The radio show "Answer the Question" is a small start in the battle against corporate media giants, and the crush of conservative talk on the airwaves - but it's a start.

The talk show, described as "progressive radio" by its host, Brian James, 54, is heard on Sunday mornings from 9-10 a.m. on WKRK, FM-97.1, in Southeast Michigan. A handful of union groups are among the sponsors of the show.

About half a dozen programs have aired so far, providing a more left-leaning point of view on issues like free trade, the labor situation at Northwest Airlines, the U.S. auto industry, and federal pension laws.

"I came up with the idea for the show, and it was born out of the idea that someone has to counterbalance the extreme right-wing radio that's so prevalent out there," James said. "Organized labor and the middle class are the foundation of America, and right now they're under attack. You've heard of the greatest generation; I don't want this to be the worst generation."

James' day job is a city attorney for Royal Oak. A few years ago he and colleagues sought and obtained representation by the Teamsters when the city made a bid to privatize the legal staff. Deciding that he wanted to be more of a voice for working men and women, James, with no previous broadcasting experience, graduated from the Specs Howard School of Broadcasting with the intention of starting a radio program. In May 2005, he made his on-air debut by buying his own time at another radio station, then earlier this year moved to WKRK, which is also the flagship station for the Detroit Lions.

"The basic premise for me behind starting Answer the Question is 'if not me, who? If not now, when?' " James said.

To date, he has hosted union leaders like the UAW President Ron Gettlefinger, Teamsters President James Hoffa, and Anita Berger of the Change to Win Federation. James also takes phone calls. His program is also videotaped and broadcast on local cable television.

"It's tough to cover everything I want to talk about in an hour," he said. "I'm not a flaming liberal, but I don't like stupidity, and I think there's a lot of stupidity on conservative radio."