We need a second Liberal Network - A call for help.

[benburch]

Friends,

We need a second Liberal Radio Network.

Not only are there far more voices than AAR can present to us, but recent news stories cast doubt on the long term viability of AAR's business model.

What I would like to do is a satellite-only radio network. It would not have nor seek terrestrial broadcast stations, but instead would lease channels on Sirius, XM, and cable feed satellite transponders.

To do this I need people who understand better than I do how to do a business plan and how to raise money.

Are there any people here on DU, out of 44,000 of us, who have a clue as to how to get this done?

I'm really serious about this and would like to get it rolling NOW.

[xultar]

1. How? What can I do?

U WES A!!! U WES A!!!

[benburch]

3. Well...

How are your business plan skills?

Right now, this needs business wonks... People who know how to write a plan and pitch it.

I'm a technical guy, as you may have guessed, and don't have a huge amount of business acumen.

[Imperialism Inc.]

2. Take a look at these web and peer-2-peer streaming solutions.

http://icecast.org/
http://www.shoutcast.com/


How about this. Do your own show.
Read the DU latest breaking news. Follow the links to the stories, read and broacast you reading hehe.

[Imperialism Inc.]

4. By the way. The shoutcast talk radio section is pretty good.

Third on this list,

http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/index.phtml?sgenre=Talk

is an excellent liberal stream. They carry Thom Hartman's show.

[benburch]

5. Yes, I know all about that...

I am affiliated with Radiopower.org and they do just this.

What we need is;

1. Business plan.
2. Investors.
3. Satellite contracts.
4. Programming.
5. Marketing.
6. Operations savvy.

I could do my own show any time. But what we really want it to employ great voices like Mike Malloy, Thom Hartmann, Peter Werbe, Guy James, Ski Anderson and Nancy Skinner, and put them on a real network that actually would make a few dollars once all is paid for.

[loftycity]

6. Get some investors interested and at the same time sell to sponsers.

What about just an internet stream show first? Then go to satellite
radio and then on to radio. I do marketing and sales.

[benburch]

8. Really?

Thom Hartmann needs somebody to sell spots for his show. He can pay a good commission...

Tell him that I referred you if you contact him.

[loftycity]

9. I will give him a call. You have to keep your idea going.

You already have a business model. Follow Air America just indivdualize it. Put your stamp on it. With Air in place it is easy to show an investor that this format of left radio works.
(investors can see who is advertising on AA through listening and the advertising trades)
The media continues to harp that the country is 50/50 hey those investors/sponsers are missing half the country. Most advertisers don't care about politics they care about that 50% that is missing and they want to capture that audience.

[KamaAina]

7. You're right about the voices that are out there.

Plus, they're seasoned radio pros. Franken and (especially) Garofalo could become top personalities over time -- but this crucial election season is one hell of a time for OJT!

Here, then, are a few I've heard, or at least heard of:

Sam Greenfield (WWRL, NYC). Hilarious. Refers to our National Security Adviser as "Condoleezza Rice -- my favorite dish".

Bernie Ward (KGO, SF)

Lynn Cullen (Pittsburgh). Never heard her, but the 'Burghers on DU give her top ratings.

Ed Schultz (Fargo, ND!) Carried on Portland's AA station. Some worry he sounds too much like (gulp) Rush.

But, do enough people get satellite radio to make it worthwhile? Also bear in mind that XM is partially owned by Cheap Channel ("Resistance is futile."); would you be able to get on? Maybe just a few high-powered terrestrial stations, in rural areas, that Cheap Channel hasn't vacuumed up (yet)?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

11. Randi Rhodes, Ed Schultz, and Bernie Ward.

We need to put our resources into getting them syndicated in every market possible. They have the proven talent and we should not take any risks at this time.

Even if Ed sounds like "Oxycontin Rush", it may not be so bad. Maybe Rush's listeners will listen to a Liberal Rush?!?

[belle]

12. XM is, but Sirius isn't, i don't think.

[madrchsod]

10. every local station across the Midwest

has some right wing broadcaster,this is the right wing`s hold on middle America. from the Rockies to Appalachia it`s nothing but the democrats ,liberals,east and west coast blah, blah, blah.. we lost the media many years ago and the democratic party didn`t see it or care. as long as they could count on big urban areas the democrats gave up on the yokels and that was a huge mistake and they wonder why they have lost both the senate and the house. every restaurant,business,nursing home,etc. in the heartland has a radio tuned to some form of right wing crap. it doesn`t take a genius to figure out why we have lost.
aar has two stations across the two thirds of the country and they aren`t going to make a dent out here. aar is delusional if they think they are going to do anything out here unless they can get the small town broadcasters to pick up some of their shows. that will be hard to do but it is worth it if they really want to be an effective voice against the right. we have so many good voices out there that would appeal to middle america and to the station owners and advertisers. we are years behind out here but there is a message the democrats need to get out here-will anyone listen? i have my doubts.

for my fellow il democrats-will obama come out to the bean and cornfields of il? will he stop in at the local donut shop,etc ,etc? will he go to the local farm elevator and talk about the sale of grains to Cuba? this is what needs to be done if we are to take the message from the right wing,if he could do this he maybe the guy who can change peoples minds about how badly bush has damaged this country. local radio,tv,and newspaper coverage is what the democrats need in Illinois