I hadn’t seen this in DKos stream of diaries so presume the avalanche of other news has got most of us busy sorting it out. I recall reading here a number of times laments that conservatives have a lock on AM radio stations. That may be about change a bit in the near term.
It seems hedge fund capitalist George Soros is stepping in to take a $400 Million stake in the Audacy radio network, 40% of the shares, and presumably saved it from bankruptcy. That would be 227 radio stations in 27 states that get a chance to continue operating. Of course conservatives find this shocking and threatening with the election so close. It’s not locked in yet but this seems encouraging to me. The Finance news in Yahoo has the story:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/george-soros-fund-buys-400-165211641.html
To quote the Yahoo story: Given Soros’s history of funding left-leaning Democratic politicians, this alarms the right wing of course. “This influence on the U.S. political system has caused speculation about his control over politicians and elections for many years. Some fear this acquisition could be used as a campaign tool at the local and regional levels or to influence the upcoming 2024 election. The New York Post's article details one conservative voice close to the deal describing the transaction as "scary."
Imagine this — radio stations who are now willing to accept Democratic Party ads, willing to host interviews of Democratic legislators and spokes people, willing to host debates with representatives from the two parties, willing to host shows featuring moderates to left leaning Democratic voices. This could be a great thing for our nation’s “national dialog.” This appears to be the way to beat Reagan’s tossing of the FCC Fairness Doctrine. Strangely, apparently the Kochs or Elon Musk or other conservative billionaires failed to see such opportunities. Radio stations are going through cuts, stations are having to use centrally managed network content to stay afloat, and there have been an exodus of radio “talent.” It’s become a highly formulaic industry catering to a declining but loyal audience.
