KOPEL: Regrettably, Rhodes returns to radio

Progressive shock jock less than thoughtful

By Dave Kopel, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 19, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

Text size

More Opinion Columns & Blogs

The Air America network, which provides much of the programming on KKZN-AM (760) ended its relationship last week with hostess Randi Rhodes. Rhodes had recently been suspended from Air America for her humor presentation at a San Francisco nightclub, in which she called Hillary Clinton a "big f---ing whore" and Geraldine Ferraro "David Duke in drag" and "a f---ing whore." Such wit!

But no sooner had Air America dumped her than Clear Channel hired her. So Rhodes is now back on 760, in the 1-4 p.m. weekday slot. Clear Channel's decision is not entirely consistent with the theory that Clear Channel is dedicated to a right-wing agenda. Indeed, the fact that Clear Channel has made 760 into a "progressive" talk station, with lots of Air America programming, demonstrates what has always been obvious to the nonparanoid: Clear Channel's objective is to make money, and Clear Channel will do so with whatever mix of programming and hosts will bring in the largest audiences, and hence the largest advertising revenue.

It is unfortunate, though, that Rhodes is back on the local airwaves. She caters to hatred and nutty conspiratorialists. For example, a promotion for her show claimed "The difference between Hitler and Bush is that Hitler was elected." After the 2004 election, she spent lots of time trying to promote her theory that John Kerry had actually won in Ohio.

Last October, Rhodes speculated that the fires in Southern California might have been deliberately set by Blackwater. The year before, she publicized a supermarket tabloid article claiming that Laura Bush had moved out of the White House because George Bush was having an affair with Condoleezza Rice. She also claimed that Israel was committing "genocide" in Lebanon.

There are plenty of people who could provide intelligent, well-informed political talk radio from a left-of-center perspective. Gary Hart and Mario Cuomo both had short careers as talk hosts. But stations follow the ratings, and the ratings indicate, sadly, that the wild exaggerations and inventions of Rhodes attract more listeners than does the thoughtful analysis of serious people like Cuomo and Hart.

In the United States, Rhodes' rants are protected by the First Amendment. But in unfree nations such as Ethiopia, legitimate journalists are at grave personal risk. A report last year from The Committee to Protect Journalists described Ethiopia as a nation where press freedom had deteriorated dramatically in the last year, and now journalists "are being jailed, attacked and censored, a picture far worse than what we saw only a few years ago."

Next week, the Independence Institute will be hosting a dissident Ethiopian journalist, who will speak about the threats faced by journalists in Africa. Readers are welcome to attend the speech at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the institute's Golden offices(13952 Denver West Parkway, Suite 400).

As he will explain, the Internet does provide some opportunity for evading censorship regimes. He has written a number of articles for Africa-focused news Web sites that are hosted in the United States or United Kingdom. But only about one-sixth of the Ethiopian population lives in cities with Internet access. And even there, a reader or writer in an Internet cafe must be always careful that no one in the police catches him looking at a dissident Web site.

Most of the Ethiopian population lives in rural areas where the only news source is the radio. And the government controls all radio (and television and newspapers). Thus, the one-hour daily native-language broadcasts from Voice of America may be the only source for uncensored news.

In my last column, I wrote that Justin Dick, author of an article published on the Rocky's Web site had "plagiarized" a column by Cenk Uygur of the Huffington Post. Dick's article began with one paragraph that he wrote, followed by 10 paragraphs copied verbatim from Uygur - including material written in the first person, such as "I think . . . "

Dick wrote me to state that his electronic submission to the Rocky had included the following tagline, which wasn't published: "(Much thanks to Cynk Uygur at Huffington Post)." Thanking someone at the end of an article does not come close to informing readers that almost all the article was published previously and written by someone else. A proper disclosure could have said something like: "Almost all of the above was taken verbatim from a column by Cenk Uygur for the Huffington Post." Had such a disclosure been made, Dick's article would never have been published by the Rocky.

