Air America Rescued

An exclusive from the Huffington Post begins

Air America Radio, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings since October, will be rescued at the 11th hour by Manhattan real estate developer Stephen L. Green.

I hope this goes through.  I know there have been a lot of negatives about Air America Radio both about the programming and the behind the scenes activities that led to them filing Chapter 11.  But I found it to be such a relief to get in the car and know I could tune to talk radio that wasn't some right wing scream fest.

Air America has run up against some heavy hitters who really didn't want it to succeed.  ABC for one.  

I hope that this time around they will learn from their mistakes and come out a stronger competitor in the talk radio market.

•  I hope this isn't a repeat

  thought everyone might be interested.

  by BDA in VA on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:00:56 AM PDT

  •  I think you're the first

    I'll link to your diary in mine.  Good scoop!

    by Elruin on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:05:29 AM PDT

    •  Thanks!

      by BDA in VA on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:07:30 AM PDT

•  need some lineup changes

  Hire Stephanie Miller
  Make Thom Hartmann a regular

  Then fill out from there.

  by davefromqueens on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:02:59 AM PDT

  •  re

    Thom is now a regular according to the story.

    Bring on Steph!

    by cookiesandmilk on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:04:16 AM PDT

  •  And Re-sign Maron!

    He deserves it. We deserve it.

    by Edgewater Joe on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:05:34 AM PDT

    •  re

      That man is Hilarious. I look forward to Sam Sedar's casual Fridays since he is on most times.

      by cookiesandmilk on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:06:16 AM PDT

    •  MARON ROCKS!! n/t

      by mooshter on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:45:25 AM PDT

    •  morning shows need improvement!

      I really tried to stick with the AM program changes after they broke up the M's. But, I am back to listening to NPR in the morning and Randi on the way home.

      by dmmteacher on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:21:36 AM PDT

      •  Do you have sirius satellite?

        From what I understand, NovaM Radio has become a part of sirius, and there's a great am show hosted by Dr. Mike Newcomb.  You can also get podcasts of his shows via their website.  I listen live here in AZ and never miss it.  It's one of my faves...except he's on at the same time as Sam Seder.  That's the only bummer.  You may like it as a replacement for NPR though.

        by Shaking the Tree on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:35:42 AM PDT

        •  Thanks for the suggestions

          by dmmteacher on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 05:35:09 PM PDT

  •  asdf

    Thom is taking over for Al Frankin.  I will miss Al because I really liked his guests, but I think Thom will be great.

    by BDA in VA on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:06:46 AM PDT

    •  good news

      This should be hartmann's spot.

      Now bring in Stephanie Miller for late afternoon drive time.

      Maybe try Sam Seder as early morning with Maron as a sidekick with some combination of Rachel Maddow thrown in.  

      I'd move Randi back to 7-10 then have Malloy finish the night.

      by davefromqueens on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:23:12 AM PDT

      •  DON'T MOVE RANDI!

        no way no how.  i want her on when i'm in the car! lol.

        by Jambro on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:29:52 AM PDT

  •  I think Thom is a regular

    now.

    He does a local show in Portland OR before the national show and while he may be his own production company, I think he is under contract with AA HQ for the national show.

    Ed and Stephanie are still part of Jones radio network and syndicated I believe. The appear on some but not all AA affiliates.

    by NCrefugee on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:07:41 AM PDT

  •  stephanie, chris and Jim ROCK

    by lisastar on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:08:08 AM PDT

    •  As they say...

      A MENSA meeting with fart jokes.  My favorite show!

      by madmsf on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:12:59 AM PDT

      •  and the RIGHT way to do Progressive Radio

        As I said elsewhere recently on this same subject:

        There is one, and exactly one "progressive radio" host I will actually go out of my way to listen to and that is Stephanie Miller. Why? Because she's FUNNY, and therefore her show is entertaining. Thus I listen, and incidentally get educated about the news of the day. Her sugar coating of funny makes her message  much more palatable than anything AA dishes up. (She, like "big Ed" is syndicated by Jones not AA)

        The basic problem is this:  when Left-wing radio tries Mimic the Right, and broadcast rant for rant, screed for screed we will always lose.

