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Air America was conceived in response to the perception held by many liberals that liberal groups were ineffective in getting their viewpoint across in the media and that conservative dominance of talk radio — notably the popularity of commentators such as [[Rush Limbaugh]], [[Sean Hannity]] and [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] — gave the [[United States Republican Party|Republicans]] an electoral advantage over the [[United States Democratic Party|Democrats]] because it helped the Republicans turn out their political base. British journalists [[Jonathan Freedland]], [[John Micklethwait]], and [[Adrian Wooldridge]], have credited conservative talk radio with helping to shift the tone of American public debate. By creating an electoral environment where Republican candidates are more able to succeed, Democratic candidates are forced further to the right in order to be "electable". Micklethwait and Wooldridge wrote about this in ''[[The Right Nation]]'', and [[David Brock]] wrote about it in ''[[The Republican Noise Machine]]''.
Air America was conceived in response to the perception held by many liberals that liberal groups were ineffective in getting their viewpoint across in the media and that conservative dominance of talk radio — notably the popularity of commentators such as [[Rush Limbaugh]], [[Sean Hannity]] and [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] — gave the [[United States Republican Party|Republicans]] an electoral advantage over the [[United States Democratic Party|Democrats]] because it helped the Republicans turn out their political base. British journalists [[Jonathan Freedland]], [[John Micklethwait]], and [[Adrian Wooldridge]], have credited conservative talk radio with helping to shift the tone of American public debate. By creating an electoral environment where Republican candidates are more able to succeed, Democratic candidates are forced further to the right in order to be "electable". Micklethwait and Wooldridge wrote about this in ''[[The Right Nation]]'', and [[David Brock]] wrote about it in ''[[The Republican Noise Machine]]''.


A number of conservative commentators countered that the reason conservative shows did well on radio was because of what they perceive to be a lack of a conservative voice from more prominent news sources. They asserted that a liberal network would not do well, because those view points are already well represented by other news sources.
A number of conservative commentators countered that the reason conservative shows did well on radio was because of what they perceive to be a lack of a conservative voice from more prominent news sources. They asserted that a liberal network would not do well, because those view points are already well represented by other news sources and Air Americas potential audience were more likely to be watching the [[Jerry Springer Show]].


[[Brian C. Anderson]] wrote, "Liberal bias in the old media (is) what birthed talk radio in the first place. People turn to it to help right the imbalance. Political scientist [[William Mayer]], writing in the ''[[Public Interest]]'', recently observed that liberals don't need talk radio because they've got the big three networks, most national and local daily newspapers and [[NPR]]."<ref>{{cite news
[[Brian C. Anderson]] wrote, "Liberal bias in the old media (is) what birthed talk radio in the first place. People turn to it to help right the imbalance. Political scientist [[William Mayer]], writing in the ''[[Public Interest]]'', recently observed that liberals don't need talk radio because they've got the big three networks, most national and local daily newspapers and [[NPR]]."<ref>{{cite news

Revision as of 05:15, 14 July 2007

Air America Radio
TypeRadio network
Country
 United States
AvailabilityNorth America
Launch date
March 31 2004
Official website
www.AirAmericaRadio.com

Air America Radio is a talk radio network and program syndication service in the United States. The network started programming on March 31, 2004, and features discussion and information programs with hosts reflecting liberal and progressive points of view. The network specializes in presentations and monologues by on-air personalities, guest interviews, calls by listeners, and news reports.

On Friday, October 13, 2006, Air America Radio filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to remain on-air while resolving issues with creditors. The network announced on January 29, 2007 that SLG Radio LLC, owned by New York real estate investor Stephen L. Green, would acquire the network, for US$4.25 million.[1] On March 6, 2007, Green Family Media was formed and completed its purchase of Air America.[2] Air America pioneer Al Franken announced on February 14 2007 he was to leave the network in preparation to run for a seat in the United States Senate for the state of Minnesota.[3] Currently, Randi Rhodes is the only remaining personality with her original time slot.

