Air America Appears To Lose Flagship Station

Instapundit ^ | 3/3/06 | Brian Maloney

[LdSentinal]

While Air America Radio's loss of two affiliates in Phoenix and Missoula, Montana is generating news this week, the company itself probably hasn't been able to give either city a second thought.

Why? In a development sure to rip the heart right out of the liberal radio network's already ailing body, it appears extremely likely their leased New York City flagship station WLIB-AM will soon abandon Air America programming.

Even worse, litigation looks probable over the station's lease.

While the network's last day on WLIB isn't known for certain, an internal source providing backing documentation points to the end of March. At this time, Air America parent Piquant LLC has no firm back-up plan for where in the nation's largest radio market its programming will now air.

Some inside the firm are already referring to WLIB in the past tense.

Without WLIB, Air America faces an immediate, crushing blow. Worth perhaps 100 small markets combined, an on-air presence in New York City is absolutely vital to the company's survival. If an immediate and suitable replacement isn't found, the consequences would be dire.

What percentage of Air America's audience would disappear overnight, the Radio Equalizer can't say for sure. Could it be 40%? Fifty percent?

Taking control of Inner City Broadcasting Corporation (ICBC)- owned WLIB is said to be a consortium of industry heavyweights, including former Clear Channel executive Randy Michaels and Boston-based broadcast investment firm Alta Communications, in partnership with ICBC.

[Andy from Beaverton]

If they put Michael Savage on, maybe he could save it?

[umgud]

Maybe NPR or PBS will pick them up.

[Terpfen]

Savage may be too insane even for the lefties.

[JRios1968]

What percentage of Air America's audience would disappear overnight, the Radio Equalizer can't say for sure. Could it be 40%? Fifty percent?

Hmmm, what's fifty percent of nothing?

[synbad600]

My prediction of it lasting one year didn't come true, but, damn, I was close!

It stinks so much, it's either bad garbage or good cheese. (stole that from somewhere)

May the gapped-tooth maroon have as much success with his political endeavors.

[SunkenCiv]

Awww, that's sad.

Swordmaker, when I read about the lawsuit CBS radio filed against Howard Stern, I got thinking (and I'm probably the last one) about the future of broadcast commercial radio. The inroads of digitized music formats such as the iPod and Rio, and satellite (commercial free for now) radio, etc, I wonder how the revenue stream is. A lot of broadcast radio ad dollars flow in because of people on their way to places (by personal transport or by mass transit).

[SamAdams76]

Whatever happened to the much ballyhooed Al Franken show? Remember when he was supposed to be a competitor to Rush Limbaugh? Also, whatever happened to that much ballyhooed "liberal radio" network the was supposed to be a counterbalance to conservative talk radio?

[Ed_in_NJ]

Libs don't listen to radio -- they're too busy talking to themselves.

[T Lady]

Stick a fork in it...Heh, heh.

[Brett66]

If an immediate and suitable replacement isn't found, the consequences would be dire funny.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I hope WCKY in Cincinnati gives up Air America broadcasting soon.
Randi Rodes is stinking up the joint. I would boycott the advertisers but they are all hair growth and weight loss endeavors anyway.

[Exit148]

What percentage of listenership do they need to stay afloat --- and what % do they now have, I wonder. Did they really ever have a listenership?

[ExtremeUnction]

Savage may be too insane even for the lefties.

I'm a conservative, but I can only take five minutes of Savage before I have a heart attack. I fantasize about locking my liberal brother in a room for 24 hours with Savage screaming in the background!

[Moonman62]

I've listened to some of these shows and they aren't that liberal. But then people like Franken start acting like three year olds, and then I turn it off. Liberals aren't going to like it because it isn't liberal enough.

[Lost Dutchman]

From what I have heard here in Phoenix, the station has been bought out by a Christian Radio company. ROFL!!!

That should give the Libs in my town a few blood pressure points, if not an aneurysm or two.

[operation clinton cleanup]

I listen to AA for entertainment... all the callers are little old ladies and unemployed AFL-CIO wannabes.

[eric_da_grate]

They had their chance. Not even Democrats can tolerate it anymore. This party is begging for an enema and there's not a drugstore in sight.

[danamco]

Randi Rodes is stinking up the joint. I would boycott the advertisers but they are all hair growth and weight loss endeavors anyway.


randy rhodes former West Palm Beach, says it all!!!

[RayChuang88]

I think if WLIB loses Air America, the whole syndication network will go out of business very quickly. That could lead to XM forced to open up a new channel, and I can see KCTC in Sacramento, CA going back to their Time of Your Life music programming that was so beloved by older listeners.

[TaMoDee]

Does that mean it's DONE! LOL!!!

[quantim]

Without WLIB, Air America faces an immediate, crushing blow. Worth perhaps 100 small markets combined

This does make sense if the small (dare we say liberal) markets are worth nothing:

0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+
0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0=0

[albee]

"If they put Michael Savage on, maybe he could save it?"

How about Howard Dean?

