The headline of this piece hearkens back to an old hippie saying from the 60s. Even though the old hippies are just that - old - their ideas have in many ways taken root.
Bummer, man.
This will become slightly more evident in the coming years as the oldest hippie of them all, George Soros (OK, he’s no hippie, but he is an uber-leftist scoundrel like many of them were), aims to take over 200 radio stations nationwide.
The stations in question are operated by Audacy, and quite a few of them are well-known “legacy” radio stations you may have heard of, or listen(ed) to.
Or not.
Audacy has had some, well, issues. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection is the most recent, and that’s a pretty big problem. But it’s partly how Soros, who has very few money woes, can come in and take over this portfolio. He’s “rescuing” distressed assets.
It’s barely worth mentioning that the Harris-Biden-Obama administration fast-tracked this transfer, quiet possibly in violation of due process, but that’s another rant that I will avoid because those shenanigans are par for the course.
Which leaves about 200 radio stations soon to be firmly in control of our old hippie, uber-leftist Mr. Soros and his equally repellent son.
You might think that this would generate outrage.
Perhaps it should. After all, why do we need more publicly-licensed broadcast stations under the thumb of left-tilting ideologues?
We don’t, of course, but there is one mitigating factor.
The market will still decide, as it always does.
Remember “Air America”?
You’ll be forgiven if you don’t.
It was founded in 2004, and somehow lasted a full six years before joining the choir invisible in radio purgatory.
Its demise wasn’t for a lack of promotion. It’s launch was heavily touted as the alternative to right wing “hate talk” (meaning Rush Limbaugh, of course) and it featured some well-known personalities like Al Franken, Janeane Garafalo, Chuck D and Rachel Maddow, to name a few.
So-called “mainstream” media outlets propped it up whenever possible, having Air America personalities on talking-head shows and the like.
But it was all for naught, because Air America lacked two basic things that every radio or TV outlet requires:
listeners
advertisers who hope those listeners will buy their product or service
The only business model that doesn’t require these two things is one subsidized by some outside entity, such as… NPR and its reliance on taxpayer - our - dollars, whether we like it or not.
That’s another rant that will wait a long time.
Soros can subsidize Audacy till doomsday if he likes; and if he’s smart, he’ll let the stations that actually do have listeners keep doing what they’re doing and perhaps make money. Though, to be honest, if the company has been in bankruptcy court there are precious few of those stations around.
If he’s a pure ideologue then he will turn the whole company into a liberal mouthpiece along the lines of the old Air America. Say goodbye to formats playing Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Eagles, Beatles, Elvis and everyone else. Sports talk would be gone; and country? The only country Soros loves is Sorosville, population: him. If that occurs, all it will do is add yet another layer of leftist thought onto the airwaves and cyberspace.
Yawn…
I can yawn with impunity because I understand how radio works. If you’re inclined to listen to political talk, there is no shortage of opportunity in that area. Local, national, right wing, left-wing (hello, NPR), it’s all there.
But…
If you don’t want to listen to something, here’s a little tip:
YOU DON’T HAVE TO!
Turn it off. Tune in another station. Read a book (preferably not while driving), carry on a conversation.
You have choices, and people are gravitating to other choices rapidly. Satellite radio, Spotify, YouTube, even CDs for someone with an older car, but those choices are there.
Until the totalitarians completely redefine the U.S. of A., you don’t have to listen to, watch or read anything you don’t want to.
So far, the marketplace has proven that leftist talk radio doesn’t work without a subsidy. And even when the subsidy persists, it doesn’t mean anyone has listen, in other words, buy what Soros is selling.
It’s just too bad he had to buy it at all.
Doug, I love your writing style for this piece! We may have political differences, but I can still admire your style!!!
I’m a bit more dubious when the ultimate option for Goldfinger is to turn off the lights for AM after saying it’s “unviable” as congress pushes to remove AM from new auto production models.