Malloy does Dallas

Almost a year and a half since KXEB (AM) was sold and flipped to a religious format, progressive talk is returning to the Metroplex in limited form.

AllAccess reports that a group called Airtime Media, led by Tim Disa, worked out a deal for a five-hour block weeknights on KMNY (1360AM), which leases their signal out to Biz Radio Network for their business talk format by day, but their airwaves to whoever else has the money at night. The evenings will consist of a one-hour local show, "Rational Radio," featuring Jack Bishop, from 7-8P, Mike Malloy's syndicated show, which will air live from 8-11P, and another local show, "Empowerment Radio" from 11P-midnight.

The changes are effective January 28.

KMNY, which has a rather strong 50,000 watt daytime signal and meager 850 watts at night, is owned by Arthur Liu's Multicultural Broadcasting, which is big on leasing air time on many of their stations. If that name sends shivers down your spine, that is in fact the same group that infamously had problems with Air America Radio back in that network's early days. The network's programming was pulled off the two stations it was leasing outright, KBLA in Los Angeles and WNTD in Chicago, after only a month on the air, and spurred a rather ugly court battle. Luckily, this is another group that is involved.

Another interesting development happening later this year involves the rumored move of business talk from KMNY to another dial position, the lower-powered KTON (940AM), which Biz Radio's parent company owns and is trying to upgrade. What this means for the future of KMNY is unknown. More than likely, Multicultural will lease out the airtime to whoever will pay. Does this mean a possible full return of progressive talk to the Metroplex? Stay tuned.