MSM has no taste, so whoever pays, plays.

All women, all the time?

Posted by Laura Barcella at 4:11 PM on September 13, 2006.

A new talk radio venture from Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda promises as much.

Post Tools
EMAIL
PRINT
9 COMMENTS

Share and save this post:

AlterNet Social Networks:

Got a tip for a post?:
Email us | Anonymous form

Laura Barcella RSS Feed

Main AlterNet RSS Feed

GreenStone, a media company founded by Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and other feminists extraordinaire, has just unveiled its all-women, all-talk radio network. (The first, as far as I know). The venture officially launched yesterday at Manhattan's Museum of Television & Radio.

According to Forbes' James Brady: "board members include best-selling author Gail Evans, formerly a member of CNN's executive committee; Frank Osborn, CEO of Quantum Communications; Emmy-winning anchorwoman Carol Jenkins; poet, novelist and Ms. Editor in Chief Robin Morgan; Fonda; Steinem; and Wallis Annenberg, a vice president of the Annenberg Foundation and a trustee of the University of Southern California."

As Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss writes in the Washington Post:

Steinem said the network, which is run by women, aims to provide an alternative to current radio talk, which she describes as "very argumentative, quite hostile, and very much male-dominated."

Couldn't agree more; though I am slightly put off by the way GreenStone's New York programming director Heather Cohen allegedly described the network to Forbes' James Brady:

"This is not a left-wing or feminist network." Her thesis: "AM talk radio tends to be highly political, and women don't like that."

Hmmph. OK, if you say so... Anyway, a few GreenStone broadcasts started airing in July on stations such as WIIN in Jackson, Mississippi and WXCT in Hartford, Connecticut -- and though the network only currently does nine hours of daily programming, it will soon increase to 12. The lineup features lots of comedy, including stand-up performers Maureen Langan, Cory Kahaney, and Nelsie Spencer in the morning, billed as "The Radio Ritas." Other hosts include working mom Lisa Bernbach, Mo Gaffney and Shana Wride.

Laura Barcella is AlterNet's associate editor.

Return to Laura Barcella » Post Tools: EMAIL PRINT 9 COMMENTS PERMALINK

Also by Laura Barcella
Alaska leading the way in femicide! New Mexico and Wyoming a close second... September 20, 2006.	More 9/11 lies Updated: Protesting 'Path to 9/11,' ABC's conservative-penned, six-hour 'docudrama' set to air on the five-year anniversary. September 6, 2006.	'Death of a President' A new British film looks back at the fictional assassination of George W. Bush in 2007. Whoa. August 31, 2006.	Design like you mean it A new photo book showcases examples of visionary housing solutions in poor communities. August 30, 2006.

Comments	Turn comments off sitewide	Give us feedback »
Comments closed. The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.		View:
Hmmm..... [Report this comment] Posted by: wonderwoman on Sep 13, 2006 4:27 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Well, it sounds interesting but I'm holding off until the PR dies down. The article you linked to by James Brady talks of "weaning women" off of Dr. Phil and Oprah and music radio programming. What the?! If this is going to be a watered down Oxygen network (it's hard to imagine a more boring alternative), count me out. I'd prefer a company run by women for EVERYONE. Check out the quote from the article below: The company's New York director of programming, Heather Cohen, a longtime New York WOR Radio exec who produced its powerhouse Joan Hamburg Show, first briefed me about GreenStone, named after a famous children's book by Alice Walker. And despite Fonda and Steinem, Heather assures me "this is not a left-wing or feminist network." Her thesis: "AM talk radio tends to be highly political, and women don't like that." That surprised me; I thought women were as nutty about politics as the rest of us. Thanks to James Brady who at least has the balls to call out her ridiculously stupid claim. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Hmmm..... Posted by: Laura Barcella More FakeLeft Identity Politics pushing men away towards the Right [Report this comment] Posted by: rebel_pig on Sep 13, 2006 8:04 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] don't worry--you just keep doing the plutocrats' work for them, and soon enough they will reward you with a high status job with a view office, and you can brag about to your family and friends..... It's all about paying your dues, right? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » You had nothing to say when Alternet wrote about your pet issue. Posted by: JoshuaLudd What better way to work for equality... [Report this comment] Posted by: kenadrian on Sep 14, 2006 7:43 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ... then to eliminate one gender completely from the dialogue. While, it's great that these women have created a radio station for women only, I don't think it'll do much for feminism. It's sort of like guys have a "men only" radio station... and there are a few that basically amount to that. So, yeah, great... whatever... enjoy those female-only shows but don't expect it to make any difference to men or to the gender divide. If you really want feminism (or should that be 'equalism'), both genders have to be involved... which brings me to another question: Will they accept transgendered women on their show? Many so-called feminists have not allowed MTFs to participate in women only programs. I sure hope this isn't one of them. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Worthless Hype & Makes No Real Contribution to Women's Issues [Report this comment] Posted by: colleenwhalen on Sep 14, 2006 8:21 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] I see no reason to listen to this radio station. It looks like a big pile of mush with absolutely no progressive roots. The way it is described it is so wishy-washy - along the lines of a statement a "sell-out" woman would say "I believe in equal pay for doing the same job as a man, but I'm not a feminist". I believe this will be a "happy talk" flibberty-gibbet radio station and just "fluff". [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind [Report this comment] Posted by: solarjin on Sep 14, 2006 10:31 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Haha... oh well. Hypocrisy, it's the new fall fashion. "Blessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders." - Nietzsche [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] A positive enterprise [Report this comment] Posted by: talkville on Sep 15, 2006 5:03 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] No doubt this is a positive development during our times, but not too fast either in embracing it wholeheartedly. 'All women All the time? The 'all' part deserves a bit of caution. Lest another bloc becomes a brick and another division in our 'division of labor'. As with every activity, exclusivity need not point only to progress. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] MSM has no taste, so whoever pays, plays. [Report this comment] Posted by: Sojourner on Sep 15, 2006 7:11 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] And if and when it flops, I hope it will not discredit feminism but only the sorority versions. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Hmmm..... Posted by: Laura Barcella

» You had nothing to say when Alternet wrote about your pet issue. Posted by: JoshuaLudd

Newsletter

Search:

» RE: Hmmm..... Posted by: Laura Barcella

» You had nothing to say when Alternet wrote about your pet issue. Posted by: JoshuaLudd