Air America is dying.

[Rex Kickass]

ThinkProgress expects Air America Radio to file for bankruptcy within the month.

 

However, it's not all bad. Apparently, Clear Channel is committed to Progressive Political Radio and is going to announce a partnership with Jones Radio Networks, the Center for American Progress and a couple other outlets this week to conduct a nationwide search for progressive talk radio talent.

 

Link.

 

I tried so hard to like Air America, I really did. But it was a doomed business plan from the start. Leasing radio stations 24 hours a day instead of buying stations. Mediocre talent, for the most part, and trying to be "The" liberal network instead of working to syndicate actual talent to stations around the country.

[samclemens]

you are right, AirAmerica always seemed doomed from the start. I kept hearing about a few rouge stations that would syndicate a program or two out west somewhere. I never got a chance to hear a single show.

[Balta1701]

trying to be "The" liberal network instead of working to syndicate actual talent to stations around the country.

Well, the one thing I will say in response to this is that the people running radio in this country have for years had absolutely no interest in syndicating liberal-leaning talk shows, and it sure seems that there's a trend of that changing after Air America went on the air.

 

Just off the top of my head, there's the classic examples like Mike Malloy's infamous cancelation from WLS late-night in Chicago, the questions surrounding the cancelation of Jim Hightower's show in the mid-90's, etc. Now suddenly there's people like Ed Schultz actually finding channels that are willing to syndicate them, which is a huge change from a few years ago, even if AAR does go under (TP at least suggests there's a chance the network itself will survive...they do still have some solidly-rated shows)

[Texsox]

I would love to hear a show that actually treats all opinions with respect and will fairly discuss issue from both sides. I'd be about the only one listening, everyone else would be screaming too biased towards the other side, but I can dream.

 

Who d you believe has the most neutral, even handed show?

[WilliamTell]

How's America Right doing anyways?

[jackie hayes]

However, it's not all bad.

Actually, it is. That's why it's going bust.

 

Air America is proof that two wrongs really don't make a...correct.

[samclemens]

all-women radio talk network is being launched

 

doomed for failure? hedge your bets...i vote it tanks too

[Rex Kickass]

Whether or not an Air America bankruptcy hurts or helps the on-air profile of the network is actually left to be seen. There are no immediate plans to shutter the net either.

[samclemens]

franken says they havent paid him "in a while"

[Balta1701]

AAR Responds (same Think Progress Link will work)

 

If Air America had filed for bankruptcy every time someone rumored it to be doing so, we would have ceased to exist long ago; it may be frustrating to some that this hasn’t happened. No decision has been taken to make any filing of any kind, we are not sure of the source of these rumors and frankly can not respond to every rumor in the marketplace.

[AbeFroman]

I listen to it periodically.

 

I'd say they have chosen their talent very poorly. Rachel Matto and Jerry Springer are bad in morning drive time. Randi Rhodes sucks on the way home.

 

Ed Schultz is pretty good though. He's on during the day, so i never listen to him.

 

Liberal radio isn't going to work cause most liberals tend to be 1) much bigger music fans than hardcore conservatives who listen to talk radio, and 2) listen to NPR.

Edited September 14, 2006 by AbeFroman

[Balta1701]

Ed Schultz is pretty good though. He's on during the day, so i never listen to him.

Ed Schultz is not actually an Air America radio show. He's a left-leaning talk show host who finally was able to get syndicated once a few stations started picking up AAR, and he was good enough that the stations that weren't 100% AAR but wanted left-leaning listeners to occasionally tune in started grabbing him.

[longshot7]

I would love to hear a show that actually treats all opinions with respect and will fairly discuss issue from both sides. I'd be about the only one listening, everyone else would be screaming too biased towards the other side, but I can dream.

 

Who d you believe has the most neutral, even handed show?

 

I agree - this is very hard to find. I tend to think, even though I disagree with about 70% he says, that Michael Medved is the most even-handed show. He takes a lot of calls from people that disagree with him and doesn't get defensive. I really like Ed Shultz, but man does that guy get defensive.

 

There's a non-partisan but political show out here in LA on KFI called The Jon & Ken Show that is pretty even-handed too. They're pretty opinionated but they disagree with both Repubs & Dems.

