More station shuffling

A few updates on what stations are doing post-Air America...

Yesterday, I reported that Norman Goldman gained eight new affiliates, seeking a live show for evenings. Now it appears that Premiere's Randi Rhodes has picked up two three, KPTR Palm Springs (3-6P) and KVOT Taos, NM (4-7P). And KPTK Seattle has just picked up Rhodes for the slot vacated by Ron Reagan. Her show starts airing there next Monday.

One of the stations Goldman has picked up is KABQ Albuquerque. The station also adds Mike Malloy live for nights.

KTLK Los Angeles has, for some reason, added four hours of consumer finance guru Clark Howard in afternoon drive (3-7P).

WDTW Detroit is alive and well, and has added Alan Colmes for nights, WOR's syndicated Joey Reynolds for overnights and a Bill Press rerun for early evenings.

Air America refugee Jack Rice is filling in during the old Montel Williams slot (3-6P) on WWRL New York all week. Still no word on what they're doing to fill in other timeslots vacated by Air America.

State Of Belief, which had aired weekends on Air America, will continue, mostly as a podcast but will be available to any station wanting it (WXXM Madison is airing it, along with another Air America refugee, Free Thought Radio).

KCCT Corpus Christi dropped Air America several years ago, but has dabbled in liberal talk since then. Reportedly, they even ran Thom Hartmann's show, along with various local hosts. That will all change, as the station is currently stunting in preparation for their new format - something called "True Conservative Radio." Essentially, it will be low-tier conservotalkers during the week, and classic country and NASCAR broadcasts on the weekends.

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

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.

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.

R-Day

NOTE: Keep checking this entry for updates

Well, Monday is the day that many have been looking forward to for several months. The return of The Randi Rhodes Show, this time via Clear Channel's Premiere Radio Networks, home to personalities as diverse as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, George Noory, Bob and Tom and Ryan Seacrest.

The big question among her overly-patient listeners is, of course, where can we hear She Who Must Be Heard, a.k.a. Randi Rhodes?

And that's a very good question. As of this writing, nine 13 stations and XM Radio have confirmed the addition of her show to their lineups, with XM, Los Angeles affiliate KTLK and Buffalo's WWKB airing her live. KTLK is the best bet for hearing her via live webstream, and it is listed in the center column under listening links. The initial affiliate lineup is as follows:

XM Channel 165 (3-6P ET) (live)
Albuquerque, NM KABQ 1350AM (4-7P MT)
NEW! Anchorage, AK KUDO 1080AM (11A-2P AT) (live)
Buffalo, NY WWKB 1510AM (3-6P ET) (live)
Ithaca/Syracuse, NY WNYY 1470AM (3-6P) (live)
Los Angeles, CA KLTK 1150AM (12-3P PT) (live)
NEW! Monterey, CA KRXA 540AM (12-1P, 2-4P PT) (live)
Portland, OR KPOJ 620AM (3-6P PT)
Reno, NV KJFK 1230AM (12-3P PT) (live)
San Francisco, CA KKGN 960AM (4-6P PT)
NEW! Santa Barbara, CA KIST 1490AM (12-3P PT) (live)
Seattle, WA KPTK 1090AM (6-9P PT)
West Palm Beach, FL WJNO 1290AM (6-9P ET)
NEW! West Palm Beach, FL WBZT 1230AM (3-6P ET) (live) (starting 6/1)

Most of the stations listed offer a free webstream, but many are delaying her show for later airing. So far, three stations offer a complete live (3-6P ET) stream - KUDO (stream), KTLK (stream) and WBZT (stream). For those of you that prefer non-browser listening, KUDO has a non-browser stream accessable here. It should work in Winamp and other third-party media players.

KRXA also has a stream that can be heard via third-party programs (like Winamp and iTunes). However, they do delay the second and third hours.

UPDATE: You can temporarily download podcasts via Green 960 and KTLK.

In other related news:

More affiliates will be added soon, particularly since Nancy Skinner, who had replaced Rhodes at the ill-fated Nova M Radio and continued her show following their demise, has put her effort on hiatus effective this past Friday. That would open up more potential affilites, including KXLJ in Juneau, AK (a nice addition, since they offer non-browser streams). Rumor has it they may add her show, but in the meantime, they're carrying Ron Kuby. Speaking of Kuby, Air America will reportedly be moving him to a new time slot. Starting next Monday, his show will take over the vacant 12-3P ET slot on the network (thanks to dxfool for the heads-up).

