Limbaugh, NPR and Ed

Limbaugh says that he is the balance on AFRN because it carries NPR. He contends that AFRN doesn't need Ed. However, many on the left have noticed a steady shift to the right in NPR since Kenneth Tomlinson (AFOK) was named to CPB’s Board of Directors. Many long time NPR liberal listeners now turn off NPR.

Ed Schultz remarked on his radio program the other day that there is a vast difference between public and commercial radio and television. And he is right! This is something that conservatives like Limbaugh have said for years. So to try make an equal comparison between public and commercial media now is disingenuous.

Ed is the true balance to Limbaugh on AFRN because he's a liberal in the commercial market. Until now, Limbaugh liked to trumpet that liberal talk shows could not flourish in commercial radio. That the only place they could project their ideas was on NPR. They were not, as he liked to say, commercially viable.

Air America, Democracy Radio and Ed Schultz are proving Limbaugh wrong and that's his real rub. Plus Ed is actually in "fly over country" delivering his radio show from North Dakota. Limbaugh broadcasts from New York City or Florida, but says he speaks for the heartland of America. In addition Ed takes his radio show on the road, something Limbaugh rarely does. (Rush on Broadway is not a live radio show) So who's really out of touch?

Limbaugh really doesn't want to go head to head with an equal on the other side of the aisle, a conservative commercial talk radio host vs. a liberal commercial talk radio host. Despite all his "free market" talk he would rather not compete that way.


*AFOK = A friend of Karl (Rove)

Ed protest banner

See also:
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oId=18930
http://christian-dem-in-nc.dailykos.com/story/2005/10/17/152413/97
http://mediamatters.org/archives/search.html?string=Limbaugh
http://mediamatters.org/items/200510190010