Air America bankruptcy filing discloses creditors

For those still curious about the finances of Air America, its Chapter 7 liquidation petition, filed with a federal bankruptcy court in Manhattan yesterday, shows a few creditors and almost $16 million owed.

The company listed assets of $1,549,910 and liabilities of $17,357,302. Air America was current on their taxes, so no government liens were claimed. There are, however, two secured claims - a loan and a security deposit - that total almost $800K.

The largest claim is a promissory note for $15.8 million owed to Air America chairman Charlie Kierker, the head of Pendulum Media, which bought a controlling interest in Air America Media about a year ago. He will likely not get that.

Other creditors include Air America’s landlord, radio stations KTLK Los Angeles and WWRL New York, Westwood One, Arbitron, a few media brokers and others, in addition to various other bills. The New York fire department is owed $1,050, likely for a bedbug infestation at the company's studios late last year.

Several hosts are still owed money. Ana Marie Cox is owed $1,169 for expenses. Ron Reagan's production company is owed $6,350. Rachel Maddow is owed $3,951, a figure that the New York Times estimates is one-third of her monthly salary of $5,833, which amounts to a yearly salary of $70,000. Now, right-wing pundits are making hay about her paycheck, which is essentially for a rebroadcast of her MSNBC show. But considering that the radio replay was still syndicated across the country and aired in many large markets, the figure certainly sounds fair. Besides, Maddow's replay was perhaps Air America's most widely-syndicated weekday offering at the time of the network's demise.

Obviously, these supposed pro-business advocates need to brush up on their knowledge and find more credible things to whine about.

Breaking news, fun and frivolity, always on LTR's Twitter Page. If you have Twitter, please follow.

WZAA to flip back to WTOP simulcast

Following last week's demise of Air America, WZAA, the Washington, DC station that they leased, will flip back to it's previous format - simulcasting all-news WTOP, according to dcrtv.com.

Air America had been leasing the suburban AM station from WTOP owner Bonneville International. WZAA will continue to fulfill its local sports commitments. "We have had some very intriguing offers and or suggestions (for a new format), but that's the plan for now," a local Bonneville executive told DCRTV.

DCRTV also reported that WAVA owner Salem has been looking for a DC AM on which to air its right-wing political talk format, but there have been no talks with Bonneville.

Breaking news, fun and frivolity, always on LTR's Twitter Page. If you have Twitter, please follow.

What's next, post-Air America?

With the demise of Air America, many stations and hosts are scrambling to fill programming holes, and hosts are scrambling to acquire new gigs and/or syndicators. But seeing as Air America's on-air influence had been greatly diminished as of late, listeners may not notice many differences in their local station lineups.

First, the stations...

Obviously, it appears that WZAA, the station the network had been leasing and operating in Washington, DC, will be no more, unless owner Bonneville International or another entity decides to air a progressive talk format there. No word yet on WWRL New York, the other station that Air America leased time from. However, WWRL's owner does have a stake in Ed Schultz' show, so having a local affiliate in New York would be a benefit to them.

John Scott, program director of KKGN in San Francisco, said that the station's format would be unaffected, and that Air America "was dead a long time ago. They're just burying it Monday at 6pm PT." He claimed "management screw ups, overspending, talent management, it was a mess from almost the get go. There were truly some fine, dedicated radio people there that were part of the launch team, but they never had a chance."

"They offered un-entertaining programming. They deserved this. We are in the ENTERTAINMENT business, I am going to say this for the ten billionth time. We are not in the POLITICAL business."

NEW! KTLK Los Angeles will have to make a few changes, but it appears they will stick with progressive talk for the foreseeable future. KTLK PD Robin Bertolucci emailed LARadio.com, stating "We are figuring it out as we speak. Ron Reagan (M-F 3-6pm), Richard Greene (M-F 9-11pm), Rachel Maddow (M-F 2-3am), and some of our weekend shows are from Air America." Changes won't be in place until the beginning of next week. The station serves as the home to Stephanie Miller's show.

NEW! KPTK Seattle will remain. Local native Ron Reagan, who was employed by Air America and broadcast his show from the station's studios, will continue to do live shows on the station, while he seeks a new national distributor. Reagan was the network's most-syndicated host (not counting the re-airing of Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show). He is keeping fans updated via his Facebook page.

Until now, I didn't even realize that Montel Williams had an affiliate in Tacoma, WA, and a live one at that. But apparently, KLAY did carry his show. But not anymore, of course. Starting Monday, former Tacoma city councilman Mike Lonergan takes the morning slot.

KPOJ Portland, WCPT Chicago, KTNF in Minneapolis/St. Paul, WXXM Madison, KABQ in Albuquerque, WVAX Charlottesville, VA, WPEK Asheville, NC and KKZN Denver are among the stations so far that have all confirmed that they will continue with their current formats, though with some schedule modification.

Many other progressive talk stations will be unaffected, since they carried little to none of the network's programming, aside from weekends, which can easily be filled with reruns and other programming fare.

Former Air America nighttime host Nicole Sandler will continue her show online, via her website, but is looking for another broadcast opportunity. According to AllAccess, she is able to continue or fill in immediately on any station, via ISDN line. Jack Rice announced on his Twitter account that he is now "officially available for birthdays & bar mitzvahs" pending his next radio opportunity. No word on what's next for Lionel, Montel Williams, Richard Greene and the network's other on-air and behind-the-scenes employees.

Air America's weekend fare tended to cast a larger footprint with affiliates, though the offerings had been greatly diminished in recent years. Some of the shows are produced outside of the network, and will go on. "Ring Of Fire" is independently-produced, and will continue unchanged as a weekend offering, syndicated by Westwood One. Air America-produced shows such as "Inside Story", "State Of Belief" and "On The Real" are likely dead.

And then there's the non-Air America stuff. Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann and Bill Press are syndicated by Dial Global, not Air America. Nothing changes there. Randi Rhodes is syndicated by Premiere Networks. Mike Malloy, Norman Goldman, Karel and a few others are independently syndicated. All of these hosts have little to do with Air America, except that they shared many affiliates.

