# What are the prospects for a left-wing analogue to Fox News? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 18, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544 "2004-12-18T18:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/121 "2004-12-28T23:46:12Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I think this dead horse has been beat sufficiently. If you think Colmes is not a liberal, even though he self identifies as one, well, thats your right. If you think he doesn’t represent liberal ideas well or is some kind of mouth piece for Fox, again, thats your right. I don’t watch Fox News, but Alan Colmes’ radio show is on every night when I’m driving home from work, and I can’t stand the guy. I don’t think he isn’t a real liberal, but he’s just such a wimp. He is easily flustered, he lets the callers (and especially the guest co-hosts, who always seem to be hardcore conservatives) walk all over him, and he misses obvious opportunities to make obvious points. He’d be good at writing editorials, but he just doesn’t seem cut out for the kind of rapid response, shout down or be shouted down environment of talk radio. Luckily, Mike Malloy is on at the same time on Air America, and he has the balls Alan Colmes desperately needs. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/122 "2004-12-29T01:08:31Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > I don’t watch Fox News, but Alan Colmes’ radio show is on every night when I’m driving home from work, and I can’t stand the guy. I don’t think he isn’t a real liberal, but he’s just such a wimp. He is easily flustered, he lets the callers (and especially the guest co-hosts, who always seem to be hardcore conservatives) walk all over him, and he misses obvious opportunities to make obvious points. He’d be good at writing editorials, but he just doesn’t seem cut out for the kind of rapid response, shout down or be shouted down environment of talk radio. And I’ve never heard Alan Colmes (or Hannity or O’Reilly, or any of the other radio talkshows for that matter) on the radio…only on Fox. So I don’t know how he is on the radio to be honest. He seems pretty calm on Fox, but its a different format so perhaps he gets easily rattled like you say in the more high pressure radio environment. How popular is his show btw? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/123 "2004-12-29T01:39:53Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > How popular is his show btw? Well, **I** don’t know anyone who likes it. 😉 Someone must be listening to it, though. I’m not sure where to look for ratings, but he’s been in radio longer than TV ([bio](http://radio.about.com/library/blprofiles/blpro-alancolmes.htm)), and his show is on Sirius’s TalkLeft, XM’s America Left, and presumably on all the other local stations that carry the same spliced up pseudo-Air America format that XM has. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/124 "2004-12-29T03:30:08Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Well, good for them! I think thats great. I’ve never heard of them of course, but they sound like a west coast station. Are they on one of the satelite radio services do you know? If so I might try and tune in to check em out. > > -XT Pacifica isn’t a station, it’s a network. From [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifica\_Radio:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifica_Radio:) > [@](#): > > Pacifica Radio is a network of five independent, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations in the United States that is known for its leftist and pacifist political views. Some 60 other US community radio stations also carry some Pacifica programming. Pacifica was the first public radio network in the US. The network is also known as Pacifica Foundation and Pacifica Radio Foundation. > > Pacifica was founded in 1946 by pacifist Lewis Hill who was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1919. During the World War II he filed as a conscientious objector. After the war he and a small group of ex-conscientious objectors created the Pacifica Foundation. The foundation’s first project, KPFA-FM in Berkeley, California, was inaugurated in 1949. > > \ > > The flagship of Pacifica Radio’s national programming is Democracy Now!, a liberal oriented talk show that covers democracy, human rights and justice issues, questioning the motives for U.S. foreign and domestic policy, most recently the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, this program is a compilation of news, interviews, and documentaries. Democracy Now! is now heard and seen on over 300 radio and TV stations across the U.S. as well as both satellite television networks. > > The network’s daily news magazine Free Speech Radio News is produced by Pacifica Reporters Against Censorship, a group of reporters who went on strike against the Pacifica board policies of the late 1990’s. > > Pacifica Radio’s audio archive is the nation’s oldest public radio archive, documenting 50 years of grassroots political and performing arts history. The Pacifica Radio Archive houses original recordings of interviews with John