How NOT to be a pundit

Give or take, there are roughly 4781 AM radio stations in the United States. Since music programming has, for the most part, departed for the higher-clarity FM band, that doesn't leave a whole lot for these stations to choose from. With so many AM stations lacking programming, sometimes they have to go the desperation route.

That's probably what happened in the case of KRLA in Los Angeles. The station, owned by Salem Communications, programs a typical Salem conservotalk format. Salem's talk roster is the low-hanging fruit of talk radio, with a lineup consisting of Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, Bill Bennett and other third or fourth tier talkers. And KRLA also employs a local guy - Kevin James. Judging from James' embarrassing appearance yesterday on MSNBC's Hardball, perhaps they should dig a little deeper to come up with hosts that actually know what they're talking about.

Yesterday, James was a guest pundit (one of those guys stuffed in a little digital box on the screen), along with Air America Radio's Mark Green. Coming off as a screaming, shouting and, dare I say, unhinged lunatic (think Sean Hannity after four cans of Red Bull), he looked utterly ridiculous. He went through the typical wingnut pundit cliches, shouting talking points, not letting anyone else get their say, ignoring questions from the host, Chris Matthews, and above all, making very little sense. Here's an account from a blogger at the Houston Chronicle:

In a very funny, yet sad exchange on Hardball yesterday, host Chris Matthews humiliated right wingnut radio jabber Kevin James over the "appeasement" uproar stupidly started by GWB in Israel yesterday. This guy looks about 16 years old and is like a giant Chatty Kathy - just pull the string and he repeats the same talking points in order ad infinitum. Chris couldn't control the conversation, or this guy's mouth, so he tried to quizz him on appeasement by Neville Chamberlain, prime minister of Britain in the '30s, and the Munich Agreement where Britain ceded part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler. This guy didn't even know who Chamberlain was, how he got tagged with the appeaser label, or what he did.

I'd put together a summary myself, but I've seen the video and still have no idea what James was talking about. Maybe I'm just tired. Suffice it to say, James got owned. Bad.

He got punked pretty thoroughly by Matthews, who, despite being a bit creepy and obnoxious himself, knows when to call 'bullshit.' Matthews shut him down with a question about a historical point, which James sidestepped by hammering the "Obama is linked to Hamas" nonsense. Mark Green, who was reduced to hardly saying anything without James screaming over him, nevertheless got in a rather humorous line, blurting out, "When you're in a hole, you stop digging."

Seemingly, James is typical of many right-wing media goons today. They follow the playbook written by former Senator Joe McCarthy back in the 1950s. McCarthy, as many historians know, wildly accused many of being covert Communists, particularly government officials. Now, it was mostly bullshit - he didn't have much proof of commies infiltrating the government, and made up for it via pure bluster. In other words, he just kept shouting as loud as he could, until his artificial world came crashing down live on television. And he fell pretty hard. Today's bloviators seem to be working from the same playbook. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit.

Here's the video of James, his foot and his mouth:



As you can see, James obviously has been reading "Right-Wing Cable News Punditry for Dummies." He almost had down all the steps, though his execution was rather poor. Let's go through the how-to list:

1. Wear a slick, conservative suit. Dark blue is preferred. Don't forget the power tie. If you are a self-styled 'man of the people,' look like a gritty Santa Claus or are basically just a slob, an open-collar oxford shirt or favorite biker gear is acceptable. For the ladies, whatever works. Avoid powder blue pantsuits. Don't be a Hillary.

2. Memorize your talking points. Stick to the list. Don't deviate.

3. When the host introduces you and gives you the cue, come out swinging. Hard. Pretend it's 1990 and you're fighting Mike Tyson. You can take a breath later.

4. Talk loud, talk fast, talk forceful and don't let anyone else interrupt you. This is your moment to shine. Andy Warhol gave you this fifteen minutes, and dammit, you have every right to it.

