So, over the last few nights, when I have been commuting home from my job, I have been listening to WMAL. WMAL is an AM radio station in the DC area. I also listen during my lunch break and I am shocked at how the station has turned to the very far right.
The WMAL that I see today is nothing like the WMAL that I grew up listening to. WMAL has completely become a right-wing station. More beneath the fold.
When I was growing up WMAL had a more diverse lineup. They always have had Limbaugh, but they also had Bob Levey and Sports Talk. They had a diverse lineup that wasn't dominated by the right.
Then I caught their AM drive time show, hosted by Grandy and Andy. Grandy was once a Republican Congressman from Iowa. While this show has news predominantly, in between news items, Grandy infuses his political views.
Chris Core then comes on the air in the morning, and he is probably the most reasonable of the right-wing hosts. In between these shows Paul Harvey comes on the air to read the news.
Limbaugh runs from 12-3, followed by Sean Hannity. Both shows are filled with right-wing ranting and raving. But the shows that come in the evening--Mark Levine from 6-8 and Chris Plante from 8-10--are the worst.
I was listening last night and Plante was savaging Pelosi and openly saying that she "was giving aid and comfort to the enemy". The callers chimed in stating that "if they pull out or if they don't support the surge, they will attack us here". That show was really off the charts.
Anyway, though, WMAL was once a more moderate station. It surprises me, although it shouldn't, that that type of talk radio has a market here in the DC area.
But right now I am reading the Republican Noise Machine. What I still don't undersatnd is why the Democrats have yet to effective challenge talk radio. While Air America is a start, given its financial problems, it hasn't been that successful. So what is the solution?