Coltrane, Lorraine Hansberry, and Langston Hughes, among many others. > > **Stations** > > KPFA 94.1 FM in Berkeley, California > KPFK 90.7 FM in Los Angeles, California > KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston, Texas > WBAI 99.5 FM in New York, New York > WPFW 89.3 FM in Washington DC The shows are also broadcast on many community radio stations – “affiliate stations” – including WMNF 88.5 FM here in Tampa. You can find a complete list at [http://www.pacifica.org/stations/affiliates/](http://www.pacifica.org/stations/affiliates/). This list is alphabetized by station call number rather than city or state – how dumb is that? – but it’s not that long a list so it should be easy for you to find the affiliate nearest your home. At this point, I’d love to hear from a Doper who is familiar with both Pacifica and Air America Radio([http://www.airamericaradio.com/](http://www.airamericaradio.com/)), who can give us a comparison of their content and quality. I’ve never heard Air America myself; no station in the Tampa Bay area carries it. From [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air\_America\_Radio:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_America_Radio:) > [@](#): > > The network’s programs are streamed on the Internet and carried on XM Satellite Radio’s America Left (channel 167) and Sirius Satellite Radio’s Stream 144. The network has announced a pending deal with Dish Network. > > **East** > WPEK 880 AM in Fairview, North Carolina near Asheville > WWAA 1690 AM in Atlanta, Georgia (Morning Sedition, Al Franken, part of Randi Rhodes) > WKOX 1200 AM and WXKS 1430 AM in Boston, Massachusetts > WCHL 1360 AM in Chapel Hill, North Carolina > WKIZ 1500 AM in Key West, Florida > WINZ 940 AM in Miami, Florida > WAVZ 1300 AM in New Haven, Connecticut > WLIB 1190 AM in New York City > WHMP 1400 AM in Northampton, Massachusetts > WHAT 1340 AM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Al Franken, Randi Rhodes) > WTWK 1070 AM in Plattsburgh, New York and Burlington, Vermont > WLVP 870 AM in Gorham, Maine near Portland > WROC 950 AM in Rochester, New York > WJNO 1290 AM in West Palm Beach, Florida (Randi Rhodes) > WXKS 1200 & 1430 AM in Boston, Massachusetts (Clear Channel) > > **Central** > KABQ 1350 AM in Albuquerque, New Mexico > WLBY 1290 AM in Saline, Michigan near Ann Arbor > WWKK 750 AM in Petoskey, Michigan (Al Franken, Mike Malloy, Randi Rhodes) > WTPG 1230 AM in Columbus, Ohio > KKZN 760 AM in Boulder, Colorado > WXXM 92.1 FM in Madison, Wisconsin > WWWI 1270 AM in Baxter, Minnesota near Brainerd > WMNN 1330 AM (1530 AM / 740 AM) in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Al Franken, one hour of Randi Rhodes) > KTRC 1260 AM in Santa Fe, NM > > **West** > KXXT 1010 AM in Tolleson, Arizona, ten miles from Phoenix > KPOJ 620 AM in Portland, Oregon, (the first affiliate) > KTHH 990 AM in Albany, Oregon > KCAA 1050 AM in the Southern Californian Inland Empire (Al Franken) > KSQR 1240 AM in Sacramento, California > KTLK 1340 AM in Santa Barbara, California > KLSD 1360 AM in San Diego, California > KYNS 1340 AM in San Luis Obispo, California > KQKE 960 AM in San Francisco, California > KTHO 590 AM in South Lake Tahoe, California > KPTK 1090 AM in Seattle, Washington > KOPT 1450 AM in Eugene, Oregon > > **Alaska / Hawaii** > KUDO 1080 AM in Anchorage, Alaska > KUMU 1500 AM in Honolulu, Hawaii > KAOI 1110 AM in Maui, Hawaii > KONG 570 AM in Hawaii (island of Kauai) (Al Franken) ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/125 "2004-12-29T06:06:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’ve never heard Air America myself; no station in the Tampa Bay area carries it. You can listen online for free, man… what are you waiting for? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/126 "2004-12-29T06:18:33Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > You can listen online for free, man… what are you waiting for? Huh? How do you do that? ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/127 "2004-12-29T06:39:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Huh? How do you do that? Go to [their web site](http://www.airamericaradio.com/) and click the big green “LISTEN LIVE” button on the left. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/128 "2004-12-29T18:31:12Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > Go to [their web site](http://www.airamericaradio.com/) and click the big green “LISTEN LIVE” button on the left. 🙂 Thanx! I’ve been listening to the Al Franken Show! So far it sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard on Pacifica – it’s not news or serious talk but satire, like a radio version of the Daily Show. Much more fun to listen to than Rush Limbaugh, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/129 "2004-12-29T21:38:28Z")
Isn’t that just damning with faint praise, though? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/130 "2004-12-29T21:50:38Z")