WXXM (92.1FM) in Madison has been in negotiations to carry her, but can't find an opening in their lineup.

KMNY (1360AM) in Dallas had previously been rumored to be carrying her show, but the status at this time is unknown.

UPDATE: Per comment below, KTNF Minneapolis will not add Rhodes to their lineup. The owner of the station isn't too keen on her.

KGOE Eureka currently has two holes to fill in its daily lineup. That could be a possibility. As is KBAI in Bellingham, WA, which currently lists Kuby.

And then there are the other Clear Channel-owned progressive talk stations. There have been some rumors in regard to WDTW Detroit, but nothing solid. KKZN Denver seems content with their current lineup. WPEK Asheville, NC is limited due to its daytime-only status and KPTQ Spokane won't carry it right away, but says they are working on it.

Rhodes' own relaunched website has more affiliate information.

Finally, I'd like to ask a favor of all of you. Check your local talk stations (yes, even the right-wing ones, since Clear Channel owns a ton of 'em and could possibly push her show that way). If Rhodes is on your local station (or any others that you know about), post it in the comments below, listing the city, call letters, frequency and airtime (it could air on delay). Thanks much.

The Randi rebound

(5/11/09) For and updated list of Rhodes' affiliates, click here.

Randi Rhodes will be back on the airwaves come May 11, two weeks from now, via Premiere Radio Networks. Her show will originate from the Washington, DC area, rather than her longtime home in West Palm Beach. And three Clear Channel-owned stations have announced plans to bring her back as well, including KTLK Los Angeles (live), KKGN San Francisco (4-7P PT) and KPOJ Portland (3-6P PT).

So, where else will she wind up?

You can add to that list, so far, CBS' KPTK Seattle (6-9P PT), and Clear Channel's KABQ Albuquerque (4-7P MT) and WXXM Madison (time TBA).

UPDATE: Via Casey Buck, Rhodes will be on XM165 live, replacing Glenn Beck.

And now we get into speculation. More possibilities include other Clear Channel-owned progressive talkers like KKZN Denver, KPTQ Spokane, WDTW Detroit and WPEK Asheville. Clear Channel has a habit of pushing product from their Premiere subsidiary onto its individual stations. In addition, Rhodes could even turn up on a few of their conservotalkers. There is still no word on her longtime radio home, WNJO West Palm Beach, which appears to be content with Sean Hannity in her old slot. They could, however, opt to carry her either live or delayed.

Some stations are currently carrying Rhodes' Nova M replacement, Nancy Skinner (though she now does it independently). Those include KXLJ Juneau, WWKB Buffalo and KTNF Minneapolis.
KGOE Eureka currently has two holes to fill in its daily lineup. That could be a possibility.

Rhodes does stand a chance of improving on her Nova M affiliate base. Being with a strong network such as Premiere would be very reassuring for potential affiliates, as there is far less danger of her (or her network) going AWOL this time around.

Bookmark this entry if you wish. I'll keep updating it over the next couple weeks.

Randi returns!

You read it here second! Thanks to Chris Mason at Green 960 for the original heads-up and email. It looks like Randi Rhodes has resurfaced at... Premiere!

Here's the press release:

PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS SYNDICATES THE RANDI RHODES SHOW

LOS ANGELES, April 23, 2009 – Premiere Radio Networks is proud to announce that beginning May 11, The Randi Rhodes Show will join its lineup of nationally syndicated radio programs. Airing weekdays from 3-6pm ET, Rhodes will enlighten and entertain 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. "The Randi Rhodes Show" will broadcast live from Washington, D.C., and will be heard on more than 25 affiliates including KTLK-AM/Los Angeles, Green 960 Online and Radio/San Francisco and KPOJ-AM/Portland.

“Right now, America needs a voice that reflects its hopes and concerns. It will be my privilege and pleasure to provide vital information to the public about everything that is possible in the 21st century, and also have a few laughs along the way,” commented Rhodes. “Premiere is an incredible family of radio pros, and is truly the most talented and experienced radio syndicator in the nation. I’m exited about this decision and Premiere’s enthusiasm for this partnership. It’s truly a dream come true.”

