Air America, an overtly liberal talk radio network, is about to go on the air

okay, i admit that i laughed at the title of their drive-time show: "Morning Sedition"

still can't find a list of stations.

also, cute show description:

The O’ Franken Factor: 12:00-3:00pm

After debunking right-wing propaganda in his bestselling books Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them and Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot, Al Franken is taking the fight to America's airwaves--and he's doing it drug-free. With his co-host, veteran radio personality Katherine Lanpher, Franken will deliver three hours a day of fearlessly irreverent commentary, comedy, and interviews. Franken and Lanpher have a mean streak a smile wide. The O'Franken Factor will energize fans, infuriate liars, and deliver the truth--in what Al Franken likes to call the Zero Spin Zone.

I miss 'The Daily Show' sooooooo much. :(

Air America Radio will debut its programming on radio stations WLIB (AM 1190am) in New York, WNTD (AM 950) in Chicago and KBLA (AM 1580) in Los Angeles and a station in San Francisco to be named before launch.

http://airamericaradio.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=26

Is the chatter ALL ACCESS is hearing about AIR AMERICA RADIO adding an affiliate in PORTLAND about to come true? If so, it's CLEAR CHANNEL's KPOJ-A (SUPER 62), flipping from Oldies, which it started airing last JULY.

Now, will MIAMI hear the network on WNMA-A, MUILTICULTURAL's Spanish outlet that was the home of RADIO UNICA there until that network's demise in FEBRUARY? And meanwhile, the network has added Talk KCAA-A/LOMA LINDA-SAN BERNARDINO to its affiliate list for launch.

And, AIR AMERICA RADIO will be available on XM SATELLITE RADIO (CHANNEL 167) and DISH NETWORK as well.

...not at my desk at work, of course, but it's a start.

Morning Sedition 6:00 a.m. EST
Unfiltered w/Lizz Winstead and Chuck D. 9:00 a.m. EST
Al Franken Noon EST
Ed Schultz 3:00 p.m. EST
Randi Rhodes 6:00 p.m. EST
Marty Kaplan 7:00 p.m. EST
Jeanene Garofalo 8:00 p.m. EST
Alan Colmes 10:00 p.m. EST

(the music snippets are always the Dead, but they change every time)

They're now interviewing Bob Kerrey. He calls out the Clinton admin for taking a single military action against AQ (while noting the attacks Clinton prevented - the Sullivan, LAX) after their declaration of war, states disinterest in comparing the Clinton and Bush admins, and foreshadows his questions to Rice, noting the intent to reverse all Clinton policies, and stating that "once you take your hand off the Bible, you're the Commander-in-Chief; you don't get a few quarters off to get your act together."

This morning, Jack Cafferty on CNN made mention of the new "communist talk radio station." "Oh, it's liberal? Isn't that the same thing?"

Dude, just stick to the cute babies and diet tips like with the Today show. Don't even bother trying to rebrand yourself as crochety old righty -- it won't burn away the memories of you on Live at 5 with Sue Simmons.

also, G Gordon Liddy called in to wish him well.

http://www.super62.com/main.html

KPOJ portland

reason to play the Dead: Limbaugh's disparaging of "junkie" Jerry Garcia, a friend of Al Franken's.

I didn't know they were friends. Another reason: joie de vivre. Jerry was a "junkie," though.

Franken claims it all the time, I don't know if it's actually true.

heh. what would Dennis miller say?

I hope it's allowed, "Ann Coulter" just said it again.

Chuck D: "voting is as essential as washing your tail in the morning"

Either way, pretending that what is now predominantly party music is something other than it is is pretty disingenuous, 'kay? And you're reading wayyyyy too much into what is pretty innocuous. I mean, if anyone could get offended, don't you think it'd be Chuck D?

Tomorrow we get Hillary, Robert Reich and Paul Krugman

And how was I being condescending???? I wasn't mentioning when hip-hop started for your benefit -- obviously you know when hip-hop started!! I was suggesting that Lanpher maybe doesn't have a full grasp of hip-hop history -- which, I mean, whatever, who cares, it's such a small point, but I guess I was just thinking of the way a lot of white liberals I've noticed tend to speak approvingly of hip-hop as a genre, especially the political stuff like P.E., while tut-tutting the misogyny and violence they associate with modern hip-hop -- like John Kerry on MTV or that Nick Crowe article in the Spectator -- but which is sometimes founded on a reductionist conception of the genre. Obviously, there are no political rappers as huge as Public Enemy was between 1988-91, but it's a mistake to say that hip-hop as a whole isn't political at all in 2004, as well as to suggest that it "started out" political (what, like, Sugarhill Gang??). I actually did want Chuck D to break it down for her!