Dick's mistake about what the Rocky (and almost every other American newspaper) would consider to be plagiarism was apparently an innocent one, and I accept the sincerity of his statement that he thought that he had provided all the attribution that was necessary.

Dave Kopel is research director at the Independence Institute, an attorney and author of 10 books. He can be reached at kopeld@RockyMountainNews.com.Blackwater on YouTube

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News

Comments

April 19, 2008

7:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

Bobbb writes:

You're completely right about Randi Rhodes. She's an extremist nutjob. But you, Dave, have a blind spot for nutjobs you happen to agree with. Where's the column about "Gunny" Bob and Mike Rosen? For that matter, what about Dan Caplis, Peter Boyles, and even your colleague Jon Caldera, all of whom have repeatedly be caught by http://colorado.mediamatters.org/ distorting the truth to fit their preconceived notions of an extremist "truth"? (And, yes, Media Matters is also polarized, but they aren't hosting radio shows.) Wouldn't it be nice of Clear Channel or some other outlet started to offer genuinely reasonable voices?
April 19, 2008

7:43 a.m.

Suggest removal

DougH writes:

Granted Randi Rhodes is a little over the top because it is true that radio ratings are not based on thoughtful analysis from serious people, just ask Rush Limbaugh. It is the person who makes the most noise that gets the attention. Radio personalities from Ann Coulter to Jon Caldera to "gunny" Bob have learned this important leason from Rush. Blowhard behavior beats thoughtful analysis any day.
April 19, 2008

7:44 a.m.

Suggest removal

jconder45 writes:

Bobbb- You're right on, except that I don't agree that Randi Rhodes is an extremist nutjob. 90% of her show is quite reasonable. Maybe 10% is out there, and it is schtick, not meant to be taken seriously.
Amazing (well, not really) that Kopel would single out Rhodes from among airwaves that include the likes of Limbaugh, Ingraham, Hannity, Rosen, "Gunny Bob" and Caplis.
April 19, 2008

7:48 a.m.

Suggest removal

GorillaGrodd writes:

None of the radio hosts you mention are nearly as far from the mainstream as Randi Rhodes. They range from populist (Boyles) to right wing (Gunny Bob), whereas Rhodes is a radical left-wing extremist.
April 19, 2008

7:57 a.m.

Suggest removal

Iteriany writes:

April 17, 2008
“Good Morning” (Robin Williams - Good Morning Vietnam 1987),

Despite my best intentions, it seems as if I am in “a war of words with a man that buys his ink by the barrel” (Mark Twain - 1835-1910 ) and though I try and a avoid “battles of wit with a unarmed man” (Henny Youngman 1906-1998) I seem to have been singled out for the particular scorn of “Plagiarism” (Dave Kopel - Rocky Mountain News 4/5/08) and compelled to answer his too well publicized charge. “Yes” (1st caveman - upon seeing 1st cavewoman -10,000 BC) I did copy the majority of my letter to the editor from Cenk Uygur, but despite Mr. Kopel’s charge, I did thank Mr. Uygur in an unpublished note at the bottom of my letter for his contribution. “No” (1st cavewoman - see above) I’m accused, strangely enough, not by the original author. “Are you kidding me? I love what you did! God bless, go forward! Don't let people like that bother you. I'm always in favor of my ideas being spread out more. I'm not worried about who gets credit for them. Thanks for thinking the piece I wrote was good enough to quote.” (Letter from Cenk Uygur to Justin Dick 4/6/08), but by Mr. Kopel. One has to wonder if my name would have been singled out so prominently had my and Mr. Uygur’s points not been so telling, or for that matter, if Mr. Kopel had bothered to read my whole letter before accusing me in his column. Is the point to “intimidate” (Genghis Kahn vs. the world- 1162-1227, Hitler vs. most everyone - 1940, petty right wing pundits - everyday) people writing letters to their newspapers? Or is the point to “control the flow of information” (George W. Bush Administration - 2000-present day). Nevertheless, “Much thanks to Cenk Uygur at Huffington Post” (Letter to Editor, Justin Dick - 3/22/08) for his kind support.

