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*[[Ed O'Reilly]], Democratic candidate for US Senator from Massachusetts, 2008
*[[Ed O'Reilly]], Democratic candidate for US Senator from Massachusetts, 2008
*Eric Gouvin, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at [[Western New England College]]
*Eric Gouvin, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at [[Western New England College]]
*[[Ervin Staub]], [[Professor]] of [[Psychology]] at the [[University of Massachusetts]], expert on mass violence and [[genocide]], [[Abu Ghraib]] trial [[expert witness]].
*[[Ervin Staub]], [[Professor]] of [[Psychology]] at the [[University of Massachusetts]], expert on mass violence and [[genocide]], [[Abu Ghraib]] trial [[expert witness]]
*[[Frances Moore Lappé]], social change and democracy activist, author of 16 books including [[Diet for a Small Planet]].
*[[Frances Moore Lappé]], social change and democracy activist, author of 16 books including [[Diet for a Small Planet]].
*[[Francesca Rheanne]], [[journalist]] and [[radio host]] of [http://www.cchange.net Sea Change Radio]
*[[Francesca Rheanne]], [[journalist]] and [[radio host]] of [http://www.cchange.net Sea Change Radio]

Revision as of 00:17, 11 February 2010

Midweek Politics with David Pakman
File:Midweek politics logo.jpg
GenrePolitical Talk, Satire
Running time1 hour
Country of originVereinigte Staaten Vereinigte Staaten
Language(s)Englisch
Home stationWXOJ-LP / Pacifica Radio
StarringDavid Pakman
Created byDavid Pakman
Executive producer(s)David Pakman
Louis Motamedi
Original releaseAugust, 2005 –
Present
No. of episodes188 (as of October 18, 2009)
Websitehttp://www.midweekpolitics.com
PodcastMidweek Politics with David Pakman

Midweek Politics with David Pakman is a radio, internet, and television talk show hosted by David Pakman, currently airing on Pacifica Radio, YouTube, on public access television stations nationwide, and via internet podcast. The program first aired in August 2005 on WXOJ-LP ("Valley Free Radio"), located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and has since been syndicated on the Pacifica Radio network.[1] Midweek Politics is a political talk program, focusing on the politics and news of the week, with regular interviews of both liberal, conservative, and non-political guests. As a weekly show, it airs on both radio and television affiliates around the US and across the world.

David Pakman, host of the show, holds an MBA from Bentley University and an undergraduate degree in economics and communication from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

History

While an undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, during his time as an intern at the Media Education Foundation, David Pakman started to produce a local version of Midweek Politics on WXOJ, the then-new Pacifica Radio affiliate who's license was at the time held by the Media Education Foundation. The program quickly shifted to deal with national rather than local politics, and was made available to all Pacifica Radio Network affiliate stations. Immediate interest from few but significant affiliates spread around the US, and as the production value and guest quality of the show improved, the affiliate list grew.

In 2007, Midweek Politics brought in Louis Motamedi as the producer of Midweek Politics. This helped to expand the program further, allowing for more involved segments, more well-known guests, and live phone calls.

Radio Syndication

Syndication began in 2006 through the Pacifica Radio Network. Initially, a handful of non-commercial talk radio station began to broadcast the show, and currently airs on over 25 stations.

Television Syndication

On September 2, 2009, a video/television version of Midweek Politics was launched, airing on public-access television stations across the country, as well as on the Midweek Politics YouTube Channel. Distributing through both YouTube and PEGmedia, the program rapidly grew the number of television affiliates.

Format

"Midweek Politics" is made up of both live and recorded interviews, listener call-ins, clips from television and radio programs related to politics and current events, and specially produced segments, including "man on the street" interviews, recorded phone calls to political organizations or officials, and more.

Content

Midweek Politics is generally considered a progressive/liberal talk radio program, although it rarely falls in line with the traditional liberal positions on many issues, primarily related to Israel and Palestine, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While most progressive/liberal talk radio come down opposing the Israeli positions within the conflict, Midweek Politics tends to agree with those positions traditionally associated with the Republican Party within the United States.

Additionally, Midweek Politics differs with the typical progressive/liberal ideals on several individual fiscal issues.

David Pakman and Midweek Politics are strong supporters of gay marriage, the right to access legal abortion, positions that often become adversarial with guests on the program. Additionally, a strong belief in evolution and a rebuking of literal Bible interpreters who believe that the Earth is 6,000 years old have created conflict with guests on the program.

Westboro Baptist Church

The segments involving members of the Westboro Baptist Church, known for their "God Hates Fags" slogan and protests, date back to October 4, 2006, when Jonathan Phelps was interviewed[2] in what turned into a segment involving [[ad hominem] attacks from Phelps directed at Pakman and the show's producer and co-host, Louis Motamedi. Among the many claims made by Phelps were that all homosexuals in the US should be put to death. In short, homosexuality was blamed by Phelps as the cause of numerous nationwide and worldwide problems in which the United States is involved. In addition, Phelps threatened to "end this pretense of an interview" when the idea that Phelps' church's views were based on one interpretation of the Bible, as opposed to the only interpretation. Phelps stayed on the phone until the completion of the interview.