It didn't take long for others to start feasting on the corpse. Business Talk Radio Network and Lifestyle Talk Radio Network are both offering their programming to all former Air America affiliates on an immediate basis. Network staffers have been contacting the stations since yesterday to offer their services in filling programming holes. It's safe to say many other radio networks, particularly the ones offering liberal talk programming, are hitting the phones heavily as well.

So, what will happen to the vast audio archives of Air America? Well, nobody knows the answer to that question. Likely, they could find their way to other sources (might I suggest Internet Archive?). Some hosts did their own archiving, and will thus be unaffected. But it's too soon to tell what will happen there.

Obviously, there will be much more to share on this whole shakeup, so this entry will be updated.

Breaking news, fun and frivolity, always on LTR's Twitter Page. If you have Twitter, please follow.

Air America folds

From Air America's website:

It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times.

Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success.

With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies

When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation's history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as "un-American" — Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation.

Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress.

Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival.....but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure.

We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end.

We are proud that Air America's mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation's progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues.

Thank you.

Breaking news, fun and frivolity, always on LTR's Twitter Page. If you have Twitter, please follow.

New Air America site a winner; New GOP site, well...

After months of work, and weeks after it was officially announced, Air America has relaunched it's online presence, complete with yet another web makeover.

The new layout sports a much cleaner interface, similar to other left-leaning sites, such as Huffington Post and Talking Points Memo, which currently rank among the top progressive websites. And the new web presence seems to be keeping with their goal of creating more of a web-dominated, rather than a strictly radio-based platform.

First thing noticed is the new look, which resembles that of WZAA, the station they operate in Washington, DC. There is a new logo and graphics scheme.

Also noticeable is a much more organized on-air schedule, modeled on the lineup of WZAA. A replay of Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show airs during the noon hour (as well as earlier in the morning), followed by the two-hour Jack Rice program. Former Air America host Randi Rhodes, now syndicated by Premiere, airs on the Air America feed during the 3-6P hours.

The new site also features three audio streams. The main one, the WZAA stream and an 'Air America Classics' stream, featuring old shows from the likes of Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Sam Seder, Marc Maron, Thom Hartmann, Maddow, and Rhodes.

The shows of Lionel and Montel Williams will also air in streaming video on the site. In addition, the site features thousands of various audio and video clips. Users of the multimedia stuff in non-Internet Explorer browsers (such as Firefox, Chrome and Safari) will have to install Microsoft's Silverlight add-on.

While Air America's previous websites have typically been downright awful at worst and just plain uninteresting at best, this one looks to actually be competitive with some of their contemporaries. Granted, it could use a bit more print comment for that to happen, but so far, it appears Air America has gotten the right idea.

The irony is that the much-ridiculed Air America did something the Republican Party couldn't, namely, put up a functional website. The GOP is currently roiled in embarassment, as its own much-ballyhooed web relaunch turned into a complete laughing stock.

Where should we begin? Oh, how about that little Michael Steele that walks on to the screen, ala Microsoft Office? Or his blog, humorously titled "What's Up?" There's that "Future GOP Leaders" page that featured a big white spot that says "404 Error: This page could not be found." To be fair, the page has been corrected, though the new version simply begs 'future GOP leaders' to email them and let them know that some actually exist.

Then there's that GOP Heroes page that sports quite a few African-America faces. Only thing is, most of those faces are from the 19th century! Jackie Robinson is pictured, however, but let's face it, Robinson wasn't a Republican. Strangely enough, all the women profiled under 'GOP Heroes" are from the 1800s too.In fact, the most recent face is that of Ronald Reagan. Too bad Steele didn't put his own mug up there.

And the home page? Good grief! As it stands now, it is nothing but source code! Then, a loading error. Yeah, really nice web presence there, fellas!

Needless to say, the new GOP website seemingly reflects the party's leader, the much-ridiculed leader, Michael Steele, who puts his foot in his mouth every time he opens it. And again, it is quite ironic that Air America, supposedly the gang that couldn't shoot straight, has their act together more than the Republican Party.

Perhaps the GOP just needs more web designers in their ranks.

Mark Riley returns to WWRL

Former Air America talker Mark Riley has returned to radio with a new Saturday afternoon show on WWRL (1600AM), New York titled "Working New York", a show focusing on people "who are working, looking for work, and people who have worked all their lives and are now retired."

WWRL is also undergoing further weekend changes, days after renewing their deal with Air America. The station is harking back to its earlier roots by adding some Caribbean-oriented talk programming to weekends, both local and syndicated.

Air America stays with WWRL

After reports of some differences between the two parties, Air America decided to stay with WWRL for the forseeable future.

Here's the presser:

NEW YORK – Air America Media has extended its agreement with WWRL 1600 AM for Air America programming to be carried in the New York market. Under terms of the deal, WWRL will continue to carry "The Rachel Maddow Show" weekdays from 5-6am, "Montel Across America" weekdays from 3-6pm and "The Ron Reagan Show" weekdays from 6-8pm.

"Making sure our listeners in the New York area continue to have access to their favorite Air America programming was a key goal of our conversations with our friends at WWRL," said Bill Hess, senior vice president of programming, Air America Media. "’The Ron Reagan Show’s’ growth in New York has been explosive, and the opportunities to continue the success of both Montel and Rachel make this a strong package for both the network and WWRL."

Friday Tweets

Yeah, I know. I've been slacking a bit. There's just so much stuff, it's become rather overwhelming.

Well, time to try my best. Here's what I've been tweeting about the past few days...

First, aren't you all getting a bit sick of that whole 'liberal media' meme that right-wingers casually spout about when they're just not as extreme as them? The argument is even sillier when you factor in examples like this?

