tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post113340813674676651..comments2023-12-28T20:28:45.631-05:00Comments on Petty Larseny: Morning SeditionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-74043863470734825822010-10-19T10:44:57.629-05:002010-10-19T10:44:57.629-05:00i like this writing style will stay here if you do...i like this writing style will stay here if you don't mind :)فيس بوكhttp://www.tech-wd.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-7625788612256863662010-08-08T05:11:52.838-05:002010-08-08T05:11:52.838-05:00thanks post!thanks post!alexander mcqueen heelshttp://www.loveshoppingshoes.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-55294442747860977952008-06-25T06:49:00.000-05:002008-06-25T06:49:00.000-05:00Good Job! :)Good Job! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1138236362827068372006-01-25T19:46:00.000-05:002006-01-25T19:46:00.000-05:00I agree with the latest anoymous. I have love for ...I agree with the latest anoymous. I have love for Mark Riley and Rachel Maddow and I'm trying to still listen but...<BR/><BR/>I'd wait to leave my apartment for MS to download. I WOKE UP AT 4 AM for the final show! The 2-hr long Rachel and sadly the 2-hr Riley shows...they get nothing stirred up in me besides sadness, nostalgia, and the occasional uncomfortable shiver when awkward conversation happens.<BR/><BR/>I don't know what to do. MS made me create my own radio show on my campus station and think about getting an internship with MS. Now... who knows.k.barrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17506417383754271213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1137622318637922552006-01-18T17:11:00.000-05:002006-01-18T17:11:00.000-05:00Well, it's been a little over a month now and I ST...Well, it's been a little over a month now and I STILL miss MS every morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1136180397830013532006-01-02T00:39:00.000-05:002006-01-02T00:39:00.000-05:00I just heard about this (been out of the loop) and...I just heard about this (been out of the loop) and I am shocked to hear that Danny Goldberg is involved with AAR on any level. Is AAR committig suicide? That man does for progressiveness what Hillary Clinton does for liberalism: NOTHING.<BR/><BR/>Get him out of there!DMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17250985156512363664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1135244053147828362005-12-22T04:34:00.000-05:002005-12-22T04:34:00.000-05:00I am now in Iraq again and I have to say that the ...I am now in Iraq again and I have to say that the only thing I looked forward to besides going home to my wife and sons was finally getting to podcast MS again. After over 2 months without, I was finally able to download it only to discover that I was listening to the last week ever. I was literally teary-eyed. I have had comrades shot in front of me (Haiti '95) and this moved me every bit as much. I lost more than a favorite show, I lost my buddies.<BR/><BR/>I was filled with a hopeless, helpless rage and sorrow. Have you ever sat, head bowed and eyes wet, so angry that you wanted to scream, but paralyzed by that same rage. I shook after the initial shock wore off and felt a creeping numbness and a cold emptiness in my stomach settle over me. My feet felt like wood and every sound seemed muffled and distant, as if I were alone miles away from my body. I feel this same sick helplessness whenever I see footage from the WTC attack. Something precious was taken from me and now I am alone here in a faraway land where I can no longer find truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134926224742183052005-12-18T12:17:00.000-05:002005-12-18T12:17:00.000-05:00Thank you for telling us the sad, stupid truth. I ...Thank you for telling us the sad, stupid truth. I cannot believe I will not be hearing Marc and Mark tomorrow morning. I, too, will be among the multitude downloading past episodes to play over again.<BR/><BR/>Danny Goldberg was a "suit" in the music business, riding on the talent of the artists, and is still a "suit," with no creativity, vision or, apparently, a sense of humor.<BR/><BR/>Morning Sedition was the future of progressive radio. The show talked about not only politics, but culture; its humor was not only intelligent but often silly and stupid. These guys had their fingers on the pulse of the liberal zeitgeist above and beyond politics.<BR/><BR/>I mourn its passing with not just sadness, but fury. How dare they keep the banal, insipid Jerry Springer?? How is he more worthy than Marc and Mark? <BR/><BR/>I urge all listeners to boycott AAR. Nothing against Rachel Maddow, but I want the ratings to plunge. That's the only way the suits in charge will realize their mistake.<BR/><BR/>Listen up, sheeple!!!<BR/><BR/>karen<BR/><A HREF="http://obstinateeye.