But yeah, you're right, it's a minor thing, so I take it all back.

thing is, will this be sustainable & popular enough to attract continued or increased investment?

half the commercials seem to be for cold/cough medicine

I think that's the best audience for this - people who can listen to the radio at work. Also, some people, like my dad, do a lot of driving as part of their job.

Of course, you could listen to archives of any number of shows online before this. It's kind of nice, though, to listen to something at the same time as everyone else.

Last I checked the FCC rules, it's ok to say "goddammit" as a plain exclamation, as long as there is nothing clearly being "damned" right after it. "God damn the emu" would be a violation. "Goddammit" alone is not.

it'll be on from 11-2

good music used in the bumpers, too.

the white house actually had nothing to do with this.

clinton is in for some trouble over rwanda, i imagine it won't get much play on this network.
tom brokaw just gave permission for right of center commentators to speak freely, that's big of him.
richard clarke is letting his interview with 60 minutes be used in a political ad but he's not partisan.
why is mtv allowed to recruit voters to the democrats? why no howls over this? i remember the howls over the "pro-war" demos by clear channel(though the corporation had nothing to do with it) maybe it's cause young people are flakes and won't actually vote, it's partly what did dean in. if you're depending on the kids you are in trouble.

Franken: "NY Times.."
Stewart: "Jew."
Franken: "The Wall Street Journal."
Stewart: "Rich jew"
Franken: "Washington Post"
Stewart: "Traveling jew."
Franken: "atrios, I look at The Note on ABCnews.com..."
Stewart: "you should try hugermelons.com. Not much news, but the popup ads alone are great."

And after ALL ACCESS broke this story early WEDNESDAY, the CHICAGO TRIBUNE's ERIC ZORN tracked down MULTICULTURAL's VP of East Coast Ops TONY WONG, who told ZORN that "it's a loan payment issue. We made the business decision to pull them off the air. We're talking with them. I don't have any further comment." ZORN, too, got no response from AIR AMERICA press contacts and was told by a receptionist first that there were "technical problems," then "contractual differences" and "we hope to be back on the air by the end of the day."

(home of the Air Force Academy, several Religious Right groups, and at least one other university)

Here's the latest from Radio & Records:

As R&R first reported at www.radioandrecords.com earlier today, the Air America Radio liberal talk network has been pulled from Multicultural Radio Broadcasting's KBLA/Los Angeles and WNTD/Chicago.

In an exclusive interview with R&R, Multicultural VP/East Coast Operations Tony Wong says Air America has failed to make the necessary payments for its lease of airtime on the two MRB-owned AMs.

[]In a statement released earlier today, Air America Chairman Evan Cohen confirmed that KBLA and WNTD owner Multicultural pulled the plug on the talk network's programming, and chastised MRB for taking such a drastic measure as negotiations between the two companies continues.

Air America/Los Angeles Market Manager Bob Visotcky declined to comment to R&R on KBLA's removal of the talk network's programming. KBLA had been airing a network feed of Spanish-language News/Talk network Radio Formula this morning, and a Radio Formula representative tells R&R that KBLA is now "temporarily" simulcasting Multicultural's Spanish Religious KALI/West Covina, CA.

[]Meanwhile, Air America has sued Multicultural and alleges the company is in breach of the parties' agreement for KBLA.

The lawsuit also claims that MRB has illegally pulled Air America's programming from KBLA and WNTD instead of seeking a decision from an arbitrator, which Air America claims MRB is directed to do in the KBLA lease agreement.

Air America is seeking a temporary restraining order and an injunction that would force MRB to return Air America programming to the two stations.

HAHAHAHA... They maybe have range to San Bernadino. Maybe.

Multicultural owns approximately 30 radio stations across the country, featuring ethnic-based programming in languages including Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and Korean. When it cut off Air America programming in Chicago, it immediately switched to a Spanish-language feed,

This is not to be confused with my friend Jessica from middle school who used to preface EVERYTHING with 'No offense.' As in, "No offense, Sarah, but I wouldn't be caught dead in that sweater."

Definitely doesn't fall into Chinese stereotypes here.

I dunno if it's just the Maine station, but it's kinda depressing (in terms of the future of the station) that there are no real adds, just three (really obnoxious, smug) PSAs that they play over and over.

the marty kaplan show has so much smarm that someone is gunna get backhanded.

Randi Rhodes can be annoying, especially when she's awkwardly talking over people and cutting them off to try to stay on message, but she is good at getting the message out, and is the only real angry-white-male-type radio jock they have. The second best show.

Morning Sedition is sort of lazy and sometimes embarrassing, but Lizz Winstead does enough to hold it together, and it's nice to hear Chuck D on the radio. Nothing to go out of your way for unless maybe they have an interesting guest (and they do sometimes), but doesn't make you want to turn it off either.

