Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Air America Radio / Progressive Media Update

[This is re-printed from our January 22, 2007 WQIDC update]

Air America Radio is now on WWRL, AM1600. The flagship station, however, does not carry all of the network's programming, due to contractual obligations. Those with good computer access should consider streaming the live shows -- see http://www.airamerica.com/ or downloading or podcasting at iTunes. (Some shows, however, are only available to Premium Members -- talk to Kate who is one.) Check out the Scheduling page on the Air America site, but Kate's favorite shows on WWRL are The Rachel Maddow Show (M-F, 6-8 pm), Politically Direct with David Bender (M-F, 8-9 pm), Ring of Fire with Bobby Kennedy Jr and Mike Papantonio (Sat- 5-7 pm; Sunday re-broadcast 4-6 pm, downloadable at http://ringoffireradio.com/shows.asp), Laura Flanders' Radio Nation (Sat, Sun 7-10 pm). State of Belief with Rev. C. Welton Gaddy (Sun 6-7 pm), and The Time is Now with Rev. Jim Forbes (Sat 4-5 pm). (These last two are interfaith and liberal and quite inspiring.) Eco-Talk (9-10 pm) is excellent, too, but one must sleep and some of the topics are pretty heavy. All of these are on WWRL Radio, AM1600.

Thom Hartmann (noon-3 pm), Kate's fav, is only available on the web [in NYC -- unless they play it at some late night time], link at http://www.airamerica.com/thomhartmannpage or at http://www.whiterosesociety.org/ which hosts some other progressive podcasts (check it out), and best-of can be streamed over the weekend (Sat 6-9 am, Sun 10-1 pm).

Cable TV viewers should know about Jon Stewart's Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and Keith Olbermann -- clips of these available on the web at the networks and/or YouTube, and some Olbermann and Bill Moyers at http://www.truthout.org/ (which also hosts some great written stuff, together with http://commondreams.org/ ). For great shows on the Media, check out http://www.fair.org/ 's CounterSpin program archives and Bob McChesney's Media Matters at http://www.will.uiuc.edu/am/mediamatters/ .

Still listenable on WWRL are Sam Seder (9-noon); Al Franken (noon-3pm) and Randi Rhodes (3-6 pm). We've posted this on the WQIDC blog for easy access and so you can give us YOUR thoughts.

UPDATE-Jan. 29, 2007: Air America Radio has announced that Stephen Green, politician Mark Green's real estate brother, has entered into talks to buy AAR. Mark recently did a fabulous job filling in for David Bender and perhaps he will become part of the lineup. Also, AAR announced that Al Franken will be leaving Feb. 14th and that AAR will be putting Thom Hartmann in the noon to 3 pm slot. See the announcement for details.

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Joel Landy writes

Let's not forget Democracy Now with Amy Goodman, Mondays through Fridays on WBAI (99.5 fm) at 9am. Democracy Now is also on WNYC Television (I believe Channel 75 at 7pm).

In addition, I would like you to include Songs of Freedom Television on your media list. It can been seen in Queens this year Monday evenings at 6 pm and Fridays at 1:00 pm on Time Warner Channel 56. Songs of Freedom can also be seen on your computer every Wednesday night at 11pm at www.brooklynx.org/bcat (channel 35/68), and alternate Tuesdays at 8:30pm at http://www.mnn.org/, channel 34.

I have been producing Songs of Freedom since July of 1996, and continue to celebrate the dignity of human struggle featuring activists and artists, their vision and their work.

Thanks, Joel for the excellent reminder to include the incomparable Amy Goodman and our own Joel Landy!!

Saturday, January 20, 2007

House Dems Beat the 100 hours clock

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that that the progressive agenda pushed by the Dems in the first hundred legislative hours was met with much time to spare (42:25:00). Click the title link for more info, but also call Congress at 202.224.3121 to urge that they become even more progressive. Think Universal Health Care and Ending the Occupation: Real peace and true justice in our time.

Please feel free to leave your ideas, ideals and dreams in the comment section: What legislation should be pushed now?