File:AAR1.jpg
Former Air America logo, 2004-2007

Programming overview

Like most talk radio outlets, Air America Radio's programming includes news, talk, comedy, interviews, guest editorials, and listeners' telephone calls. As with all broadcast networks, local stations choose which programs to air subject to contractual arrangements. In various markets, there are traffic and weather reports throughout the broadcast day generated by local affiliates. The talk portions feature some extended host monologues in the classic talk radio format. Live and pre-recorded comedy routines, featuring various comedians, are also aired.

Format

The shows follow a half hour format from 6 minutes past the hour to 28 minutes after the hour followed by a hard break for six minutes until 34 minutes past the hour. The final hard break occurs at 58 minutes past the hour leading into the news at the top of the hour.

News

Air America has a brief summary of current news at the hard break top of the hour from wire services such as the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). Some affiliates use other news services or run their own newscasts during the six minute "news hole" at the top of the hour. The current newscasters are Bill Crowley, Wayne Gillman, Mike Piazza (not the Oakland A's DH) and Mark Scheerer.

Public affairs and editorials

The public affairs programs tend to closely follow current happenings in the news, with monologues and reflections offered by the hosts and their guests. Listener comments by phone or the internet are worked into these segments along with the interviews.

Music

Although better known for its political shows, Air America also features music-oriented shows, and otherwise uses music in a variety of creative ways. Most of the talk shows have their own theme songs, using music to segue between commercials and segments. The music in use is generally commercially released rock music. The internet feed features a limited selection of non-vocal, non-commercial rock-like music during time slots reserved for local affiliate commercials. Current shows dedicated to music are The Revolution Starts Now and On The Real. The focus of the now-canceled The Kyle Jason Show was music and music history.

Weekday programs

Air America produces twenty hours of weekday network programming, including news summaries at the top of each hour. All of the programs below air on stations under full control of the network, along with rebroadcasts of some of the day's shows from 01:00 to 05:00 ET (UTC-5).

On September 12, 2006, Air America sent an updated schedule to their affiliates, detailing its new schedule.

The Air America Radio lineup as of May 21, 2007 is as follows:

Weekend programs

On many Air America affiliates, weekends feature repeats and highlights from the network's weekday shows, combined with new original programming and some syndicated shows produced independently.

Original network programming for weekends includes:

New lineup

On Thursday, April 25, 2007, Mark Green announced that Westwood One would now be handling Air America's ad sales and unveiled a new lineup for the radio network. He also stated that the website would be redesigned soon and that the radio network will also unveil a new logo as well. [1]

The following schedule will become effective on Monday, May 21, 2007.

All Times Eastern

Monday

Tuesday-Friday


Saturday

Sunday

  • 12AM-1AM Best-of The Young Turks
  • 1AM-4AM Best-of The Air Americans
  • 4AM-7AM Best-of The Lionel Show
  • 7AM-9AM Best-of The Young Turks
  • 9AM-10AM (rebroadcast) 7 Days in America with Mark Green, Arianna Huffington, & Bob Kerrey
  • 10AM-1PM Best-of The Thom Hartmann Program
  • 1PM-2PM Radio Nation with Laura Flanders
  • 2PM-4PM (rebroadcast) "Clout" with Richard Greene
  • 4PM-7PM Seder on Sunday with Sam Seder
  • 7PM-8PM (rebroadcast) State of Belief with Reverend Welton Gaddy
  • 8PM-10PM (rebroadcast) Ring of Fire with Robert Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, & David Bender
  • 10PM-11PM The Steve Earle Show
  • 11PM-12AM On the Real with Chuck D. (Hour 1)

Former programs

Syndication

On September 8, 2005 Air America Radio announced that the network formed Air America Syndication, a separate division designed to offer additional programming and services to both Progressive Talk and other talk/music formats. The separate division was used to syndicate Thom Hartmann, and later Springer on the Radio which aired at the same time as The Al Franken Show and The Sam Seder Show respectively on the Air America network lineup. Springer ended his show on December 5, 2006 and Franken's ended on February 14, 2007. On January 29, 2007, Air America announced that Hartmann would replace Franken on the regular network lineup. There currently are no programs syndicated as a part of Air America Syndication.