I haven't much listened to the other shows for more than a few minutes, and they didn't seem worth that much attention. I agree about Marty Kaplan's smarm. He does have a good segment with movie reviewers from the Onion AV club, though. Maybe the whole show could be turned over to the Onion? People are going to get their news elsewhere, I would think.

-----
In yet another sign of trouble for Air America Radio, the liberal talk network's co-founder and chairman, Evan Cohen, resigned Thursday along with his investment partner and vice chairman, Rex Sorensen.

The company also failed to make its scheduled payroll Wednesday, leaving its staff of roughly 100 writers and producers unpaid until Thursday
-----

The temporary move is intended to help the network survive its present financiall and management turmoil; former CEO MARK WALSH told the paper that the network's originally announced $20 million investment pool was not accurate, adding that he was "misled about that number" and resigned in MARCH because "the company wasn't transparent" and "I was unable to decipher how it was being operated."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/31/business/media/31air.html

Published: May 31, 2004

Even by the chaotic standards of a new media company, Air America Radio's first two months of broadcasting have been convulsive.

The fledgling talk-radio network has replaced five top executives, been taken off the air in two of its top three markets and lost several crucial producers. By late April, current and former executives said last week, the company was perilously close to running out of money. It has since received an infusion of cash, though it has not disclosed how much or from whom.

The roiling in Air America's front office has undercut its continuing assurances that it has the financing and leadership to survive past the presidential election in November, in pursuit of its goal of establishing a permanent liberal counterpart to Rush Limbaugh and his radio cohort on the right.

In a sign that the privately held company's financial woes have not fully abated, Al Franken, the network's best-known star, said in an interview last week that he had agreed not to draw a salary, however temporarily, making him "an involuntary investor.''

"We had some bad management,'' Mr. Franken said. "Then we got some good management.''

Still, Mr. Franken, his tongue only partly in cheek, added, "It's a little fuzzy to me exactly who's in charge.''

The turmoil has shed light on the network's corporate culture, laying bare a mismatched collection of managers and investors, including Democratic Party fund-raisers, Internet entrepreneurs and radio veterans who, as it turned out, did not get along especially well. Even as the network was finding an audience with its blend of humor and commentary, many of the principals' business relationships were dissolving in a flurry of charges and countercharges. The most serious concerned how much money Air America actually had on hand when it went on the air on March 31.

In early March, the network's chief executive, Mark Walsh, said that the company had raised more than $20 million, enough to keep it broadcasting for months, if not years, before making a profit. At the time, Mr. Walsh said that the network's primary backers included Evan M. Cohen, a venture capitalist who was the network's chairman, and Rex Sorensen, a business partner of Mr. Cohen's who was the chairman of Progress Media, the parent company of Air America.

But in an interview on Friday, Mr. Walsh said: "I was misled about that number.'' Mr. Walsh refused to say who had misled him, but he said that he had resigned in April because "the company wasn't transparent'' and "I was unable to decipher how it was being operated.''

Less than a month later, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Sorensen, who had previously operated radio stations together in Guam and Saipan, resigned under pressure from the company's other investors. David Goodfriend, who served as general counsel and later as acting chief operating officer of Air America, resigned about a week ago, having done his best, he said, to hold the company together in the wake of the departures of Mr. Cohen, Mr. Sorensen and Mr. Walsh. (Separately, Dave Logan, executive vice president for programming, also left, in late April.)

Jon Sinton, the president of Air America and one of the few top executives who remains from the day it went on the air, underscored Mr. Walsh's comments by saying, in a separate interview, that he, too, had been misled about the company's resources and that a cash crunch had ensued as a result.

"Financing wasn't as available for operational issues as we'd thought it was,'' he said. Reached on Friday, Mr. Cohen declined to comment on the state of the company's finances under his watch.

Despite the intrigue concerning its management - and the abrupt pulling of its programming last month from stations in Chicago and Los Angeles, in a contract dispute - there are early indications that, where it can be heard, Air America is actually drawing listeners. WLIB-AM in New York City, one of 13 stations that carry at least part of Air America's 16 hours of original programming each day, even appears to be holding its own with WABC-AM, the New York City station and talk radio powerhouse that is Mr. Limbaugh's flagship.

For example, among listeners from 25 and 54, whom advertisers covet, the network estimates it drew an average listener share (roughly a percentage of listeners) of 3.4 on WLIB in April, from 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, according to the company's extrapolation of figures provided by Arbitron for the three months ended in April. (Arbitron, which does not provide ratings in monthly increments, said the network's methodology appeared sound, although such figures were too raw to translate to numbers of listeners.)

