He also is a huge proponent of the free market, he says to let the market dictates what’s good and what isn’t. Well, based on sales numbers, price of new cars, and the piss-poor resale value of American cars, the free market says the big 2.8 sucks. Ah, but you won’t hear him telling THAT to his listeners.

anyway, no problem from my point of view, but it is really amazing to me the vitriol that some commenters start spewing as soon as one of their BFF is criticized. Didn’t TTAC just run a story about Al Sharpton? Not that this conclusively proves lack of bias, but I don’t think anyone is treated with velvet gloves here.

Just because someone hates Nader, doesn’t mean that Nader doesn’t have some good points. Same goes for Rush or Hannity or whomever…Open your brains people

Limbaugh, Hannity, Prager, and others pitch others products like Allen Brother’s Steak, Sleep Number Bed, and many other products. They talk about and give away these products all the time over the air. This is a common practice. It is understood that they are being paid to do these. I am sure GM and Allen Brothers don’t do advertisement with theses hosts for free. It’s so obvious I can’t believe this has to be stated. Robert Farago, with all due respect, I think you got suckered into Ralph Nader’s vent.

Limbaugh has 20 million listeners
Hannity has 15 million listeners.

And others… America haters, you neo-communist know-nothing environmental wacko tree hugging smug-laden useful idiots… You wish you had Rush’s or Hannity’s audiences. Liberalism is a child of fascism and sibling of communism that has failed and discredited during last 70 years. Liberals who fought against American soldier and waged propaganda against Vietnam wars… you are responsible for millions people dying after Vietnam war in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam’s current GDP of $3,000 of lost opportunities, education, health, and happiness. Compare Korea and Taiwan to Vietnam. John F-ing Kerry and your ilks are responsible for the current state of Vietnam. 70s Anti-war activists are responsible for the spread of communism. You guys never take responsibility for your damaging ideas like Ethanol, Welfare, pyramid scheme Social Security, New deal, Great society, ect… Liberals have been pushing for communist ideas for years. Old days they were shamed. Now, they are proud Marxists pushing Obama to the ticket, a latest Marxist.

Liberals always side with enemies of the USA and freedom. They side with terrorists, communists, and dictators all the time. From the days of Rosenbergs to Today’s Jim Mcdermott, they will always side with enemies of USA. I don’t think they actually met America’s enemies that they didn’t like.

These know-nothings keep pushing and shoving same idiotic agendas to rest of us. Today’s liberals are the likes of 1870s know-nothing populist with the communist twist to it. They are destructive. Look at the USA cities and states where damage is the greatest. They are all run by liberals, Michigan, California, ect… Then they move to Texas and Florida, states they use to hate, and want mess up these states, too.

Talk Radio is today’s town hall. No where in the broadcast media today such deep and in depth discussion are held. On TV, like CNN, you have 1 to 3 minute sound bites. That’s it. They are repeated over and over.

The real problem with liberals are not listening to anything other than watching the TV for 1 to 3 minute sound bites. Real problem is that they are products of know-nothing culture that USA has developed during last 30 to 40 years, a product of 60s, a stupidest generation… opposite of greatest generation of 1910~1940s.

The real problem is that people don’t grasp the social science of economics and history. There are lots of Jay Walkers out there. Liberalism has created lots of softies. It’s very destructive.

That is actually the real problem. The fools that never educate themselves. It is quite amazing that the founding fathers understood the nature of humanity so well and the spoiled people of today that would so willingly give that freedoom away.

Legally, you’re probably right. I’m sure the legal hammer can be dropped harder on traditional radio for these shill spots. And it just may after the November elections – and if so, the flight from and destruction of local radio will continue (especially now that the Sirius/XM wedding is a go).

I think both shill examples are ethically suspect practices (without disclosure).

And it wouldn’t be difficult to justify some sort of regulation of cable in this regard. Cable firms access local rights of way. Cable firms are almost all legal local monopolies. (See how fast you get sued / arrested / jailed for wiring an apartment complex with a competing cable system linked to a big dish).

Must be the new America where those that make bad decisions are bailed out by the prudent ones.

The capitalist system is based on millions of people making their own financial decisions. It works better than any other system. The communist/socialist system is based on a few people making decisions for the millions.

Bluecon,
What about those idiots on wall street that gave out the loans ? They got their goverment bail-out, didnt they ?

The whole point is that only fools need protection from something like this. Any halfwit could figure it out in seconds.