5. If you're paired with a lefty counterpart, don't let him/her talk. Whatever they have to say is pointless. They're misinformed, out of touch and unhinged. Just keep screaming your talking points. Nothing else matters.

6. Key words: Terrorist, traitor, liberal, Muslim, radical, hippie, unhinged, wild-eyed, socialist. Use them, dare I say, liberally. Don't forget them - this is the glue that holds your ideas together.

7. You can call your opponents any name you want, or affix any label. But don't violate Godwin's Law. If you refer to your enemies as "Nazis," even the friendly FOX News hosts will call you on it. That stuff belongs with 14 year-olds on video game message boards. And with George W. Bush.

8. If, by chance, the host calls you out on your misinformed talking points and rambling thought processes, just keep talking. Repeat step #4. Talk louder, talk faster, talk even more forceful and don't let anyone else interrupt you. Drown out both the host and counterpart(s).

9. Don't forget to plug your show, website, political organization and/or think tank!

10. If things wind up going south on the show, you can still save face. The next day, on your radio show or blog, don't accept that you did anything wrong. You were flawless! You took 'em to school! Blame it all on the 'liberal media' that's been out to get you from the beginning. It won't matter - your listeners think you're a god.

More:

Here's the Radio Tranquilizer at his whiniest finiest. He invoked rule #10! Brian the insult comic dog thinks Matthews owes James an apology. Boo hoo! Pass the tissues. And if James was unfairly beat up on because he's on a shitty radio station, then why did he agree to go on MSNBC in the first place? And what about Maloney's good friend Michelle Malkin, who got her own bony ass handed to her by Matthews in 2004? Yeah, she's a lightweight too. Brian Baloney lives in his own fantasy world, where conservatives are allowed to say the most vile things about people they don't like, yet cry like babies and demand apologies whenever they get dissed. Grow a set and stop being such a pussy! Sheesh!

Click here for MediaBistro's take. No, it's not the fat guy from King of Queens.

Air America gets new owner

Sam Stein at Huffington Post is reporting a major changing of the guard at Air America Radio this morning, as Charlie Kireker, a former political official and creator of Pendulum Media, takes over from Stephen L. Green, the New York real estate CEO who helped lift the company out of bankruptcy, as chair of the board.

The move will be finalized in mid March.

Stephen Green will remain as a minority investor. Mark Green, Stephen's brother and Democrat activist, will remain as Air America's president.

"We look at what Steve and Mark Green have done as the transition role of saving and stabilizing the business and now we think it is a good opportunity to expand upon that," Kireker told the Huffington Post. "The company has made a lot of progress, we have consolidated operations, and streamlined things to be more efficient. We are yet to profitability but we are heading there."

Kireker is no stranger to the network. He was a minor investor in one of the companies that rescued Air America's ownership from Chapter 11 bankruptcy last March. That year, the network -- which was purchased by Green Family Media for $4.25 million -- posted more than $13 million in losses. Sometime in 2009, Green said, he envisions that the network will be in the black.

Currently Air America has 65 affiliates, an estimated audience of nearly 2 million weekly, and is set to release a new web-based format for radio listeners.

"It took Fox News five years and a half billion dollar loss to get its feet, find its audience and become profitable," said Mark Green. "We don't have a 'what's his name?" [referring to Rupert Murdoch]. But, we now have secure funding and expanded management team, on-air talent and a business strategy that will get us where we need to be... Reports of our death were greatly exaggerated by the right wing zeitgeist that wanted us to go away."

As for why the current team would leave the network on the brink of profitability, Green noted that his brother's true passion was not in media but in real estate. "The Kireker group is new money, energy and new confidence in the growing of Air America. Steve was happy to be a bridge from phase one when we had financial difficulties to phase three when it is poised for takeoff..."

No programming changes will take place at the present time. The front office stays the same, but Phillipe Collin joins the company as SVP/GM of Interactive Media.

Read more at HuffPo.