By contrast, according to Air America's figures, WABC-AM drew an average share of 3.2 during the same period in April for the same age group. That time period includes the three hours in which Mr. Limbaugh was pitted head to head against Mr. Franken.

Phil Boyce, the program director of WABC , cautioned against drawing conclusions from preliminary data. "If they end up doing that well when the final number is out, which is two more months, I'll give them a congratulations," Mr. Boyce said.

While the network is awaiting the release of similar figures from Arbitron for other cities, KPOJ-AM, the Clear Channel station that carries its programming in Portland, Ore., informed Air America executives by an e-mail message in late April that its ratings appeared to have tripled last month, according to the station's informal survey. (A station executive, Mary Lou Gunn, did not return a telephone message left at her office on Friday.)

The network, which is also carried on the satellite radio providers XM and Sirius, has found an audience on the Internet. In its first week, listeners clicked on the audio programming on the Air America Web site more than two million times, according to RealNetworks, the digital media provider.

"It's clear the audience is there,'' Mr. Franken said.

The conventional wisdom in the radio industry had been that, unlike the conservatives who dominate commercial talk radio, liberals could not entice and hold listeners.

"This shows there's an appetite out there,'' said Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio, an industry newsletter whose publisher is owned by Clear Channel. "There's a good chance they'll right the ship businesswise and keep going forward.''

In addition to Mr. Franken, the Air America lineup includes Janeane Garofalo, an actress and comedian, and Lizz Winstead, a former head writer of "The Daily Show'' on Comedy Central.

Air America's stumble outside the studio in its early weeks was partly a function of the ambitious task it had assigned itself. While Mr. Limbaugh quickly found a niche on AM radio beginning in the late 1980's - he is now heard on more than 600 stations - he began syndicating his program at a time when AM radio was thought to be dying, thus presenting him little competition.

Now, in an era of media consolidation, AM and FM stations alike are thriving. Few are for sale (Air America had initially hoped to buy five, but has yet to buy one), and few have enough air time available for lease or barter to accommodate Air America's block of programming.

But interviews with more than a dozen people currently or formerly affiliated with Air America made clear that the network had been hobbled by the failure of its early principals - some of whom had been drawn to the venture by ideology, others for business reasons - to forge common ground.

The idea for a liberal talk-radio network was first hatched by Sheldon and Anita Drobny, venture capitalists from the Chicago area who had a lot of experience raising money for the Democratic Party but no real radio expertise. They were led to Mr. Sinton, who has 30 years experience in the radio business, and Mr. Franken, who has made a cottage industry of writing best-selling books that skewer the right.

In Air America's current incarnation, Mr. Sinton, the president, reports to the network's new chief executive, Doug Kreeger, an early investor whose entrepreneurial efforts have included founding a chain of outerwear stores (Kreeger & Sons) and investing in a New York restaurant (City Bakery).

For chief operating officer, the company has selected Carl Ginsburg, a former news producer at NBC and CBS. Ms. Drobny is its chairwoman, Mr. Sinton said.

Mr. Sinton said that the company was seeking to expand the number of stations carrying its programming - which includes Burlington, Vt.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Sacramento - to new markets in Colorado Springs, Santa Cruz, Calif., and Reno, Nev. It is also seeking new outlets in Chicago and Los Angeles, having settled its contractual dispute with the owner of the stations where it had first leased air time.

Mr. Sinton and Mr. Franken refused to say how much money the network had now, but said they had received assurances that the network would have no problem staying on the air through November, and beyond.

"No one is promising things they can't promise,'' Mr. Franken said. "But it appears to me that from the other people that are stepping up, the financing will be in place.'' He added: "Imagine how we're going to do when we know what we're doing.''

Considering that Walsh was the one running it, he's expert at passing the buck.

Yeah, Stence, but usually a company's crash-and-burn period takes longer than five minutes.

The network claims to be back on financial track under a new corporate entity, PIQUANT LLC, replacing the former PROGRESS MEDIA corporation after COHEN and SORENSEN departed over, they say, "cultural differences." SHELDON and (Chairwoman) ANITA DROBNY are back in the picture as investors in the new venture, along with AAR CEO DOUG KREEGER. A potential dispute is brewing because COHEN and SORENSEN claim they're owed cash or shares in the new network, according to the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, while the company thinks they're owed nothing.

The JOURNAL also says that RANDI RHODES paid staff out of her own pocket when the network didn't pay them, and that AL FRANKEN's salary, more than a million dollars a year, was the subject of a dispute between the host and COHEN and SORENSEN when they didn't pay it and would not provide proof that any money had been deposited in his account to pay it.