Need another example? The New York Times is reporting that President Obama's approval rating is at 56%, down a little from earlier this year. Still, it's higher than Reagan and Clinton had at this point in their presidency. A piddly 30 percent of responders said they had a favorable view of Republicans in Congress, compared to 47 percent favorable view of Congressional Democrats. Obama and the Democrats are trusted more on health care, as 76% don't think the Republican game plan, whatever there is of it, is a joke. The funniest thing about all this? The Times' headline, "In Poll, Public Wary of Obama on War and Health." Oh, that liberal media!

Perhaps this is why the GOP is doing so poorly on health care. At a public forum, Rep. Eric Cantor (R) told a woman who had an uninsured and laid-off relative with stomach tumors to seek “existing government programs” or find charity. Heaven forbid these freeloaders hold down corporate profits. And on a related note, Marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake."

Several years ago, the Dixie Chicks got slammed by thin-skinned right-wingers when Natalie Maines dissed President Bush onstage at a concert. And the big ridiculous talking point at the time was that the concert was outside of this country (Great Britain). Therefore, Maines was a traitor because she denounced the president on foreign soil. Flash-forward a few years, with tables turned. What are these same mouth-breathing morons saying about their top pinup girl, Sarah Palin, who not only badmouthed President Obama and current U.S. policy in a foreign country, but in Communist freakin' China?

So, wanna call Palin out on it? Well, don't do it on her Facebook account. You'll get deleted and banned from the page.

Evidently, today's right-wingers are living by their own set of rules, making up new ones as they go along. Did you hear that actor/conservative icon Chuck Norris is actually advocating the desecration of the U.S. flag?

Of course, most right-wingers are really just mealy-mouthed cowards. This goofball is trying to sue the DNC because they threw him out of a town hall meeting for acting like the obnoxious asshole that he is. Perhaps he should hire Orly Taitz to defend him. Gee, I never realized there would be such passion for whoring for Big Pharma and overpaid AM radio disc jockeys.

It's not only the dittoheads that are whoring for Big Pharma. Sen. Pat Roberts wants a three-day delay before voting on the Big Health Care Bill so the lobbyists have time to pick through it. I shit you not. Well, at least we know where the Republicans' priorities are.

Hey, you know that undercover video of ACORN from a few weeks ago? Well, the right-wing activists who shot it are getting sued. Turned out recording conversations without the other party's knowledge is illegal in Maryland. DOH!

And here's a few things that didn't hit The Twitter:

Air America's Jack Rice will be broadcasting live next week from Guantanamo Bay. Sorry wingnuts, he won't be incarcerated there, so there goes your little fantasy.

Speaking of Air America, how many obvious errors can you find in this RedState.com blog entry? Facts, schmacts...

That's it for today. But, as always, you can join in the fun on Twitter.

Air America, WWRL deal up in the air

Will Air America programming stay on WWRL in the future? This is what both sides are trying to determine.

Air America, and their nominal New York flagship station, WWRL (1600AM) are currently engaged in discussions that could determine whether or not the network opts to keep its programming on the station, according to David Hinckley of the Daily News.

The deal between the two parties is set to expire soon, and Air America CEO Bennett Zier says, "As our contract is winding down, we are in negotiations with WWRL about extending the agreement."

Zier declined further comment, but reports have been circulating that the agreement may be allowed to expire, leaving Air America in search of another station.

However, finding another available station in the New York area could be a bit of a challenge. Few strong-signaled stations in the New York area make significant amounts of airtime available for lease, and Air America likely doesn't have the resources to purchase or lease a whole station outright in the nation's largest media market.

Part of the problem between the two parties is the lack of Air America programming carried by the station. As it stands, only the shows of Montel Williams and Ron Reagan are carried in daytime slots. Other programming airs in overnight hours. This is why well-known New York personalities employed by Air America, such as Ron Kuby and Lionel, have never had much presence on WWRL.

The station airs Ed Schultz in afternoons (WWRL's owner, Access.1 Communications, is part-owner of his show), as well as Stephanie Miller and various local and syndicated shows and paid programming. This doesn't leave much time available for lease by Air America, and the network has been concerned about this for awhile, even making noises about looking for other area affiliates.

But, as explained before, that's easier said than done. Which is why Air America has been promoting their web presence more, hoping that the increased ability to receive the network's programming through computers and mobile devices will allow them to bypass the terrestrial hassles.

Air America programming has aired on WWRL since September 2006, when they moved from original affiliate WLIB.

The working vacation (can't afford the ranch)

Yeah, I know you're hating me right about now. I admit it, I've been slacking. Hey, like I said last week, it's summertime. Hey, our last President used to take the whole month of August off, and the only thing he missed was a memo claiming that terrorists were looking to hijack passenger jets and fly them into buildings. That's not all bad, is it?

Truth is, the real world has been keeping me busy. I find myself in the interesting position of looking for a new job (as the current one is going absolutely nowhere but backward). So, I've been pounding the pavement (and the web - neat how I can save the gas and just spread my resume with a few moves of the mouse). Should have something happening by next week. Wish me luck. Hopefully the economy will cooperate.

But you've been screaming for it, so here I am, back from the ranch and my 'working vacation'.

Here's the happs:

Maron keeping busy

Air America's "Break Room Live" webcast may have been cancelled, but co-host Marc Maron isn't picking at his wounds. As always, his standup comedy career is keeping him busy. In addition, fans will be happy to know that he will launch his own podcast in the near future.

Here's what he says in his most recent e-newsletter:

Thanks for the outpouring of email and support after the third firing from Air America. I knew it was coming. I was grateful for the gig. We did a lot of great stuff in the Breakroom. You can still see it all for as long as they keep the site up. www.breakroomlive.com.

I'm sad they canceled the internet show. As hard as it was to be part of Air America's long slow spiral into irrelevance after the show cancellation I offered to do a radio show and they wouldn't have it. The place had such promise and vision once. I really thought it might be coming back. I guess we'll see. I wish them the best of luck.

Things are much better out here in the world of real show biz. I feel lighter, more free and fucking funnier. These feelings should last right up until the money runs out. Then I'll get really REALLY fucking funny. Just got back from Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. It was great.