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">obstinateeye.blogspot.com</A>karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01409171470143336690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134916193554891392005-12-18T09:29:00.000-05:002005-12-18T09:29:00.000-05:00I departed Stern when MS began and never looked ba...I departed Stern when MS began and never looked back. Many a morning I sat in my car at the curb, late for my first appointment of the day, listening to the brilliant blend of humor and righteous outrage that was MS. <BR/>Now I feel bereft. What a stupid decision. I never thought I'd say it, but David Lee Roth in the morning is starting to sound palatable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134768210932778312005-12-16T16:23:00.000-05:002005-12-16T16:23:00.000-05:00So this was the last MS show this morning. WTF am ...So this was the last MS show this morning. WTF am I gonna listen to now when I'm at work out here in Oregon at 3 am? I guess I'll have to break down and buy an iPod. Why should I even bother to listen to AAR now? To be bombarded with loudmouthed talk show hosts whose opinions I agree with? Borrrring .... MS gave us the gift of laughter as well as insight. What a revolutionary thing for talk radio to do.The only thing I can think of that comes close to MS is Firesign Theater. <BR/>The only comedian who was on the same level as Marc Maron was Richard Prior. That same edgy, walking the tightrope, never know if he's gonna fall, big heart on his sleeve brand of humor.<BR/><BR/>RIP MS. RIP AAR.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134706219155050142005-12-15T23:10:00.000-05:002005-12-15T23:10:00.000-05:00Hello Jonathan! SO GLAD you posted those remarks ...Hello Jonathan! SO GLAD you posted those remarks on the MS site, so we could all find you. I have had trouble getting my MS because the Minnesota station kept pre-empting it. The are totally middle-of the road now, playing Stephanie Miller (ishhhh) and Ed Schultz. I drive by their studio and the sign doesn't even say Air America... So my withdrawal has been long and hard. I have been a lurker on the blog during work, just to keep connected with the best thing ever to hit radio. THANK YOU for your role in this. Right now I'm hearing Marc on MR and I'm smiling again! This has been clever, funny (and I'm also 50 and female. Just the giggling was enough for me)... and fabulous guests. I'm just miserable about this. Hope to hear more about you AND Maron very soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134686429611263542005-12-15T17:40:00.000-05:002005-12-15T17:40:00.000-05:00I would like to throw in my two cents. Yes, the m...I would like to throw in my two cents. Yes, the most stupid media decision ever. And if it is even true that MS's NYC ratings were not high enough, they would have gotten there -- of that I am as certain as one can be and still be on the progressive side of the aisle.... <BR/><BR/>Morning Sedition was a completely new kind of talk radio, I think, really fresh, on the cutting edge. out of the ordinary. It was art. So, okay, maybe there are those folks who had been listening to and participating in talk radio before Air America was born, who might actually prefer to listen to someone like Rachel Maddow (no offense, Rachel) -- because that's what they came looking for, that's what they expected. (And to tell the truth, I know not one of them.)<BR/><BR/>Me, I didn't know what to expect, because I'd not ever listened to "talk radio". But now I have. I've listened to a lot of AAR, and Morning Sedition just blew me away. And it's how I have gotten new listeners hooked, including many who were quite disinclined to even check it out, because they were perfectly happy listening to "Democracy Now" and WBIA. (Hmm, those elusive local market listeners?) But one little taste of Morning Sedition made them AAR junkies, just like me. <BR/><BR/>My point, though, which I seem to be having a bit of trouble making, is that there are millions (maybe just thousands and thousands?) of folks like me, who are not already avid consumers of "talk radio", and thus have never listened to Air America or Morning Sedition, but who, given the opportunity -- which requires that they turn it on for the first time, which would be a new behavior for them, and as such might take a little time to fully develop as a trend -- would become ardent admirers, supporters, and loyal listeners. Who would then put up with the stupid commercials, and even keep AAR tuned in all the time, out of loyalty. <BR/><BR/>There are those of us who find the straight-ahead earnest presentation a little bit over-bearing, maybe somewhat boring; tiresome! (perhaps especially those of us who are, like me, a wee bit humour-challenged and more than a wee bit over-earnest ourselves). Some of us need some effing RELIEF from the nightmare of today's -- what -- situation? reality? Geez, Morning Sedition was so.... welcome! It gave you a lift with really sharp humor that did not insult your intelligence. Au contraire, it turned a little light on in your head! Sort of like good poetry does.<BR/><BR/>Now, what will I do? I used to listen to NPR, to WNYC; I used to read the NY Times; I used to do a lot of things I no longer do. Do I miss them? Let me see: how much would you miss a nasty splinter right in the end of your dominant-hand index finger? <BR/><BR/>I will most certainly miss Marc Maron, and I will also miss Sam and Janeane -- because I will no longer be listening to AAR. I'm going back to good old, comforting music.