I never was a big fan of his in the ring, but now I'm kind of liking him. Filled with lust for him, you might say.

what do you guys think of Jerry Springer's radio show?

one thing i really miss about australia is listening to air america. i mostly listened to the majority report and was half in love with Bill Crowley. He has a very comforting voice.

also one of my faves: Ed Schultz, tho he isn't an Air America guy. He is, however, the only one of these guys who's going to be carried on Armed Forces Radio starting monday(if only for an hour a day).

Oh, and for some reason I find Robert Kennedy Jr's vocal cord affliction to be kind of engaging.

the Majority Report lacks this anchored sense, with Sam & Janeane either ranting or going on about whatever, but the show always improves when they have a guest host on with more journo experience.

Me: I don't really disagree with this analysis. But I don't think it contradicts my point either. The assumption behind Air America was that there was this enormous untapped market for "progressive" radio. The fact is that market is already satisfied. Its boosters don't want to believe this because they think the Mainstream Media has moved demonstrably and dangerously to the "right." Seriously, stop laughing. In response, I gather, some Air America types moved even further left into Pacifica Radio territory. The problem? Pacifica Radio already exists. Conservative talk radio met a demand in the market that wasn't being satisfied. That's why copy-catting the right is such folly for liberals across a wide range of fronts. They don't understand that they already control universities, for example. But they see conservative success with think tanks, so now they're investing in think tanks. Their dilemma is not that they lack a medium, it's that they lack a compelling message. Unwilling to accept this, they think better megaphones will change everything. It's "but this goes to eleven" thinking.

uh?

I think the explanation for Air America's bankruptcy lies in the answer to that question.

http://www.greenstoneradio.com/GSM/

anyway, the reasons AA failed include a) there's more of a conservative than liberal audience for explicitly ideological radio for reasons that have nothing to do with the ideological tenor of the "MSM," b) it was on some shitty lower-power stations that weren't already established radio powers, and c) it didn't purposely adopt the argot of sports talk radio

xp: dude, one of the reasons AA is having problems is b/c only like 1/3 of the folks there(and hardly any of the upper mgmt) were radio folks. the station was started and run mainly by wealthy idealistic folks, who didn't really have a lot of or any radio experience. Talk to some of their former employees(one of whom lives in my house).

Exactly.

I don't think we will ever have a successful liberal version of Rush Limbaugh.

e) AA doesn't really seem like an alternative to Rush ahd Hugh Hewett and stuff b/c AA doesn't really spout off crazy bullshit?

Because it's 2pm and I don't want to listen to Soundcheck?

But seriously, the main reason I don't usually turn on Air America is because most of it is just downright bad radio. I'd rather listen to Limbaugh than a lot of the programming, honestly. Sam Seder is ok. Randy Rhoades is ok. (am I spelling those right? don't feel like checking). I guess NRO is sort of right about the NPR thing - there was already Brian Lehrer, who's much better than anything on AA.

Nonetheless, I do think there's potential for progressive talk radio in markets that don't already have a really strong NPR station - especially in times like this when conservative hosts are doing all kinds of rhetorical gymnastics to defend Republicans at a time when a lot of people who voted Republican last election are probably fed up and would like to hear something else.

(*or hers. The sentence was already convoluted enough...)

For now, AAR has received court permission to dig into a nine-hundred grand pile of dough from a group calling itself "Democracy Allies LLC" who agreed to lend AAR the cast to keep them in business as the legal proceedings continue. It's not clear if any of the "Allies" money will pay Franken any of the $360,750 he's owed (according to the court filing), but the money could certainly be better spent.

And while Franken salary has climbed to an ungodly two million a year (and the better part of another million per year for his bloated staff) he probably can't be blamed entirely for Air America poverty. While it's easy to understand why this may have seemed to be a good idea to promote AAR at first, after Katherine Lanpher left the program Franken's foray into talk radio quickly proved to be not only an embarrassment, but a HUGE drain on the struggling company. Apparently, the Air America executives haven't figured this all out, and Franken's ego is so huge that he can't see it (or hear it) for himself.

For better or worse, Franken's rubbery mug has been the face of Air America from the very beginning (In fact, I think every story I say online today regarding the bankruptcy filing included his name), and since he's personally responsible for sucking away millions from the Air America's coffers you'd think that on the day of the court filing he'd come forward on his program and deal with the issue. Fat chance.

not fucking hardly.

(*or hers. The sentence was already convoluted enough...)

-- The Bearnaise-Stain Bears (crump...), October 13th, 2006.

This kind of thought is self-defeating and not necessarily true. I don't think it was always true in the past, and I don't think it necessarily has to be true in the future.

I have some thoughts I need to organize on this subject. I have to decide how ugly I want to get. (not at any ilxor)

Self-identifying liberals, in my experience, are much more likely to make 'liberal' a bigger part of their identity.