History

Air America was conceived in response to the perception held by many liberals that liberal groups were ineffective in getting their viewpoint across in the media and that conservative dominance of talk radio — notably the popularity of commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly — gave the Republicans an electoral advantage over the Democrats because it helped the Republicans turn out their political base. British journalists Jonathan Freedland, John Micklethwait, and Adrian Wooldridge, have credited conservative talk radio with helping to shift the tone of American public debate. By creating an electoral environment where Republican candidates are more able to succeed, Democratic candidates are forced further to the right in order to be "electable". Micklethwait and Wooldridge wrote about this in The Right Nation, and David Brock wrote about it in The Republican Noise Machine.

A number of conservative commentators countered that the reason conservative shows did well on radio was because of what they perceive to be a lack of a conservative voice from more prominent news sources. They asserted that a liberal network would not do well, because those view points are already well represented by other news sources and Air Americas potential audience were more likely to be watching the Jerry Springer Show.

Brian C. Anderson wrote, "Liberal bias in the old media (is) what birthed talk radio in the first place. People turn to it to help right the imbalance. Political scientist William Mayer, writing in the Public Interest, recently observed that liberals don't need talk radio because they've got the big three networks, most national and local daily newspapers and NPR."[4]

Beginnings

Air America was initially the idea of Sheldon Drobny and Anita Drobny. The Drobnys wanted to start a progressive talk radio network to compete with conservative talk radio. The first liberal network, the UAW's I.E. America Radio Network, which was home to former Air America host Mike Malloy, never gained national attention. Its last day on the air was February 27, 2004, only weeks before Air America took to the airwaves.

The couple announced their intentions in February 2003 when they formed AnShell Media, and announced their plans for a syndicated radio network. The following December, the Drobnys sold AnShell Media To Evan Cohen and Mark Walsh, and the company was renamed Progress Media, with the network to be called "Central Air" Radio Network, Cohen named as Chairman, and Walsh was named CEO.

In January 2004, Progress Media signed Al Franken and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to host shows, additional signings follow including Janeane Garafolo, Chuck D., and Randi Rhodes. Lizz Winstead joins on the production side.

Finally, on March 31, 2004, the new Air America Radio launched with stations in New York (WLIB), Chicago (WNTD), Los Angeles (KBLA), San Bernadino (KCAA), and Portland (KPOJ), with a staff of about 100 employees. WJNO in West Palm Beach, Florida, the station where Rhodes worked, was listed as an affiliate, as was WMNN in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where a local group leased time to air Franken's show (in addition to The Ed Schultz Show).

Difficulties

Air America was started by Progress Media, which stated it had secured US$30 million in venture capital prior to its debut. This claim was later found to be untrue with the actual amount closer to US$6 million. Two individuals from Guam, Rex Sorensen and Evan Montvel Cohen, were involved in raising the capital.[5]

Two weeks after the on-air debut of Air America Radio, programming was withdrawn in two key markets due to contract disputes. Multicultural Radio owned two stations contracted to carry the AAR signal, in Chicago and Santa Monica, California. Air America alleged that Multicultural Radio had sold time on their Los Angeles station to both AAR and another party, and claimed that that was why they stopped payment on checks due to Multicultural while AAR investigated.