“Sincerely” (Too many to list - origin of species to present day)

Justin Dick
April 19, 2008

8:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

claystation writes:

You obviously have not listened to Randi for more than a few minutes. Randi is a true patriot who believes in and loves our Constitution (unlike the Bush Administration). In the 70s, she was awarded "Woman of the Year" in the Air Force. Once you get past her angryness - which if you're actually paying attention to what's going on in this country, you should be angry yourself - Randi's full of information. And, as she always says, never believe what you hear on the radio, even from her. You should look things up yourself. Randi provides a great service to us. It's great to have her back on the air!
April 19, 2008

9:51 a.m.

Suggest removal

Bobbb writes:

I had the same thought, Gene. ;-)

Of course, CC would Karl Marx on the air if they thought he'd bring in the money.

Having said that, it's no secret that CC is run by a pretty conservative group of execs: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics...

What's sad (for me) is that it's the blow-hards who seem to succeed behind the mic. Maybe DougH and JConder are right and Rhodes is generally sane. And maybe most of the content that GorillaGrodd hears from the many right-wing talkers is equally sane (although I doubt it). My point is: can't we all agree that the airwaves could be filled with much BETTER, more sane hosts? Why do we have to settle for, "She's sane 90% of the time"?
April 19, 2008

10 a.m.

Suggest removal

jvb writes:

I am elated Randi is back. You’ve got Gunny Bob calling Rep. John Murtha a rat bastard; you’ve got John Savage doing what judges do: Enter conclusion before the evidence is in as in the LDS compound where children are holy raped in sacred ceremony and Savage labels Texas officials as racist, islamo facists, ad nausea, while all conservative right wingers end with “God Bless America” in which Harry Belafonte stands before the urinal in the South and hears a voice: “One drip N and you’re dead; whereas the indigenous native suffers holy genocide due to Manifest Destiny; whereas Mexico loses the entire Southwest due to divine intervention: “God Bless America.” Depending on whose ox is gored: “God Bless America.” Christianity is so silly and so deadly with its feeding frenzy over a god’s raw flesh and blood, a god that calls its sheeple “dogs” and dogs do eat raw flesh and swallow raw blood. “God Bless America” and its chief celibate at the Vatican sweeping its pedophile priests under the rug and now with his rug taken from him says to the victims: “You suffered a horrible act.” God Bless Randi Rhodes.
April 19, 2008

10:03 a.m.

Suggest removal

Bobbb writes:

Huh?
April 19, 2008

10:49 a.m.

Suggest removal

cd writes:

Ah Jesus Christ, tender your loving kindness unto the hypocrite Dave Kopel who is exactly what Randi accuses Clinton and Ferraro: As a lawyer, doesn’t Dave Kopel sell his services to the highest bidder?
April 19, 2008

12:50 p.m.

Suggest removal

GetReal writes:

Rhodes is a foul mouthed babbling alcoholic and certified nutjob.

Remember when she was assaulted by a sidewalk?-
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10172007/...

It seems after initial reports by her own network of a violent mugging, and then of vast right wing conspiracies, the truth came out Randi had downed 14 Ketel One bloody marys at an Irish bar earlier and knocked her own teeth out in a drunken fall.

But that didn't shut Randi's slobbering pie hole, and neither should Kopel.

Let her spew the progressive rants, temper tantrums and the unbelievable thought processes of a garden variety die hard Obambi supporter for the voting public to hear.

The question is- If a rabid Moonbat radio host gets hired, and there is no one listening, does she make a sound?

Expect to see Randi soon accepting a job at the Trinity Church as a Sunday school teacher or maybe you might spot her at the end of any bar ranting into her Bic lighter.
April 19, 2008

5:37 p.m.

Suggest removal

popo writes:

God bless Randi Rhodes, she's a bright ,shining ray in a sea of "dark side" cultists.
Fox news is as "fair and balanced" as the Nazi SS was or Pravda, for that matter.

It's high time someone is siding with the citizens of the United States of America, and exposing the greedy war-mongering MSM for what they are.

