Podcast 294

Dry Cycle. The update turns into a discussion of the fallibility of media, even your favorite cable news channel. This weekend, Fox News had to correct itself and apologize profusely for reporting there are ‘no go’ zones in Europe, where non muslims fear to tread, and the police won’t enter. Everyone was talking about it all weekend after Fox anchors and guests apparently got it wrong. These are neighborhoods in England and suburbs in France that are about as forbidding as LA’s Compton, or Chicago’s South Side. While Europe has been more lenient allowing Sharia Law, it does not mean muslim ‘enclaves’ have sprouted, even though allowing a separate law for Muslims in a modern, western democracy is not a good idea. That said, the President and the Pope continue to support limits on free speech. President Obama even went so far as to say he doesn’t consider terrorism a existential threat, which it most certainly is, then said Europe has to do a better job ‘integrating’ its Muslims. Maybe he fell for the No Go story too. This provokes a whole conversation about how to wean yourself from cable news and talk radio, develop multiple sources of information, deal in facts, avoid the emotion spewing out of talk radio and fox news, and use your tools to find and develop deeper knowledge on key subjects. The need to fill the airwaves, pushes under financed and poorly managed outlets to spew out incorrect information, relying on ping ponging viewers back and forth between the latest outrage and the latest breaking news. The good news? That kind of media’s glory days are behind it, as it gives way to on demand audio (podcasts), You Tube, NetFlix and future on demand video services. A recent survey reports that most millennials don’t ever watch broadcast television, seldom watch cable news channels, and download virtually all their entertainment and information. In an on demand world, the daily outrage may not work as well, as people seek out information, rather than people screaming at each other. The latest example? NASA says 2014 was the hottest year on record? Do you know by how much? Do you know what the margin of error is in that estimate? The answer might surprise you. Finally, Arizona and other states are passing laws which require high school seniors to pass citizenship exams in order to graduate. Good idea? Sponsored by Baklund R&D. 

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Podcast 258

Fox News Crushes. As we head into Thanksgiving, people taking various parts of the week off, heading out on the road to where ever they’re going, easing into the week. The big story to watch in the next few days is Ferguson, Missouri. Deliberations of the Grand Jury there on whether or not there is enough evidence to charge the policeman who shot and killed Michael Brown during and after an altercation with Brown. The Grand Jury could report out at any time until January 7th, when its term comes to an end, and a new jury is empaneled. Media critics have suddenly discovered that Fox News is beating the daylights out of its cable competitors CNN and MSNBC, and on election night 2014, all three of the major networks as well. What will happen to CNN and MSNBC? What is the future for the broadcast news networks and stations? While Fox News will probably reign for some time, even Cable Television is starting to show its age. How will new digital sources of information and new ways for people to get their news effect the 2016 election. As we witness a revolution in Media, will we witness a revolution in politics? Whenever there is a major national or international story such as President Obama’s executive order on Immigration recently, The Bob Davis Podcasts gets a spate of emails from listeners, with examples of emails they want to send to Speaker Of The House John Boehner telling him what to do, and what they don’t like. Is it better to send emails and call your congressman’s office? Or to start working in local politics to influence your local governments, state government and state wide races, with an eye toward developing an organization that delivers votes and money, and therefore influence? There are many Republicans who might be candidates for President in 2016. The worst thing that could happen is another season of debates between 16 candidates. Forget writing letters to the Speaker and start organizing in your neighborhood. While there are divisions in the Republican party (watch as the media develops that story line), there are also divisions among Democrats. Republicans continue to need a cogent plan for improving the US Economy, showing they’re capable of running the White House (not too hard, given the current occupant) and a plan to improve the international relations of the US. On the Bill Cosby front, come the obligatory commentaries about how Hollywood, Politics and Sports do not give our children any role models anymore. Its time people started acting as role models for their own children, and especially teach them its ok to have heroes and role models, but famous people are humans too and they make mistakes, sometimes terrible mistakes. Planning on doing some drinking this Thanksgiving? Did you know doctors may consider you an excessive drinker? Find out why and how. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul. 

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Podcast 248 – Jason Lewis

Jason Lewis. National Talk Radio Star Jason Lewis joins the Bob Davis Podcasts. My talk radio colleague and I talk about the recent 2014 midterm election results; What does the election mean for Republicans and Democrats, and what to expect. Jason has an unrivaled perspective on local Minnesota politics, so his insight on the election results in Minnesota is invaluable. How was the Minnesota Republican Party able to elect 11 state representatives, to win back the state-house, but fail to win a single state wide office? Is it the candidates, the voters, or something else less visible from the outside? What mistakes did the state party make in selecting candidates for statewide races, and running those campaigns. How are Minnesota politics different from neighboring rival Wisconsin, where Governor Scott Walker won by 6 points, and maintained Republican control of the state Assembly in Madison? How significant was money from liberal PACs in Minnesota and what about Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts, where republicans won in democrat dominated states? Minnesota party leaders and national media believe voters are sending a message they want politicians in Saint Paul and Washington DC ‘to work together’, does Jason Lewis agree? What should the strategy of Republicans in the Minnesota House and the US Congress be after they’re sworn in? Did Americans vote for the party of Graham, King and McConnell, or Cruz, Paul and McCarthy? What’s the response to the President’s post election press conference today? Meanwhile, what mischief will the lame duck congress get up to, between now and January of 2015. Jason also has some great stories from his KSTP days, what he refers to as the ‘halcyon days’ of talk radio in the 90’s and early 2000’s; A time when creativity and local talk radio flourished across America. With talk migrating to weaker AM signals, and sports replacing more and more talk stations, what is the future of broadcast talk radio? With the advent of the ‘digital dashboard’ and the capability for individual broadcasters to stream and podcast, broadcast radio is two steps behind newspapers on the disruption highway. As radio fades, Jason’s main focus these days, aside from Golf, is Galt.IO, which is fully explained for those who do not know what it is. Galt.IO will provide an online capability for the politically disenfranchised to crowdsource fundraising for candidates and causes, allowing individuals to amplify their causes, without having to go to the wealthy to fundraise, and will empower conservative causes in their effort to compete with left wing fundraising institutions like Alliance for A Better Minnesota, and “RINO” republican organizations; something that has never before been possible on this level. Stay tuned in this podcast for a never-before-heard announcement regarding Galt.IO. Sponsored by Xgovernment Cars, and by Depotstar. 

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