Mike / Peter share top rating:

This week has been extremely difficult to do the ratings. Many Talk Show Hosts have been on holiday. They had others fill in for them.

Peter Werbe filled in for Mike Malloy for the first three days of the week. Mike did the Thursday Show.

Mike filled in for Randi Rhodes for Monday to Wednesday amd then we had best of Randi for the next two days.

Thom Hartmann filled in for Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder and did 9 hours of Talk Shows each day. Though I would like to compliment him on his stamina, the quality of the shows dropped. However, he did manage to raise the Majority Report in the charts.

Rachel Maddow filled in for a few days for Al Franken, putting his show on the charts, but her own show fell down the tubes.

I did write to Mike, his wife and producer Kathy Bay and their little daughter, Molly, to wish them all the best for the Season. Mike was kind enough to reply despite his gruelling schedule. So also Peter, who always keeps me up to date on his shows (see below) - and which I am sure he does with all his devoted fans.

John Rothman was particularly disingenious this week on the topic of the leader of Iran stating that it would be best if Israel was wiped of the face of the earth. I pointed out to John the actual quotation which he had given was wrong and I gave him the full context. While referring to my email on his show, he showed his Judeo roots and chose to ignore the truth and repeat his words intended to fuel hatred and anger against his target.

I had to drop John of this week’s ratings for his continued disregard of the truth.

Ed Schulz makes it into the charts, for the very first time.

Ratings for the week ended 23th December 2005:

1. Mike Malloy Show hosted by Peter Werbe and Mike Malloy ***** 5 (3 + 1 +1) shows a week


2. Nightcall hosted by Peter Werbe ***** 1 show a week


3. The Randi Rhodes Show hosted by Mike Malloy ***** 5 (3) shows a week


4. Laura Flanders ***** 2 shows a week


5. Ring of Fire (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio) ***** 1 show a week


6. Politically Direct (David Bender) **** 1 show a week


7. Bernie Ward ***** 4 shows a week


8. Ray Taliferro ***** 5 shows a week


9. The Stephanie Miller Show **** 5 shows a week


10. Ecotalk (Betsy Rosenberg) **** 1 show a week


11. Mike Webb *** 5 shows a week


12. The Al Franken Show hosted by Rachel Maddow *** 5 shows a week


13. Radio Inside Scoop (Mark Levine) *** 4 shows a week


14. Thom Hartmann *** 5 shows a week


15. The Majority Report hosted by Thom Hartmann (Janeane Garofalo, Sam Seder) *** 5 shows a week


16. Nate Clay ** 1 show a week


17. Ed Schultz ** 5 shows a week


18. The Young Turks (Cenk Uygur, Ben Mankiewicz and Jill Pike) ** 5 shows a week


19. Revolution in the Air (Lizz Brown) ** 5 shows a week

Unrated this week:

• Springer on the Radio (Jerry Springer) 5 shows a week


• Guy James 1 show a week - (No show last week)


• John Rothmann 2 shows a week - Removed from ratings this week for disingenuity


• Morning Sedition (Marc Maron, Mark Riley) 5 shows a week - Removed from Air America Schedule


• The Rachel Maddow Show 5 shows last week

And the news from Peter:

Hi.

Good news: Although originally my Sunday evening NightCall program was cancelled for Xmas and New Year's day eves, the WRIF management decided to air this week's interviews this Sunday, Dec. 25 at 11pm Eastern.

These are two particularly interesting ones (in my humble opinion).

The first is with Pulitizer prize winning war correspondent, Peter Arnett, at 11pm and the other with my esteemed colleague, talk show host, Thom Hartmann.

I'll be talking with Arnett about the interview about his career in "Feet to the Fire: The Media After 9/11" and with Hartmann about his book, "We the People: A Call to Take Back America".

Their respective web sites are:

Arnett: http://www.newseum.org/warstories/interviews/mp3/journalists/bio.asp?ID=24 , and
Hartmann: www.thomhartmann.com.

Both these interviews will also be heard earlier Xmas day on WCSX and WMGC in Detroit with the former streaming the program.

See www.peterwerbe.com/ontheair.html for times plus repeat shows, iPod, and archive availability. There will be no show at all on Sunday, Jan. 1.

I'll be sitting in again for Mike Malloy next week, Tuesday, Dec. 27 and Thursday, Dec. 29, 10pm-1am Eastern.

Go to www.airamericaradio.com for a station in your city or listen to it on the Internet through that site.

In Detroit, the show will air on WDTW 1310 AM, but starts the show at 11pm.

Here's a selection from my web site www.peterwerbe.com that you might want to read:

http://counterpunch.org/hutchinson12202005.html

about how wiretapping is as American as apple pie; just ask J. Edgar Hoover.

Talk to you soon,

Peter

So you see why Peter remains among the top Liberal Talk Show Hosts!