Premiere Radio EVP of Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott stated, “Randi has carved a niche in Talk radio with her straight-forward approach, intelligence, wit and fact-driven content - qualities that attract audiences. We can’t wait to deliver The Randi Rhodes Show to stations nationwide.”

A Brooklyn native and former U.S. Air Force aircraft mechanic, Rhodes began her career in radio at a Country music station in Seminole, Texas. She enjoyed stints in Mobile, Alabama, as well as New York’s WAPP-FM, Milwaukee’s WQFM and West Palm Beach’s WJNO-AM. In 1992, she landed at Miami’s WIOD-AM, where she took over the station’s 8 -11 p.m. In 2004, Air America Radio began nationally syndicating her program, and she later joined Nova M Radio’s lineup in 2008. In addition, Rhodes starred in the HBO documentary Left of the Dial, and was named “Woman of the Year” by Talkers Magazine in 2007. timeslot and was ranked #1 in the market.

UPDATES: R&R sez:

At KKGN, which has been a Rhodes affiliate through each incarnation and its eventual implosion, PD John Scott says, "It's my guess the Premiere version of the Rhodes show will be the most polished, most supported, most highly produced version of that show in her career. These folks at Premiere don't mess around. It will be a pleasure to hear her content delivered by true professionals. Progressive radio and online content deserves a seat at the table. When we do it right, the people show up."

Talking of her return to national syndication, Rhodes says, "Right now, America needs a voice that reflects its hopes and concerns. It will be my privilege and pleasure to provide vital information to the public about everything that is possible in the 21st century and also have a few laughs along the way."

And a few more notes:

The show will originate from Clear Channel's studios in Rockville, MD (Washington, DC market) rather than her longtime home of West Palm Beach, FL. No word on whether or not longtime flagship WJNO will carry her show, but so far, it looks like they'll stick with Sean Hannity. The three named affiliates, KKGN, KTLK and KPOJ are all owned by Clear Channel. Don't be surprised if Clear Channel insists that all their prog-talkers carry her show. And don't be surprised if she winds up on a few conservotalk outlets.

For those of you keeping score at home, yes, Premiere Radio Networks is the syndication arm of Clear Channel Communications, Rhodes' longtime employer. They syndicate Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and countless other gassy wingnuts. These guys are the big time - no drama, no clowning around, no fly-by-night. It's as corporate and anal retentive as radio gets. Rhodes had long begged Premiere to syndicate her show, but they have balked. Finally, they have relented, and this marks the company's first foray into progressive talk syndication. 'Bout damn time.

Wanna read more?

The Wall Street Journal
Brad Blog
BlatherWatch
The ministers of misinformation, Bozell's Bozos (Warning: This site may kill brain cells)

Randi ressurection?

A very brief and very vague rumor, but it is from one of her affiliates, KPTK in Seattle, in an email that just hit my inbox:

Our fight to bring The Randi Rhodes Show back to the Seattle airwaves continues and we are now seeing the beginning of some success in this effort. We have received word from sources in Randi's camp that The Randi Rhodes Show will return to national syndication and that it will do so fairly soon. Rest assured, as soon as Randi is doing a daily radio show again... you will hear it right here, each night, on AM1090.

With Peter B Collins deciding to leave radio, starting Monday 3/23 AM1090 will begin offering a daily rebroadcast of The Thom Hartmann Show from 6–9pm. We will keep you updated as events unfold.

Yes, and that's all I've got. I know nothing more at this point.

Everything's Gone Green

I don't care if I'm Irish, I usually don't do much to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. To me, it's just a day where all you non-Irish people (who normally would be directing hostile and idiotic insults toward people like me about my ancestry and family's religious background) go out, get plowed at the local watering holes and make fools out of yourselves. And on top of it all - you tell everyone you're Irish! No wonder us 'real deals' get such a bad name!

Hey, I don't go 'round telling people I'm Italian on Columbus Day. Or tell people I'm Jewish on Yom Kippur. And I certainly don't claim to be African-American on MLK Day (I don't think they'd believe me). Leave us Irish folk alone!

So, not much to report, but I'll do it in green text, just to make it look festive. Drive safe!