<BR/><BR/>Marc Maron in Morning Sedition -- I think he created a new performance art form. I hope someone somewhere with some vision will start all over again, with a new station, a new "progressive" talk radio (duh! how progressive?), built around Marc's insanely brilliant, illuminating, inspiring, breath-of-fresh-air approach to today's -- whatever. He set a new standard.<BR/><BR/>No more Marc? How can they? I am sick. Ill. Beside myself. Furious. Distraught. <BR/><BR/>Oh, well, in this day and age, what is one more assault on our silly sensibilities?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134660689017059942005-12-15T10:31:00.000-05:002005-12-15T10:31:00.000-05:00. . . and the winner is ---the tag team of Larsen .... . . and the winner is ---<BR/><BR/>the tag team of Larsen & Champlain!<BR/><BR/>(glad we got that out of the way)<BR/><BR/>I'd like to offer up a different point of view, a paean of sorts to "Clutch" Larson.<BR/><BR/>Clutch, you did for morning radio what Lorne Michaels did for late night TV comedy in '75. As a sophmore in college then, I can remember the tremendous buzz at seeing something so revolutionary, you just knew pop culture would change forever as a result (not to mention the political landscape).<BR/><BR/>It took almost thirty years to get that exact same feeling back again with Morning Sedition. God, what I would give to keep it going . . .<BR/><BR/>But things pass, and memories can be better than their well spring. And I got to share it this time with my two boys. Priceless!<BR/><BR/>You deserve a damn fine & hearty Thank You for what you did, and what remains. Clutch, I'll be looking for you (with Marc?) out there again.<BR/><BR/>Peace, buddy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1134503955997509972005-12-13T14:59:00.000-05:002005-12-13T14:59:00.000-05:00Nothing really popular gets canceled.Nothing really popular gets canceled.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133977393905908262005-12-07T12:43:00.000-05:002005-12-07T12:43:00.000-05:00By way of credentials, I’m a 34-year broadcaster m...By way of credentials, I’m a 34-year broadcaster myself, and have recently plunged into the career description of the dread Broadcast Consultant. Having had AAR on my presets since Day One, I believe I have the perspective, both of a fan and of a designer who knows how the vehicle is built.<BR/><BR/>The first thing we must accept is that the other “Anonymous” has some sort of media involvement. Not to mention an ax to grind, much as Mr. Larsen does. Protests by “Anonymous” to the contrary would be futile, to my ears. I would like to address the broad scope of his remarks about broadcasting in general, as it relates to the cancellation of “Morning Sedition”.<BR/><BR/>AAR started with a weak network which offered its programming to potential affiliates in any form that would ensure clearance for its primary acts, Franken and Rhodes. Affiliates of major networks and program providers more often than not retain their morning drive daypart as their own property, because morning drive demands more dollars for its share point, regardless of how meager that share might be.<BR/><BR/>The caveat is that the show in morning drive must be local; excepting the Stern phenomenon, and a few local “networks” (“Slappy and Wappy and the Alabama Morning Zoo”, etc.), no national morning show has ever made a ratings dent. Yes, there’s Imus; his numbers stink everywhere, but he’s got TV and a big, committed corporation behind his syndication. Believe me… it just doesn’t happen for national morning shows. In general. And usually, the structure is such that it doesn’t matter all that much.<BR/><BR/>I’ve always had a saying that you could have Jesus Christ, giving the cure for cancer in power rotation, on a low-power, zero-share AM radio station with no signal over the metro, and not one dollar for outside advertising… and it will still never pull an audience. “Anonymous” disingenuously fails to point out that the failure of MS is not content-related at all. For all practical purposes, it IS JC in the morning with the cure for cancer. But the company behind it is not, however, committed to total clearance and support during times of lean shares, as it is with Rhodes and Franken.<BR/><BR/>This makes all the difference in the world.<BR/><BR/>I will be the first to acknowledge that radio and TV programmers all too frequently use excuses about the proverbial “lack of promotion”, when apologizing for the failure of a dog program. But 9 times out of 10, adequate promotion is still quite essential, and lack of promotion is still a completely valid problem… something not stipulated in the argument by Anonymous. In this case, promotion for a show with the comparatively low morning drive clearance of MS was critical… and virtually nonexistent. Do not expect MS’ successor to do one iota better, although I’ll wager that you certainly will see more outside visibility, once there’s a morning show in there that the company “likes”.<BR/><BR/>“Anonymous” treats as a given that the show allegedly stunk, thus causing its demise. More weight must necessarily be given to his untold agenda, here (whatever that may be), because as we all know, “stinks” is subjective. Stern, in the eyes of many, “stinks”. But unless you acknowledge that that opinion is subjective, you’d have a hard time explaining Stern’s $500 million Sirius contract and the ensuing publicity. SOMEBODY doesn’t think Stern “stinks”.