Rachel Maddow takes Al Franken’s Show into the charts:

Top two, Mike and Peter hold their own this week.

Rachel Maddow was really brilliant and has taken the Al Franken Show to No.3 in my ratings.

Marl Levine was ahead of the news cycle this week and has made a big jump up. Wish he was on at a more reasonable hour.

Bernie Ward has stoppped his rant about the charity and therefore makes it back among the top shows.

Sam Seder was great on his TV appearance about the War on Christmas. However, on his radio show he keeps shouting, and even at the lowest volume he comes through screaming. He is like my mother-in-law who thought that I would understand her Finnish better if she yelled it at me. Janeane Garofalo does not scream when she is on the phone - so probably that the best way she should come on this show.

Morning Sedition is in its last week and has held is name on the charts till the end. Sad to see such a good show be taken of the air.

Liz Brown was pushed off the charts with Rachel pushing Al Franken’s Show into the ratings. Her show web site has improved and is being updated, but her blogitude is still not updated. Obviously because she does not provoke a reaction from her live audience..

Ratings for the week ended 16th December 2005:

1. Mike Malloy Show hosted by Mike Malloy ***** 5 shows a week


2. Nightcall hosted by Peter Werbe ***** 1 show a week


3. The Al Franken Show hosted by Rachel Maddow 5 shows a week


4. Laura Flanders ***** 2 shows a week


5. Ring of Fire (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio) ***** 1 show a week


6. Radio Inside Scoop (Mark Levine) ***4 shows a week


7. Bernie Ward ***** 4 shows a week


8. Ray Taliferro ***** 5 shows a week


9. Politically Direct (David Bender) **** 1 show a week


10. Morning Sedition (Marc Maron, Mark Riley) *** 5 shows a week


11. The Stephanie Miller Show **** 5 shows a week


12. The Randi Rhodes Show ** 5 shows a week


13. Ecotalk (Betsy Rosenberg) **** 1 show a week


14. Mike Webb *** 5 shows a week


15. Thom Hartmann *** 5 shows a week


16. The Young Turks (Cenk Uygur, Ben Mankiewicz and Jill Pike) ** 5 shows a week


17. Nate Clay ** 1 show a week


18. John Rothmann *** 2 shows a week


19. The Rachel Maddow Show hosted by Isaa-Davy Aronson **** 3 shows last week


20. The Majority Report (Janeane Garofalo, Sam Seder) ** 5 shows a week

Unrated this week:

• Revolution in the Air (Lizz Brown) ** 5 shows a week


• Springer on the Radio (Jerry Springer) 5 shows a week


• Ed Schultz 5 shows a week


• Guy James 1 show a week - (No show last week)

Peter will be hosting Mike Malloy’s Show Dec. 19, 20, 21, 27 & 29. His own Show will be off the air on Dec. 25th 2005 and january 1st 2006. Mike will be hosting the Randi Rhodes Show on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Next week will be a big change as many regular shows are off the air and so you will see some new names featuring in the ratings.

Mike back on top; Morning Sedition is ending:

Mike Malloy regained his top spot with no problem. The clips he plays are so topical and up-to-date, and his analysis so on target, that there is no room for anyone to challenge his top position on any grounds. He really knows to handle those apologists and right-wingers that call him, as Mike is absolutely solid in his position on ALL matters.

I just heard from Peter Werbe that he will be subbing for Mike a few times during the last two weeks of December. Peter continues to hold his own at the 2nd spot.

Soft spoken Laura Flanders still holds onto 3rd spot.

I still do not understand why Sam Seder of Majority Report has to keep yelling all the time. Janeane Garofalo checking in regularly from West Wing by phone is far more sedate and has helped to keep the show on the charts. Sam is driving the show south with his totally uncalled for theatrics. Not that Janeane is not prone to her share of yelling.

This is the last week of Morning Sedition, with Marc Maron and Mark Riley, on Air America Radio.

It appears that the top brass of Air America Radio are just like the Republican-lite in the Democratic Party. They seem to yield to the pressures. Will it be long before they take off Mike for speaking his views? They keep on such shows as Springer and Al Franken because they are big names and not based on show content. Recently, when I talked to a liberal American about Springer, the immediate association was with his outrageous TV Show and they do not expect him to be any better on the radio. Pre-judged yes, but it is not helping the Liberal agenda to drive away potential listeners with the reputation that precedes him.

Bernie Ward had Karel subbing for him, which was quite disastrous. Mike Webb had a couple of good shows last week. Randi Rhodes was on target for a couple of shows, but her continued talking over people, who have important stuff to convey, keeps her ratings from hitting top spot. Stephanie Miller and her team continue to impress, especially since they seem to be drawing more right wing callers. Their sharp humour is becoming addictive.