Kinda like people taking mortgages they can’t afford and then expecting the taxpayers with a brain to save them.

Liberals always want the government to protect them. Are they incapable of common sense?

You guys think Nader is a shining light?

Been a listener of the Rush-Meister for years. I really don’t think he drives a GM. I mean, c’mon, really now…

I wonder how much money Ralph Nader takes from special interest groups? How do you think that troublemaker/socialist makes his living?

Rush totally rocks. I love the guy. But he’s fibbing if he thinks his ample posterior will fit in an Astra.

Mr. Farago seems to hate GM. That’s no crime. But there’s no scandal here.

Did I mention that Rush totally rocks??

Adults actually listen to Rush and Hannity?

Really?

Do you seriously think the listening public doesn’t realize that the broadcaster is endorsing a product or product line during his or her show? And being compensated in one way or another?
And is Farago and TTAC still nitpicking because they happen to be GM products? C’mon now.

“All I’m saying is that it is ILLEGAL for broadcasters to hide product sponsorship from their audience. And this is EXACTLY what Limbaugh and Hannity have done.

I will not speak for Hannity (I do not listen to him), but I cannot imagine how anyone could actually listen to Rush and not think it is a commercial. From what I gather from his asides his usual ride is an AMG Merc (a big one)for whatever that is worth.

Apples and oranges, in this case. HBO is a subscriber service that is not on public airwaves, so they have more latitude.

The licenses granted to use public airwaves are the issue here. If Limbaugh wants to go onto satellite radio or internet radio, write for a newspaper, or whatever, and do his thing, that’s his business.

But broadcast signals belong to everyone, and are regulated as public property. Their use is licensed, the stations don’t own the frequencies or the right to use them, so they need to follow the rules.

Why set yourself up with a statement like that?

Ahhh, I don’t want any personal Emails from Robert today so I will leave it alone and stick with the topic at hand.

Using Rush and Hannity as spokesmen clearly speaks to the insolar culture that has been and still is destroying GM. The only things these two losers can do for GM is preach to the chior, so why waste the time and effort dealing with them.
GM already has the “good ole boy” set pretty well covered so exactly what new costumers do they expect to gain by associating with two dudes that the majority of the “other” people in this country (marketplace) find rather repulsive.

While it is correct to make the claim that most minorities in the USA do NOT listen to or watch Rush or Hannity on a regular basis they do now who they are and are aware of the negative images surrounding both. Trust me in the long run GM would be hurt (further) if their products are considered to be a “Hannity or Rush car”.

I agree. An explicit notice at the beginning or end of every show would be appropriate. However, if it’s going to be done to talk radio, it needs to be done to network and cable TV programming. As an example, HBO’s in house programming tends to have a lot of characters pimping using Apple products. Call me a cynic, but HBO’s execs might get their panties in a slight wad over any such ‘Nazi-free-speech-and-privacy-killing’ policy about their programming and/or what is shilled.

I am so tired of Ralph Nader and the whole of the Nanny state.

How could people be conned into thinking that a small increase in CO2 would burn up the Earth and only tax increases would save them?

And apparently no problem whith Algore making hundreds of millions with these scare tactics.

However, fair disclosure is important, and I don’t really have a problem with Ralph on this one. Whatever the rules are, they should be followed or openly challenged.

I do have a problem with both men for taking on such a high level of support for these organizations, and believe they show either poor judgement or hypocrisy by taking this blood money.

For every GM car sold, more money continues to flow through the UAW machine to support socialist policies in our governments. These guys should not support GM. They should think twice about the tradeoffs of buying American and supporting the UAW.

Besides the only people that would fall for this are the same people that would think a tiny increase in CO2 is going to burn the Earth up. And they don’t listen to conservative talk radio. Or maybe the sort of person that would believe that the government can spend their money better than they can and go GAGA for tax increases.

Conservatives are far to smart to be duped by something like this.

Exactly right, couldn’t have said it better myself.

The broadcasting airwaves belong to the public, so they are subject to additional regulation. There’s nothing wrong with advertising, but mixing up advertising and editorial into one big jumble without prior disclosure is an abuse of the airwaves, property that belongs to us.

These broadcasters don’t own the frequencies, they just license them, and those licenses can be revoked when they intentionally violate the terms of use. If they can’t create a clear separation between their advertising and their programming, then we should be separating them from the chance to abuse our assets, and free them up for somebody else’s use.