Is Air America Really Going Bust?

I heard more crap come in the other day via the right wing wackos on another site. Apparently more top execs at Air America have quit. They are already saying AA's best days are behind them. I thought things were going well financially in that they had enough cash to last for 3 years. It can't be the lack of listeners because I know AA is getting mass numbers in the listener column. Real player even backed that up by saying 2 million people downloaded the air America site in just the first week. So what is really going on?

great PR...he was wonderful.
If they don't have money i know a lot of people who would invest. And where is George Soros? What is going on here? Or maybe it's just the wingers wacking off.

nt

they are already on Sirius
the number of listeners on their online streams has set records
they just signed up to be carried on DISH network
they're adding other stations and growing
their on-air talent is still on air

so I think any rumors of their death are premature

what I read was the board has changed out the management who played brinkmanship with the Chicago station. apparently the board thought it escalated too quickly and it could have been worked out with the station in a less confrontational manner.

do some web searches and visit their site and then decide for yourself.

But tune in on the net every day here in Los Angeles and I know lots of people who do....

I listen almost every day and I know of several other people who listen. We're in Tennessee and it is for SURE the south needs more progressive voices in the media around.

that the right-wing wackos want desperately for this AirAm venture to fail.

I regularly read a messageboard that's devoted entirely to New York radio and from what I've gathered from there it seems that the shareholders or investors at Air America were rather pissed at the way their top execs handled the conflict with Arthur Liu, the owner of both the Chicago and La stations that once carried Air America.
They are very upset that AirAm no longer has an outlet in the second and third largest markets in the country and blamed these two executives, basically forcing them out.

You could look at this two ways.
You could say that this is a troubling sign and that Air America is now doomed to fail. Personally, I don't quite see it that way.
Some people have a lot of money invested in this and will do what needs to be done to ensure success.

It's been well publicised that they have enough money to run virtually commercial free for two to three years so that shouldn't be a concern either.

I actually think them losing these two top executives could be a good thing in the end, if they get competent business people who know radio to replace them.

Remember that radio is an extremely tough business to succeed in and it takes a long time, many, many years in fact to become successful.
It doesn't happen overnight and I'd be shocked if the investors behind Air America didn't realise this to begin with.

I think they'll succeed but it will not happen quickly and some changes have to and will be made.
Don't be surprised if by this time next year their programming is vastly different to what it is now.

That's my 20 cents. :)

You said "They are very upset that AirAm no longer has an outlet in the second and third largest markets in the country and blamed these two executives, basically forcing them out."


I think the falling out with the station ownership in those markets was simply the repercussions of trying to move forward quickly with the network instead of being choosier in the 1st place when signing up stations.

Personally, I'm glad they gave it a shot and tried to roll out quickly with that all-star lineup of talent.

...there are still some glaring weak points that they have to address.

The new show with Robert Kennedy, Jr. is a disaster. The man sounds like a toothache feels. He is UNLISTENABLE. With Mike Malloy out of work, why on earth does this guy have a show?

Also...technical glitches abound. Their news broadcast got into a repeating loop yesterday so that the same tape was playing about six times, all at different locations in the feed. I find the sound drops out repeatedly.

The weekday programming is fine, but the weekend still needs a lot of work.

Still...at this point I don't know what I'd do if Air America disappeared.

God Kennedy is horrible to listen to! His messege is fine but his voice is awful! There are some great host they can replace him with and toughen up the week end line up:
Mike Malloy
Guy James
How about Stephanie Miller of the old KFI/La fame?

Bernie tried going national once before and has been on Faux News and MSNBC as a guest commentator... he has the chops. WHY they don't go with Bernie I'll never know.

309

that is NOT a radio-friendly voice.

and, they do need more 'real' talk radio like Randi.

they need Malloy and they need Guy James

they should replace their sat 3-6 reruns with a LIVE stream of Guy's show at the least. he's delivering 'real' talk radio.

I tried to listen, but could not get past the voice..

They should tap into Guy James and let him have a longer show (if his voice would hold out.)..and Malloy.....and that Ed Shultz guy.. Use the talent that already exuists.. Then when they are better established, they could afford the more "boring" stuff..

of my demise have been grossly overstated."

Mark Twain

Actually, this reminds me of the old reports on Drudge where Salon's days were numbered.

Despite these shakeups and firings, I have heard more big advertisers on AA this past week then before. From Toyota to On Star to Dr. Scholls, AA is bringing them in and millions of people are listening. At work, people stream in AA every day. This is a new media Phenomena that Sludge Report and the Freepers only wish they could destroy so easily. AA rocks and they know it.

If so, you may be listening to spots that those companies buy to be on ALL or various XM networks, not specificially AAR...and they don't get any conpensation (part of their affiliation agreement).

I'd hold the projections of millions until the first set of ratings are in from New York, Chicago & L.A. (for the limited time they were on there) later this month.

that are carried on the New York station, including PSA's for the NYC recycling program.

Even on Saturdays.

They seem to be real paid ads, but there is no way to know for sure.

I get the webstream here...which appears to be the feed WLIB/AAR sends to XM, with XM commercials included.

Here's a couple clues from one whose worked with this stuff for years...commercials at the top and bottom of an hour...even on shows like Rush and Hannity (network types), are either network or local commercials...meaning time reserved for XM, WLIB and any other broadcaster that carries them...thus you'll hear commercials that aren't necessarily paying directly to AAR.

I will give the stream a listen during the daytime hours tomorrow and see if I can sort those out. If others are interested in this, I'll post it in the Media area.

I wish they would add stations in

Washington, DC - to be part of the political debate

Miami, FL - because FL is a swing state

Cincinatti, OH -because OH is a swing state

Also website like allaccess, inside radio and radio-info. Nope, things aren't going well at AAR.

Yes, they have troubles. We need to support them. I would not be so quick as to write them off so soon, unless, there is an ??? motive.

I just mentioned things that have been cited on message boards and strings here on DU. I have no personal opinion or real interest other than as an observer.

I also have no power how they succede or fail...that they will do on the merits of their product and their business plan. Yes, there have been questions about both and all I am attempting is to see if there's merit to those questions.

In one instance we were able to coax the answer to a rumor that only someone inside the network would have known. It cleared up some questions, also created others.

I'd like to see AAR, as any new independent venture succede, but also if there are problems or mistakes made, what lessons can be learned...as there are others who would like to do similar ventures.

There's a lot of people here who have high hopes for AAR, but these are also those who had hopes for the old I.E. and other radio networks. I want this to be successful, and to find ways to make this or other ventures successful. There are a lot of good radio people out there who'd love to be part of an upcoming new network/movement and to work together in this effort.

Do we rise above mistakes or keep making them? You decide.

He's on the air in 3 of the major Ohio cities.

I love Stern now after never having listened to him before.

He's a very smart man.

Since I'm *not* in any of the cities they are broadcasting in, and I don't know how to set up to get streaming audio (I have a firewall in place) I can't listen to them UNTIL the new stastions they advertise start playing their programs!

"Coming in May"... AAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

309