Monday, June 23, 2008

Air America Names Bill Hess programming chief

From Air America press release:

Air America Media has named radio industry veteran Bill Hess its Senior Vice President of Programming beginning in mid-July. His responsibilities at the national progressive talk radio network will include supervising the creation and delivery of quality programming, and overseeing the editorial content of airamerica.com.

"With more than 30 years in the radio industry, Hess brings his expertise in programming, content creation, promotions, marketing and sales,” said Charlie Kireker, Chairman of Air America Radio. “We are confident that he will help Air America achieve stronger ratings and revenue success, as we continue to provide listeners with entertaining and thought-provoking programming throughout this critical election year."

"I strongly believe that the future success of our business will spring from the audiences we cultivate, stimulated by the talent we nurture and attract," said Hess. "I am excited by the vision and commitment of Charlie and his team to build on the foundation that's already in place at Air America Media - both on-air and on-line. I can't wait to get started!"

Prior to joining Air America Radio, Hess handled multiple programming, management, and strategic responsibilities for four of Clear Channel Radio’s Washington , D.C. stations. He was program director for powerhouse adult contemporary music station WASH-FM, as well as operations manager for progressive talk 1260 WWRC, SportsTalk 980 WTEM, and conservative talk 570 WTNT. Before that, Hess served as director of programming for Clear Channel’s WHJJ, WSNE-FM and WWBB-FM in Providence. He was formerly regional vice president of programming for Capstar Communications, overseeing programming for stations in New York and Connecticut.

With Clear Channel's sale of their DC AM properties to Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, Hess was moved to another position in the building, overseeing classic hits-formatted WBIG-FM. Instead, Hess decided to accept the gig at Air America. He will start July 14.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

"What they should be doing is taking Air America and doing with it what Microsoft should do with Vista: junk it and come up with something compelling that justifies its own existence."

Read more at www.loosekannon.com.

ltr said...

Dude, go buy a life.

FSL said...

Welcome to Air America 3.0. Air America 2.0 was when they hired David Bernstein for a few months.

This guy has been working for local stations with programming all or mostly syndicated. He has not been developing talent and he has not been producing talk shows. No reason to expect him to come up with the next Really Big Shoe.

AAR started out trying to create a liberal presence in radio and a liberal alternative to Rush. Now the goal is to take stations back from Miller, Schultz and Rhodes. And they still insist on operating under the illusion that that they are a "network" and that networks matter in radio.

NYLefty said...

Gee, fsl's anti-AAR talking points are the same as those posted elsewhere by "emacee!" What a coincidence!

BTW, Hess programmed a successful talk station in Providence (WHJJ), which featured several local talk shows.

ltr said...

Gee, fsl's anti-AAR talking points are the same as those posted elsewhere by "emacee!" What a coincidence!

Gee, you think?

He changes usernames more than Madonna changes her wardrobe. I banned him months ago for getting really nasty and offensive, and using the comments section of this blog to unleash a long stream of personal attacks. The guy seriously needed a time out.

Only thing is, it's rather impractical to ban commentors from Blogger sites (via username or IP ban). And I didn't feel like playing an endless game of whack-a-mole with him and his seemingly endless supply of sock puppets. I also got tired of playing nanny. If he worships me enough to keep posting here, so be it. He's the deranged one.

I just wish he'd start his own blog and just go away, as I've suggested many times, but he's in his own universe. It's his problem, not mine.

FSL said...

You use multiple usernames, so you have no room to talk.

Again, I ask, is there something I said you disagree with? You have made similar criticisms of Air America Radio in the past, so apparently you do believe they are subject to criticism?

I can only conclude that even though you open you blog to comments, you really don't want them - other than "mega-dittos."

ltr said...

I primarily use two, or variations of them. On older accounts that I have, I still use Fighting Irish. That's because I still have the accounts and I've racked up many postings over five or six years. But everyone pretty much knows who the hell I am. I make no secret of it.

