Madison, Wisconsin
The following story was sourced from Rob Thomas of the Capital Times and can be discussed at www.madison.com/tct/forums
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As if bankruptcy was not enough for Air America, Clear Channel Radio's Madison Wisconsin division has announced that the progressive talk radio station programming on WXXM/FM 92.1 will be shut down on effective January 1, 2007 and the station will become part of the Fox Sports Radio Network. See announcement at www.themic921.com.
Details follow.
Air America's programming of Al Franken, Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes and many others has been a beacon to the liberal and progressive community through these many months since it first started broadcasting in 2004, and even though it has been popular with listeners, advertising on the network has been boycotted by corporate sponsors.
According to an article published in the New York Times, the ABC Radio Networks sent a memo to its affiliates on October 25 with a list of more than 90 sponsors that specifically asked to not have their programming on Air America.
All programming carried on WXXM FM through December 31, 2006, can also be streamed via the Internet at www.airamerica.com, www.stephaniemiller.com; www.bigeddieradio.com.
Jeff Tyler, Vice President / Market Manager for Clear Channel Radio-Madison released the following statement on the WXXM web site:
"Our programming decisions are based entirely on audience research and our knowledge of the communities we serve. We have built and established a strong brand for broadcast sports. We are the market's source for everything professional sports including the Packers, Brewers, Bucks and their league's playoffs and championships. We are the local flagship for the Wisconsin Badgers offering our listeners football, men's and women's basketball and hockey. We provide coverage of NASCAR and High School sports including the WIAA State Championships in football, boys and girl's basketball and hockey.
Our research indicated that listeners want more coverage of local high school and collegiate sports, not currently carried on local radio. We have only been able to provide limited exposure for UW Badger Volleyball. We have had listener requests and interest in High School Baseball and our local Northwood's League Baseball team (The Madison Mallards). We have also had requests to air some programming currently carried on our WTSO AM [ESPN RADIO 1070] live and not time shifted. The need and the appetite for sports in the market have only grown stronger in the past few years. The addition of FOX SPORTS RADIO on WXXM FM 92.1 starting January 1, 2007 will allow us to carry more of what sports fans in the Madison area want, more programming that highlights the local sports scene and more top sports programs live."
He did not note that Fox Sports is also heard locally on WTLX/FM 1005. It is unclear how or why Fox Sports would want to compete with itself in this listener area.