The program host, David Pakman, was also criticized for the Jonathan Phelps interview for not being sufficiently openly critical and confrontational with Phelps and his positions, who was once brought up on a variety of criminal charges stemming from information gathered following a raid of Westboro Baptist Church. In follow up interviews and programs, Pakman defended the interview by saying that it "should goes without saying that he did not agree with Phelps," and that he has condemned the church on the program in the past. In addition, he said that "because interviews with members of Westboro members often turn into unproductive shouting matches, staying calm and letting Phelps speak would allow listeners to hear the heinous nature of the church and their views."

The most well known member and public face of the Westboro Baptist Church, Shirley Phelps-Roper, was interviewed on Midweek Politics twice following her brother Jonathan's interview, on December 10, 2008 and June 6, 2009. In the December 10 interview, Phelps-Roper denied that homosexuality in animals was a concern of hers, and said that her church protested Heath Ledger's memorial service because he "taught rebellion to this generation" by playing a homosexual character in the movie Brokeback Mountain.

During the June 6 interview, Phelps-Roper called Massachusetts a "state of rabid perverts," presumably for Massachusetts' legalization of gay marriage. In addition, she said that Jews not accepting Jesus Christ as their savior, including David Pakman, the host of Midweek Politics, would be going to hell as a result of having "killed, murdered, and rejected" Jesus Christ. Further, she accused Pakman of being a "bad fig."

Ralph Nader

Former Presidential candidate and activist Ralph Nader was long known for stating that, with regard to the 2000 Presidential Election, both George W. Bush and Al Gore were essentially the same, and that it would make no difference which candidate was elected. While Nader maintained that position for some time, in an interview on Midweek Politics he made what some consider to be the first direct statement that while Bush and Gore have very similar positions on a plurality of issues, "no one would have mangled the situation (war) in Iraq the way that George W. Bush did as President[3].

Howard Stern

Pakman has been criticized by both traditional liberals as well as religious conservatives for his support of free speech, specifically as applied to Howard Stern and censorship. On September 27, 2006, Pakman specifically defended Stern, the Sirius Satellite Radio business, the success of Stern's show to date, and stated that he believes the type of ideology stated by Rush Limbaugh and other talk radio hosts is equally or more offensive than the type of content censored when Stern's show was on terrestrial radio. The comment was seen as an attack by both liberals and religious conservatives, both being offended by Stern's show for different reasons.

In an article published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette on December 13, 2006, the statement that Pakman claimed Howard Stern as a "hero" was made, although disputed by Pakman. In a correction/letter to the editor published on December 21, 2006, Pakman clarified that while he is a Sirius Satellite Radio subscriber and a fan of Howard Stern's, the statement that Stern was a hero was never made nor implied.

2006 election and Deval Patrick

During the leadup to the 2006 mid-term election, Pakman had more than one run-in with Massachusetts Governor-election Deval Patrick on the issue of polling. During an August 23, 2006 interview, Patrick was reluctant to admit that the Democratic candidate who would go on to win the primary in September was in a strong position to win in the general election in November, although the polls were overwhelmingly pointing in that direction.

This issue was brought up again in person by Pakman at an October 3, 2006 debate at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. At this point, Patrick had already won the Democratic primary and was, according to some polls,[who?] more than 30 points ahead of the second place Republican Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. When asked if he would finally admit to having some comfort in his lead, Patrick explained that "he doesn't always trust the polls." When asked by Pakman whether or not Healey should be worried that she is more than 30 points down, Patrick shrugged the question off by asking "is it now that much?" and moving on to another reporter's question.

Country Thunder

Criticism was received from listeners in response to the July 25, 2007 broadcast of Midweek Politics, during which Pakman discussed his visit to Country Thunder, a country music festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Criticism from those defending the country music industry was primarily focused around alleging that Pakman's descriptions of the event and attendees as heavily neoconservative, pro-war, and in great part racist were unfair characterizations and descriptions out of context.

In addition, Pakman's comments about specific country artists, including Montgomery Gentry and Trace Adkins, were considered equally out of context, although only by self-admittedly conservative, mostly pro-war listeners who called about the subject.

Guest hosting

Pakman has served as the guest host on several other radio programs.

Affiliates

Radio Affiliates

This list a partial list of radio affiliates, many of which are Pacifica Radio stations.

Television Affiliates

This is a partial list of television affiliates.

Guests

Guests on the program have included elected public officials, political candidates, members of the military, film producers, and members of university political clubs, among others. Interviews are both live and pre-recorded. The following are some of the guests who have been on the program:

Credits

The show is hosted by David Pakman and produced by David Pakman and Louis Motamedi at Valley Free Radio WXOJ in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Press

References

  1. ^ Perkins, Matt (2006-12-26). "Unexpected Success". The Daily News Tribune.
  2. ^ http://www.midweekpolitics.com/guests-and-interviews/jonathan-phelps/
  3. ^ http://www.midweekpolitics.com/guests-and-interviews/ralph-nader/
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