He can always give medical advice between rants.

If they can't get Dean, I'm sure that Al (Ho-Hum-Boring) Gore is available.

[operation clinton cleanup]

She is a whining b!tch and cusses like a sailor.. she is un-listenable! AA might have a chance if they flushed her.

[MinuteGal]

I'm sure a major market city like Tehran would pick them up in a heartbeat. Or maybe oil-rich Caracas. How about Pyongyang where garbage is a way of life?

Why would Air America ever want to throw in the towel when setting up a studio in a friendly city like one of those mentioned above is only an airline trip away?

And no need to waste money on round-trip tickets for the AA stars, either. One way will do and it'll save on the moving bill.

Here'a a chance to see what stuff lefty American-haters like Randy and Al are really made of. Here's their chance to get out of this country for good.

Have microphones, will travel?

Hardy, har, har, har.

Leni

[eric_da_grate]

Rhodes is psychotic. She cheap and vindictive. She never gets tired of hearing her own voice. Even liberals are split on this one. This woman is in dire need of some serious bonin' and there's not a volunteer to be found.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Awwww....

[MindBender26]

A network MUST be on in New York, so advertisers, current and potential can hear them.

No NY: No revenue. AMF.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[rottndog]

With talk show hosts that look like this, who needs an audience?

[Shortstop7]

Ah, now that is good news! Have never listened to it, but I'm sure it was trash. heehee.....

Whatever happened to Al Gore's tv station? Is it still on?

Current TV? Was that it?

[Bush gal in LA]

About six months ago I heard these idiots were soliciting donations from it's listeners so that they would be able to stay on the air...... What losers! Soon after that Al Franken left New York and moved to Minnesota(in order to run for the Senate some say). Maybe he robbed the ''donations'' for his election run. I wouldn't put anything past these people. They are scum!

[lesser_satan]

This woman is in dire need of some serious bonin' and there's not a volunteer to be found.

There has to be somebody drunk enough somewhere.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Whatever happened to Al Gore's tv station? Is it still on?

Aside from nobody watching, I think they are being sued for copyright infringement.

[CyberAnt]

If they lose 50% does that mean they have 1 listener left ..?? Inquiring minds want to know!

[thoughtomator]

I would boycott the advertisers but they are all hair growth and weight loss endeavors anyway

Not a coincidence.

[Shortstop7]

Thanks......hadn't heard lately.

Poor Al. Heh heh.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Uncle Al is doing his AA show pro bono... I hope he runs for a Senate seat just to show what a big, fat, liberal idiot he is!

[danamco]

Rhodes is psychotic. She cheap and vindictive. She never gets tired of hearing her own voice. Even liberals are split on this one. This woman is in dire need of some serious bonin' and there's not a volunteer to be found.



Thank God for people like randy and "temper tantrum, drunk" david gregory in the "drive-by" LSM. The more they talk the more the American people are going to wake up!!!

[Emmet Fitzhume]

Ever notice how societal rejects tend to cling tightly to Islam, atheism, communism and/or the DNC?

[SmithL]

I still think we should sell NPR & PBS to ErrAmerica for $1 and see how long they stay in business.

[rottndog]

They do all run in the same circles, don't they?

I noticed something else about them--they almost all tend to be morally retarded.

[TBP]

That giant sucking sound youhear is the air coming out of Air America.

There never was a market for it, but they compunded that by hiring non-broadcasters. If they had gone to Donahue and Springer, or example, they might have done a little better. Those guys are crazy left liberals like the rest of the Scare America crowd, but at least they're professional broadcasters. That's mor than you can say for Al Frankenstein and Janine Garofalo.

[staytrue]

I think xm already has air america. They also have a right wing channel too.

[Tzimisce]

They just need to go steal some more money from under privileged inner city kids.

[mlstier]

Torture! Torture!

[kylaka]

Maybe they should abandon the politics model and mimic the Howard Stern Potty, Sex, Vagina, Penis and Piss model, as a come on.

Ooops. Sorry. One and the same.

[bigbob]

More good news - on a slightly related note the two-bit station (WTDY in Madison WI that's not even good enough to be an Err America affiliate) continues to slide in the ratings. This is the station where unhinged talk show host John "Sly" Sylvester took the cheap shot comparing Condoleeza Rice to Aunt Jemima last year. The Arbitron Ratings data for Jan. 2006 shows the station falling from AQH share of 1.7 in the winter book to 1.0. Sly deserves full credit, as he's Program Director and he calls the shots, like taking Sean Hannity off the air "because he was boring". A typical Mad City left-wing partisan, vehement Bush-Hater and Russ Feingold suckup. Now the out-of-town country station pulls more listeners!

[grey_whiskers]

It's odd how Freepers think alike...I wrote a vanity on quite a similar topic last weekend.

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

This woman is in dire need of some serious bonin' and there's not a volunteer to be found.

Anti-lib Sarcasm Torpedo ARMED. FIRE!!

Not even Tammy Bruce would volunteer?