The MSM’s Bias In Favor Of Cover-Ups
Over the last couple of weeks the Left’s version of talk radio—Air America—has been facing an incredible investigation. This investigation hasn’t been launched by the government. It’s been launched by bloggers. This is the first time we, at the Asylum, are even mentioning this. The reason? Because if you want to keep up to date on this investigation, you only need to go to two places. Michelle Malkin picked it up and ran with it, right after Brian Maloney broke the story.
http://michellemalkin.com/
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2005/08/staffers-worried-about-aars-future.html
The story revolves around Air America, Evan Cohen, and the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club. The Gloria Wise group is a non-profit organization that Evan Cohen was a part of, and was able to get over $800,000 from the organization. Cohen, based on the last couple weeks worth of information coming out from Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney, may have fractured a law or two, including wire fraud, and fraud by deception. If nothing else, a serious conflict of interest was involved as Cohen served on the Gloria Wise board, as well as the board for Air America.
But that isn’t the big story out of all of this. Aside from Michelle, Brian, and a few other vanguard bloggers, only one news outlet has been on the story since it started. That would be the New York Sun. The big guns of the media have been silent on this, and it’s probably because they don’t want to beat up their ideologically-similar brethren.
Now, Air America has stated they will pay back the money they "borrowed," but it doesn’t matter. An investigation by the state of New York is in order to discover whether or not a crime has been committed. As I stated above, Cohen may have broken the law. If so, justice must be served. And it’s interesting to note that the promise to pay back the money didn’t come until AFTER this scandal broke. Sounds like the typical, modern Left.
But now it looks like even more trouble is coming from Air America. It seems that the company was unable to pay the final paychecks for the month of July on time. The following comes from Captain’s Quarters this morning:
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005157.php
It's bad enough the company is generating fresh bad publicity almost daily, over the diverted $875,000 in taxpayer funds intended for a Bronx-based community service organization.
Now, to make matters worse, an internal memo obtained by the Radio Equalizer indicates Air America Radio employees faced late paychecks just over a week ago.
They were apparently stunned to receive a last-minute notice sent at 5:09pm Thursday, July 28th, indicating direct deposits would not be made Friday, as expected.
Written by company Vice President/Finance Sinohe Terrero (this article confims Terrero's corporate role), it inferred the payroll processing company was to blame:
We have been advised by ADP that Direct Deposit will probably not post until Monday. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cost (sic). If you have any questions please feel free to call me.
Sinohe Terrero
VP Finance
Maloney (that’s Radio Equalizer) is quick to point out a couple of key things. First, ADP is rarely late. It is the nation’s largest payroll company, and it wouldn’t delay paychecks due to this own negligence. Second, anyone remember earlier this year when Air America received $13 million in investor funds to keep the thing afloat? In March of this year, that money from new investors was tossed at Air America. It’s now August, and they can’t pay their employees. That’s five months, and the money’s gone. The paychecks this time around got paid thanks to an immediate influx of cash, but it’s only $2.5 million.
No wonder why they wanted two years of interest-free time to pay back Gloria Wise. This radio network can’t keep itself afloat without private investors.
And this is why Air America won’t survive. The Left stands out on the street corners and denies there’s any media bias, and calls bloggers crack-pots and muck-rakers. Yet, the ratings for the MSM continue to fall; even on the mainstays like ABC, CBS, and NBC. Subscription for the MSM papers are down significantly, to the point where just a few months ago, the Chicago Tribune had to admit they overinflated their subscription numbers. To an investor, that’s borderline fraud. They bash talk radio as ALL right wing, and they weren’t happy to not have a piece of the pie.
FOX News succeeds because it is far more fair and balanced than any news outlet. Personally, we at the Asylum, try to avoid the cable and network news coverage. In my personal opinion, FOX has dropped in my book. Not because I believe there’s bias in their reporting, but because I just cannot stand some of the personalities on their network. They still play favorites on occasion—certain hosts won’t ask certain guests hardball questions. There’s my gripe, and it’s the biggest one that I have. Friend or foe, answer the questions. Don’t dodge them. Don’t beat around the bush. Don’t go off topic. Answer the questions.
Talk radio is an entirely different medium that the Left has never grasped. The success of people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Larry Elder, Hugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham, etc., is based on their talent and the ability of them to capture the attention of their listeners. Do they discuss current events? Sure. Do they discuss the news? You bet. But it’s how they present it. They aren’t dull or dreary like Dan Rather. They are, in fact, entertainers. Sure, we all like the news, but they add a bit of humanity and levity to the topic, as well. Maybe Air America has never heard of them before, but RATINGS are the lifeblood of a radio show.
If I’m a host, and I suck on the air, I’m not going to generate advertising dollars for the station. People are going to turn me off, and shoot up or down the dial. (Yes, I have had plenty of people tell me I need my own show.) Which is what is happening to Air America. They brag and boast about "crushing" the competition, but they’ve never taken down Rush, or Sean, or Laura. Local hosts are a drop in a bucket, but a nationally syndicated host has yet to be beaten by Air America in the ratings.
Air America is in trouble. They’re in a lot of trouble. They’re involved in a big radio scandal, one that is only rivaled by the payola scandal of the fifties and sixties. But this wasn’t payola. This was taking taxpayer money to prop up a dead air station with deadhead hosts. It was similar to PBS, only the money didn’t come from the government. (I’m surprised they haven’t applied for federal funds, yet.) They can’t pay their employees, they can’t maintain an audience, and they’re slowly slipping down the drain. I say that this scandal warrants a level of investigation. If Evan Cohen broke the law, his ass belongs in jail. If anyone’s head rolls, it will be his. Air America will still be on the air. God knows how long it will be on the air, but it will be hysterical. It will be dull. It will be wrong 99% of the time.