Air America: The future's online

Air America Radio president Mark Green finally spoke up about the departure of VP of programming David Bernstein, telling Radio & Records that the move is related to a new focus on building on the network’s internet presence. Green says Bernstein is returning to his extensive radio consulting business.

Green has nothing but praise for Bernstein, who left the network last week. “David’s a renowned and first-rate radio professional. He did great work with us to get us back on our feet.”

Bernstein's successor will be a “content director,” someone with the dual skills of distributing Air America programming both on-air and online. “We are at our core, a radio network, but we have to distribute our content and costs on radio as well as the growing numbers of audience and advertisers online,” said Green.

Bernstein gets the boot

Updated 11/16/07

Jay Marvin, morning personality at KKZN (760AM) in Denver, dropped a bombshell yesterday morning on his blog when he claimed that Air America Radio VP/Programming David Bernstein's position has been eliminated.

Furthermore, Marvin claims that the privately-owned network is having financial issues as well.

Of course, given that as a private company Air America doesn't have to tell anyone anything, and usually doesn't, they are officially mum about current goings-on. Not surprisingly, no reason has been given as to Bernstein's departure.

Recently, Bernstein, who was hired in March, created a stir when he was quoted as saying that the network has "been far too extremist… It's not our job to get a Democrat elected to Congress. We need to be funny, we need to be enjoyable, and I don't think that existed at this company three years ago."

To be honest, I thought he was right. I also felt Air America was suffering an identity crisis. He was gutsy, and quite frankly, Air America had been bogged down by too many yes-men. But Air America's listeners do not like to hear stuff like that. The comments, coupled with the controversial hiring of Lionel for the network's midday slot, did not go further in endearing himself to fans. Whether this was what ultimately did him in is unknown.

Following his hiring, Bernstein was not shy in voicing where he saw Air America going. "I want people, after they've heard Air America, to say they learned something - that whether they agreed or not, we gave them honest information they didn't have before." Furthermore, he adds, "We want to talk to everyone and help everyone make the right choice."

Was Bernstein forced out due to ideological clashes with Mark Green? Was it a financial issue? Thinning of the front office? Rumors of Green's unhappiness with the lack of success of some of the network's newer shows have been rampant, with him even taking charge of the entire relaunch in May. Apparently, the current management of Air America are as tight-lipped as the old one.

UPDATE: Tom Taylor, a columnist for Radio-Info, spoke with Air America chief operating officer Scott Elberg, who claimed the VP/Programming position “isn’t going away.” However, “It may be a little different,” as the network moves to take advantage of its online growth potential. One avenue toward growth would be to target people via their web presence and internet audio streaming, to reach people who aren't within earshot of an over-the-air affiliate. Bernstein's successor will likely have a different title and will likely have experience in web-based content.

Elberg also said “I’ve known David for 20 years” and he convinced him to put aside his consulting business to join Air America when it changed ownership. Now, “David can go back to that, and he certainly did a lot of good, good things for us” in his seven month stint at Air America.

As for the rumors about the network's solvency, Elberg paraphrased the Mark Twain line about “the rumors of our demise” and says they’re still very much alive. Air America’s become the company that some people love to hate, and they’ve been predicting its crash-and-burn since before it launched with Al Franken pledging an antidote to right-wing talk radio. Elberg also brushed off industry rumors that the network will fold soon and send some of the more successful shows to WOR Radio Network for syndication. "No truth to that at all," he said.

"The Air Americans" are grounded

In a not-so-surprising move, Air America Radio is ditching The Air Americans.

The New York Daily News is reporting that the two-month old show will be dropped by the network, and replaced with two new shows. Taking its place is longtime broadcaster and Air America weekend host Richard Greene and KTLK Los Angeles weekend host, TV anchorwoman and Texas ranchland owner Bree Walker. Green will take the 8-10PM ET slot, with Walker's new show will air 10PM to Midnight ET. The moves will be effective September 4.

