The Young Turks are the New Morning Show for Air America

This is the blog I wrote about the move to Air America on Huffington Post today. For those of you who still have more questions, we will try to answer them as we go. And we are considering having a quick question and answer period open to everyone at the end of our first show on Monday, Sept. 18th, at 9AM Eastern, on this website.

It's a new day in America, Air America. The Young Turks are proud to join the Air America Radio network as their morning drive program all across the country.

We will not be targeting conservative talk shows. That's way too easy. They're ancient, decrepit dinosaurs that would fall of their own weight with or without us. Our goal is to be number one in every market we're in. So, our new target is whichever radio show happens to be holding our spot atop the radio ratings in our new markets.

We are very aggressive and we will take the fight to our opponents. This is not about treading water, this is about winning. So, all of the people who ever wrote a negative story about Air America - we are out to prove you wrong. If you want to take that as a direct challenge, be my guest.

I love the conservatives who say all of Hollywood is liberal and that liberals can't be entertaining on air. As always, what I find to be more pathetic are the people who buy into those ridiculously contradictory talking points.

I am positive we will upset many people. We are not even remotely politically correct, so we will definitely ruffle the feathers of some liberals (check out my last post about how Islam is not a religion of peace). Republicans will hate us because we are going to kick their ass on a daily basis (though some real conservatives might appreciate some of our stands). Whoever is still a Republican and defending this administration is either morally or intellectually bankrupt.

Now, on top of all this, we try to do a fun show. We're going to talk about sex - yes, FCC, I said sex! If you endanger a coal miner's life, the fine is $60. If you say one so-called dirty word on air, the fine is over $500,000. There's something fucked up about that. Those aren't American values. Those are the values of a sick culture that cares more about religious dogma than people's lives. Where's Jesus to throw the money changers out of the temple and chastise the false prophets when we need him?

Quick aside: Would Jesus be in favor of preemptive strikes? Republicans pretending to be Christians crack me up. Yes, Jesus wants you to nuke the Arabs. If they'll believe that, they'll believe anything!

We will, from time to time, talk about entertainment news and pop culture. Some listeners get all cranky about that because they think we should be saving the world with every minute of our show. To those people, I have this message: Just calm down. You're at a 10 and I need you at a 2. Believe me, there's plenty of time to kick these Republicans around - they make it so easy on us. A lot of times, we just need a good laugh.

To clarify, our show will not save the world. But it can save you the pain of listening to awful morning shows as you drive in to work everyday. No matter what happens on The Young Turks, you're not going to think, "Well, I could have heard that somewhere else."

We were the first talk show Sirius Satellite Radio ever had. We were the first liberal show to go nationwide (even before our new friends at Air America). We were the first show to do a live, video program everyday on the internet. We don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk. If something needs doing, we flat out do it.

Quick note to our loyal Sirius listeners: We love you guys and we want to do everything we can to keep you with us. That is one of the reasons we built our internet TV show. You can still hear and see the show everyday on the internet at www.theyoungturks.com. We also loop it for 24 hours so that you can watch it whenever it is convenient for you.

It's been a long run with Sirius and they had the courage to put us on when every other station was firing anyone who was against the Iraq War. They exemplified the creative and independent spirit of satellite radio. Now, that is the same spirit we hope to bring to Air America Radio!

First show is on Monday morning, Sept. 18th, 6-9AM ET on your local Air America station, on XM Satellite Radio and on www.theyoungturks.com. Can't wait to see you there.

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Guess it is "goodbye" to TYT for me.  My area doesn't have an AAR station, and I'm not looking to move over to XM.  On top of that, the broadcast time doesn't really match my schedule.  There is always the reruns on the Net, but I usually don't have that convenience at work.


It sucks for me, but I hope it works out for TYT.

by Buddha Bubba on 09/13/2006 12:42:16 PM EST

There is absolutely *nothing left to listen to* after 6PM now.  My listening situation is also kind of weird since I have to listen in the afternoons using mplayer on Linux, which can only listen to Radiopower and a few other mp3 streams.  It's never been able to view or listen to the main video stream on the website's front page, much less to AA's DRM-laden stream or even the DRMed streams that Ed Schultz is on.