But conservatives (of the type who listen to Rush) don't really identify as politically conservative in the same way. For them it's just being a good, red-blooded, right-thinking Amurrican. If you asked them about themselves it would "American, Christian."

Self-identifying liberals, in my experience, are much more likely to make 'liberal' a bigger part of their identity.

But conservatives (of the type who listen to Rush) don't really identify as politically conservative in the same way. For them it's just being a good, red-blooded, right-thinking Amurrican. If you asked them about themselves it would "American, Christian."

I don't disagree with any of that, but it just seems to me that identification doesn't translate to action.

(MASSIVE GENERALIZATIONS AHEAD) Liberals are generally better-educated, and the things that that education has given them (cultural and intellectual interests) pull them away from liberal activism and creating any sort of liberal community that an Air America would be the beneficiary of. There are too many good books to read and good movies to see to spend time or money on politics; voting Dem is enough for many of them. (I am as guilty of this as anybody.)

On the other side (at the grassroots have-not level where conservatism is not a means of protecting one's estate), not only is there generally less education, there is a mistrust of education and the worldly, ungodly culture is brings along ("we are in the world, but not of the world"), and so fewer distractions from creating community. Conservatives have so successfully merged "voting Republican" with "having family values" that conservative is part of the identity even if it's not stated. Saying "American, Christian, Conservative" is just redundant.

This is a starting point for how I see left vs. right, but I want to see what angles it gets shot at from before I go on.

I agree with this, and i think it's a major problem. For way too long, left-leaning folks have taken things fought tooth & nail for by our elders for granted, so we don't see the need to care or get involved. We don't yet perceive our culture or Way of Life as under attack, so there's not as much impetus to get out there and change things. For a generation or more, politics has been left up to other people, and we've see where that's gotten us.

ALL ACCESS is saddened to learn of the death of former AIR AMERICA RADIO spokesperson ANDI PARHAMOVICH, who was killed while working for the NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE in BAGHDAD WEDNESDAY (1/17). She was 28 years old.

PARHAMOVICH left AAR in SEPTEMBER to work with the INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE and the NDI in IRAQ; she was one of four people killed when a convoy in which she was riding was attacked. Al Qaeda-linked Sunni insurgents have taken responsibility for the attack.

"There is no more sacred role of honor than those who have given their last full measure in support of freedom," said NDI Chairman and former Secretary of State MADELINE ALBRIGHT. "Yesterday, in IRAQ, ANDREA PARHAMOVICH and our security personnel were enshrined on that list. They did not see themselves as heroes, only people doing a job on behalf of a cause they believed in. They were not the enemies of anyone in IRAQ; they were there to help. Now, the prayers of all of us at NDI are with them and with their families. We pledge to do everything that is within our power to see that they did not die in vain. We will honor their example, keep alive their memory, and carry on their work."

AIR AMERICA RADIO's AL FRANKEN is making further exploratory moves towards a Senate run in MINNESOTA, telling the ASSOCIATED PRESS that he has called Democtaric legislators in the state to discuss his possible run against incumbent Sen. NORM COLEMAN (R-MN) next year.

FRANKEN said he has also been talking to other DEMOCRATIC-FARMER-LABOR PARTY figures to discuss the pros and cons of a run, adding, "It's unknown how people will respond to a comedian running for the Senate. I need to figure out a way to let people know I'm extremely serious about MINNESOTANS and their lives." He said that he hopes to decide whether to run in the next few weeks.

Al mentioned this on the air at the end of the show yesterday, and that today was the day they were going to remember her.

Nice that he's handing his show off to Thom Hartmann, who lacks much of a sense of humor but far outmatches al for historical knowledge and debating skill.

http://talkingradio.blogspot.com/2007/10/randi-rhodes-is-victim-of-violent.html

Fucking hell...

Jeez, only a matter of time

Looks like someone cold-clocked her from behind. Not exactly a mugging, but not good either.

So, it was pretty much a targeted attack then?

Probably a failed mugging.

"I shouldn't have speculated based on hearsay that Randi Rhodes had been mugged and that it may have been an attack from a right wing hate machine. I apologize for jumping to conclusions based on an emotional reaction," he said in a written statement.

newsday

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/10/16/2007-10-16_air_america_host_randi_rhodes_wasnt_mugg.html

The right has far subtler ways of shutting up the left than a crude mugging attempt.

yeah, they can post the addresses and phone numbers online, then have people go and peek into their windows.

maybe her dog was a republican

I just discovered Lionel: Hands-down, he's the best AAR host I've heard. He's hilarious, extremely sharp, and can flummox right-wing nutbag callers like no other.