I'm in talks with a producer to run Scorching the Earth Off Broadway for an extended run. The show is tight now and packs punch to the soul.

Soon I will have a podcast up on a regular basis. I am putting together the ideas and figuring out the best way to do it so stay tuned for that.

Jacksonville libtalk shuffles... again

Keeping up with Radio Free Jacksonville and their endless frequency dances is akin to the U.S. government trying to track the movements of Osama Bin Laden. It can be quite confusing. Or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

Nonetheless, Andy Johnson has done some frequency shuffling once again. As it stands now, Johnson's liberal talk programming can now be found on WJSJ (105.3FM), minus the leased-time sports programming, which will continue airing on WJXL (1010XL) and now on WFJO, which formerly carried Johnson's programming, north of Jacksonville.

Radio Free Jacksonville also formerly simulcast on WSJF in St. Augustine Beach and WHJX Baldwin.

WZAA to carry the Ravens

Air America's Washington, DC outlet WZAA (1050AM) has inked a deal with the Baltimore Ravens to be the exclusive D.C. affiliate for the team's broadcasts.

"I’m thrilled to enter into this partnership with one of the area’s most successful sports franchises. This is a terrific opportunity to reach Ravens’ fans in the D.C. area,” said Marty Sheehan, WZAA station manager. “To be able to partner with one of the premiere brands in the NFL is exciting for our listeners, advertisers and talent.”

Granted, D.C. is not the Raven's home turf. And the local Redskins pretty much rule the roost there (owner Dan Snyder is the owner of the former progressive talker in town, WWRC, and airs his team via his local stations). But with Baltimore so close, there are no doubt a few Ravens fans in the area.

Rose to be simulcast on radio

If you're a radio listener seeking out some newsy non-wingnut fare, you now have another option. Bloomberg Radio will air the audio of Charlie Rose's nightly PBS interview show as part of a new multi-platform deal between the network and the show. Bloomberg Television has acquired the rights to air the show in a "next-day international edition" with additional material the day following its initial airing on PBS, and Bloomberg Radio will also air the audio portion of the show weeknights. The deal also includes web and mobile aspects. The show is produced at PBS affiliate WNET-TV in New York.

"For the past 18 years, our program has been dedicated to the idea of good conversation across the spectrum of human curiosity. We now make it a true global conversation. Along the way, Thirteen/WNET, PBS, Charlierose.com, Bloomberg, supportive underwriters and a dedicated staff have enabled us to reach for a true global dialogue that defines who we are and where we are. This new partnership with Bloomberg Television is a unique and powerful opportunity to introduce to a new audience the ideas, actions and people that shape our destiny. I could not be more appreciative and excited," said Rose.

"Charlie Rose is a rare fellow in the television business. He is a remarkable interviewer and tremendous journalist, and his show is 'a must see' for thought leaders and the most influential audience in the U.S.," said Bloomberg CEO of Multimedia Andy Lack. "Now Charlie's nightly program is destined to become a worldwide brand."

Again, it's not a liberal show by any means, but if you like solid interviews and thoughtful conversation, Rose is a good bet.

Montvel-Cohen gets wrist slap in theft case

Guam media executive Evan Montvel-Cohen was sentenced to five years of probation today after pleading no contest to a charge of first-degree theft. He will, however, have a felony charge on his record in the case.

Montvel-Cohen, 43, admitted stealing some $30,000 from a Waimanalo landscaping company that he worked for in 2005. He has since repaid the money to the company, Ultimate Innovations, Inc., prior to yesterday's sentencing by Circuit Judge Randal Lee in a Honolulu courtroom.

Additional charges of credit card fraud, forgery and money laundering against Montvel-Cohen were dismissed as part of the plea agreement he reached with prosecutors here.

Montvel-Cohen is known to many readers here for his role as one of the founders of Air America Radio. He left in a storm of controversy amid accusations of overstating his own personal worth and taking out loans from a non-profit organization to fund his investment in the startup radio venture.

He was arrested last year for the recent charge, and accepted a plea deal last month.

Once a thief, always a theif...

In this episode, you can read my mail

I always get rather interesting things in my email box. Aside from Nigerian and Chinese money-making scams that could probably result in me either getting fleeced or getting killed, should I be stupid enough to comply, I get some rather interesting news items, press releases, newsletters, fan mail, hate mail and women who want to bear my children. Okay, so that last part's not true. But if any out there need practice...

Nonetheless, here's a few interesting items I deemed worth sharing:

National Lampoon delivers new Limbaugh clip

First, remember those cool guys at National Lampoon? Hey, I remember reading the magazines (when they did a magazine) under the covers late at night. By that time, I had started to grow out of Mad magazine and was ready for something a little more provocative. Remember the movies your parents wouldn't let you see, like "Animal House" and "Vacation"? Ahh, memories...
But National Lampoon never went away, they exist now mostly as a web entity. And I was quite humbled today when I opened up a personally-sent email from their director of National Development. Okay, I'm not bragging (cuz I know you don't really give a rip), and even if I were, would I brag about that? Hey, I just thought it was cool to hear from them.

So, NatLamp has a new YouTube clip, called "Rush Limbaugh's New Obama Show!" It's a cool diversion, and let's face it, in these depressing times, we could all use a laugh. Particularly if it skewers someone like Rush Limbaugh. Check it out here. Make Brian Maloney cry.

Bennett Zier discusses Air America's upcoming web makeover

Shelly of Air America sends this one (sorry for trashing Heather Mills the other day, Shel... okay, I'm not). It's a link to a Fishbowl NY interview with Air America CEO Bennett Zier, who discusses the media company's future and upcoming website redesign. Here's an excerpt:

FBNY: What sort of projects or initiatives are you working on to expand and define this target market?