 I am also sad to see my favorite prime-time television show go the way of the dodo bird.  AA has been floundering in the morning since they inexplicably got rid of Marc Maron, who was ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY AWESOME.  I was very sad to see him go.  Do you know what this hire means?  It doesn't mean that you guys get a big benefit.  It means that Air America is hoping against hope that The Young Turks can SAVE their worthless asses, and somehow, at least for the time being, they have the money to make it worth your while.

I'm gonna miss calling you guys.  As a grad student there is essentially no reason for me to be up at 6AM so the times when I see the show live are going to be very rare.

 This decision is also going to horribly shrink your audience.  How many people are going to be up at 3AM PST to start listening to the show?  Your current slot is perfect in that it serves every time zone in a high-traffic time.

 In short, this sucks.  :(

by jarett on 09/12/2006 05:40:58 PM EST

I too am sad about your move to morning drive time, AAR, and XM. It was great having you to listen to at night and the drive home. Political talk does not work at 6-9 am. If it did, wouldnt the talking heads have figured it out by now. You cant compete with the Stern's and all of the morning zoos and the happy talk. You are also going to a network(Air America) that is just as screwed up as a Bush administration. XM is no great shakes either. With you and Sam going mornings, AAR is leading off with two great shows, but who is going to listen. I hope that this will be a great move for you guys, but I have my reservations.

by TROYCOWBOY on 09/12/2006 07:02:44 PM EST

I'm real concerned about the future of the show, not only with a still unstable network in AAR, but a horrible timeslot that most radio listeners will likely not be able or not want to hear and will be quite a toll on the people working on the show.

Was AAR really worth doing a live show from 3-6AM PST that really no one past the Mississippi River will even be awake to listen to if they even want to listen to it to begin with. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm having trouble seeing the tremendous upside to the move right now.

by Maverick4527 on 09/12/2006 09:14:01 PM EST

[ Parent ]
umm...does this mean no more Rachel Maddow Show for my morning drive?

by CaptainStark on 09/12/2006 09:29:17 PM EST

I am a big fan of Dr. Rachel Maddow.  She's smart and has a really incisive take on the news.  I wonder what AA will do with her.

by jarett on 09/13/2006 02:16:10 AM EST

[ Parent ]
I love Rachel Maddow's show too, she's going to be moving to the evening drive time.

by blairwitchgreen on 09/15/2006 10:17:06 AM EST

[ Parent ]
As a truck driver, Satellite Radio is a Must. And i would have switched to XM in a heartbeat. TYT is worth following. but sadly, 3am???? that's not early, thats late in my world, and sadly, it's too late for me. Wish you the best of luck, but i dont think to many drivers are going to be following with that radical of a time shift.

p.s. i hope you like coffee, i see a lot of that in your future

by TruckerKen on 09/12/2006 10:02:19 PM EST

Sadly here in Richmond VA, there is no liberal radio talk so I podcast AAR and TYTs.  That might be one way you can keep up with what's going on.  Typically, podcasts for AAR shows seem to be available within a hour or so of the show concluding.

by blairwitchgreen on 09/15/2006 10:19:20 AM EST

[ Parent ]

3am is way too early for me.  Are you guys doing the show from the west coast?  No more RadioPower either, I suppose.  Does Air America now have exclusive rights to your content or do you?

Oh well, I try to catch the replay on streaming video if Air America allows you continue that gig.

by Richard 23 on 09/12/2006 10:23:10 PM EST

While I am sad to see the Turks go and I haven't figured out how I am going to listen to them and I am dubious of AAR's stability there are some truths to consider.

 

Even if they only have central time zone east as listeners and they lose most of the Sirius listeners they are going to have wayyyy more potentiial listeners and exposure on all the affiliates.  I  am sure the math bears me out on this.