Multicultural Radio noted that Air America bounced a check and claimed they were owed in excess of US$1 million. Air America Radio filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court, charging breach of contract and was briefly granted an injunction to restore the network on WNTD-AM in Chicago. On April 20, 2004, the network announced the dispute had been settled, and Air America's last day of broadcast on WNTD was April 30, 2004. The New York Supreme Court ultimately concluded that the injunction was improvidently entered and that Air America Radio's court action was without merit, dismissing Air America's complaint and awarding over US$250,000 in damages and attorneys' fees to Multicultural.[6] According to a subsequent lawsuit filed by Multicultural, Air America Radio never paid the sums ordered by the court.[7]

Four weeks after Air America's debut, its CEO, Mark Walsh, and executive vice president for programming, Dave Logan, left the network. One week after those departures, its chairman and vice chairman, Evan Cohen and his investment partner Rex Sorensen, also left.

As part of a reorganization, investors in Progress Media bought the assets of that company, creating a new company, Piquant LLC. An important change which accompanied the reorganization was a decision to stop trying to buy radio stations and lease air time, or insist that stations carry all of the network's programming.

On February 28, 2005, a new CEO, Danny Goldberg, was named. In April 2005, Gary Krantz was named President of the network.

Also in April 2005, the studio of an AAR affiliate in Warren, Ohio, WANR-AM, was briefly occupied by a group that changed the locks and began broadcasting Christian programming until the police forced them to leave.[8] A few weeks later, the group seeking to switch the station's format to Christian programming was able to purchase the station, and the Air America programming was discontinued.[citation needed]

In July 2005, the Bronx News reported Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club of Co-op City loaned US$480,000 to Progress Media, then owner of Air America Radio. The Gloria Wise group was a non-profit organization providing services for children and seniors in the Bronx. The city has suspended further funding of the agency, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America has revoked the group's right to use their name, likeness or logo. At the time the funds were to have been transferred, Evan Cohen, former chairman of the now-defunct Progress Media, was also Director of Development for Gloria Wise.

In response to this report, Air America Radio's owners, Piquant LLC, issued a press release stating Piquant had "no obligation to Progress Media's business activities," and Piquant, as previously agreed, would "fully compensate" the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club.[9] While Gloria Wise remains under investigation, Air America has since repaid the loan.

Further information: Air America-Gloria Wise loan controversy

In December of 2005 Air America suffered another self-inflicted wound when CEO Danny Goldberg broke up the network's morning drive-time show "Morning Sedition," and let comedian and co-host Marc Maron's contract lapse. "Morning Sedition" had been a "thinking man's Morning Zoo," featuring a heavy dose of scripted comedy sketches (by Kent Jones, off-beat comic Steve Earle, and others) mixed with more conventional interviews by Maron and Mark Riley. While the increased overhead for such a format may have been a factor in the show's demise, Maron claimed that Goldberg did not "get" or agree with the comedy. Maron exacerbated the conflict by calling attention to his situation right on the show for several weeks, prompting a petition drive that garnered over 5,000 signatures. This was to no avail; Maron announced on November 28 that his last show would be on December 16, 2005. Ironically, Howard Stern's last show on free radio was the same day. Any possibility of drawing in some of Stern's abandoned listeners with Sedition's irreverent (but not scatalogical) comedy remained a lost opportunity.

The cancellation of Morning Sedition alienated a number of longtime AAR listeners and appears to have had some negative impact on ratings for the entire programming lineup. Maron was offered an evening show, broadcast locally from Santa Monica, but AAR never followed through with promised national syndication and the show was cancelled in July 2006. On April 6 2006, AAR CEO Danny Goldberg announced he was leaving his post after a little more than a year on the job.

On June 11 2006, AAR's Atlanta area affiliate dropped all but Al Franken's show after the station was sold to JW Broadcasting.[10] On June 23 2006 AAR announced network president Gary Krantz was leaving the company after a little more than year on the job.

