo shoots, CNN sound bites, the creation of marketing/PR materials, and delivery of the hot-off-the-presses New York Times Magazine featuring Al Franken on the cover -- a publicity coup and implicit endorsement." In a highly questionable claim, HBO trumpeted how after just a few months, "the New York ratings are unexpectedly high -- Franken beats Rush Limbaugh, and [Randy] Rhodes outpaces right-wing rival Sean Hannity." And HBO celebrated how "with 40 affiliates and counting, the voices of the left are now being heard, loud and clear, from coast to coast."
HBO.com offers this plug for the documentary set to debut tonight (Thursday) at 8pm EST/PST:
"In early 2004, a group of investors set out to launch a liberal radio network that would challenge the dominance of America's airwaves by conservative talk radio. The creative, financial and logistical challenges were immense, but on March 31, Air America Radio became a reality. LEFT OF THE DIAL chronicles the trials and tribulations involved in starting up -- and sustaining -- a nationwide radio network during a highly charged election year."
HBO's page for the documentary: www.hbo.com
An excerpt of HBO's "synopsis" for the program:
Joining the Air America team in New York just 12 days prior to the launch, filmmakers Patrick Farrelly and Kate O'Callaghan follow an eclectic group of people through the launch period and beyond, as they create a slate of shows while facing mismanagement and financial chaos that bring the fledgling network to the brink of collapse.
Offering an intimate look at rehearsals with the celebrated public faces of Air America -- including author-comedian Al Franken, outspoken radio veteran Randi Rhodes, and comedian-actress Janeane Garofalo -- LEFT OF THE DIAL reveals the nervous expectations of investors who staked their careers on the network....
LEFT OF THE DIAL chronicles the birth of signature shows such as "The O'Franken Factor" (later renamed "The Al Franken Show"), "The Randi Rhodes Show," "The Majority Report," hosted by Garofalo and Sam Seder, and "Morning Sedition," hosted by Marc Maron. There are bumps along the way. Maron worries about having enough material to get through the week, while Garofalo and Seders jokingly ponder the best way to receive the news if they get fired.
In the days before launch, the energy picks up amidst a whirlwind of photo shoots, CNN sound bites, the creation of marketing/PR materials, and delivery of the hot-off-the-presses New York Times Magazine featuring Al Franken on the cover - a publicity coup and implicit endorsement....
[O]n Randi Rhodes' inaugural show, she gets into an on-air shouting match with Ralph Nader, who hangs up on her. The radio veteran revels immediately in her newfound broadcast home and her caustic, funny style seem a perfect fit for America's newest radio network. Everyone agrees Day One was an unqualified success, and expectations soar.
However, the next two weeks are marred by a series of glitches. Offering its first live coverage of a media event -- Condoleeza Rice's appearance before the 9/11 Commission -- Air America is on commercial break when her testimony begins. Far worse is a Drudge Report feature about Air America allegedly bouncing checks to its LA and Chicago carrier....
Ironically, as the media exploits this latest fiasco, the on-air hosts find their groove. Rhodes is thrilled to get her own cover story in the Washington Post Magazine and a billboard in Times Square. Maron has worked through his anxieties, as have Garofalo and Seder. The New York ratings are unexpectedly high -- Franken beats Rush Limbaugh, and Rhodes outpaces right-wing rival Sean Hannity. Encouraged, management is able to attract additional investors long enough to keep the venture afloat through November.
In December 2004, a new round of investors brings Air America a measure of financial stability. With 40 affiliates and counting, the voices of the left are now being heard, loud and clear, from coast to coast....
END of Excerpt
For the full synopsis: www.hbo.com
Left of the Dial chronicles the turbulent
early days of the Air America Radio network.
Click on photo for HBO synopsis.
Franken(17 markets) claimed he beat Limbaugh (200 markets) in a April-June 2004 "SURVEY". Franken did beat Rush in only "one" market-NYC. Of course, everyone rushes to an accident, then the crowd dispurses and returns home. If you also take the total market count into consideration, Limbaugh crushed Franken.
I take it this is a fictional docudrama
Rated FBS Fictional Bullsxit
IF WISHES WERE HORSES, BEGGARS WOULD RIDE.
HBO has been spewing leftist propaganda for at least a decade. I stopped watching it long ago.
You can always tell when Air America gets more bad news on their ratings, the MSM comes to their rescue.
Is it Fantasy Day?
Al Franken is a homo who has to resort to picking a fight with the smallish Rich Lowery.
Dork.
I thought Air America's ratings were in the toilet. Success? I think not, however, if the liberal MSM and HBO says so, we Lemmings must believe it is so. (Yeah, right.)
I almost wish I had HBO just to see the show. It should be pretty funny watching them try passing a sow's ear for a silk purse.
It's in the top 1000 whoopie!
HBO link above has a video preview.
They are. There's another AA thread on FR today that details their ratings, which range from non-existent to miserable.
AA is being propped-up by donations of cash from left-wing groups to free puff-pieces by the increasingly nervous MSM. This latest attempt by HBO to blow sunshine up our skirts is indicative of the lengths the left will go to "prove" that lefty radio can "compete" in the marketplace.
Drudge said these clowns look pretty bad in this thing. Especially Randy Rhodes.
If a bullfrog had wings he wouldn't hit his hind end while jumping.
If if's and but's were fruits and nuts, every day would be christmas.
If my aunt had a d**k she'd be my uncle.
Uh, for the record, as a former fellow Twin Citian, Al's a married father of (?) two (?)... Grew up, I'm pretty sure, in the western Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park that was used for part of the set of the movie, "Fargo". About as, you know, straight-up mainstream as you can get, hey.
On the other hand, the character sometimes played on SNL, Stewart Smalley, was over-the-top, lisping "other team" all the way.
Ironically, Matt Drudge wears a fedora and plays a tough-talking regular dude in public appearances, but in his private life, he's all-the-way gay.
Go figure.
Whatever their ideological persuasion, 9 out of 10 randomly selected passersby agreed, "ad homo-nym" arguments, in general, generally suck; no matter who the target is.
Yeah, seems I heard Drudge saying that this is no flattering piece for AA. Guess we'll see. Since I am cheap, I will have to get the play-by-play from FR.
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