Ratings for the week ended 9th December 2005:

1. Mike Malloy Show hosted by Mike Malloy ***** 5 shows a week


2. Nightcall hosted by Peter Werbe ***** 1 show a week


3. Laura Flanders ***** 2 shows a week


4. Ring of Fire (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio) ***** 1 show a week


5. Ray Taliferro ***** 5 shows a week


6. The Rachel Maddow Show **** 5 shows a week


7. Morning Sedition (Marc Maron, Mark Riley) *** 5 shows a week


8. The Stephanie Miller Show **** 5 shows a week


9. Mike Webb *** 5 shows a week


10. The Randi Rhodes Show ** 5 shows a week


11. Politically Direct (David Bender) **** 1 show a week


12. Ecotalk (Betsy Rosenberg) **** 1 show a week


13. Radio Inside Scoop (Mark Levine) ***4 shows a week


14. Thom Hartmann *** 5 shows a week


15. The Young Turks (Cenk Uygur, Ben Mankiewicz and Jill Pike) ** 5 shows a week


16. Nate Clay ** 1 show a week


17. John Rothmann *** 2 shows a week


18. Bernie Ward ***** 4 shows a week


19. The Majority Report (Janeane Garofalo, Sam Seder) ** 5 shows a week


20. Revolution in the Air (Lizz Brown) ** 5 shows a week

Unrated this week:

• Springer on the Radio (Jerry Springer) 5 shows a week


• The Al Franken Show, Al Franken 5 shows a week


• Ed Schultz 5 shows a week


• Guy James 1 show a week - (No show last week)
  
  the Guy james Show will resume on 7th Januray 2006

Enjoy another week of Liberal Talk Radio on the Internet.

Peter holds 1st and 2nd place:

With Mike Malloy and his wife and producer of his show, Kathy Bay, off on holiday, Mike asked Peter Werbe to host his show. Peter did an extraodrinary job and now has the unique honour of standing in both 1st and 2nd position in this week's Liberal Talk Show Hosts ratings.

Ratings for the week ended 2nd December 2005:

1. Mike Malloy Show hosted by Peter Werbe ***** 5 shows a week


2. Peter Werbe ***** 1 show a week


3. Laura Flanders ***** 2 shows a week


4. Ring of Fire (Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio) ***** 1 show a week


5. Ray Taliferro ***** 5 shows a week


6. The Rachel Maddow Show **** 5 shows a week


7. The Stephanie Miller Show **** 5 shows a week


8. Politically Direct (David Bender) **** 1 show a week


9. Ecotalk (Betsy Rosenberg) **** 1 show a week


10. Radio Inside Scoop (Mark Levine) ***4 shows a week


11. Mike Webb *** 5 shows a week


12. John Rothmann *** 2 shows a week


13. Thom Hartmann *** 5 shows a week


14. Morning Sedition (Marc Maron, Mark Riley) *** 5 shows a week


15. The Young Turks (Cenk Uygur, Ben Mankiewicz and Jill Pike) ** 5 shows a week


16. The Randi Rhodes Show ** 5 shows a week


17. Bernie Ward ***** 4 shows a week


18. Nate Clay ** 1 show a week


19. The Majority Report (Janeane Garofalo, Sam Seder) ** 5 shows a week


20. Revolution in the Air (Lizz Brown) ** 5 shows a week

Unrated this week:

• Springer on the Radio (Jerry Springer) 5 shows a week


• The Al Franken Show, Al Franken 5 shows a week


• Ed Schultz 5 shows a week


• Guy James 1 show a week - (No show last week)

You would have noticed a sharp drop in the standing of Bernie Ward. That is because he got caught in local issues which had no bearing on his international internet audience. Bernie spent a lot of time pushing his charity drive and then spent a far from balanced amount of time gloating over the fact that he had achieved his target and more. Bernie went so far as to tell some of those who complained about his over-exposure of this subject by telling his listeners that he would refund those who did not like him spending so much time talking about his achievement. One actually took him upon this challenge.

Thom Hartmann still pushes his theory about the fact that US has the right to withdraw from international treaties unilaterally, just as Bush has withdrawn from many such treaties. Thom seems to be gloating about the glory days when the US was raping the rest of the world as he sees the local manufacturing capacities vanish from the US. He blames this on treaties rather than the present indolent American psyche.

I drew his attention to a completely more reasonable position of the new German Chancellor, Merkel, who said that Germany had no reason to fear the countries with low priced labour.

By wording his discussions in a very clever, but disingenous manner, he seems to draw a lot of support for his totally unreasonable attitude. He is certainly making his international audience doubt his genuinity as a Liberal Talk Show Host with any true background in economics to support his views.

Thom's economic theory, if illogically extrapolated, would mean that he is saying that it would be best if slavery was brought back to the US!

Not much change in the remaining positions in the ratings.