July 14 2006, marked Janeane Garofalo's last day as co-host of The Majority Report. Although several reasons for her departure were cited (including her outside acting responsibilities), the relationship between Garofalo and co-host Sam Seder had become increasingly strained.[11]

August 30 2006, marked the firing of Mike Malloy from Air America Radio. In the two weeks before the firing, Malloy had announced an impending multi-year deal for him to stay with Air America (and to return on the air in N.Y.C.), and so far the firing has not been explained. News of his termination was conveyed via a short statement on the homepage of Malloy's website, posted by his wife/producer Kathy Bay Malloy.[12] His final show was on August 29 2006 filling in for Rhodes. No mention of his firing was made during the broadcast. His last show focused on the 1st anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Malloy's firing drew criticism from current Air America on-air talent, including The Majority Report's Sam Seder and Randi Rhodes. It also began a massive online campaign, including a petition that has over 17,000 signatures as of October, 2006.[13] Mike Malloy has a new show on the recently created (October 30, 2006) progressive radio network, Nova M.

Bankruptcy filing under Chapter 11

On October 13, 2006, Air America filed for protection from creditors, i.e. bankruptcy, under chapter 11, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.[14] Air America expects to continue broadcasting while the finances are worked out with the creditors. The company has US$4,331,265.30 in assets and US$20,266,056.23 in liabilities. Al Franken alone is owed US$360,749.98 and Rob Glaser, founder of Real Networks, is owed the most at US$9.8 million. The filing has over 25 pages of creditors and shows the company lost US$9.1 million in 2004, US$19.6 million in 2005 and an additional US$13.1 million by mid-October in 2006.[15][16]

On January 29, 2007, Air America "signed a letter of intent to sell its business to SLG Radio LLC, an entity controlled by Stephen L. Green, the founder and chairman of SL Green Realty Corp," a company that controls 27 million square feet with a market cap of US$12 billion. Air America CEO Scott Elberg said of Air America's selling, "We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with Mr. Green, which will solidify Air America’s future."[17]

On March 6, 2007, the sale was competed to Green Family Media, a new company created by Stephen Green and his brother Mark J. Green. Stephen will be chairman, and Mark will be president of Air America. Former chief executive Elberg will remain as chief operating officer.

Post Bankruptcy

On March 14, 2007, the new owners of Air America announced[18] the hiring of long time radio veteran David Bernstein to be the new Vice President of Programming. Prior to joining Air America, he was best known as the program director at New York radio station WOR from 1995-2002.[19]. In an interview with the New York Daily News [20], Mr. Bernstein explained his vision of Air America's future as "I don't see our purpose as 'answering' conservative radio or Rush [Limbaugh]. There's no clear majority in this country today. We want to talk to everyone and help everyone make the right choice."

In one of the few non-bankruptcy news, on March 13, 2007, Mark J. Green, new president of Air America Radio, wrote in The Huffington Post[21] offering to host or co-host a presidential debate for the Republican Party. Made in response to the recent cancellation of the Fox News Channel's hosted Nevada Democratic debates, where several Democratic Presidential candidates cited Fox News's conservative bias against Democrats as reason for cancellation [22], Mark J. Green offered several advantages for the debate. He offers a "2 million radio audience,"; a chance for "Republicans to differentiate themselves from Democrats," and if co-hosted with Fox News, "would make for a very 'fair and balanced' debate." As of April 23, 2007, there has been no response from the Republican Party.

Ratings

Al Franken, host of Air America Radio's former flagship program, The Al Franken Show.

In Arbitron's Winter 2006 ratings book, the most recent available as of May 2006, ratings at Air America stations nationwide average about a 1.2 share in markets for which Arbitron reports results four times a year. Some of the network's highest ratings come from station KPOJ in Portland, Oregon, where the station ranks second among AM stations and sixth overall. Other markets with previously high ratings include Seattle and Madison, Wisconsin: however, Air America's Madison affiliate announced on November 10th, 2006 it would switch to all sports programming by the end of the year[23][24]. A spokesperson for Clear Channel in Madison later announced that the station would remain an Air America affiliate.[citation needed]

Affiliates

Main article: List of Air America Radio affiliates

As of April 2007, Air America programming was carried on 60 terrestrial broadcast stations (40 broadcasting a majority AAR programming).[25]. AAR counts any station that carries their programming as an affiliate, similar to syndicates like ESPN Radio.