         Right wingers NEED a Two Minute Hate every day; they virtually define themselves by who and what they hate with a passion. They are also convinced, census data be damned that they and people like them (be that White, Christian or Male), are a persecuted/dying breed that has to band together for surivival.  

        Look at evangelical Christians for example. 90% of the American population are their co-religionists, according to the most recent census.  Despite this indisputable fact, they've managed to convince themselves with rock-solid certainty, that they are a despised minority.  They tuly believe, that Christians in this country are a persecuted constantly,  that their freedom to worship is constantly under attack from the forces of evil (feminists, gys, secularlists, scientists, the federal government etc. They gain strentgth from their own self-image of righteous heros facing overwhleming odds.

        This is true for most all variants on the right-wing mindset as well.  So all right wing radio has to do to be sucessful is find new grievances for conservatives to stew over; discover new boogeymen for them to fear (one day its gays, the next its immigrants), come up with new "evidence" their beliefs are under attack.  It's Hide in the BUnker radio at its finest.

        On the other hand, liberals start feeling a little ooky when someone starts telling them how and what to think. We make  poor footsoldiers because everybody has their own idea they want to debate with the generals. The more somebody engages in doctinaire rants,  the lest we listen.  Groupthink just isn't our style.

        On the other hand as stewart and Colbert have proven,  give us a little irreverant mockery and we're all ears.  I thought AA was on the right track when their original lineup included several comedians, but the two most prominent, Franken and Garafalo , inexplicably stopped trying to be funny early on and went for over-earnestness instead. Pretty soon even I couldn't stand listening to them anymore. (for some reason Chuck D. the Rapper managed to pull it off, but nobody else on their staff.)

        by Magorn on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:28:41 AM PDT

        •  I Guess If You Like Gushing Over Celebrities

          ... Stepanie Miller's okay.

          Me, I prefer humor and passion and smarts and no giving anybody quarter.

          That's why I'll take Randi and Seder over Stephanie any day.

          Now if you want to bring her in for weekends, we can talk ...

          by Edgewater Joe on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:48:05 AM PDT

          •  Smarts?! Randi Rhodes? In the same sentence?

            Sorry I listen to her form time to time;  and I admire her passion and her broadcast skills, (something generally woefully lacking on AA)  But RR personally is dumb as stump.  

            I have personally heard her say things like "Why is the Pentagon having a 9/11 memorial march,?! "
            " What does the Pentagon or Washington DC have to do with 9/11?"

            and proceed to rant how the evil military industrial complex was cynically trying to militarize a solemn celebration.

            And she's right, there is NO connection whatever, unless you count, say being one of the targets hit by airplanes that day;  but hey...

            by Magorn on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:03:03 AM PDT

            •  Well, We All Have Our Opinions

              I find Stephanie's demeanor just this side of a Valley Girl -- and barely so. I also think she needs to stop recycling old Morning Zoo sound effects, which does NOT make for good radio.

              Randi was doing this stuff long before anyone else, she always tells her listeners NOT to believe her but to do their own homework (something I rarely hear any other political talk show host do), and she's always been bare-knuckles towards Republicans when nobody else except other AAR hosts (except Al) were.

              So I'll take Randi and you take Steph, and hopefully both can grow to the point where they'll each thrive. Ultimately, that's what matters. Different flavors of liberal radio everywhere, not just the same stale flavor that conservative talk shoves down everyone's throat.

              by Edgewater Joe on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 11:07:50 AM PDT

        •  Steph's show is my favorite and very funny...

          But for me Franken's show runs a close second.  I know a lot of folks find him boring, but he really appeals to the inner wonk in me.  Before Steph's show come along, he was my favorite.  I like the quality of his guests and I like that he has weekly regulars.  I really enjoy Ornstein, Oliphant and Conason.  They know they're stuff.

          by madmsf on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:07:20 AM PDT

•  Hey

  Something about this diary must have been magical - I just got my TU status back!  Thanks everyone for commenting.

  by BDA in VA on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:15:09 AM PDT

•  I Believe This is Mark Green's Brother

  Mark is a liberal activist and sometimes Democratic candidate here in New York:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/...