The Air America mystery wheel lands on... Nicole Sandler

So far, there's an opening at Air America for what was once their highest-profile time slot. The network has, in typical fashion, refrained from naming a permanent replacement for the recently departed Thom Hartmann. David Bender filled in the past two weeks, and this week, you can hear Nicole Sandler, formerly of WINZ Miami, on the network from 12-3P.

Beyond that? Who knows?

I do, however, know of at least one experienced and respected radio host that's available for a gig...

Montel's first affiliate?

Speaking of Air America, the network may have found at least one new affiliate for incoming mid-morning host Montel Williams. Robin Bertolucci, PD of KTLK in Los Angeles, is keeping her options open.

"I am definitely interested in hearing his radio show," said Bertolucci. "At this point we're trying to see what's going on with Randi Rhodes and such but I am excited to hear him," she said in an e-mail to the Orange County Register.

But Williams' new show would air live on the West Coast from 6-9A, the same time as Stephanie Miller, who's show airs from KTLK's studios. Not to worry - KTLK will not lay a finger on Miller's show.

A more likely time would be 12-3P PT. Currently, the station is airing Nancy Skinner in the time slot, but this doesn't sound permanent. And given that Skinner's 'network' is an unknown entity at this point, it may not be a long-term thing.

Randi update

Most of the emails I get concern either Nova M Radio (or what's left of it) and their former afternoon host, Randi Rhodes. The same Orange County Register article quoted above has the only thing close to an update on the status of her show. Here's what they say:

She has been off the air since she left her syndicator. Word is if and when a deal is worked out with a new company to distribute her program nationwide, she will return to the air.

And yes, that is all I know too. Randi and her people aren't known for telling anyone much about her or her show, and they most certainly don't tell me anything, so for now, it's all speculation. Same as it ever was.

ESPN Radio ups its affiliate price

So, all you radio management types that thought running a syndicated sports radio feed off the board would be a stupid-proof way to rake in some ad income, right?

Wrong.

And for this, I turn to Sports By Brooks:

...A source told me that ESPN is planning to charge some non-ESPN owned and operated sports radio stations fees to carry its radio network programming. For big markets (Top 30), the annual charge to stations is as high as $100,000.

Even in good economical times, that move is a serious horse pill to ingest for local sports talk radio stations.

My reaction, as a former sports radio program director and on-air personality for 16 years (including on ESPN radio affiliates), is that very, very few (if any) Top 30 markets would pay a six-figure sum to air ESPN network programming.

So, let's do the math. Cost to run ESPN in a large market: $100K/year.

Cost to run an all-syndicated progressive talk format: Zero, aside from ceding aside some ad time to the syndicator.

Then again, radio doesn't operate on the common sense plan.

Not green - gangrene

I was going to mention something yesterday, and even started an entry, but I got a bit distracted by reality and didn't get a chance to make a clean entry out of it all. Yesterday saw Don Imus announcing that he has stage II prostate cancer, and we also saw the announced passings of both Ron Silver kicked the bucket and yet another major city newspaper, which has bitten the dust. Pretty grim, huh?

Well, it's not like either of those two guys will get much sympathy from the types of people reading this blog, particularly Imus, if all the stories that I've heard from first-hand sources regarding his personality are true.

Probably not much love from the left for actor Ron Silver either, particularly given his ideological turnaround in recent years, as he became one of those "9/11 Republicans" that think the best way to protect our country from terrorists is to support the people who let the attacks happen (i.e. Bush and Cheney). Nonetheless, Silver had a passion for what he did, and he was a very actor, particularly in roles where the audience is supposed to really hate the character. It was too bad Jeremy Irons blew everybody off the screen in "Reversal Of Fortune", otherwise Silver's role of Alan Dershowitz would have been remembered even more fondly.

Sure, the guy came off sometimes as kind of a creep, and does anyone really believe that he was more or less 'blacklisted' from Hollywood, especially since staunch right-wingers like Robert Duvall and Adam Sandler still get lots of work? As for his political bent, who cares? Misguided or not, he was what he was.

And finally, yet another newspaper has folded. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is kaput after 146 years and shift to an online-only presence, yet another victim of the rough economy.