BZ: We will be redesigning and relaunching the Web site before the end of the summer. The readers, viewers and listeners will find it to be a wonderful multimedia experience. We're going to have multiple audio streams, multiple video streams and content that is new and compelling. The site will have a new look and navigation will be a pleasurable experience. We're also highlighting hosts -- like Montel Williams, Lionel, Ron Reagan and Rachel Maddow -- who bring passionate debate to the air.

FBNY: What affect do you think these new initiatives will have on Air America's brand and business?

BZ: I think what Air America is looking to get a larger distribution and generate more critical mass by creating content that not only draws in non-conservatives but also brings in opinionators. We're also bringing on new audio and video channels and new writers for our Web site, in new categories like green living and lifestyle, which are very attractive to the people who view the world from the left.

FBNY: What future do you see for Air America?

BZ: As progressive behavior has moved more into the mainstream with the election of the new president, Air America's vision is to continue to expand its brand to all left-leaning people. Air America is also very focused on providing a relevant, entertaining and provocative voice.

Technology is catching up to content so you have to make sure that your content travels to all of the distribution systems. News and politics have become a spectator sport and people are keeping score the way they do with baseball, football or basketball. Air America is very, very excited about the future and we look forward to being relevant and offering a significant viewpoint well into the future.

Rodriguez debuts webcast

Another one I just got in my box from a reader:

Hey,

I wanted to point out to you that Neil Rogers' long time producer and substitute host Jorge Rodriguez has started a webcast that runs from Noon-3pm daily. Jorge doesn't talk about politics all the time, but he is decidedly liberal and takes no shit from conservatives. His webcast is quite good and very much in the spirit of the old Neil Rogers show.

You can hear the show here.

Hartmann debuts daily newsletter

On Monday, I was quite surprised to find this item in my email. Thom Hartmann has launched a new daily e-newsletter, letting listeners know about upcoming events, show guests and whatnot. You can subscribe to it here, and best of all, it's free. Neat.

What exactly is an 'activist judge' anyway?

Finally, another daily newsletter I receive is from media watchdog group Media Matters for America. And reading their most recent low-down, mostly dealing with Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, got me thinking about something.

We often hear the right-wing talking point about the evils of what they call 'activist judges'. Only thing is, they're often quite vague about what exactly they consider to be an 'activist judge'. If it means what I think it means, then why are these same conservative critics so adamant about using Roe vs. Wade as a litmus test for confirmations? I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty 'activist' to me.

Yet another semi-manic Monday

Here's a little of what's happening today...

"Clout" goes celeb-crazy

Air America calls the concept "Pollywood" (the intersection between politics and Hollywood). And now, they're beefing up the weeknight show "Hollywood CLOUT!" with the permanent addition of 10 celebrities to its weekly line-up. According to AAM, "these celebrities, chosen for their depth of knowledge and commitment to political, environmental, social and spiritual issues and their unique perspectives, will add their comments via The Hollywood CLOUT! Hotline or serve as co-hosts with Richard Greene, live on air during the 9-11P ET (6-8P PT) time slot."

Here's the lowdown:

Mondays:

Peter Coyote comments on what the Progressive political community must do in the Age of Obama
Heather Mills comments on lifestyle, health, vegetarian and animal rights issues, and how to fleece aging rock stars... oops, sorry for the editorial content.

Tuesdays:

"Hollywood CLOUT! Think Tank" Executive Director Noah Wyle co-hosts with Richard and discusses the news of the day

DL Hughley and his "DL Minute" bring humor to the issues of the day

Wednesdays:

Billy Baldwin (as opposed to his crazy wingnut brother Steve) co-hosts with Richard and discusses the news of the day

"The L Word" star Mia Kirschner talks about social justice and international issues

Thursdays:

Fran Drescher comments on women and other issues

Bai Ling brings her unique international and spiritual perspectives

Fridays:

James Cromwell adds his sage commentary on politics and lifestyle

A different musical or comedic star joins for "Friday Music Night" or "Friday Comedy Night".

Friday, July 17 - Jon Lovitz
Friday, July 24 - Trumpeter Chris Botti
Friday, July 31 - Alanis Morrissette

So there you have it.

Cullen to launch web show

Lynn Cullen has been a long-time Pittsburgh radio fixture and a moneymaker for WPTT (1360) before it changed formats last year. Her current station, WAMO (860), is set to soon flip to a Catholic format. Now, enter another local station. The Frischling family of Pittsburgh, owners of WLTJ and the Pittsburgh City Paper alt-weekly, has approached Cullen about doing a mid-morning online show.

The show will air live 10-11am and can be downloaded any time after that, starting August 18.

Webb killer gets 20 years

The mentally ill man who killed former Seattle talk-show host Mike Webb with an ax in 2007 was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.

The sentence of Scott Brian White, 29, was 10 years more than the defense attorney asked for and eight years more than even the prosecutor asked for. The judge considered the plea agreement submitted by the prosecutor, but imposed a stiffer sentence for second-degree murder, downgraded from first due to his mental condition and drug use, suggesting that the murder wasn't premeditated.

After being missing for several months in 2007, Webb's decomposed body was discovered under his house in June of that year. White confessed to killing him soon afterward.

Funny, I remember when they'd lock up the murderers and throw away the key.

New portable HD Radio hits market

The much-beleaguered HD Radio technology has gotten a significant boost, as a new affordable and portable device hits the marketplace.

It's a portable radio capable of receiving HD Radio signals, and it is available at Best Buy stores via their Insignia in-house brand.

The unit is the has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an armband, and the ability to store 10 pre-set stations. And at $49.95, the price is at least reasonable. Plus, with a device like this, perhaps it wouldn't be unreasonable for radio stations to use them as giveaways.

Sure, HD Radio has a ways to go before it shows any hope of being a factor in the industry. Let's face it, it isn't an iPod. But with devices such as this, it sure does seem like they're going in the right direction.

Coming... Going...

The theme for today seems to be arrivals and departures. There's a few of note to readers of this blog. And there were some rather noteworthy departures in the real world during the past week, by now known to all but the most detached cave dwellers.