 

Won't the west coast affiliates delay the feed?  Were all the old AAR shows on at 3am pst? I don't know but that seems silly.

 

It is nice to see them all excited and rready to kick some ass.  I have to beleive the goal is to get in the door get proven and then get a later time slot asap.  They are fucking crazy to get up at 2am for the rest of their lives.  God Bless 'em for trying.

 

So I am still kinda pissed they left but hoping that everything works out for them while I lick my wounds and  hope AAR comes back to Sirius sometime. 

by etrnlrvr on 09/12/2006 11:22:37 PM EST

I would really appreciate some suggestions from anyone who knows mplayer how to get it to play the show audio-only from a command prompt.

by jarett on 09/13/2006 02:18:35 AM EST

I ran into TYT early on when I got my first Sirius car receiver. I was so hooked that when my wife gave me a beautiful XM-equipped car for Christmas in 2004, my first reaction was panic that I could no longer hear The Young Turks. No problem though. I just joined as a Member (well worth the money!), and I can listen to the podcasts either at my desk or in the car (after burning it to an MP3 CD). I don't care where you guys go; I'm there! Even though I can get AAR on XM in my new car, I'm still very willing to pay a premium for commercial-free programming of such high quality.

My only concern is that the AAR suits will try to pressure you into the mindless boilerplate left-wing mentality that all their other hosts tend to fall into. Please resist! There are a few of us out here that revere independent thought. 

 BTW, I hope you guys move to the East Coast, not only because you'll have better hours, but because Ben and Cenk are more "East Coast" personalities anyway, and Jill is young and smart enough to adapt. I just think it would be a better fit, personalitywise, and Jill might enjoy the different cultural environment.

by euthman on 09/13/2006 07:50:07 AM EST

Good luck in your new timeslot! I think TYT will be perfect for a morning drive program. I bet your ratings are going to climb sky-high. I just hope those of us who will have to podcast your show count towards your ratings numbers.

Young Turks Forever. 

by RoboNerd on 09/13/2006 08:53:29 AM EST

I'm sure you guys thought long and hard before making this move so I'm sure it's go great. The Turks will definitely help and toughen up AAR. They need your guts, brains and hearts.

 I'm really curious if you guys are going to be moving or not out East. i would guess so or I don't know how you'd make that time slot. I really hope this will open up the opportunity for more guests. You've all done a great job booking and creating some of the best interviews I've heard.

I'm a member so I'll still be listening to the podcasts since I hate commercials and I might soon be switching from Sirius to XM once I do some research. 

Keep up the good work and God Bless... Go Forward.

by designs on 09/13/2006 10:24:02 AM EST

"I really hope this will open up the opportunity for more guests."

I'm wondering if the time slot will limit their opportunities to get guests on the show.  Call-ins from the east cost will probably be fine, but getting people on the west coast up before 6am to do a talk show might be hard. 

by alphasigmookie on 09/13/2006 12:32:48 PM EST

[ Parent ]

What about this news?

Where does that leave the turks?

Or is this part of the whole deal? 

http://thinkprogress.org/20 06/09/13/air-america-bankru ptcy/

by koltrane on 09/13/2006 11:27:22 AM EST

Well obviously bankruptcy doesn't mean Air America's closing its doors right away but it is hemoraging cash.  They recently fired firebrand and radio pro Mike Malloy and prior to that axed one of the best drivetime shows around, Morning Sedition, just as Stern was moving to satellite.  I hope they treat the Turks better.

If they wanted to cut their expenses Al Franken might have been a good place to start, perhaps replacing him with Thom Hartman and keeping Al for weekends if he wanted or just letting him focus on his Senate campaign.  Letting Springer go was a wise move that should have been made many months ago.

I suppose this is a bit off topic.  For some great Air America articles look to "The Professor."

http://blog.wfmu.org/freefo rm/the_professors_posts/ind ex.html

(Sorry dunno how to do links at the moment) 

by Richard 23 on 09/13/2006 12:32:09 PM EST

[ Parent ]
The problem with A.A. is they didn't let each individual show work it's way to the top like conservatives did with Rush\Hannidy\Savage etc.