**Brain Glutton** , I still can’t believe you didn’t know you could stream Air America on the net. Are there any radio shows that can’t be streamed on the net? But keep in mind, the number of streaming listeners doesn’t affect the ratings. IOW, the market is there for the taking… ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/131 "2004-12-29T22:31:22Z")
> [@annaplurabelle](#): > > Are there any radio shows that can’t be streamed on the net? [The Young Turks](http://www.youngturk.com), an excellent liberal talk show on Sirius. It’s also on some local talk stations (where it has doubled or tripled the ratings of the stations that picked it up), and you can find archives online, and maybe even some sites that stream it off schedule, but there’s no live stream. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/132 "2004-12-29T22:35:25Z")
Actually, though it embarrasses me to admit this (seeing as how I’m a network engineer and all)…I didn’t know you could stream all those stations across the internet either, though I did know you could stream SOME stations. I’m grateful for the links…going to listen in and see if I’ve been missing anything, and to balance my Fox time with some (hopefully) good liberal talk radio. 🙂 -XT ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/133 "2004-12-29T22:42:32Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Actually, though it embarrasses me to admit this (seeing as how I’m a network engineer and all)…I didn’t know you could stream all those stations across the internet either… (snip) > > -XT You’re OLD. 😛😛😛 (relax; I’m 40, looking at 41) Seriously: Don’t the networks make that clear in adverts? I’m thinking now there is an untapped market out there. Do advert costs reflect streaming rates? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/134 "2005-01-03T02:14:49Z")
> [@annaplurabelle](#): > > **Brain Glutton** , I still can’t believe you didn’t know you could stream Air America on the net. :o Please bear with me. I’m still clinging to the hope that computers are just a passing fad. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/135 "2005-01-03T15:48:00Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Oh, I most certainly was…the real question is, were YOU?? Because I distinctly remember a rather large protest vote against GW…not FOR Kerry mind you but against Bush. Are you suggesting that the ABB/lukewarm Kerry vote was largely comprised of disaffected conservatives? I should think that most of that faction was lukewarm on Kerry because he was seen as being too far to the right himself. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/136 "2005-01-05T00:23:30Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Are you suggesting that the ABB/lukewarm Kerry vote was largely comprised of disaffected conservatives? I should think that most of that faction was lukewarm on Kerry because he was seen as being too far to the right himself. True dat! According to the Political Typology developed by the Pew Center for the People and the Press, “Liberal Democrats” comprise fully 10 percent of registered voters in the U.S. – which would make their proportion of the Democratic Party much higher. See [http://people-press.org/reports/](http://people-press.org/reports/) and [http://helios.acomp.usf.edu/~jfbohren/floridairvcoalition/pew\_typology.htm](http://helios.acomp.usf.edu/~jfbohren/floridairvcoalition/pew_typology.htm). ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/137 "2005-01-07T20:26:05Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > This current thread – [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292350](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=292350) – got me to thinking. The liberal posters in it are, IMO, dead right on at least one point: In today’s American news media, there is a great void on the left… > > …Here’s my idea: Suppose some left-wing billionaire like George Soros were to do what Rupert Murdoch did – found a cable news network with a political agenda? I don’t mean just a liberal network, I mean a left-of-liberal network that would present the news from the POV of progressives, socialists and Greens. What would it be like? Would it fly? How many people would watch it? How would its existence affect public discourse in America? Sorry to pull up an old-ish thread, but this caught my eye today: [White House paid commentator to promote law](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&e=2&u=/usatoday/20050107/ts_usatoday/whitehousepaidcommentatortopromotelaw): > [@](#): > > Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same. > > The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams “to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts,” and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004… > > …The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA TODAY through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that the Education Department, through the Ketchum public relations firm, arranged with Williams to use contacts with America’s Black Forum, a group of black broadcast journalists, “to encourage the producers to periodically address” NCLB. He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey’s manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances… > …Williams said he does not recall disclosing the contract to audiences on the air but told colleagues about it when urging them to promote NCLB. Raises some ethical and legal questions that might be worthy of a new thread (feel free, anyone), but as it pertains to this OP as well, I thought I’d bring it to your attention here first. Why don’t the left-wing money people simply purchase pundits? Ethics aside for now, the amount paid to this guy would be chicken feed for someone like Soros. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/138 "2005-01-07T20:50:28Z")
