Franken Sees Liberal Radio In Spring

[KittyWampus]

By Robert Kahn
STAFF WRITER

December 16, 2003


A nationwide all-liberal radio network where Al Franken would host a three-hour daily gabfest could hit airwaves as early as March, the author and comedian said yesterday.

Franken.... said he's been in talks with a group of venture capitalists for several months. Their plan for the network is "pretty far along," he said.....

"We're playing around with names, but we won't make the announcement until it's the right time," he said. "We want it to be as big as 'We captured Saddam.'"

Franken would not reveal what other talent was associated with the project. He is not yet under contract to host a show.

But he said the time was right for an effort that analyzes daily news events with a strong liberal bias, because there is no strong counterpart to the nationally telecast opinions of commentators such as Rush Limbaugh.

"And if I do this radio show, I'm going to try to do it drug-free," he added, taking a crack at the Florida-based talker, who recently spent time in rehab being treated for an addiction to painkillers.

http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/ny-etal3585716dec16,0,1153274.story?coll=ny-news-print

[Unity]

1. Nationwide? Does that mean more stations than the five previously...

announced?

Well, whatever they can get going is a plus. Please make it happen, and thanks for the effort.

[osaMABUSh]

2. What are they waiting for?

I've heard so much talk about liberal radio or network. Get on with it. We need to work very hard to defeat Bush in November.

Right now, the Saddam capture has bolstered *'s election chances. We need a lot of help focusing America on what matters.

[Fixated]

3. Even if it falls apart....

that probably won't happen before November. It's a good investment.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Said he was going to try and do his show drug free too. Hear that Rush? nt

[jeanmarc]

5. "And if I do this radio show, I'm going to try to do it drug-free," LOLnt

[formactv]

6. This is the best news

we could have. In the long run, this will matter.

[Khephra]

7. If it's not webcast then it will hardly make a dent

in this next election. I hope to hell they're tech-savy enough to know that.

[KittyWampus]

10. Is There A Way To Contact Franken And Let Him Know This?

:shrug: I would take Kephra's comment as good advice...

[Ernesto]

11. I'm sure they must know this

[Sweetpea]

8. It may have trouble

if they "capture" Bin laden too.

[Snellius]

9. Great news! Our enemy is not so much the right. It's the media

It's becoming increasingly clear that the real problem in removing Bush is not so much the political right -- in fact, important conservative elements, on a variety of issues (fiscal responsibility, preemptive adventurism, freedom of info and speech, civil liberties, cronyism and corruption, etc.) are growing less tolerant of the administration's excuses -- see Saffire in the Times today. The real enemy is the media, especially the cooptation of journalism into entertainment, that has become a voluntary authoritarian myth machine.