Publius II
Over the last couple of weeks the Left’s version of talk radio—Air America—has been facing an incredible investigation. This investigation hasn’t been launched by the government. It’s been launched by bloggers. This is the first time we, at the Asylum, are even mentioning this. The reason? Because if you want to keep up to date on this investigation, you only need to go to two places. Michelle Malkin picked it up and ran with it, right after Brian Maloney broke the story.
http://michellemalkin.com/
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2005/08/staffers-worried-about-aars-future.html
The story revolves around Air America, Evan Cohen, and the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club. The Gloria Wise group is a non-profit organization that Evan Cohen was a part of, and was able to get over $800,000 from the organization. Cohen, based on the last couple weeks worth of information coming out from Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney, may have fractured a law or two, including wire fraud, and fraud by deception. If nothing else, a serious conflict of interest was involved as Cohen served on the Gloria Wise board, as well as the board for Air America.
But that isn’t the big story out of all of this. Aside from Michelle, Brian, and a few other vanguard bloggers, only one news outlet has been on the story since it started. That would be the New York Sun. The big guns of the media have been silent on this, and it’s probably because they don’t want to beat up their ideologically-similar brethren.
Now, Air America has stated they will pay back the money they "borrowed," but it doesn’t matter. An investigation by the state of New York is in order to discover whether or not a crime has been committed. As I stated above, Cohen may have broken the law. If so, justice must be served. And it’s interesting to note that the promise to pay back the money didn’t come until AFTER this scandal broke. Sounds like the typical, modern Left.
But now it looks like even more trouble is coming from Air America. It seems that the company was unable to pay the final paychecks for the month of July on time. The following comes from Captain’s Quarters this morning:
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/005157.php
It's bad enough the company is generating fresh bad publicity almost daily, over the diverted $875,000 in taxpayer funds intended for a Bronx-based community service organization.
Now, to make matters worse, an internal memo obtained by the Radio Equalizer indicates Air America Radio employees faced late paychecks just over a week ago.
They were apparently stunned to receive a last-minute notice sent at 5:09pm Thursday, July 28th, indicating direct deposits would not be made Friday, as expected.
Written by company Vice President/Finance Sinohe Terrero (this article confims Terrero's corporate role), it inferred the payroll processing company was to blame:
We have been advised by ADP that Direct Deposit will probably not post until Monday. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cost (sic). If you have any questions please feel free to call me.
Sinohe Terrero
VP Finance
Maloney (that’s Radio Equalizer) is quick to point out a couple of key things. First, ADP is rarely late. It is the nation’s largest payroll company, and it wouldn’t delay paychecks due to this own negligence. Second, anyone remember earlier this year when Air America received $13 million in investor funds to keep the thing afloat? In March of this year, that money from new investors was tossed at Air America. It’s now August, and they can’t pay their employees. That’s five months, and the money’s gone. The paychecks this time around got paid thanks to an immediate influx of cash, but it’s only $2.5 million.
No wonder why they wanted two years of interest-free time to pay back Gloria Wise. This radio network can’t keep itself afloat without private investors.
And this is why Air America won’t survive. The Left stands out on the street corners and denies there’s any media bias, and calls bloggers crack-pots and muck-rakers. Yet, the ratings for the MSM continue to fall; even on the mainstays like ABC, CBS, and NBC. Subscription for the MSM papers are down significantly, to the point where just a few months ago, the Chicago Tribune had to admit they overinflated their subscription numbers. To an investor, that’s borderline fraud. They bash talk radio as ALL right wing, and they weren’t happy to not have a piece of the pie.
FOX News succeeds because it is far more fair and balanced than any news outlet. Personally, we at the Asylum, try to avoid the cable and network news coverage. In my personal opinion, FOX has dropped in my book. Not because I believe there’s bias in their reporting, but because I just cannot stand some of the personalities on their network. They still play favorites on occasion—certain hosts won’t ask certain guests hardball questions. There’s my gripe, and it’s the biggest one that I have. Friend or foe, answer the questions. Don’t dodge them. Don’t beat around the bush. Don’t go off topic. Answer the questions.
Talk radio is an entirely different medium that the Left has never grasped. The success of people like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Larry Elder, Hugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham, etc., is based on their talent and the ability of them to capture the attention of their listeners. Do they discuss current events? Sure. Do they discuss the news? You bet. But it’s how they present it. They aren’t dull or dreary like Dan Rather. They are, in fact, entertainers. Sure, we all like the news, but they add a bit of humanity and levity to the topic, as well. Maybe Air America has never heard of them before, but RATINGS are the lifeblood of a radio show.
If I’m a host, and I suck on the air, I’m not going to generate advertising dollars for the station. People are going to turn me off, and shoot up or down the dial. (Yes, I have had plenty of people tell me I need my own show.) Which is what is happening to Air America. They brag and boast about "crushing" the competition, but they’ve never taken down Rush, or Sean, or Laura. Local hosts are a drop in a bucket, but a nationally syndicated host has yet to be beaten by Air America in the ratings.
Air America is in trouble. They’re in a lot of trouble. They’re involved in a big radio scandal, one that is only rivaled by the payola scandal of the fifties and sixties. But this wasn’t payola. This was taking taxpayer money to prop up a dead air station with deadhead hosts. It was similar to PBS, only the money didn’t come from the government. (I’m surprised they haven’t applied for federal funds, yet.) They can’t pay their employees, they can’t maintain an audience, and they’re slowly slipping down the drain. I say that this scandal warrants a level of investigation. If Evan Cohen broke the law, his ass belongs in jail. If anyone’s head rolls, it will be his. Air America will still be on the air. God knows how long it will be on the air, but it will be hysterical. It will be dull. It will be wrong 99% of the time.
Publius II
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 9:54 AM
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