Updates, shmupdates...

As I tend to this somewhat-neglected blog, and clean up after the whole Air America demise thing, I've updated the links section in the center column. Hopefully, everything is up to date. Here are a few things I've revised:

All Air America links and whatnot are gone. As of last night, the stream officially bit the dust, as they make their way to the Chapter 7 graveyard. Air America hosts that are still doing shows (or may be doing so in the near future) remain, and the links now direct to the proper sites.

I took this opportunity to go through the listing of radio websites, and made a few additions and subtractions. Keeping up with the changes on the smaller stations is rather tough, since these stations are a bit out of sight, out of mind. I've noticed only two stations have changed as a direct result of Air America's demise. Obviously WZAA in Washington, DC is no more. And KKEE in Bellingham, WA has reportedly flipped to sports talk. Rational Radio stopped broadcasting on KMNY Dallas a couple months back, but are still going online. They have been moved to the "Progressive Talk Radio - Streaming" section. Other stations, such as WINI in Carbondale, IL dropped liberal talk from their schedule a long time ago, but nobody really noticed. But with all the various subtractions comes one notable addition. WZON (103.1FM), just outside of Bangor, ME, flipped to progressive talk earlier this month. The station is owned by Stephen King (yes, THAT Stephen King). They air liberal talk 24/7.

I may have left a few hosts and shows off the list. There are probably quite a few that need to be added, such as local shows, etc. Some former on-air hosts are doing what are essentially podcasts, and not really live shows. For others, I'm still scoping through to see what they're doing and where they're doing it. I do have a tendency, however, to avoid ones that aren't very established, or 'networks' and streaming services that constantly change their lineups. For the same reason, I can sometimes be wary of adding weekend shows, since these change constantly. The more established ones, such as Ring Of Fire and Peter Werbe, are still there, since they aren't going anywhere soon.

With all that in mind, if you notice a glaring omission that you feel should be on the list, just leave a comment, a link to their site and perhaps a live stream link. That would be most helpful.

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Progressive talk goes full-time in Dallas

Nancy Cunningham of the Dallas Air America grassroots group dropped an email claiming that progressive talk programming has found a new full-time home in the Metroplex, via KMNY (1360AM).

The station, which airs a business news/talk format during the day, currently leases out time to a group called Rational Radio in the evening hours, where they air several local shows and Mike Malloy's syndicated radio show.

The business format will move to another frequency on July 1, the same day that Rational Radio starts around-the-clock programming on KMNY.

The schedule has not been finalized, but it looks like some of the additional hosts that will be on the station will include Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann and Randi Rhodes.

KMNY has a strong daytime signal (50,000 watts) that covers a large area. The station powers down to 890 watts after sunset.

This will mark a return of liberal talk to the Dallas-Ft. Worth airwaves. KXEB dropped the format in September 2006, when the station was sold to a religious broadcaster.

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.