 

It's the shows that just toe the party line, where it seems the host does absolutely no thinking for themselves that I hate - like Hannity and Limbaugh.

[The Critic]

all-women radio talk network is being launched

 

doomed for failure? hedge your bets...i vote it tanks too

If they align themselves with The View or (especially) Oprah, they can't fail. Oprah's Estrogen Zombies will follow her anywhere.

If they don't, they can't succeed.

[Texsox]

I agree - this is very hard to find. I tend to think, even though I disagree with about 70% he says, that Michael Medved is the most even-handed show. He takes a lot of calls from people that disagree with him and doesn't get defensive. I really like Ed Shultz, but man does that guy get defensive.

 

There's a non-partisan but political show out here in LA on KFI called The Jon & Ken Show that is pretty even-handed too. They're pretty opinionated but they disagree with both Repubs & Dems.

 

It's the shows that just toe the party line, where it seems the host does absolutely no thinking for themselves that I hate - like Hannity and Limbaugh.

 

The whole political talk radio is party driven with a huge push to line up advertsisers. Take my area here. Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, Ingrahm, all have shows on my local radio station. This area is 90% Dems. How does that programming survive and become financially viable. The state GOP party pushed their party faithful to support the shows via advertising. Rush is like a a couple hour paid political ad.

[Balta1701]

Despite reports the liberal talk network would file for bankruptcy protection by week’s end — that apparently isn’t happening. Franken tells listeners “we’re not in Chapter 11″ and pokes at conservative talk hosts and websites for getting it wrong with quips like “who’s gloating now Bill O’Reilly?” We still believe it’s a tough economic situation at the libnet — and several staffers have been laid-off.

Link.

 

Apology from CAP.

[EvilMonkey]

Looks like the timing was off, but the filing has finally happened.

 

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/13/D8KNVB6O0.html

[Rex Kickass]

Yeah, it was only a matter of time and that's really been obvious for months from that network. I remember looking to work there when it first launched, but six months later - by the time I moved to the area, I didn't even consider it. Looked too much like a shop whose paychecks bounced.

[kapkomet]

A "liberal" network would work, if they came up with the right business plan. That seemed to be the biggest downfall. Or maybe it was their bias.

[GaelicSoxFan]

A "liberal" network would work, if they came up with the right business plan. That seemed to be the biggest downfall. Or maybe it was their bias.

That's what was being said before-instead of syndicating the shows, they tried to be the network.

 

Personally, I like two of the shows on WCPT (for those of you who don't know, WCPT is the liberal station here in Chicago): Al Franken and Ed Schultz. Franken is funny and Schultz isn't afraid to give Democrats an occasional kick in the pants if he feels they need it.

[Soxfest]

It never was living really.

[CrimsonWeltall]

Of course it failed. It's terrible. Al Franken is OK, but the other hosts like Sam Seder and Randy Rhodes just take the dumbest 5 Republican quotes of the week and talk about them over and over.

[Rex Kickass]

I liked Randi Rhodes, but it seemed like the more desperate they got, the more shrill she got.

[juddling]

looks like they are going to try again......

 

Details Emerge On Nova M, New Liberal Net

Oct. 18, 2006

By Katy Bachman, Mediaweek

 

More details are coming to light on Nova M, the liberal talk network formed earlier this year by Air America Radio co-founders Anita and Sheldon Drobny. Based in Phoenix, the new network will debut Oct. 30 on KPHX/Phoenix, a former Air America station that went dark in March under new ownership. As previously reported, the network has also entered into a lease management agreement with KDXE/Little Rock.

 

Mike Malloy, a former member of the Air America team, will host a show from 9 p.m. to Midnight ET.

 

Also airing on the network will be Dr. Mike Newcomb — a former gubernatorial candidate and physician, who also serves as Nova M's CEO — from 9 a.m. to Noon ET, and Peter B. Collins, a San Francisco Talk personality, who will air 6 to 9 p.m. ET. Also joining Nova M is pollster John Zogby, president and CEO of Zogby International, who will also host a show on the network called “The Pulse of the Nation.”

 

Joe Trippi, best known as the brains behind Howard Dean’s Web site that helped raise more than $40 million for the former presidential candidate, will serve as media and communication consultant to the network.