<BR/><BR/>And unless you’re unusually comfortable with totally ignoring a groundswell of protest, you’d be hard pressed to write Marc Maron’s program off as worthless. As a radio programmer, I can tell you this: it is completely possible (for whatever valid reasons, like the ones I’ve tried to illuminate here) for a radio personality to have crappy ratings, and yet be a cause celebre among the listeners he or she DOES attract.<BR/><BR/>This is a critical point, thoroughly whitewashed by “Anonymous”. In the case of morning radio, it is that listener passion which quite often makes a salable commodity out of a low-rated morning drive program. This is known as the “concept sale”; it’s how come Imus makes a few mil himself and the coffeepots that carry his low-rated show (not to mention his powerhouse New York flagship WFAN… NOT a ratings monster in NYC morning drive!) make decent coin out of the deal.<BR/><BR/>Given MS’ rotten affiliate clearance, the outside promotional invisibility and the resulting lack of numbers, the only thing left that could have made it work would have been aggressive marketing to affiliates and solid support by Air America Radio. That didn’t happen. I’ll let you in on one more reality of this business: corporations program what they LIKE; what they are comfortable with. I don’t want to hear about “research”, either. I have witnessed dozens of situations where a radio group walks in and throws out a successful format or personality, and replaces them with one of their “brands”. Miraculously, these moves are always supported by their “research”. They may or may not do as well or produce as much profit as the original, but they’re happy, and that’s all that counts. <BR/><BR/>And finally, I’d like to echo the comments of earlier posters here, that if Mr. Goldberg has more interest in offering radio listeners an ideologically-diligent course in politics, mixed-into a plethora of dollar-a-holler per inquiry commercials consisting of a high-pitched intern reading “GoToMyPC” copy 12 times an hour; the drawling goober with the same highly-emotional personal endorsement for 100 different financial clients, ending with the 800 phone number repeated three times in a row; and any number of get-rich-quick schemes… then even the most committed of AAR fans are both no longer going to tune-in for not having enough decent programming (the “Cume”), nor will they remain tuned-in for being bombarded by that crap (the “Time Spent Listening”).<BR/><BR/>I am rapidly becoming one of those ex-listeners. Randi and Al are just not worth the effort. This was a subjective move, pure and simple (Goldberg’s prerogative, if wrong-headed), and to classify it as a “business decision” is to belie the fact that Marc Maron was only in the content-producing “business”; the marketing was all Air America’s. They chose not to. Period.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133962961608578352005-12-07T08:42:00.000-05:002005-12-07T08:42:00.000-05:00I live in uber-conservative Grand Rapids Michigan,...I live in uber-conservative Grand Rapids Michigan, so although we do have two and a half talk radio stations, we only have about two hours a day of what MIGHT be considered left leaning radio. <BR/><BR/>I started listening to MS as soon as it was available where I was living before and have listened just about every morning over the web since coming here and I'm saddened by the cancellation. Maron and Riley have gotten better and better over the months and to cancel them now seems like firing the postman after he's sorted his mail, driven to his route and just after he's just started putting letters in boxes. <BR/><BR/>Sure, eventually everyone will get their envelopes, but it'll take a while and during the inevitable lag, people will look elsewhere for ways to communicate... Silly timing if nothing else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133896261428450772005-12-06T14:11:00.000-05:002005-12-06T14:11:00.000-05:00I am also one of the addicted who started listenin...I am also one of the addicted who started listening when my alarm went off at the beginning of the last hour and now get up TWO HOURS early, just to hear the entire show!<BR/><BR/>What impressed me about the show was that it didn't only give me the important news of the day,<BR/>but through the interviews and the humor, it worked on the cultural, political, moral and spiritual significance of current events. Often in the last hour Maron would come up with some pithy phrase or name which would better capture the meaning of a current issue than anything I heard from any writer, blogger, pundit or other broadcaster. MS gave us the news, looked at that news from many angles, did a gut check on it against our own liberal values and put it in a cultural and emotional perspective. It is also the only show on AAR that pokes gentle fun at liberals themselves, exploring our guilt, the tension<BR/>between our idealism and our earthy side, our often uneasy relationship with organized religion our attraction to both revolutionary and weekend brunches, etc. It helped us put ourselves in perspective. I also loved the way the characters and bits grew over time and the wonderful ensemble nature of the show that made the entire cast and crew part of your radio family. The more you listened, the more rewarding the show became. When the ratings of the replacement shows drop lower than those of MS (and they will), will management admit its mistake? I have listened to all the AAR shows since the network came to our town over a year ago and it is clear that MS is the best. I only hope that its demise is temporary - I need this kind of radio.