Progressive radio censorship

[live love laugh]

I was listening to my local progressive station on Wednesday evening here in Chicago (WCPT). Normally on evening drive time I listen to the Ron Reagan Jr. show but he was on vacay. Filling in for Reagan was Courtney Hazlett who I'd never heard of before now. On Monday and Tuesday, she sounded pretty reasonable but on Wednesday alarm bells went off when she had Joe Scarborough on the show hawking his new book. Scarborough kept talking about how he has criticized Republicans and how both sides need to come together :eyes:.

The first caller after Scarborough finished "selling" called him disingenuous at best. Several other callers followed questioning his integrity. Courtney Hazlett kept explaining Scarborough's "point" long after he had left the air--defending him from criticism. She kept saying that the point was we need to come together as if people should not question Scarborough's history as a right wing shill. I got more and more irritated to the point that I was moved to call the station (getting through on the first ring I might add) to tell the screener that I felt that Hazlett was being an apologist. I was not rude, I just wanted to speak my peace. Obviously the screeners didn't like my comment and so they hung up on me--six times. I persistently called back, I even switched cell phones thinking it was my fault at first. Still after getting an answer and being told by the screener to hold for the host, I was disconnected after a few minutes. Each time, I got immediately through with the phones ringing--as in--no one else was calling BUT me. Finally the producer answered and I told her what happened and she said well we are moving on and you just need to move on.

Chicago is one of the few cities with a free progressive station. Most of the shows on WCPT (Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz) are genuine. It just really upset me that this woman was chosen as Reagan's replacement and that she was on the same network as people like Miller and Schultz. I checked her bio on Wiki and immediately saw that she is a regular on Scarbrough's show. Check out the bio. Oh and Thursday...all of the phones were "down."

Biography

Courtney Hazlett graduated from Franklin Regional High School in 1995, and is a native of Murrysville, Pennsylvania. Hazlett graduated with philosophy degree from Tulane University, and has a master's degree in journalism from The Columbia Journalism School at Columbia University, graduating in 2005.<4>

Career
Before coming to msnbc.com, Courtney Hazlett was employed at OK! Magazine.<5> She regularly appears to discuss her column on the MSNBC show Morning Joe to discuss items in her column, including tips on hot movies and celebrity gossip.

Her credibility as a journalist is currently being questioned for posting an article about Adam Lambert being a "diva" and most likely homosexual. The backlash from the article is based on her questionable use of unnamed sources, which has angered Lambert's large and devoted fan base.

[Mythsaje]

1. And, so...

"Her credibility as a journalist is currently being questioned for posting an article about Adam Lambert being a "diva" and most likely homosexual."

Okay, being a "Diva" can be a pain. But as far as being "most likely homosexual..." SO fucking WHAT? Even if true, it's not NEWS. "Oh, my gawd. This entertainer's GAY."

Again... SO FUCKING WHAT?

She doesn't sound very progressive at all.

[live love laugh]

2. I hope you understand that I was trying to convey that she is not

progressive. She should not have been used as a replacement for Reagan. I hope to find out when he returns why she was chosen by calling again when he is there or writing a letter if a call won't do.

The whole thing just pissed me off is all--her stance, and me being censored.

[Mythsaje]

3. I understand completely...

I'd be pissed too.

People don't listen to Reagan's show to hear more RW bullshit.

[DainBramaged]

4. What to do 1) LIE to the screener, tell them you can't WAIT to get Ho's book

and you are a BIG fan of Hazmat, then blast her as when she picks up. I heard that on the way home the other night, and turned it off. Joe Ho makes me puke.

[live love laugh]

6. You are absolutely right. I'll keep that in mind next time. n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. Mark Green strikes again.

I'd be willing to bet that that Ron didn't have any input in choosing his substitute. (Anyone who remembers the right wing asshat who used to fill in for Mike Malloy on Nova M will know what I'm talking about)

[live love laugh]

9. You are probably right. I hope to find out for sure though I know it's a long shot. nt

[Stevenmarc]

7. OK Magazine, so she does fluff pieces, and now she seems to be fluffing Joe

[live love laugh]

12. Yeah I know. When I read that OK Magazine was part of her resume, it spoke volumes. nt

[Kalyke]

8. Progressive radio's been censored in the South for ages.

That's the reason it's so red down here. It has nothing to do with Nixon's old Southern Strategy or because there are a lot of churches or, heck, even because there are white folks (the South has a higher population of people of color than do Northern states, actually).

The reason the South votes red is because there is no, zilch, nada, none, zero progressive radio shows/stations outside of the already blue Memphis and Atlanta markets.

The vast majority of people here wouldn't know a real Democrat if he/she came up and bit them because they have viewed Democrats through a conservative/Republican filter for at least 20 years.

[tabbycat31]

10. no progressive radio in NJ either

podcasts save the day :-)

[TommyO]

13. Tell me about it!

Mike Malloy is on my iPod for my commute home on the Garden State Parking Lot.

[tabbycat31]

14. is his podcast free?

I'm listening to Thom Hartmann right now.
I have an older car that still has a tape deck, I'm glad my old diskman adapter works for my ipod.

[live love laugh]

11. Chicago only recently got progressive radio and I understand what

it is like to have nothing. It blows.

But what is really disturbing is that even when we are supposed to have progressive radio it seems that we really don't. If it isn't people like Courtney Hazlett hosting shows that mucks it up, it's callers who are akin to DU's trolls on a daily basis that try to distort the progressive message. It's frustrating to say the least.

[taterguy]

15. Radio is not that powerful

You should spend more time reading books and less time listening to the radio

I'd start with that WJ Cash classic The Mind of the South