Going: In the famous celebrity column, the passing most widely reported was that of pop icon Michael Jackson, who died last Thursday at the age of 50. I had started writing a highly elaborate entry about Jackson last week, with the working title of "Thirty-two short stories about Michael Jackson." It was one of those rambling epic articles that would never be finished. Quite frankly, it was destined to be ridiculously long, not overly entertaining, and in some instances, was somewhat mean-spirited (I've never had a soft spot for weird, self-destructive child abusers). Plus, it just didn't make sense for this blog. I felt it better shelved.

A side note: From time-to-time, I have conjured updifferent blog entry ideas that tend to be a bit off-topic. They tend to get rather elaborate, but many times get tossed aside if I just can't make it work. For example, I had an idea for one about philandering right-wingers (called "Young Republicans in love"), which dealt with the promiscuous exploits of Sen. Bob Ensign, South Carolina's disappearing Governor Mark Sanford, and a lesser-known figure, conservative writer, pundit and former radio talker Jessica McBride, who shagged Milwaukee's police chief a few months following a glowing puff piece for a magazine. Ahh, family values. Nonetheless, I had a ton of ideas but really nowhere to go with them. Hence, it, along with many others, suffered the fate of the Beach Boys' legendary Smile LP, an unfinished epic that will never see the light of day in it's originally-intended form (aside from Brian Wilson's update a few years ago and a few Beach Boys recycling projects from the 1960s). And in keeping with that, some of these epic entries do not go wasted. I have been known to return to them and recycle bits and pieces when appropriate.

And yes, many off-topic epic entries actually do see the light of day, such as the recent tribute to the history of television (in honor of DTV Day). Although it was a bit long, it turned out to be so damned funny that I had to share it. I haven't heard from many of you about it, but I do hope you liked it.

We also saw the passing of Farrah Fawcett earlier just a few short hours before Jackson's demise. For children of my generation, she is probably best remembered for The Poster. You know the one, red one-piece swimsuit, flowing blond hair and blinding smile. That poster seemed to be in every auto shop and suburban boy's bedroom. It was one of the most iconic images of the 1970s. It was certainly hard to miss.

Finally, there is perhaps the strangest celebrity death of the past few weeks. Television commercial pitchman Billy Mays suffered a fatal heart attack following a bizarre circumstance. And yet, Kevin Trudeau still walks the earth. Go figure.

Coming: Now, back to the main gist this blog. Air America dropped a line about a new show, “The Inside Story with Ana Marie Cox.” It will air Saturdays at 9A ET and Sundays at 12P ET on Air America affiliates nationwide.

You may be quite familiar with Cox. She is currently Air America’s Washington, D.C. based national correspondent. She is perhaps best known as the founding editor of the political blog, Wonkette. After leaving in 2006, she was named Washington editor of Time.com. Prior to that, she served on the editorial staffs of Suck.com, Mother Jones and Radar. She is currently writing for The Daily Beast. Cox also published her first novel in 2006, “Dog Days.”

Going: I received tons of emails about this one. David Bender, host of Air America's "Politically Direct", did his final show this past weekend, airing some of his favorite interviews from the previous four years. He had announced his departure several weeks prior. Apparently, he will spend his upcoming free time traveling.

Going: Controversial San Francisco talker Karel Bouley, a.k.a. Karel, has lost his San Francisco affiliate, as otherwise dance hits-formatted KNGY dropped him from their lineup. Karel fans needn't worry, as he is still featured on another station, KRXA in Monterey. He is said to be looking for a new Bay Area station.

Karel had previously worked at KGO in San Francisco, but was dismissed last year following an accidental dropping of the F-bomb live on air.

Coming: Liberadio(!) with Mary Mancini and Freddie O'Connell a weekly show on Vanderbilt University's WRVU, is going daily.

Beginning Wednesday, July 1, the show expands to include an additional live hour every Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 to 10:00 am (CT) on BlogTalkRadio.

Kuby show mothballed by Air America

Gotten quite a few emails on this one. And it appears that the rumors are true. Ron Kuby's midday show on Air America is no more. It is being replaced in national syndication by recent hire Jack Rice, who was originally slated to be on live in Washington, D.C. only.

From the Doin' Time page on Air America's website:

Monday, June 22nd was the final edition of “Doin’ Time With Ron Kuby” in its current incarnation. Ron remains a member of the Air America family as we discuss his future role. His – and his team’s – hard work over these last many months is most appreciated. You can continue to access Ron’s show clips and podcasts at www.airamerica.com/ondemand.

Jack Rice – who launched “Live In Washington” on our DC station last week – will move his show into the 12-3pm ET slot effective today, Tuesday, June 23rd.

We’re also excited to announce that Randi Rhodes is back on Air America! You can listen to Randi live weekdays from 3-6pm ET in Washington, DC on WZAA 1050AM or you can stream her show online at www.airamericawashington.com.

Thanks for your continued support and please let us know if you have any questions. Please use this form to contact us: airamerica.com/contact.

Air America's D.C. station adds Randi Rhodes

Air America Media and Randi Rhodes have seemingly mended fences, as their new Washington, D.C. outlet WZAA 1050 AM has struck a multi-year deal with her new syndicator, Premiere Radio Networks (a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications) to air her show live (3-6P ET). They will begin airing it today (June 23), and stream online via the station's website.

From the presser:

“I’m thrilled to have Randi Rhodes on the Air America Washington team,” said Bill Hess, Air America Media’s senior vice president of programming. “It’s about time we were reunited. Randi’s ability to cover a variety of issues each day in an entertaining, aggressive style makes her the perfect fit for the ride home in Washington, D.C., where she’s now based.”

WZAA 1050 AM is the latest in a series of major-market radio stations to add “Randi Rhodes.” The program can be heard in such markets as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Portland. Airing weekdays from 3-6pm ET, Rhodes enlightens and entertains listeners with her trademark candid, incisive opinions, as well as her biting sense of humor, as she discusses everything from news and current events, to politics and hot topics. Please visit http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/ for more information.