Mark Riley, the devoted host of The Air Americans who has been with the network since the very beginning, has also gotten the axe. Air America president Mark Green indicated it was largely a financial decision to release Riley, an original network host.

In other moves at the network, All Access reports that four more staff members out of the existing 48 are being released. "We are continuing to cut costs and consolidate functions as we dramatically reduce our expenses and move toward profitability," said Green. "I'm especially grateful to Mark Riley, who has been an exemplary and loyal Air American since the very start of the network three years ago. From Mark and his producer Ron Dodd to the four staff members, all are consummate professionals who have done their jobs exceedingly well. Air America's commitment to continuously lower costs does not reflect at all on their skills and contributions."

When The Air Americans was announced as a show back in May, there wasn't a whole lot of enthusiasm for it from listeners. Basically, the concept of the show was radio host gumbo, various Air America personalities thrown together and allowed to simmer for four hours every night. Riley was the ringmaster, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Mike Papantonio, David Bender and Laura Flanders were also thrown into the mix. And that's about it.

As could be expected, they didn't find many affiliates to pick it up. WXXM in Madison and KOKE in Austin were among the most notable. Air America's own flagship station, Access.1-owned WWRL took a pass, opting to rerun their locally-produced morning show in the slot. XM Radio decided to time shift the show to the wee hours of the night. The show was a non-starter.

First of all, at a time when many of the network affiliates were working to establish their own identities, apart from Air America. No way in hell were they going to carry a show called The Air Americans. In addition, many affiliates use the evening time slot to time shift daytime programming, such as Ed Schultz, Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann. Some air local programming or non-Air America shows like Nova M Radio's Mike Malloy. And offering a four hour show is asking a bit much, when affiliates are more willing to go with 2-3 hour shows, which are easier to slot.

So, how will the new kids fare? Greene is an established broadcaster and professional speaker, with a lot of experience in public radio. He should add a bit of professional polish to the network. Walker also has a great deal of experience, and this move could placate relations with their Los Angeles affiliate, though it is not known yet if and when KTLK will carry her, which airs in the same time slot as the time-delayed Ed Schultz show. I'm guessing they will.

No word on the fate of the show's other hosts. Flanders, Kennedy and Papantonio all host weekend shows. This move will leave Bender, former host of the network's Politically Direct, without one. Tonight's The Air Americans will be guest-hosted by WXXM's Lee Rayburn.

Talking Radio has more.

Air America 2.0: But will it float?

Over the last week or so, there's been a lot of talk about the 'new and improved' Air America Radio. With a new web presence, new personalities and shows, and a new lineup, they obviously expect great thing to come of it.

Yesterday was a good start, as they launched the new website and logo with a press release, and even featured an in-studio chat between New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former rival Mark Green, now president of Air America. The meeting of the former political foes was packed with New York-area reporters, and will air sometime next week.

But the question lingers in the back of everyones' minds: Is this whole 2.0 thing really going to work?

Lionel was the first addition, and a very controversial one at that. After a fairly successful run at late night radio syndication via WOR Networks, he moved his show over to Air America and late mornings. The goal obviously was to help the network gain new affiliates, or even bump time slot rival Stephanie Miller from a few. Less than a week into it, the results have been disappointing. Not only has Lionel not gained many fresh affiliates, he lost roughly a half dozen that carried Seder on delay. The only station he seems to have been added to is WINZ in Miami, on delay from 6-9P ET. Lots of stations still list him on their website schedules for his former show, but it is unknown if they are still running his new Air America show in those time slots. And judging by the response on various blogs, message boards and even Air America's own site, listeners are very vocal about "The Lionel Show."

Of course, time will tell if the show will grow and expand, and its up to Scott Ellberg and David Bernstein to make this happen. Particularly since predecessor Sam Seder actually improved his ratings on flagship station WWRL in the most recent Arbitron book.