  I'm glad for Air America.  They do a very good service.  People moan that it is a failing business, but Murdoch's Fox News also failed right out of the gate and the Washington Times has never made any money.  In fact, it's lost hundreds of billions.

  by bink on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:19:56 AM PDT

  •  Millions Not Billions

    Sorry.

    And I should have read the Huffington article first.  He is indeed the brother of Mark Green, the local activist here.

    by bink on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:20:55 AM PDT

  •  according to Al on the air today

    Mark & Stephen both have bought in, which is good news

    by mooshter on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:44:26 AM PDT

•  air america

  It has profoundly changed America with its courageous and truth-telling hosts.
  It's the only mass communication device we have on our side that can be accessed by simply punching in a button on a car radio.  It's amazing to listen to call-ins and hear from truckers across America.  We should support them in every way possible.

  by laurenc on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:20:27 AM PDT

•  Great, great news

  Even if all Air America does is exist as a pin to the Right-wing's fantasy-propaganda balloon, we need them on the air.

  I like Randi. Tough, smart woman. That makes her shrill to some, but she's a fighter and the real thing.

  I also like Thom a lot. And I miss Mike Malloy. I think firing him in the way they did was a mistake. Malloy is a longtime Republican critic that has been right more than wrong--from way, way back when the conservo-crapfest was gearing up.

  I guess calling it out correctly when it's not popular is unimportant to today's media, or evidently to most of the American people, but it matters to me.

  by J Royce on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:21:58 AM PDT

  •  Randi Rhodes Is Good

    I don't always agree with her and sometimes I think she is, in fact, wrong on things, but her show is a nearly perfect combination of entertainment and opinion.  Yes, it is outrageous.  But it is supposed to be.

    by bink on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:28:28 AM PDT

  •  Malloy is back on the air

    Just tune in to NovaM Radio!

    I'm happy to learn that AAR is back on solid footing.  It is truly great news.  What I'm actually more surprised about, however, is that there is a liberal real estate investor that exists!  ;-)

    For some reason, that gives me hope.  heh

    by Shaking the Tree on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:33:58 AM PDT

  •  Randi Rhodes isn't shrill because she's smart

    She's shrill because she's disingenuous, loose with the facts and will shout down anyone she disagrees with in the same way that Limbaugh and Hannity will do. For an example of being smart and a fighter without being shrill, check out Rachel Maddow.

    by Lee Malatesta on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:23:09 AM PDT

    •  Why in the world bother making this comment?

      If you want to join in with the Right in tearing down those fighting for liberal values (ie, liberty & human rights) I know they would let you meld with their noise machine.

      Why squeak your animosities here on a wee progressive diary, when you could join with the Mighty Wurlitzer of American Corporate Media and be a smug fleck of spittle in their near-monopolistic hate machine? Especially when Randi is one of the few, count 'em, FEW radio talkers on our side of the dial.

      I like Maddow. I don't think she gets the blood of our benighted populace up as much as Randi, but I do like her.

      What I don't understand is why you are spouting Right-wing talking points about Randi. Even if they were remotely factual, which they are not. Randi's good--there is no need to tear down any of our own.

      by J Royce on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:35:05 AM PDT

      •  A bit harsh,

        don't you think?

        by Heiuan on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 01:18:59 PM PDT

•  the abc link is a good read n/t

  by TexasTwister on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:26:46 AM PDT

  •  I agree

    Quite amazing what goes on behind the scenes to discredit, devalue and marginalize liberal radio.

    by BDA in VA on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:35:03 AM PDT

•  Franken is leaving

  apparently to try and become Senator Franken.

  by forkush on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 09:26:52 AM PDT

•  How do we overcome Clear Channel though?

  
  Clear Channel, which owns some 1500 radio stations throughout the Country or more, has been systematically taking off Air America and Jones Radio progressive talk format off of their radio stations all around the Country.