To make room, the local “Live in Washington w/ Jack Rice” (which had been airing on Air America's national feed via weeknight delay) moves to the 1-3P slot, and will continue to be the region’s only live locally-focused talk show in that daypart. The odd man out in D.C. appears to be Ron Kuby.

Incidentally, frequent fill-in Nicole Sandler is now listed as the late night host. Whether this is a permanent move is unknown.

WZAA/Washington launches tonight

So many emails and so many inquiries have arrived in my inbox, and up until now, I have had nothing to report on Air America's new station in Washington, DC. Well, now I do. The station launches tonight at midnight.

Here's the press release:

Air America Media will debut the new 1050 AM throughout the Washington, D.C. region on Wednesday, June 17 at 12 midnight under new call letters WZAA and also streaming online at www.airamericawashington.com. The station will feature Air America’s independent political voice in the nation’s capitol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including Ron Reagan, Rachel Maddow, Ana Marie Cox, Montel Williams, Lionel, Arianna Huffington and Carlos Watson. The station will feature several prominent, Washington, D.C. personalities on programming throughout the day on Wednesday, including Helen Thomas, Chris Matthews, Senator Bernie Sanders and others.

“We are thrilled to have our voice on-air and online in our nation’s capital,” said Bennett Zier, chief executive officer of Air America Media. “Our roster of talent will provide sharp and insightful commentary to our listeners.”

“We plan to utilize our new Washington, D.C. broadcast facilities to originate nationwide programming with our talent,” said Bill Hess, senior vice president of programming of Air America Media. “Now that we’re in our new D.C. home on Idaho Avenue, we’re also producing regularly-scheduled local programming.”

Martin Sheehan, former Clear Channel and ESPN Radio executive, has been named station manager, overseeing day-to-day operations.

The weekday program schedule, also available on the station’s website at www.airamericawashington.com, will include:

6-9 a.m. – “The Lionel Show”
9 a.m.-12 p.m. – “Montel Across America”
12-1 p.m. - “The Rachel Maddow Show”
1-3 p.m. – “Doing Time with Ron Kuby”
3-6 p.m. – “Live in Washington with Jack Rice”
6-9 p.m. – “The Ron Reagan Show”
9-11 p.m. – “Hollywood! CLOUT”
11p.m.-1 a.m. – “The Jack Rice Show”

Air America Media is operating 1050 AM through a local marketing agreement (LMA) reached with Bonneville International Corporation.


A few things to note:

New Air America arrival Jack Rice, who had been hosting late nights on the network for the past few weeks, is listed in the 3-6P slot. Not sure if this is permanent, or if this goes for the national feed, but Nicole Sandler is doing fill-ins during the 11P-1A slot this week. Or it could be just a local thing. A reason for this deviation from the national feed? First guess would obviously be the very weak nighttime signal. That and the national feed's Montel Williams replay in afternoon drive seems a bit absurd for a station to follow. Hence, Jack Rice will host a local afternoon show, which will supposedly be replayed from 11P-1A.

Top-of-the-hour news will come via NBC and CNN. Both are syndicated by Westwood One for radio.

Rachel Maddow will air 12-1P weekdays, followed by Ron Kuby from 1-3P. Again, it's likely to give her more exposure during the station's stronger daytime hours.

Though the station is being programmed by Air America (leased from Bonneville International), there is no word on whether WZAA's lineup will reflect the national feed 100%. But I guess we'll know soon enough.

More updates as they arrive.

Air America lands again in D.C.

Gee, go away for a day and something happens...

Anyhoo, looks like Air America has landed a pretty noteworthy new affiliate, as liberal talk returns to the airwaves of our nation's capitol. It could happen as soon as next week, once the papers are signed.

The station is WTOP (1050AM), which is owned by Bonneville International and is currently simulcasting an all-news format with its FM sister WTOP-FM. Air America will lease the entire signal via a local marketing agreement, which is quite common in the industry.

Here's the presser:

Air America Media is coming to Washington, D.C., airing progressive talk programming on radio 1050 AM through a local marketing agreement (LMA) reached with Bonneville International Corporation. The LMA will enable Air America to broadcast its independent political voice, featuring such talent as Rachel Maddow, Montel Williams, Lionel, Ron Reagan and others throughout the national capital region. Air America will manage programming, marketing, and sales operations for the facility, beginning later this month.

“We are looking forward to bringing all-new, progressive news/talk programming to 1050 AM and actively engaging listeners across the most politically-influential radio market in the United States,” said Bennett Zier, chief executive officer of Air America Media. “This agreement and our full-time entry into the Washington, D.C. market are an integral part of Air America’s strategy to expand our listening audience.”

“Air America will provide the Washington area with new content that cannot be heard on any other D.C. radio station,” said Bill Hess Air America Media senior vice president of programming. “Air America’s talent, producers and executive team will actively apply their knowledge of the D.C. metro broadcast market and the top public issues of the day to present a compelling listening experience.”

The station’s new call letters, on-air launch date, programming line-up and other details will be announced shortly, Hess added.

Now, WTOP is not a signal powerhouse. The daytime reach, from Silver Spring, MD, isn't too bad (3,500 watts, with an application to boost to 10,000 watts), but the station drops to a mere 44 watts at night, which will give so-so coverage north of the city but a bit more static in Washington proper. Folks in Baltimore may even be able to hear 1050 during the day.

This station returns liberal talk to the D.C. airwaves several months after WWRC changed its format. And at this point it's all Air America, meaning no Ed, Stephanie, Thom, Randi, etc. This is an Air America deal.

And no word on whether there will be any local show, or if Air America will fill out its heavily-gapped schedule by the time 1050AM starts carrying them.

UPDATE: A few things to add on...

1. Air America initially approached Bonneville a few months ago regarding a lease deal on 1050AM. Bonneville has been looking for someone to pick up the signal, as it is currently redundant for what they want to do in the D.C. market. As part of the LMA, Air America will essentially lease the signal from Bonneville, and then handle operations, programming and advertising sales. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed. Air America has hired some local sales staff, and will occupy a small space in Bonneville’s Washington offices.

