Driving into work today, I listened to Morning Sedition on the Air America radio segment of South Florida's progressive radio (they play Ed Schultz, NOT OF AIR AMERICA). Their guest was a guy who makes documentaries (He did that Fox News expose, among other things). Today, he discussed his upcoming film about Wal*Mart, and their anti-union practices, and all the other things they do that pretty much undermine local economies...well, you know all that I don't have to go into it.
A tiny bit more below the fold...
Here's my thing. AM940 constantly plays a radio spot about one of their Wal*Mart employees, and he goes on and on glowingly about the company. He reminds me of the Horse in Orwell's Animal Farm, whose "go to it" attitude is acutally more detrimental than inspirational.
So, here's my cognitive dissonance. I know that this is a local radio station, and they are in it for the money and all. They are not the Air America network, they are an independent, "progressive" radio format station. I know little about the station, and why they are doing it.
With the Wal*Mart commercial, and the anti-Wal*Mart news, I see the station as simply commodified politics. What's been selling on the right for years and years is now being packaged the same for the left. It gives me the heebie-jeebies more than anything else.
I really love Ed Schultz's stuff, and think Mark and Marc have a good thing going. I've listened ocassionally to Randi Rhodes, too. I find myself agreeing with them almost all of the time, etc...but then on comes that Wal*Mart commercial, and I feel like it's all just a fucking sell-out. It's just all entertainment.
Well, I'm not sure why I'm writing this, but I had to get it off my chest.
Anyone have background as to who owns the station? Should I boycott the station or something? Or shall I just give in and pop into Wal*Mart for their low low prices?