I couldn't get into Lionel, but they don't broadcast him out here. I do like Thom Hartmann, but dude seriously lacks a sense of humor.

My fave Lionel bit so far was the bit when some right-wing pro-torture nutbag called with a self-described "hypothetical" question about torturing someone known to have information on a pending terror event. Lionel defused this guy by agreeing with him right off the bat -- YES, torture him -- and then turned the tables by asking whether this guy would perform a "homosexual act" on such a terrorist if it were extremely likely to get the info out of him since it would prevent him from going to heaven or somesuch. The caller said "no" and had a conniption complaining about Lionel making up stuff. Lionel's brilliance here, in my opinion, is that the caller couldn't object to rape, since he came to the table pro-torture in this precise scenario.

maybe I should start listening to this again

lol, Randi Rhodes calls Rodham & Ferraro "fucking whores" (well, no shit). FoxNews has the vid and the best Geraldine bananas quotes:

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/03/air-america-host-suspended-for-calling-clinton-ferraro-fg-whores/

I thought RR was a boring Clintonite when I heard her 4 years ago, has anything changed?

she sounds even more shrill than Limbaugh and Schnitt, if that's possible.

Randi Rhodes has quit the Air America radio network, a week after it suspended her for using a derogatory word for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during an event in San Francisco.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24066818/from/ET/

This incident has probably been good for Air America on the whole, as it reminded people that Air America does indeed exist

Enjoy yr schadenfreude while you can, Dr Morebias.

The reason I think Air America never went all that well is because ... there's already an overtly liberal talk radio network that dominates the culturescape: NPR.

Can't you attempt a bit of a more clever troll, bs?

burt stanton after making post:

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8910/imageuploadimageun7.jpg

I want a real liberal station, that is just as vile and "comedic" as the worst of Fox News and conservative talk radio. Then it'd remind me that I really am more of a polite centrist.

WBAI occasionally veers off into that territory. It's not an exact analogue to conservative radio, but it's as paranoid and freaked-out as conservative radio is vitriolic.

schadenfreude? As uninterested as I am in Rhodes' show or career, this is classic scaredypants lib shit by AA to placate supporters of the bloodthirsty WalMart sen.

Sorry, I misspelled trollenfreude.

Rhodes quit to placate Clinton?

Massive "lib" conspiracy, y'all.

Use of "lib" == Morbs is big Rush fan.

i think it was more like this was a good pretext for doing something they wanted to do anyway

libs are a lot more like Rush than they realize.

AA forced Rhodes out so they wouldn't piss off any DLC/Republicrats.

yeah, real DLC vibe at AA

but you wouldn't know, rite?

My wife thinks that the fundamental issue is RR's "drinkling problem". Remember when she fell down walking her dog and had to have dentistry? Maybe she's just a bad drunk.

AA got on my bad side when they cancelled Morning Sedition for absolutely no good reason (other than that Marc Maron makes suits angry on a regular basis).

I know, gabb -- they built the damn place on that Clintonite egomaniac Franken.

I never really found RR all that entertaining, honestly. In other news, my house has like a full-on Lionel addiction now.

(xp) Morning Sedition was good, but Stephanie Miller is a decent replacement. Not quite as good, but still better than the 10 other things KQKE/KKGN tried in that slot, including and especially the Duelling Willies.

RANDI RHODES JOINS NOVA M RADIO

The Nova M Radio Network is thrilled to announce the addition of “The Randi Rhodes Show” to its nationally syndicated talent offerings beginning this Monday, April 14, 2008.

Randi Rhodes is the #1 rated progressive talk radio host in the nation.

Nova M CEO John Manzo says, “I just can’t stop smiling - Randi is simply the biggest and the best. Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy under one roof – talk about TALENT!”

Randi Rhodes adds, “With Manzo at helm of Nova M, I am truly going to work for the best of the best. He is radio elite…and I am too <laughs>. I’m home, I’m home, I’m home!”

“The Randi Rhodes Show” will air live Mon-Fri from 3-6pm Eastern on The Nova M Radio Network.

as much as I enjoy obscenity-laced rants, Rhodes is a fucking chore to listen to. I say good riddance.

otoh, I really ended up digging Franken's show. Sober, informative and just enough yuks. this was after years of thinking him a bit of a smug prick.

Nova M CEO John Manzo says, “I just can’t stop smiling - Randi is simply the biggest and the best. Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy under one roof – talk about TALENT!”

lol i wanna hear a radio show with this guy!

morbs doesn't like (or get?) chutzpah

Nova M CEO John Manzo says, “I just can’t stop smiling - Randi is simply the biggest and the best. Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy under one roof – talk about TALENT!”

both nutcases under one roof - we've got the grumbling paranoiac market cornered!

lol i wanna hear a radio show with this guy!

richardkind.gif

Tempted to share some Lionel shows so's to get more on the Lionel bandwagon.