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133881489945282602005-12-06T10:04:00.000-05:002005-12-06T10:04:00.000-05:00MS is awesome! I wake up to it on my alarm clock. ...MS is awesome! I wake up to it on my alarm clock. Mark Riley is a perfect counterbalance to Marc Maron, but everyone is forgetting the magic behind the men. The GUYS Dan Pashman, Kris LoPresto, Brendan McDonald - these guys RULE. The week of Katrina when M&M were out and the guys did the show, was one of my favorite weeks EVER on AAR.<BR/>Clearly, major mistakes are being made by management (just listen to Randi, she bitches about it every day). They are losing the "voice" of AAR, the distinctive style that made it different from NPR and all the crap on the right.<BR/>I used to listen from sun-up to sun-down. I heard Randi and Mike Malloy's first shows, and I was hooked. Now I podcast Rachel, Randi, Morning Sedition, and Mike Malloy - that's it.<BR/>AAR is ABSOLUTELY VITAL! Don't blow it by getting rid of everything that makes it special.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133850474421047832005-12-06T01:27:00.000-05:002005-12-06T01:27:00.000-05:00To Larsen, thanks so much for the post and for bri...To Larsen, thanks so much for the post and for bringing Maron so far so quickly. He really did develop into a unique radio personality; there's no one else like him.<BR/><BR/>And to the unbelievably belligerent and verbose Anonymous poster who has his or her panties in a wad about what's *really* irking Larsen . . . .<BR/><BR/>So Goldberg's genius idea for national programming is Rachel Maddow. Do you actually think that two hours of listening Rachel Maddow reading from last night's Talking Points Cafe and Atrios and Daily Kos is going to compete with local programming? Do you really think that she's going to draw listeners away from NPR? Do you think Howard Stern's abandoned listeners are going to prefer her erudition to Morning Sedition comedy? Yeah, dream on.<BR/><BR/>I love Goldberg apologists. Within 2 years, Goldberg will have you listening to Rush Limbaugh, and you'll think it's okay. The ratings, don't you know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133842980195965662005-12-05T23:23:00.000-05:002005-12-05T23:23:00.000-05:00Thanks for publishing your insider's view. I coul...Thanks for publishing your insider's view. I could never comprehend why Goldberg would cancel a show with such a great outpouring of fan support. The only reasons my spouse and I could figure out were a personality conflict with Maron, or just plain prejudice against comedy. In the age of new media, Arbitron can't be the only determinig factor - how many people stream and podcast this show?<BR/><BR/>I'll sorely miss Maron, I just hope the archives will be up for a while after the show changes over so I can download as many podcasts as possible. I work long, crazy, hours, but I still set my alarm for 6:00 am and listen in and out of REM sleep. While Riley and Maddow are at least up-tempo in their delivery (unlike the morning guy on WBAI - a tranquilizer personified), something about a biting satirical voice is refreshing. The only other host I've heard is Bernie Fleshkin, and his visits to the East Coast are few and far between. <BR/><BR/>I don't get to listen to Randi as much as I'd like - I do enjoy her and Mike Malloy's righteous anger. Franken ... well, he still keeps trying to do TV sketches on the radio - it doesn't quite work without the costuming and makeup when he's trying to have a conversation with Stuart Smalley. <BR/><BR/>I have to agree with everyone else here - I'll still listen to AAR, but I won't be losing any more sleep after 12/16anastasihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10217591770521161411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133820879293593612005-12-05T17:14:00.000-05:002005-12-05T17:14:00.000-05:00Mr. Larsen – you seem reluctant to stick with a po...Mr. Larsen – you seem reluctant to stick with a point of view on this MS cancellation discussion. You take a position, then when you're challenged, you shift. And when you're challenged again on your new position, you shift again. <BR/><BR/>In your original post, your message was clear. If I may crystallize... your main point was that you're upset MS is being canceled, and that you mostly blame the network/Goldberg for the show's demise. I drew this conclusion based on your following comments in your original post: <BR/><BR/>(#1 Larsen Writes) ---> "Danny Goldberg is killing Morning Sedition"<BR/><BR/>That was the TITLE of your post. You assert that the show is being killed by Danny Goldberg. Your clear implication is that the show's demise is because of Danny Goldberg. Because HE'S "killing" it. Your title alone suggests that this "killing" is being DONE TO Morning Sedition – not that the show failed in any way on its own. Your title, alone, is an accusation, as if to say, "My poor show is being murdered by a mean, stupid man."