In regard to the other changes, so far the only one that seems to be working is the move of Jon Elliott to three hours later. This was one move that made sense on paper, since it carves out a new shift for the network (Midnight-3A), gets him out of the way of Mike Malloy's 9-Midnight show, and many of Elliott's affiliates delay him to a later time slot anyway. In essence, Elliott's new shift is nearly competition-free, since Lionel is now gone from late nights and FOX News Radio's Alan Colmes wraps up his show an hour into Elliott's.

As a result, Elliott's flagship station, KLSD in San Diego, will now carry his entire show live, immediately following Malloy's, which gets a full three hour clearance starting Monday. Elliott has also been picked up by KQKE in San Francisco, KKZN in Denver, KPHX in Phoenix (ironically), KPTK in Seattle, KPOJ in Portland, KRXA in Monterey/Santa Cruz (which carries the straight Air America feed in overnights anyway), and other stations.

"The Air Americans" is the other new show coming to Air America. Basically, the Mark Riley-anchored show is a hodge-podge of various hosts at the station, including correspondents Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Mike Papantonio, David Bender and Laura Flanders. The four hour show essentially replaces two cancelled ones: "Politically Direct" (who's host Bender stays with the new show) and "EcoTalk" (which was going to die anyway). Thus far, no affiliate has announced their intentions of picking up "The Air Americans" and rumor has it not many people in the building are optimistic about its chances. Furthermore, there's a chance that WWRL may not even carry it, which in effect would kill the show, given that Air America all too often seems to be a bit too New Yorkish. Buzz about "The Air Americans" is not good. Nonetheless, they will promote the hell out of it, and even have some strong guests lined up.

For the weekends, the network has said very little about the changes and new shows that will debut. The only one we've really heard anything about is Seder's new Sunday show, but that's due to obvious reasons.

So, will Air America 2.0 be a success, or will it be yet another bit of bad luck for the much-beleaguered network? Only time will tell. Should be an interesting few weeks, so stay tuned.

Air America's Mark Green responds to criticism from Seder's fans

When Air America Radio president Mark Green made the announcement that Lionel was hired to take over Sam Seder's late-morning shift and that Seder would move to a new Sunday afternoon show, loyal fans became very vocal. And they didn't mince words either.

This was a pretty big story, though it was eclipsed by another big radio industry story - the whole Don Imus thing. Throughout the 'internets', listeners expressed mostly outrage at the decision to remove what some felt was Air America's best host. And they even took the fight to Air America's own site (updated link).

Green took note of the outcry, and this weekend issued an official statement on the controversy, so as to help mollify enraged listeners. In it, he acknowledged that not every decision will ever be met with complete and absolute approval, and also threw his support behind Seder and his new weekend show. Here's the latest from his desk:

I want to thank all of you who took the time to contact us at Air America about the Sam Seder Show. It shows you care and are part of our extended Air America family, even if we can't agree on every lineup judgment.

I, too, think Sam is terrific and was eager to keep him on air. After we discussed various possibilities, I'm very happy that we agreed on a new show that's really unlike anything else on radio (or television). The three hour program, as I wrote in my posted "Message" earlier week, will focus on "networks and netroots" -- that is, a review of the Sunday political talkfests with mostly bloggers as commentators.

Please know that, consistent with my 35 year history as a dedicated progressive advocate and author, I'm devoted to keeping Air America as the leader in progressive talk and to taking it from the red to the black. Both.

I believe when we're done with all our plans for the new Air America 2.0 -- in terms on overall lineup, new platforms, better marketing, important collaborations (like our partnership with MoveOn this week broadcasting the "Virtual Town Hall on Iraq") -- you'll be as optimistic as I am that Air America will both survive and thrive after a roller coaster past year.