It's always nice when Rachel Maddow shows up on Olberrman.

Liberal Nova M Radio to File for Liquidation

By SARAH MCBRIDE

Nova M Radio Inc., a competitor to troubled radio network Air America, is filing for bankruptcy liquidation, according to the company's co-founder, amid mounting disarray in the small world of liberal talk radio.

Anita and Sheldon Drobny, a married couple from Chicago, founded Nova M in 2006 and have been funding the business partly out of their own pockets. Compounding their troubles: Nova M's highest-profile host, Randi Rhodes, vanished from the airwaves earlier this month. Mrs. Drobny also said that her husband is currently hospitalized for problems stemming from the stress of dealing with the network, which has 34 affiliates.

Nova M hired Ms. Rhodes last year after she fell out with Air America, which is now run by Pendulum Media LLC. A person familiar with the matter says that Nova M was supposed to have promised to cover certain legal costs for Ms. Rhodes, who some herald as the liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh. But she quit after discovering that her employment contract didn't offer such indemnification.

A message on Ms. Rhodes's Web site blames her disappearance on Nova M's failure to correct an unspecified problem and says she is seeking a new home for her show. Ms. Rhodes's lawyer, Robert Gaulin, blamed "technical problems." Anita Drobny says she can't discuss the terms of Ms. Rhodes's contract.

Stations that aired Ms. Rhodes are left scrambling. KKGN "Green 960" in San Francisco has found a replacement. But programming director John Scott fumed in a posting on the station's Web site that while conservative radio is organized, liberal radio is plagued by "drama, inconsistency, miscommunication, ego and a trail of wreckage."

Ms. Rhodes has been replaced on station WJNO in West Palm Beach, Fla., by conservative talk host Sean Hannity.

Ms. Rhodes left Air America last year after she made inflammatory comments about Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton during a stand-up comedy performance. Although Air America has found new financial backers, it doesn't have the high profile its founders had hoped for. The Drobnys, who helped get Air America off the ground, are no longer involved with that company.

Nova M's other host, Mike Malloy, is switching to another would-be Air America competitor: Phoenix-based start-up On Second Thought Radio Network LLC. The backer of On Second Thought, Dr. Mike Newcomb, who was involved with Nova M until last year, describes his new network as "talk radio for independent minds." He plans to use former Nova M station KNUV in Phoenix as his company's flagship.

Ms. Drobny says she and her husband had poured their own money into Nova M, but the business became unsustainable last fall. As advertising revenue plummeted, so did the Drobnys' personal portfolio, making it impossible for them to keep supporting the company. Toward the end, Nova M lost $100,000 a month. The financial stresses eventually affected her husband's health, she says, leading to the breakdown that landed him in the hospital.

"There were so many wealthy progressives out there that could have made [progressive radio] happen," she said, but they didn't want to help. "It ended up being on Sheldon's shoulders."

On RR's site:

TO ALL:
NOVA M RADIO HAS NOT YET CORRECTED THE PROBLEM THAT HAS KEPT ME OFF THE AIR
DESPITE MY STRONG DESIRE AND READINESS TO BROADCAST MY SHOW. RESPECTING THE
EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS EXISTED BETWEEN NOVA M AND ME, AND
EXPECTING THE SOLUTION TO BE QUICKLY ACHIEVED, DETAILS OF THE TRIGGERING
EVENT WERE WITHHELD IN GOOD FAITH. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS MUCH: ANY
STATEMENT IMPLICATING ME AS BEING IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISRUPTION
IN THE RANDI RHODES SHOW IS PATENTLY FALSE. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION IS
SOLELY WITHIN THE CONTROL OF NOVA M.
IN LIGHT OF MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, MY SHOW WILL BE SEEKING A NEW HOME.
I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE IN RESPECTING MY
RIGHTS DURING THIS TIME. YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IS CHERISHED. THANK YOU.

RANDI RHODES

There were so many wealthy progressives out there that could have made [progressive radio] happen...

Some might actually be willing to throw you a bone if you offer something better than Mike Malloy and Randi Rhodes.

Also, looks like Thom Hartmann is moving his show from AAR over to Jones Media(or whatever they're changing their name to), the same network that carries Ed Schultz & Stephanie Miller(and Neil Boortz, ha).

Stephanie Miller > Rachel Maddow > Mike Malloy > Randi Rhodes > Ed Schultz > Thom Hartmann > Gavin Newsom

KKGN has a poll where you can vote on Randi's replacement, FYI. I voted Frangela - Lionel - Mark Maron.

Thread needs a title change

RIP