2. It won't be wall-to-wall Air America after all. According to the Washington Business Journal, some of the AM station's sports programming will carry over, airing occasional nights and weekends, according to Bonneville Senior Regional Vice President Joel Oxley. Don't worry, there shouldn't be too much of that, since most of the play-by-play stuff Bonneville controls local rights to (the local professional baseball, soccer and NHL teams, George Washington University and the Naval Academy) will air primarily on WTOP and WFED (1500AM). The soon-to-be renamed 1050AM will essentially collect spillover in case of scheduling conflicts.

Air America brings it all back home

Air America Media continues to reorganize and bring everything in-house, and their latest move is to create its own advertising sales division.

On Wednesday (May 27), the progressive talk radio network announced the end of its relationship with Westwood One, which formerly handled the network's national ad sales. In its place, is the creation of AAM Network Sales, an in-house sales division.

Recent moves by the network include taking over affiliate relations and the creation of a seperate division, AAM Syndication, which will handle shows outside its normal progressive talk fare.

AAM Network Sales has offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, with the company’s chief revenue officer, Scott Elberg, spearheading this initiative.

“I’m excited to continue to develop Air America into a multimedia organization with new shows, and now a sales division to accompany our newly-announced syndication division,” said Bennett Zier, chief executive officer, Air America Media.

“We’re confident that our strong roster of talent, including Montel Williams, Rachel Maddow, Ron Reagan, Lionel and Ron Kuby, will be an appealing buy to advertisers,” said Elberg.

The recent moves are part of an effort by Air America to increase its affiliate base and present a more attractive package for potential advertisers. Air America Media CEO Bennett Zier feels that these moves can help the network expand its affiliate base "into triple digits."

Next on the Air America makeover list: A relaunched web site.

Another Tuesday newsday

Here's what's the haps for today...

More Randi on the radio

As kind of an update to last week's entry, a couple more affiliates have added Randi Rhodes, both owned by Clear Channel, which syndicates her show. WXXM Madison, after not being able to agree with her on a suitable time slot, has compromised with a little shuffling. Her show will air on 92.1 The Mic weeknights 6-9P (CT) starting May 26. Mike Malloy has been shifted to 9P-12A, followed by Ron Reagan 12-3A.

In Denver, KKZN adds her to the 7-10P (MT) shift, replacing Ron Kuby.

And if you don't mind staying up late, Ohio Majority Radio, which offers its own streaming station, is webcasting her show in the 1-4A ET time slot.

WWR(e)Location time

With the shuffling of Air America's talent lineup, 'flagship' station WWRL in New York has done some minor tweaking. Montel Williams is now airing in the 3-6P ET time slot in place of Ron Kuby. Also the station has added the third hour of Stephanie Miller's show in the 11A-12P slot, following the station's two-hour mid-morning infomercial juggernaut.

In case you missed it, Kuby moved his show to the vacant 12-3P slot, and Air America is currently airing a replay of Williams' late-morning show in the (now vacant) 3-6P slot.

And Jon Elliot is no longer at Air America, having taken over afternoons at XEPE in San Diego. You can hear his show streamed 3-6P PT (6-9P ET) here.

No further word on any network replacements thus far.

More radio mayhem

They say that radio programming runs in waves. Some formats become the flavor of the month, while others become audio pariahs. The latest dying format appears to be smooth jazz, which has just been nuked in two of America's biggest markets. In San Francisco, KKSF dropped the format after a more than two decade run, switching to classic rock. And in Chicago, WNUA, another long-running smooth jazz outlet, is reportedly reaching for the handle. Both stations are owned by Clear Channel, which appears to make all their programming decisions in bulk.

Granted, perhaps only a scant few will shed tears over the slow demise of smooth jazz. The mix of bland funk and elevator music really can't be considered 'jazz' (I call it 'supermarket jazz'), particularly when the likes of Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and other true 'jazz' geniuses (which, incidentally never get played on a smooth 'jazz' outlet) are weighed in on the mix. Rather, the increasingly watered-down 'fuzak' format features unspontaneous light jazzers like Kenny G (who is to jazz what Nickleback is to grunge) mixed with dreary lite-rock fare like Phil Collins, a recipe for an audio valium tablet. I briefly did a smooth jazz format myself and found it quite dreadful, but perhaps that's just me.

Granted 'real' jazz is an even deader format on the nation's airwaves (save for a few non-commercial outlets and some really good streaming services), but maybe, just maybe, a pending death of smooth 'jazz' will help return the term 'jazz' to it's proper place.

Steel Town shakedown

Here's an added update for Wednesday. Sheridan Broadcasting is selling three of its Pittsburgh stations, including WAMO-AM/FM and WPGR to a religious broadcaster. For local listeners, that means that the city's only urban contemporary-formatted station, the venerable WAMO-FM, will soon be gone, and along with it a strong community voice and employer of African-Americans in on-air and management positions.

What it means to liberal talk listeners in the city is that local talk fixture Lynn Cullen will soon be out of a job again. She started working at WAMO's AM outlet only a few months ago. Also gone will be the syndicated Bev Smith. Cullen is pondering retirement, as she refuses to leave Pittsburgh and her on-air options there are very limited.

KMNY shuffles lineup

Here's another Wednesday item. KMNY (1360AM) Dallas ("Rational Radio") is not adding Randi Rhodes at this time (as far as I can tell). However, they are replacing Ron Kuby with a popular local duo. Pugs & Kelly (a.k.a. John Myron and Kelly Mohr) will air from 1-4P CT, taking over Kuby's 2-4P shift, and cutting off the last hour of Thom Hartmann's show.

Pugs & Kelly have worked at three local stations in the past year, with a long stint on the now-defunct FM hot-talker KLLI (Live 105.3), and briefly at KDBN ("The Bone").

The station airs a healthy amount of local programming compared to other similar stations.