Mark Green
President
Air America

To Green's credit, at least he took the time to address the issue, something his predecessor failed to do in the badly-mangled dismissal of Mike Malloy last August. And Green and his crew do have a challenging task ahead of them, in rebuilding the network, making it viable, and helping to make it grow. And as is often the case in the broadcast industry, tough and unpopular choices sometimes have to be made. Am I defending Air America on this? No. Quite frankly, I would have liked to see Seder moved back to evenings, perhaps replacing Politically Direct and EcoTalk, two shows that are on the daily schedule due to cost-cutting from the old regime (both shows have their own sponsors). I think Seder plays better at night anyway.

For the future growth of the network, the hiring of Lionel was a good radio decision. Again, nothing against Seder, who I think has really grown in the medium and has attracted a dedicated following. But the midday slot is very important, and in order to attract more affiliates, they really did need someone with stronger mainstream credibility. Lionel has proven himself in the business, and has done well in talk radio, though his opinions and politics jibe with the usual talk radio fare. Does Lionel's hiring mean that Air America is becoming Air DLC? No, it doesn't. It means that the network is at least trying to build itself into a competitive force. And in order to do that, sometimes unpopular decisions have to be made. This is a move to win affiliates for that timeslot, and unfortunately, Seder, though extremely popular with fans, was not winning over radio station program directors. Again, I'm not defending Air America on this, but I do realize that radio can be a tough and cruel business, and the only way to succeed is to sometimes make unpopular decisions. Yes, there is a method to this madness.

And does Lionel deserve any of the blame for this? Of course not. He didn't really need the Air America job. He was doing well for himself at WOR. Taking this gig almost means starting over for him, since many of his current affiliates might not move with him. He was merely the guy that Air America pursued and hired. He had nothing to do with Seder's firing. The circular firing squad attacks on Lionel and Air America will do more harm than good, in my opinion.

So, what's ahead? Well, Seder aired his last weekday show last Friday. Until Lionel finishes his obligations with WOR and starts at Air America on May 14, the midday slot will be occupied by various hosts, including Lee Rayburn, formerly of WXXM in Madison. Other rumored guest hosts include KLSD San Diego morning host Stacy Taylor.

Mark Green: Air America 2.0 "not your father’s Oldsmobile"

The gang at Truthdig have a new podcast up, and in it, they interview Mark Green, new president of Air America Radio. Green talks about the network's previous woes, how he’s going to do to fix them and the new management's upcoming plans.

A few excerpts:

...I have the opportunity to be running a radio network that has great progressive talent with two and half million people listening, streaming on satellite, for example. It’s a very important vehicle, especially in this ’07-08 political cycle. But before we can be influential, we have to be profitable, so we’re trying to stem the losses and make it grow.

...Thom Hartmann, who broadcasts out of Oregon, is amazingly knowledgeable, interesting and popular. Randi Rhodes, who’s on from 3 to 6 on Air America. Very opinionated and entertaining. She’s followed by Rachel Maddow, who reads and comments on and makes fun of the news. I think we have a very strong lineup. We will be making changes, inevitably, because you never know who the next—. Well, take him: Rush Limbaugh was just a local guy who went national, not because of his beliefs but because of his skills.

...The second thing we’ll be doing is being very smart about new media, digital media, Internet media because, while it costs X dollars to have good hosts on a box called radio, we’ve got to think outside the radio box and distribute that same content—it already exists—on the Internet by people streaming, download it onto iPods, satellite it around, videocast it so it’s on cable or your cell phone next. So we’re going to be working very aggressively to distribute our wonderful programming in a way that can make money in these other platforms. We have, now, new capital, new owner, new management, a new group selling it and getting affiliates.

You can read and hear more about the company's future plans, the switch from "Air America Radio" to "Air America Media," Green's take on his competition, attracting advertising, and that GOP debate thing at Truthdig.

Air America Radio officially offers to host Republican debates

Only a week into the job, Mark Green is keeping quite busy as the new president of Air America Radio. And he's still maintaining a good sense of humor.