> [@annaplurabelle](#): > > Why don’t the left-wing money people simply purchase pundits? 1. Dissimilar situation. Armstrong Williams was already an influential voice in the black community, he had influence to sell, and apparently he was able to square NCLB with his principles, and could do so without compromising his credibility. (At least, until this payoff story broke.) Can you same me any pundits who (1) are already influential enough to be worth buying; (2) are not already promulgating a left-wing message, but could be persuaded to do so if the price were right; and (3) would not, by doing so, lose credibility in the eyes of their existing audience or readership? 2. Doesn’t really address the issue. We already **have** dedicated left-wing pundits who do not need to be bribed to put out that message. The problem is that you have to read their arguments in magazines like _The Nation, Mother Jones,_ or _In These Times_ – publications read mostly by people who are already passionately interested in left-wing politics. Preaching to the choir, you know? Because those pundits are not on television, they do not have access to a wide enough audience to be truly influential on our public policy debates. A left-wing news network might correct that. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/139 "2005-01-07T21:43:03Z")
Which kind of brings us back full circle (IMO anyway) to the core question: If there is a market for a left wing equivelent to Fox (or any left wing broadcast or cable show) where is it? Why isn’t it already out there…or forming up as we speak? After all, if there is a nation wide market for it there is money to be had…just like when Fox was first formed for the purposes of pursueing the right wing national market. Any theories on exactly why there is no such beast already…or why, at least afaik, no one is proposing one? After all, as you say BG, it would be the perfect forum for left wing pundits to state their cases to a nation wide audience…like (supposedly) Fox does with its forum. And there are no lack of rich left wing patrons for start up capital out there…I can think of a dozen millionares off the top of my head with left wing leanings…and one very rich one who has shown he’s willing to pony up millions for the cause. -XT ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544/140 "2005-01-07T21:49:56Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Can you same me any pundits who (1) are already influential enough to be worth buying; (2) are not already promulgating a left-wing message, but could be persuaded to do so if the price were right; and (3) would not, by doing so, lose credibility in the eyes of their existing audience or readership? 1. Yes - although their influence and/or worth might be debatable. Another alternative would be to groom someone just coming up with promise. 2. The existing pundits worth buying would _not_ already be _publically_ promulgating a left-wing message. There are a few who have privately shown signs of dissatisfaction, but fear for their job security. This could be explored… 3. This is the tricky part. My idea would be to go with subtle, if not outright subliminal. Kind of like a “manchurian candidate” type pundit. There are a number of ways to achieve this (eg, In this very thread, we have Xtisme saying he doesn’t perceive Bill O’Reilly as a dedicated right-winger - there’s something to learn there). But there are other - more subtle, complicated, or devious - ways to do it. > [@](#): > > 1. Doesn’t really address the issue. We already **have** dedicated left-wing pundits who do not need to be bribed to put out that message. The problem is that you have to read their arguments in magazines like _The Nation, Mother Jones,_ or _In These Times_ – publications read mostly by people who are already passionately interested in left-wing politics. Preaching to the choir, you know? Because those pundits are not on television, they do not have access to a wide enough audience to be truly influential on our public policy debates. A left-wing news network might correct that. Basically agree, but a dedicated left-wing network will be seen as preaching to the choir, and demonised by the Right, before it even gets off the ground. Witness the comments about Air America on these boards. Which is why you might want to consider going with my “manchurian pundit” idea… Admittedly a questionable breach of ethics, but hey, I’m just speculating on the possibilities. I can’t afford to buy influence so I’m not subject to the temptation… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-prospects-for-a-left-wing-analogue-to-fox-news/280544.md?page=8)