Selfish, tax-evading bastards wrapping themselves in our flag to enrich themselves.
April 19, 2008

7:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

GetReal writes:

popo-

Comparisons of Fox News to Nazis or Pravda only exposes just how far to the whacko left you stand.

Fox news, while leaning slightly right, is closer to the center of the political spectrum than CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC ,NBC, CBS, PBS....

Brit Hume's newscast, and Fox's opinion shows give the current news but also reports the stories unfavorable towards Dems that the liberal MSM at first wont touch but regrettably reports after Fox breaks them.

Their cable ratings are the highest and others shrinking because Conservatives, Independents, and yes many Democrats have found an outlet that reports and discusses all the news, not just selective coverage.

Fox does have Conservatives like Hume, Hannity, Fred Barnes,Krauthammer etc but has many liberals on its payroll including Geraldo Rivera, Susan Estrich, Alan Colmes, Shep Smith, Greta Van Susteren, Bob Becel, Eleanor Clift, Ellis Henican, Neil Gabler...

Can you name for me the Conservatives that are given the same voice from any of the other networks?

Or are the likes of Dan Rather, Katie Couric, Charles Gibson, Brian Williams, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Bill Moyers etc actually Republicans in your twisted world?
April 19, 2008

8:02 p.m.

Suggest removal

Sweetpickle writes:

Only conservative lobbying groups like the "Independence" institute should be allowed to speak out, after all what are the GI's fighting for except to keep liberal speech suppressed.
April 19, 2008

10:12 p.m.

Suggest removal

rickg19611 writes:

"remember when she was assaulted on a sidewalk"..... must be referring to that FAKE police report she filed. Even her fellow mental midget supporters admitted she lied in hopes of getting some attention for herself.

She needs psychiatric help. Her supporters need it too.
April 19, 2008

10:36 p.m.

Suggest removal

PACE2008 writes:

I fear that the word "patriot" has been glommed onto the same way that "un-American" has.

I regularly switch between 710 and 760 on the morning and late afternoon drives. I fall dead center in the "independent" category. I just can't take Rhodes' style. One day I heard her squealing like a pig. I'll listen to Hugh rant about things I don't agree with, in a somewhat educated manner, before listening to people squealing like pigs.
April 19, 2008

11:25 p.m.

Suggest removal

ManginoTorreta writes:

As long as they keep her away from the bar and any angry sidewalks, she'll always have a job on the radio.

"I fear that the word "patriot" has been glommed onto the same way that "un-American" has."

Agreed--these days, it pretty much means "Anybody who agrees with what I believe in politically," regardless of one's political affiliation.
April 21, 2008

9:11 a.m.

Suggest removal

Spencer writes:

one person on the left that is out of bounds and ten or more on the right. Kopel really comes across as a stooge in this article. I don't care for Rhodes but not anymore so than Kaplis, Rosen, Limbaugh, Gunny Boob, Ingraham etc etc etc. Really shows a lack of character for him to single out a nutjob on one side.
April 21, 2008

9:34 a.m.

Suggest removal

holekeeper writes:

Leave Randi on the air, every time some crazy-A*% demo listens to her they try to argue with me about what ever she had to say that day, then they look like they have been sniffing glue and go away. I am glad she is on the air because if they ever listened to anyone with a brain I may not be able to make them look soooooooooooo bad. Thanks Clear channel I know why she is really on the air (wink)
April 21, 2008

10:02 a.m.

Suggest removal

holekeeper writes:

Spencer,
The only reason she was "singled" her out is because she is in the news. Why would Kaplis, Rosen, Limbaugh, Gunny Boob, Ingraham need to need be grought up in this artical? I would have agreed but there is no reason for it.
April 21, 2008

10:23 a.m.

Suggest removal

rickg19611 writes:

Typical leftwingers.

In the Rhodes case, they lied and claimed that the dingbat was a "victim of a right wing attack". Of course, reality once again spanked Democrats and it turns out she was just a drunk that passed out and broke her own teeth out on the sidewalk. Leftwingers never admitted their lies, nor apologized for lying about the drunk.