In an obvious jab at the FOX News Channel over the recent Nevada debate debacle, Green sent a personal letter to the chairmen of four state Republican parties, offering to sponsor and host the state parties' upcoming presidential debate.

Green, in a serious letter to the Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, and South Carolina Republican chairmen, claimed that an Air America-sponsored Republican debate "would allow Republicans to differentiate themselves from Democrats."

Last week, the Nevada State Democratic Party dropped plans for Fox to broadcast an August debate after furious pressure from online activists and Roger Ailes' 'foot-in-mouth' disease. Green turned down an invitation from FOX to be the token liberal at the Nevada debate, but did offer to partner with FOX or another conservative outlet for a potential Air America-sponsored one.

According to Green, writing at Huffington Post, "After Nevada Democrats dropped Fox as a host of its Democratic presidential debate - and after Fox denounced the move as anti-free speech and "Stalinist" - I thought...damn right! How dare the progressive party in America not allow the conservative Fox to air its presidential debate. So I today contacted key Republican party chairs in the four early primary and caucus states to ask that Air America host their Republican presidential debates. A blow for speech and against Stalin in one swoop."

Here's a text of the letter:

Dear Republican Chairman Ray Hoffmann of Iowa, Republican Chairman Paul Willis of Nevada, Republican Chairman Katon Dawson of South Carolina and Republican Chairman Fergus Cullen of New Hampshire,

As the new president of Air America, I'd like to offer to host or co-host one of your upcoming presidential debates.

Why us? First, this would allow your debate to reach many voters. Combining our 2 million radio audience, along with our satellite, internet and web audiences, means that some 2.5 million Americans would hear or read about the debate..

Second, it would allow Republicans to differentiate themselves from Democrats – embracing a debate hosted by a progressive media outlet after Nevada Democrats canceled a debate scheduled to be hosted by the conservative Fox Cable News Channel. The MoveOn organization spurred 265,000 people to complain about the original plan, calling Fox a “mouthpiece for the Republican Party.” In reply, Fox’s Mort Kondracke called the Nevada Democratic Party's rejection of Fox a “Stalinist” violation of “free speech and free debate.” So should you accept Air America's offer, Republicans would both embrace free debate and stick it to Stalin at the same time.

Third, our offer permits you to include any other national media company as a co-host -- like Fox. For example, a panel with Fox representing the conservative viewpoint and Air America the progressive viewpoint would make for a very "fair and balanced" debate -- not to mention that Fox's viewers per evening are coincidentally comparable to our 2.5 million listeners, meaning that several million unique people would hear your debate (assuming next to no overlap between our two disparate audiences).

We would be honored not only to co-host such an event; but also to broadcast it live without commercial interruption on the day that you choose.

I look forward to your response and to working with you on this important event.

Yours,

Mark Green
President, Air America Radio

Further reading: Here's a new Village Voice article about Mark Green taking the reigns at Air America. The article shows how the Greens' deal to buy the network came together, how keeping CEO Scott Elberg was a no-brainer, the whole debate thing, and a little tiff with the opinion page editor of the New York Post. Definitely worth a read.

What's next for Air America 2.0?

The contracts have been signed. The keys handed over. And now, Air America Radio is under new management.

So what's next for the new Air America, and new owners Stephen and Mark Green?

First off, the goal is to make it successful. New president Mark Green acknowledges that the network can't be influential unless it's also a business success.

He's "very confident" it will be both.

Under the new structure, which the Green brothers laid out to the staff yesterday, Stephen will be chairman, Mark will be president and Scott Elberg will stay on as chief operating officer.

While many in radio are highly skeptical about the network's future, Mark Green said it can turn around with a plan he calls "basic blocking and tackling."

"We will increase our affiliates, increase our advertising, strengthen our programming, lower our expenses and expand into new platforms," he told the New York Daily News, also emphasizing that the Internet crucial in Air America's future success.

"The model for listening is changing," he says. "My own kids are in the generation that no longer gets its content from the top down, by someone else's decision. They decide themselves what they want and find someone who provides it. It works from the bottom up.