This move comes less than two weeks after another major daily, Denver's Rocky Mountain News, also ended its run altogether. The Tuscon Citizen will likely shut down this Saturday.

Hearst, which owns the Post-Intelligencer, put the paper on the market in January, warning that it would close down the printing presses if a buyer didn't come forward.

In addition, as yet another sign that the newspaper industry is hurting due to modern technology such as the internet and the lousy economy, Hearst has also made noise about selling or even shutting down their highest-profile paper, the San Francisco Chronicle. Tough times indeed.

Time magazine recently published a column on their website, claiming that the newspaper shuttering could go even further. They cite 24/7 Wall St. with an article that says venerable dailies such as the Chicago Sun-Times, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Boston Globe and the Miami Herald might not make it to the end of the year, unless things turn around.


Okay, enough of the gloom and doom. Have a safe and happy St. Patty's. And by all means, if you're not Irish, don't tell people you are. Sheesh!

Nova M(ess), Part III - Thursday update

Thought I'd start a new entry for this one.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Nova M Radio has indeed filed for bankruptcy liquidation.

Anita and Sheldon Drobny founded Nova M in 2006 and have been funding the business partly out of their own pockets. Compounding their troubles: Nova M's highest-profile host, Randi Rhodes, vanished from the airwaves earlier this month. Mrs. Drobny also said that her husband is currently hospitalized for problems stemming from the stress of dealing with the network, which has 34 affiliates.

(snip)

Nova M's other host, Mike Malloy, is switching to another would-be Air America competitor: Phoenix-based start-up On Second Thought Radio Network LLC. The backer of On Second Thought, Dr. Mike Newcomb, who was involved with Nova M until last year, describes his new network as "talk radio for independent minds." He plans to use former Nova M station KNUV in Phoenix as his company's flagship.

Ms. Drobny says she and her husband had poured their own money into Nova M, but the business became unsustainable last fall. As advertising revenue plummeted, so did the Drobnys' personal portfolio, making it impossible for them to keep supporting the company. Toward the end, Nova M lost $100,000 a month. The financial stresses eventually affected her husband's health, she says, leading to the breakdown that landed him in the hospital.

"There were so many wealthy progressives out there that could have made [progressive radio] happen," she said, but they didn't want to help. "It ended up being on Sheldon's shoulders."

So yes, it looks like On Second Thought is basically a separate entity, headed by Mike Newcomb. The new network will carry shows from Mike Malloy, Nancy Skinner and Newcomb himself. And yes, they will still honor the former Nova M membership subscriptions. Here's the press release:

It is with great excitement and optimism that I announce today the formation of a new progressive talk radio network. The On Second Thought Radio Network will continue to build upon the foundation laid by our predecessors and will work dilligently to fulfill our fiduciary responsibilities to all investors and principals involved. Equally important, we will, with the millions of faithful progressive listeners across the country, uphold our vision to promote freedom, social justice, economic justice and peace worldwide.

...We will initially be offering a daily 9 hour block of programming with some of the most entertaining, engaging, experienced and provocative hosts America has to offer. We look forward to adding more talent and innovative products to our network in the near future.

One thing we can assure you is that we will always value the fundamental principle of “We the People” proclaimed by our Founding Fathers. The On Second Thought Radio Network will work tirelessly to hear the voices and honor the commitments of our listeners, affiliates, supporters and advertisers alike. We welcome any and all suggestions as we go through this transition period. Please feel free to email us at comments@www.onsecondthought.net and continue to check out our web site, http://www.onsecondthought.net/ where we will keep you up to date on the latest and greatest that we hope to offer to you!

Respectfully,

Mike Newcomb, CEO
On Second Thought Radio Network

For the time being, KPTK in Seattle is airing Skinner's show in place of Rhodes, who is still M.I.A.

Correcting an item in yesterday's entry, Green 960 "Chief Evangelist" John Scott emailed me, saying that the rumor of his station adding Mario Solis Marich in place of Rhodes is not true. That information was obtained via a radio industry trade site. However, he does tease that "We may have a "surprise" show on Monday that may offer some intrigue." Stay tuned.