<BR/><BR/>(#2 Larsen Writes) ---> "I told the network I wanted to stay on in some other capacity. My superiors there felt the same way and sought other ways to utilize me. Goldberg, however, had no interest in keeping me, so I was laid off in September."<BR/><BR/>Here, you blame Goldberg for your termination. You claim that other people of importance wanted to keep you, and that it was only because of Goldberg that you were terminated.<BR/><BR/>(#3 Larsen Writes) ---> "When Goldberg arrived at Air America, everyone -- including him -- acknowledged that Morning Sedition had been neglected by the network."<BR/><BR/>Here, you mention your first reason (excuse) as to why MS failed. You write "Morning Sedition had been neglected by the network." Your first reason points the finger at the network.<BR/><BR/>(#4 Larsen Writes) ---> "The biggest strike against us, though, was that we were operating in the most competitive daypart -- morning drive"<BR/><BR/>Ah. Now we have your second reason as to why MS failed. The daypart was too competitive. Again, you're painting MS as a victim not deserving of its fate. You're pointing the finger somewhere other than the show itself.<BR/><BR/>(#5 Larsen Writes) ---> "And no one knew we existed"<BR/><BR/>Here, you blame a lack of promotion. "No one knew we existed."<BR/><BR/>(#6 Larsen Writes) ---> " Sedition usually did relatively okay in the ratings. When it stumbled, there was usually some clear reason for it or it was part of a larger pattern (affecting AAR or talk-radio overall)"<BR/><BR/>Once again, you refuse to let the show itself accept any responsibility. When the ratings "stumbled," you suggest it had nothing to do with the show's ability (or inability) to attract listeners. According to you, there's some OTHER "clear reason" for it. Again, you're blaming anything other than the show. Pointing fingers.<BR/><BR/>(#7 Larsen Writes) ---> "we needed to let people know our show existed"<BR/><BR/>Again, your implication is that the show would have caught on, if only it were better promoted.<BR/><BR/>(#8 Larsen Writes) ---> "the additional staff didn't yield any additional attention for or promotion of the show"<BR/><BR/>Here, you complain again about being let down by the network. Not enough promotion.<BR/><BR/>(#9 Larsen Writes) ---> "The reality is he [Goldberg] dislikes Air America's comedic elements"<BR/><BR/>And now, you advance a conspiracy theory. According to you, of course MS couldn't have been canceled because of its lackluster ratings. Oh, no. It just HAS to be because Goldberg (your villain) "dislikes" the show's comedy. Again, it can't be the fault of the show... it's mean ol' comedy-hating Goldberg.<BR/><BR/>(#10 Larsen Writes) ---> "it's probably only a matter of time until Air America somehow fumbles and lets her [Rachel] slip away."<BR/><BR/>Again, you point your finger at the network. Your implication here is that AAR has proven itself incompetent for not recognizing the brilliance and potential of MS, and therefore will also be stupid enough to let Rachel slip away as well. Again, you're blaming the big, dumb, mean ol' network.<BR/><BR/>(#11 Larsen Writes) ---> "it's a huge disappointment that Goldberg is rejecting the advice of virtually everyone who's weighed in on this issue in order to kill a show that's been provocative, unique, smart, brave, personal, vulnerable, honest and as funny as gallows humor can be."<BR/><BR/>Do I need to say it? I will. Once AGAIN... MS is brilliant and wonderful and great and awesome. Nothing wrong with the show, according to Larsen. It's only being canceled because Goldberg's an idiot. Even you can't run away from this very clear charge (made by you).<BR/>--------------------------------------<BR/>As I've shown, the main point of your original post is crystal clear. The only reason Morning Sedition is being canceled, according to you, is that it wasn't properly promoted, the daypart was too competitive, and Goldberg's too stupid.<BR/><BR/>YOU ASSIGN ZERO BLAME TO MORNING SEDITION. It's all the fault of external forces beyond the show's control – according to YOU.<BR/><BR/>That is what prompted me to write my original post where I chided you for being a stereotypical producer, blaming everyone but himself and his show for its demise. I wrote the following paragraph:<BR/><BR/><< Every time a TV or radio show is canceled, we always hear the same old familiar whining. The producers/stars/fans bitch and moan about "the lack of promotion" and the powers-that-be "not getting it." (I love how "not liking" something always means "not getting it"...but that's another story). Once...just ONCE when a show is canceled, I'd like to hear a producer say, "Well, I guess we just weren't popular enough." Just ONCE in my life I'd like to hear someone admit that. >><BR/><BR/>I also wrote:<BR/><BR/>"...when you get the ax, it's a bit cliche to point fingers at the powers-that-be for lack of attention and promotion. What canceled show HASN'T done that? It would just be refreshing to hear a producer (once) take a little blame for his/her product not catching on."