"If Air America doesn't evolve toward internet radio, it's unlikely to survive." According to Webcast Metrics, Air America is one of the most popular webcasts on the internet, ranking fourth in overall listeners.

Green praised the current staff while adding, "Everyone can always improve."

He says the network is satisfied with New York's WWRL as its flagship and he expects a stronger city presence, given the Green brothers' local roots.

Green is adamant that the network will not merely represent a political party, but will serve the people. "We will not be an arm of the Democratic National Committee. We will be a voice for our listeners." Air America "is in tune with a majority of Americans right now on issues like the dreadful Iraq war. We have the wind at our back."

Success won't happen overnight, and Green will be the first to admit that. "We must succeed as a business. It won't happen in three months, but it won't take three years, either. The more successful we are, the more our influence grows."

You can read more at the New York Daily News.

Air America 2.0 - Day One

Today is the day that Stephen and Mark Green officially take the reigns at Air America Radio, and will also be the beginning of what they call "Air America 2.0."

Under ownership of Green Family Media, majority shareholder Stephen L. Green will serve as Chairman of the Board, and his brother, New York politician Mark Green, will be President, with Scott Elberg staying on as COO. Terry Kelly's Progressive Radio Group and Rob Glaser's Democracy Allies will be minority shareholders.

"We’re obviously thrilled and relieved that the Green family will now take control of Air America and help take it to a new level," said Elberg. "We look forward to expanding our audience and continuing to give a voice to the progressive movement in this country."

"Air America is a great idea and iconic name, but it’s also been an underperforming asset with unrealized potential," said Stephen L. Green. "We intend to stabilize its structure, programming and balance sheet – and then to turn it around by next year. I’m a businessman used to making money, and Air America will be no exception."

"We plan on a two-step turnaround to make this great brand Air America 2.0," added Mark Green. "First, we'll make sure our programming stays informative, sharp and entertaining – so that it's appealing to a growing audience and advertisers alike. Second, we’ll be thinking outside the radio box by creatively distributing great content across many platforms in the next years, including the web, video, mobile and broadband. We intend to become a must-hear content site for all people interested in truth, justice and the Air American way."

To commemorate the changing of the guard, Mark Green submitted an op-ed to Huffington Post, and is enthusiastic about the challenges that lie ahead.

Some highlights from the article:

Green feels that "if progressive values were a stock, now is the time to buy."

Air America was a large, smart idea to counter the near-monopoly on talk radio by the far (f)right. But like most start-ups, the business plan collided with reality. Six CEOs over its first three years - and various missteps and misspending - sent it into Chapter 11.

The twin goals are to make it profitable and influential. One without the other won't work. If it's not a business, it'll go out of business.

The new Air America will aggressively cover national politics and policies in ways that will be informative, opinionated and entertaining. All three. We'll be full of news and views.

Speaking personally, my brother and I are excited by this important challenge and look forward to working with the Air America professionals - in front of the mic and behind it - who have held this dream together. Steve Green has been a very successful businessman accustomed to making money -- and he doesn't intend for AAR to be an exception. I've been an author, public interest lawyer and the NYC Public Advocate. For me this feels like a continuation of so much I've done in the progressive movement over three decades. Air America is like a public advocate for the country, exposing problems and offering solutions.

Today, will contact the New Hampshire Republican Party. Since the Democratic Party of Nevada actually invited Fox News to host that state's Democratic debate, I asked if Air America could host the first Republican debate in New Hampshire, assuring them that "we too can be fair and balanced."

We have many fresh ideas for programming, for technology, for partnerships with sister organizations. But it's this conversation called democracy that's the cornerstone of Air America 2.0. We intend to listen to our listeners. To increase our listeners. To hope they will join our journey to better content, better programming, and a better country. To tell them that it's your America, and your Air America.

You can read the entire article at Huffington Post.