You, on the other hand, change your username more than you change your underwear. And you hide behind them thinking that nobody will be the wiser. Let's be real - everyone knows.

As I've said before, I encourage comments, and even when I have a problem with them (there's been a few who have gone overboard with the vulgarity thing), I've been prone to just leave them.

You, on the other hand, just seem to exist to be some sort of Bronx cheering section, ranting about things you really don't seem to know much about (after all, you've never enlightened us as to why you are any kind of so-called expert on any of this stuff). It's just a bunch of rather dull trolling.

And the fact that you dug this comment out right away shows that you are somehow obsessed with what I write about. I guess that's okay, in a sort of creepy way. But when you go overboard (like when you personally attacked me for no reason), then I reserve the right to delete it. My blog, my rules. If you don't like it, start your own, then I can come over and shit all over it. Then again, it really wouldn't be worth my time.

FSL said...

Much of time I do agree with your observations, but not always.

Sometimes I have a different view. Still I don't understand why you felt obliged to get me banned from Radio-Info. I thought liberals welcome healthy debate. Personally, I don't consider offering differing viewpoints "shitting all over" something.

You remain anonymous. I don't care who you are or what your credentials are. I look at what you have to say and whether or not it makes sense to me. I ask no more or no less about what I post. If you agree, fine. If not, say so.

You post articles two or three times a week. This blog, like all others on this site, has an RSS feed, which allows one to see whether new articles have been posted. If there is a healthy discussion from people posting comments, you get a lot more hits. People check in to see what others have said about what you said. Otherwise, people only need to visit this site every week or so (or just check the RSS feed), and you get fewer hits.

Clearly, you put a lot of time and effort into your postings and I, like many others, appreciate that. I'd think that you'd welcome others to start talking about what you have to say (whether you agree with them or not).

For the record, you have never attempted to refute my observations. You seem mostly to object to the fact that I have them and post them.

For the record, I am more concerned with good radio than political agreement or political correctness. For those who think I don't like anything, I have come to admire Nova M, who I think are doing a good job operating a syndication company, and an even better job of managing, promoting and selling their Phoenix station. I admire the talents of some liberal hosts, not others. I suppose in that I differ from many who visit this site. For me, good radio trumps opinions with which I agree.

ltr said...

Sometimes I have a different view. Still I don't understand why you felt obliged to get me banned from Radio-Info.

WHAT?!?!?! What the hell are you talking about?

I thought liberals welcome healthy debate. Personally, I don't consider offering differing viewpoints "shitting all over" something.

Kinda convenient when you can just pigeonhole people. As for differing viewpoints, does that include all the derogatory remarks you made about the Irish and Catholics to be just that?

You remain anonymous. I don't care who you are or what your credentials are. I look at what you have to say and whether or not it makes sense to me. I ask no more or no less about what I post. If you agree, fine. If not, say so.

I have a background in both radio and business.

You post articles two or three times a week. This blog, like all others on this site, has an RSS feed, which allows one to see whether new articles have been posted. If there is a healthy discussion from people posting comments, you get a lot more hits. People check in to see what others have said about what you said. Otherwise, people only need to visit this site every week or so (or just check the RSS feed), and you get fewer hits.

You're trying to explain to me what an RSS feed is? Hell, I was the one who activated several for this blog.

Clearly, you put a lot of time and effort into your postings and I, like many others, appreciate that. I'd think that you'd welcome others to start talking about what you have to say (whether you agree with them or not).

For the record, you have never attempted to refute my observations. You seem mostly to object to the fact that I have them and post them.


Quite often, I just glaze over your comments. I guess that's what happens when you do things like insult one's own personal background. Kinda makes whatever else you have to say irrelevant, right? Many people post here, with different opinions, and I welcome that. You, sir, are an asshole. So don't go playing that victim bullshit on me.

And yes, I have responded to some of your postings in the past. It's just that not enough of them make any sense.

And this is where I will end this. You want to continue this little soap opera, do so by email. Otherwise, I'm not going to continue to air out drama via the comments section.


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