<BR/><BR/>Well, those comments I made clearly annoyed you, because in your FOLLOW-UP POST, you responded:<BR/><BR/>(Larsen Writes) ---> "Also, some posters have suggested that I'm blaming the show's demise on poor promotion."<BR/><BR/>Suggested? Um, Mr. Larsen, please re-read your comments above. Read #5, #7, and #8 -- all words YOU wrote. To save you the trouble of scrolling up, here they are. Your words, from your original post:<BR/><BR/>(#5 Larsen Writes) ---> "And no one knew we existed"<BR/><BR/>(#7 Larsen Writes) ---> "we needed to let people know our show existed"<BR/><BR/>(#8 Larsen Writes) ---> "the additional staff didn't yield any additional attention for or promotion of the show"<BR/><BR/>And you claim I'm SUGGESTING that you're blaming the show's demise (partly) on poor promotion? No, sir. I'm not suggesting it. You did it. Multiple times.<BR/><BR/>In your follow-up post, you write "I'm not blaming low ratings on poor promotion."<BR/><BR/>Yeah, you did (as least partly). Otherwise, why would you have written comments #5, #7, and #8? Why type those words about poor promotion if you didn't feel they were relevant to the demise of MS?<BR/><BR/>Now, you hopefully see why I wrote my original comment in which I chided you for being a stereotypical producer, blaming everyone but himself (and his show) for its demise. <BR/><BR/>Your original post was mostly about you pointing fingers of blame at anyone/anything other than MS itself. But in your FOLLOW-UP post, you claim you weren't really pointing fingers of blame at lack of promotion, a competitive daypart, and a lack of attention. You claim your "real" gripe is that the network lied to you.<BR/><BR/>However, Mr. Larsen, I don't think that sentiment was sincere. I don't think the MAIN thrust of your original post was to point out the dishonesty of AAR (Goldberg). Your MAIN thrust was to complain and whine (in a clichéd manner), and to point fingers, as most producers do when their show gets the ax.<BR/><BR/>And frankly, I think you know I was correct. Which is why you backed off that point and tried to shift to another point, i.e. that the network was dishonest.<BR/><BR/>The truth is, the dishonesty of AAR is about 10% of your gripe. 90% of your gripe is with how it all went down... what YOU feel lead to the cancellation of MS. You can deny my assessment of percentages all you want, but all anyone has to do is read your original post. They'll see I'm quite on target.<BR/><BR/>And to address your most recent point to Phoenix Woman:<BR/><BR/>(Larsen Writes) ---> "the bottom line is that if the problem were that local programming does better, the solution would not be new national programming, would it?"<BR/><BR/>Yes, it would. The fact that local programming does better IS THE PROBLEM. Perhaps Mr. Goldberg's goal is to create new, improved national programming that can BEAT local programming. Or do you feel Goldberg, now that he's canceled MS, should just throw in the towel?<BR/><BR/>Let me make this more simple for you: MS got canceled because (as Phoenix Woman pointed out): "the reason MS got dumped is ratings, pure and simple. The local affiliates' morning shows did so much better in the ratings than MS that it just didn't make sense to continue to screw the locals in the Arbitrons."<BR/><BR/>Mr. Larsen, your response to that reality is laughable. You wrote: "if the problem were that local programming does better, the solution would not be new national programming, would it?"<BR/><BR/>You can't be serious. You MUST be pretending to not get it, because I know you do. GOLDBERG IS TRYING TO CREATE A NATIONAL MORNING SHOW THAT GETS BETTER RATINGS FOR THE LOCAL AFFILIATES THAN THEIR LOCAL PROGRAMMING CAN. I have a hard time believing this didn't occur to you after reading Phoenix Woman's post. <BR/><BR/>Or even simpler: Goldberg wants a national show like MS, but with HIGHER RATINGS.<BR/><BR/>There. Now you know. The sad thing is, all these words, all these 60+ posts... all for nothing. <BR/><BR/>Morning Sedition was canceled because it didn't attract enough viewers. <BR/><BR/>Period, the end.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133802126982733242005-12-05T12:02:00.000-05:002005-12-05T12:02:00.000-05:00Phoenix Woman, I don't doubt what you say at all. ...Phoenix Woman, I don't doubt what you say at all. We were advised early on that the pressure for local programming would be greatest in the mornings. That said, several affiliates -- Madison and Sacramento spring immediately to mind -- really got behind the show and reported doing well with it, particularly after the network finally added local availabilities for traffic and weather. In any case, the bottom line is that if the problem were that local programming does better, the solution would not be new national programming, would it?Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03322566412308789676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133801736416905652005-12-05T11:55:00.000-05:002005-12-05T11:55:00.000-05:00Goldberg is killing the goose and he doesn't even ...Goldberg is killing the goose and he doesn't even realize it. I hope Maron stays on the air somehow - I've grown tired of Randi's rants, Al Franken seems lost on his own, and after morning sedition goes all I'll have is MR. It seems like AAR had one golden year, and now they're determined to commit suicide.missyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02244825802377730693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133794054203136612005-12-05T09:47:00.000-05:002005-12-05T09:47:00.000-05:00One of my e-mail correspondents works at a SoCal A...One of my e-mail correspondents works at a SoCal AAR affiliate. <BR/><BR/>He says that the reason MS got dumped is ratings, pure and simple. The local affiliates' morning shows did so much better in the ratings than MS that it just didn't make sense to continue to screw the locals in the Arbitrons. (Especially since the local stations were demanding the right to have a flexible programming format.)Phoenix Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03184349948344374682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15840532.post-1133789456080974632005-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:002005-12-05T08:30:00.000-05:00I'm going to try to keep my replies to a minimum, ...I'm going to try to keep my replies to a minimum, but I do want to clarify a few things.<BR/><BR/>"You SHOULDN'T believe the network now. Or then. Or ever. Is that what this is really all about to you? The veracity of your network bosses?"<BR/><BR/>No, actually. I didn't think I ever said anything suggesting that's what this was all about, did I?<BR/><BR/>"Do you think it's news, or even out of the ordinary, that a network didn't play it straight with a producer?"<BR/><BR/>In this case, yeah, it was out of the ordinary. For the most part, the network did play it straight with me. For all I know, they did in this case, too. And given that more people have replied and linked to this post than any I've ever posted, this incident would seem to have the greatest, not the least, claim to being news.<BR/><BR/>"No offense, but you sound like an idealistic kid just out of college"<BR/><BR/>None taken!<BR/><BR/>"You seem like a nice guy, so I'm going to help you out by educating you a bit here. Networks LIE THEIR ASSES OFF. Always."<BR/><BR/>That hasn't been my experience.<BR/><BR/>"I think your last post was disingenuous. I don't think that "being lied to" is what you're really upset about."<BR/><BR/>Which dovetails nicely with the fact that I never said it was, don't you think?<BR/><BR/>"I'm sure you'll vigorously disagree, but take a breath and think about it because I'm pretty sure I'm right. I think you're pissed off because you put together a really cool radio talk show, and it didn't (for whatever reason) catch on fast enough to avoid being canceled."<BR/><BR/>You're right.<BR/><BR/>"You're pissed off because you know it's good and Goldberg doesn't. And you're pissed off that he's pulling the plug, and that he has the power to do so. All very fair, valid feelings. But again, I don't think your last post was sincere. I seriously doubt you're all in a tizzy because you "just can't believe" you were lied to by some network douche."<BR/><BR/>I'm glad you doubt that, because I never asserted that was the case.<BR/><BR/>"...I'm not suggesting there isn't some validity to those assessments – I'm saying that you also have to consider the PRODUCT which, obviously, did not attract enough listeners to keep it safe from the swinging ax."<BR/><BR/>That's exactly right. I have, however, considered the product. And we were always considering and re-considering the product as we were making it. We were always struggling to do things better, so I'm certainly now not going to claim that we had found a magic formula. But the show's imperfections are something anyone can judge for themselves upon listening. I was trying to focus on sharing information that wasn't readily available.<BR/><BR/>"You wrote: "If it wasn't true then, why should we believe the network's line now?" Answer: YOU SHOULDN'T."<BR/><BR/>Which was kinda my point, right?<BR/><BR/>"And here's some more free info: they don't give a flying fuck if you believe them now, or ever. They don't care because they're too busy lying to some other producer now."<BR/><BR/>Actually, I think they do care.<BR/><BR/>"And who cares if you believe them now or not? Surely THEY don't."<BR/><BR/>Then why do they bother lying in the first place?<BR/><BR/>"To claim now (59 posts later) that you're upset because you were told things by a network that you feel were "laughably false" is, itself, laughable if you were naive enough to believe them in the first place."<BR/><BR/>Please check my original post, I never claimed that's why I was upset.<BR/><BR/>"Incidentally, I've noticed something about you. When you're challenged, you usually go to your safe place of responding with: "You've missed my point." You might want to cool it with that rebuttal. Often when you accuse people of missing the point, they haven't."<BR/><BR/>Fair enough, but even if you didn't miss the points I made, you do seem to rebut a number of points I never made! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, though, and for giving me the opportunity to address them.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03322566412308789676noreply@blogger.com