Several progressive talk stations, carrying some Air America programming, have changed to formats like oldies, sports talk, or even conservative talk (such as the AAR station in Columbus, OH). Clear Channel's WKOX and WXKS in Boston changed to "Rumba", a Spanish-language music format; Akron's WARF went to sports, and WTWK in Plattsburgh, NY, dropped progressive talk for the Greenstone Media women's talk network.

Air America Radio XM 167

Main article: Air America Radio (XM)

Air America Radio programming is carried on XM Satellite Radio channel 167, of which XM is the exclusive satellite provider of the network. However, XM is not required to carry the entire network, and can also tape-delay shows in favor for non-AAR programming. For instance, XM167 airs Ed Schultz in place of new host Thom Hartmann, who is tape-delayed to midnight. XM 167 also plans to return former AAR host Mike Malloy to the channel lineup in Spring 2007. Despite being on a channel with the "Air America Radio" label, Schultz stated on February 13, 2007 that Air America "sucks" [26] and he doesn't want people who listen to AAR listening to him because he is "better than they are." These comment were in response to remarks by AAR host Sam Seder, who asked his listeners to call XM and request Thom Hartmann instead of Schultz. Seder's reasoning for his action is that he believes AAR hosts should be on the Air America Radio channel. Hartmann was added to the channel beginning March 5, 2007, on a tape-delay basis at Midnight ET.

As of April 1, 2007, Air America XM167 is available on XM Radio Canada.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Air America Fire Sale". The Smoking Gun. 7 Feb 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  2. ^ Associated Press (6 March 2007). "Green brothers close deal to buy liberal talk radio network Air America". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  3. ^ Louise Story (30 Jan 2007). "Air America to Be Acquired by New York Investor". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-03-14. subscription required
  4. ^ Brian C. Anderson (21 April 2005). "Why Liberals Can't Make Air America Fly". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  5. ^ Wetmore, Ken (24 June 2004). "Nobody was duped: Sorensen denies allegations surrounding Air America". KUAM News. Retrieved 2006-08-03. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ "Radio Free America, Inc., v Multicultural Radion, Inc., Order and Judgement Index no. 105834/4" (.PDF). 15 Oct 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "Chapter 11 Rumors in the air again". New York Daily. 14 Sep 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  8. ^ "Air America Under Further Righty Attack". Z's Ominous Psyops Blog. 29 Apr 2005. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  9. ^ "Statement from Air America Radio" (Press release). Air America Radio. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  10. ^ "1/30: Whither Air America?". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  11. ^ "Seder v. Garofalo: Scientology Smackdown". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  12. ^ "Mike Malloy Fired by Air America Radio". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  13. ^ "Reinstate Mike Malloy on Air America Radio". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  14. ^ "Air America Radio Files for Bankruptcy Protection". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  15. ^ "Free Fall Radio: Air America Goes Bankrupt". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  16. ^ "Air America Radio Files for Chapter 11". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  17. ^ "Air America Radio Announced Today That it Has Signed a Letter of Intent" (Press release). Air America Radio. 29 Jan 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  18. ^ "Air America Radio Appoints VP Of Programming". Radio Ink Magazine. 14 Mar 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  19. ^ "Air America Appoints David Bernstein VP/Programming". Radio Online. 14 Mar 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  20. ^ "New PD sees Air America as just good radio". New York Daily News. 19 Mar 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  21. ^ "Air America Makes Fox-y Invitation". Huffington Post. 13 Mar 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-23.
  22. ^ "John Edwards To Skip Nevada Debate". CBS News. 08 Mar 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Clear Channel press release. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  24. ^ Madison Air America affiliate will switch to sports. The Business Journal, 10 November 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  25. ^ "Find A Station". Retrieved 2006-10-13.
  26. ^ "Ed Schultz Blasts Air America Radio". Talking Radio. 14 Feb 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-11.

Official site

Air America fan sites

Air America critics

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