You can't just decide let's make a national radio show that has 24\7 Bush bashing and broadcast it nationwide.
ok..........now who will we have as our workers? Ok, stock the show full of random dudes and have no existing audience and may or may not even know what they are doing.......other than hate Bush, hate country, hate flag, hate Israel, hate the war, and love foreign victories.

by acroso on 09/13/2006 12:49:21 PM EST

[ Parent ]

"than hate Bush, hate country, hate flag, hate Israel, hate the war, and love foreign victories."

 You're an imbecile if you really believe this.  I don't think you're an imbecile, so I'm going to trust you don't really believe it.

by jarett on 09/13/2006 06:48:45 PM EST

[ Parent ]
The morning drive slot is a good one.  And you'll rock! Rachel Meadow is ok but not that stimulating. I'll still listen to you from the member's podcasts though I like being able to pause and skip commercials.  Good Luck.  Onward and Upward, Uruelch

by stacyruel on 09/13/2006 12:37:54 PM EST

Is it true that for the time being Sam Greenfield & Armstrong Williams will still be in their timeslot on the New York affiliate (WWRL 1600 AM)?

Doesn't that mean TYT will not be on in NYC?

http://www.wwrl1600.com/

by Richard 23 on 09/13/2006 12:39:43 PM EST

I just discovered you guys several months ago on Sirius and enjoyed listening in the evenings. Not going to switch to XM and don't know how much of the morning program I'll be able to catch online. Oh well, best of luck and I hope it works out great for you!

by MountainMan on 09/13/2006 05:50:32 PM EST

Beside the fact that I won't be able to listen to TYT anymore, I think this is a bad move for the show in general.  It's a bad time slot for this type of politcal show and you are setting yourself up for a disappointment if you think you're going to go head to head with Rushy boy...  I wish you luck, and I'm sad I won't be able to listen live anymore.

by Jeff221 on 09/13/2006 07:44:47 PM EST

The Young Turks have an opportunity to go national over the air and it seems a large percentage of people think they should stay where they are because thats what we're used to!  I say "God bless, go forward!" if  AAR lets you down, you'll still be TYT and will land on your feet. 

I assume we'll still be able to access podcasts of the show through the website so those who can't be there in the morning can become a member and get their fix that way.

 Congratulations, Well Done, and Good Luck to the whole crew.

by ytfan17 on 09/13/2006 08:40:18 PM EST

"Congratulations, Well Done, and Good Luck to the whole crew." Agreed.

by harry on 09/13/2006 08:54:47 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Even if I won't be listening live anymore and even if they won't be on live in NYC and even if they aren't carried by many of the AAR affiliates, and even if AAR does declare bankruptcy, it's still a great move!

God bless, go forward!

I really hope (and pray) for your success!  I hope you slay all who are in your timeslot.  You are the best!  But I do hope you move back into the afternoon drive soon....

by Richard 23 on 09/13/2006 09:22:37 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Of course, I wish you all the best of luck.  Looks like I'm reduced to TYT on Podcasts since my work schedule doesn't allow me to actually watch the show. This is great for you, but absolutely sucks for us.

I will not switch to XM.  NFL and Howard.  I ain't goin' anywhere.  Why XM?  Geezus H Krist!?  Tell AAR to get back on Sirius!

I will miss you guys and wish you the best.  God Bless and go forward.

by TJD on 09/14/2006 10:41:14 AM EST

I've been a SIRIUS listener for almost two years now and TYT was the first talk show that got me hooked.  Back then, Air America was also available on SIRIUS but I kept finding myself going back to Talk Left mainly because of TYT.  If nothing else, you might help to make AAR more listenable.

I'll do what I can to follow since I still have an AAR affiliate here in Ann Arbor but I'm going miss the freedom that you exhibited on SIRIUS.  I hope that this works out great for you.  Best of luck!

by woxlan on 09/15/2006 10:33:09 AM EST

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