As usual, leftwingers lie, and hope no one finds out. The truth always comes out eventually. And the leftwingers resort to more lies to make excuses for their previous lies.

No wonder Airhead America is a failure. Why would anyone with an IQ above 12 ever want to listen to a bunch of leftwing liars? That's why their radio audience consisted of nothing more than 3 drunks.
April 21, 2008

1:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

Spencer writes:

fair enough holekeeper. I just get tired about all the whining regarding Air America when talk radio is dominated by idiots on the right. (I would love to just reach through the radio dial and punch Caplis in the mouth) I think political talk on the radio is nothing but mental masturbation. Can't stand the people on either side.
April 21, 2008

3:02 p.m.

Suggest removal

jconder45 writes:

rickg19611: Dick Cheney tells more lies in one day than Randi Rhodes or any other "leftwinger" has told in their lifetimes.
April 21, 2008

3:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

jconder45 writes:

Holekeeper- Spenecer might buy it, but I don't. How many times has Rush Limbaugh been "in the news", yet no column from Kopel about his "hate". Kopel's column was agenda-driven, clearly.
April 21, 2008

4:05 p.m.

Suggest removal

holekeeper writes:

jconder45,
Well to tell the truth I dont know I have just started reading this and I have no clue what his prior reports said. I know when Rush got busted with the pills I didnt hear anything other that that for a week. Did rush get kicked off the air? I dont think so, so why does he need to be brought up. I would think if he wanted to make a compairson he could have brought up that guy (sorry cant think of his name) who called the female basketball team "nappy headed hoes" a fair person to bring up but the others havent been in this situtation. why cant we just deal with that.
April 22, 2008

8:08 a.m.

Suggest removal

Spencer writes:

It would be nice to listen to some fair and balanced commentary but I just don't think it exists.
April 22, 2008

9:29 a.m.

Suggest removal

rg writes:

I listen to Rhodes; however, I believe Bill O'Reilly provides a balanced commentary. Deicide Richard Grimes.

Deicide Corner: “I don't believe in God now.” “My ethics basically are to live in the now, and that requires tremendous discipline. It's as close to a religious sentiment as I have.” -- Jack Nicholson. “Talking to god is crazy. Hearing god is schizophrenia. Acting on it is insanity.” -- Robert Patterson. Given that god sent Bush into Iraq proves he is insane. rg
April 23, 2008

8:24 a.m.

Suggest removal

Houstongolfnut writes:

It's called MARKET FORCES! A smallish group of socialists nutcases support Air America and Randi; and they get a few stations in socialists hotbeds like Boulder, Austin, Madison and SanFran. A much larger group support conservative radio and they get stations everywhere. Without customers you go out of business. And you don't need some socialist "Fairness Doctrine" to get rid of opposing talk. Just don't listen.

And what is the deal with Dick Cheney? What did he EVER do to raise such paranoid hate? Was it that he led an engineering/construction company that employed tens of thousands of educated and motivated people in Texas? Or is it just the Texas thing?
April 24, 2008

7:42 a.m.

Suggest removal

Spencer writes:

Houstonnut, I for one don't respect Cheney because he is such a raging chickenhawk. I also don't feel giving no-bid contracts to his former company is on the up and up. Cheney has been looting our treasury. I hope we have a real investigation.
April 24, 2008

2:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Michael writes:

"Fox news is as "fair and balanced" as the Nazi SS was or Pravda, for that matter." - popo
I guess that is why Terry McAuliffe (Clinton campaign honcho and former Dem Party Chair) was on FOX just yesterday PRAISING FOX for being the FIRST to correctly call PA for Hillary and saying indeed that FOX is the most "fair and balanced". Later that night Karl Rove was on. FOX is THE ONLY network that has both left and right represented so equally and has all points of view discussed.
Comments by popo show how WRONG the radical left is - Rhodes included. They comment and speak on things that they have NO personal knowledge of - only from what they hear from their "masters" - MoveOn, AA, DailyKos, etc.

Post your comment

Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.

Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.