  So, how does Air America get on the Radio when they have to beg at the mercy of Clear Channel Radio-?

  They started out with 100 stations (by 2005) and the numbers have since been going down and down.

  I can't get Air Amercia anymore in Massachusetts because Clear Channel killed it after the 2006 Elections.

  What can be done here?

  
  

  by GlobalWarmingWest on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:26:40 AM PDT

  •  Here in AZ, our local AAR

    affiliate got sold a couple years back to a Christian radio network.  Our progressive station became the 9th Christian Radio channel for Phoenix/Valley listeners.  It was crazy...

    What happened next, however, was fantastic.  Dr. Mike Newcomb (the morning show host) got together with a couple who helped found the original Air America, along with a few other big money folks, and began NovaM Radio.  This is an entirely new progressive radio network that still taps into the AAR lineup, but also has more authority to change that lineup when they see fit.  They are VERY new, but are adding affiliates like hotcakes.  They announced 2 more added in CA just this morning.

    When AAR announced Chapter 11, in fact, Dr. Newcomb and others flew out to NYC and met with management of AAR to offer financial assistance and whatnot to help prevent the filing, and management opted not to receive the help.  That's why / when they formulated NovaM.  I'm pretty happy they did this.

    So, I suppose that this is one way to "branch out".  It's costly, though, and that seems to be where we get hung up...the righties just have more corporate/fascist backing and have an easier time of it.

    While we struggle, however, we are making progress.  NovaM, like Jones Radio, may be competitors to AAR, but I like to think of them all as members of the same group of progressive talkers shouting from the rooftops.  The more networks that appear, the louder our microphone will become.  It gives me hope.

    by Shaking the Tree on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:45:28 AM PDT

    •  I Thought NovaM Wants To Actually Buy Stations

      Because when you ask what to do to counteract Clear Channel, that's the answer: buy stations as they become available and nurture all the different hosts from the various syndicators. That takes money, but if there's a Stephen Green (did I get his name right?) to buy AAR and clean out their debts, there have to be liberals with money willing to grab some radio stations.

      Ted Turner?

      Mark Cuban?

      Teresa Heinz?

      Robert Redford?

      Let's get some liberal money and buy up some of these stations!

      by Edgewater Joe on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 11:11:41 AM PDT

      •  Exactly! Now, I don't know

        precisely what NovaM wants to do, except be their own radio network.  I'm sure that the way to be secure about it is to buy stations, but it sounds to me that they're not doing only that.  They're adding affiliates as well.  In any event, I think it only bodes well for all of us to have more than one progressive network.  It give us the opportunity to have MORE voices speaking truth to power, not to mention a variety of options at our disposal.  In the end, that's what's most important, imo.

        by Shaking the Tree on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 12:02:37 PM PDT

•  Hope they learn

  I am glad to hear they will stick around but I hope they learn something. I don't know exactly what teir model was but I know that it could be damned hard to find a station anywhere that carried them.
  I think they should have been more open to syndicating individual shows so they could crack into markets on big well established stations that didn't want to turn their entire format over to AA.
  I live in southern Vt. and travel semi regularly down to eastern Md. going through western Ma.,NY,and Pa. on the way, close to 500 miles all the way. There would be spots along the way when Rush would be on as many as 5 different stations at once, but AA was not available at all anywhere on the trip. Even in Balto. which is a Democratic town in a Democratic state, it was not on anywhere.
  I used to be able to hear them at night on their original NY station, but when they switched stations I couldn't get them anymore, so I haven't listened to them in some time now.
  I liked just about everyone I heard on AA, and would love to hear more, but when they ask a station to convert over to their programs exclusively that's a tough sell. If Al Franken, for example, had been able to go head to head against Rush in several hundred markets, even without the rest of the AA lineup, I think that would have been very helpful.

  by fat old man on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 10:36:03 AM PDT

•  To bad they'll lose AL

  but Thom Hartman brings even more serious substance has an amazing wealth of information and is my favorite progressive radio host.

  by rapala on Mon Jan 29, 2007 at 11:26:19 AM PDT