Rachel Maddow: An Out Lesbian Becoming Progressive Media Star!

Rachel Maddow: Progressive Media's Next Mainstream Star

I have to confess that I'm in love with Air America's Rachel Maddow!
She's SMART (Ph D, Rhodes Scholar!), Funny, Entertaining and yes, I think she's hot! And I'm a gay man!
(I need to Ask Dr. Maddow what that means about both of us...)

I can't make it through the day without listening to the podcasts on my iPod, which you can download from iTunes.
Or, since we don't have Air America here anymore :( you can streamline the show online at AirAmerica.com

R.I.P. Progressive Talk 680

What happened to Progressive Talk 680 AM? The Air America affiliate has been on autopilot for a while now, with lots of repetitive filler about "Fun Food Facts" and Memphis history lessons, but no local news, commentaries, etc. except for repetitive and often imbecile "Blue Hotline" comments. Obviously the program director has been unable, for some reason, to get advertisers. Given the fact that Shelby County is a majority Democratic county, and that progressive media like Memphis Flyer don't seem to have a problem getting advertisers, it is hard to see why this station could not get enough advertising. Instead, the station has been airing Cardinal baseball games and other sports programs, and may even become an all sports station.

I have been thinking of many ways to improve the station: have local commentaries from our many local activists and bloggers, have local progressive news, replace the Fun Food Facts fillers with informative short programs like Jim Hightowers Commen Sense Commetaries, better promotion and advertising, and maybe even try another local talk show with a real progressive personality with some connection to the Memphis progressive/liberal communities.

It will be a big loss if we loose Air America and Progressive Talk 680.
It's a shame since we will lose the only Air America radio station in the mdsouth and no longer have Thom Hartmann, The Young Turks, Randi Rhodes, Rachel Maddow and other great progressive talk radio shows to share our airwaves with Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly and company.

UPDATE: Progressive Talk 680 is DEAD, it is now Fox Sports Radio! You can stream Air America online or download the PodCasts for some of the shows on iTunes.
There is also Democracy Now! and Go Left TV
It looks like the progressive/left will have to find ways around the corporate media to make our voices heard, Democracy Now is a good start.

Thom Hartmann Coming to Air America

Hopefully now that Air America has been bought and is coming out of bankruptcy, things will start improving at the progressive/liberal radio network. Conservative critics argue that there is no "market" for liberal radio, but they are wrong, and Thom Hartmann has proved that with the right marketing and station backing, progressive and liberal talk radio can compete against the right-wing big mouths, and even beat them! Thom Hartmann is the best radio talk show in the nation. He has published over a dozen books and is the most knowledgeable person I've heard on the radio. He even invites conservatives, usually libertarians, to discuss issues and he is polite even to them. He is not the scream and yell type, he is a thoughtful, considerate host, and he takes calls for most of his program. He is a great replacement for Al Franken on Air America, and I would argue he is a great improvement that will help Air America build a larger audience. Even thoughtful and intelligent conservatives (there are a few I guess) will like him. He does very well in Seattle and many markets, sometimes beating Rush Limbaugh! (I would love to see those two "debate", but Rush would be no match for Hartmann.) You can hear Thom Hartman on the internet, satellite radio and now Air America (Memphis Progressive Talk 680 AM), weekdays from 11-3 PM I think).