One rumor from yesterday that is true, and has nothing to do with Nova M or Rhodes is the KLSX item. CBS has indeed blown up its last 'hot talk' station (remember "Free FM"?). As mentioned yesterday, that effectively drives the final nail into several syndicated shows, most notably those of Adam Carolla and Tom Leykis (who announced he was being dropped by CBS' Westwood One a couple weeks ago). Replacing talk is a 'new kind' of Top 40 format, Amp 97.1. It appears that, apart from Opie and Anthony, CBS has completely moved away from the Howard Stern area that got them into the hot talk biz in the first place.

NEW!!! With all the recent craziness in the world of progressive talk radio and whatnot, the fine folks at Buzzflash, which has interviewed the likes of Rhodes, Malloy, Rachel Maddow, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann and anybody else you might be interested in promise a real big interview on the way. It's huge! The interview's not up yet, nor am I at the liberty as to telling you all what it is quite yet, but I'll let you know more about it when it goes up (likely early next week). Until then, you can wait in anticipation.

Nova M(ess), Part II - The Gaulin letter and lotsa updates

With all the back-and-forth going on about Randi Rhodes and Nova M (now On Second Thought), this entry will essentially be a clearing house of information regarding all the flying fur. It will be updated from time to time.

As we attempt to sort out all this craziness, let's start with this controversial press release from Rhodes' attorney, Robert V. Gaulin. Remember, it's basically their side of the story. Take it for what it's worth:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Randi Rhodes’ on-air home for less than a year will shut its doors. In an email message of February 17th from counsel for Nova M Radio, Inc. to Randi’s entertainment attorney, Robert V. Gaulin, the company is said to have been advised to file for bankruptcy protection next week. All payroll deposits were reversed on Tuesday, leaving Nova’s employees unpaid for the past two weeks. On Sunday, Nova received a letter from Mr. Gaulin asserting that the contract with Ms. Rhodes was terminated due to material breaches and other reasons. Ms. Rhodes had not broadcast for over a week prior to this time, a situation which was diplomatically referred to as a “problem” that was solely within Nova’s control to solve. A few days earlier, Sheldon Drobny, founder of Nova M, and a co-founder of Air America Radio, attempted suicide and is hospitalized in Chicago.

Mr. Gaulin indicated on Randi’s behalf that “We saw this coming, but are most saddened by the tragic news regarding Sheldon Drobny. Randi is devastated by the impact of these events upon her fiercely loyal audience, affiliates and sponsors. Discussions are already being conducted for Randi’s swift return to the air. Stay tuned…”

Thank you

Robert V. Gaulin
GAULIN GROUP PLLC
COUNSELORS AT LAW

MORE UPDATES (as they come in):

NEW!!! Randi speaks! This is courtesy of Page 2 Live, a South Florida gossip site. She told the site that three separate lawyers told her she should quit working for syndicator Nova M. So she did. "There were so many breaches of my contract it’s not even funny," Rhodes said when asked if the company’s failure to pay for her libel insurance kept her off the air. "I’ll probably sue them. I should never have gone there."

On Nova M becoming On Second Thought: "Oh sure, they’re dismantling that company so they don’t have to pay me, and they’ll start another one this week."

And, on her return: "Big stations, small stations, they’re all calling,” Rhodes said. “I don’t know how long it’ll take, but I’m trying to get back on as soon as possible. It feels too weird not to be on the air in West Palm."

Read the whole thing at Page 2 Live.

NEW!!! Nova M is out and On Second Thought is now officially in. Nova M's page now sports the graphics of the new network, and the new web address is onsecondthought.net. Chief technical officer Ben Burch also posted a brief statement regarding the new operation:

On Second Thought Radio Network has been formed to bring you Nancy Skinner, Dr. Mike Newcomb, Mike Malloy and more to come!

Please continue to drop by as we change the site over and grow this NEW LIBERAL NETWORK which is based, appropriately, in Phoenix.

We will be honoring all existing subscriptions from Nova M, and the old web addresses will continue to work along with our NEW address.

A press release announcing the new network is forthcoming.

Rhodes' timeslot on WJNO is currently being filled by... Sean Hannity. Now, if that doesn't give her incentive to return, I don't know what will.

Green 960 in San Francisco will start carrying Mario Solis-Marich's syndicated show in Rhodes' former 3-6P PT timeslot starting next week. This week, they're running Stephanie Miller replays.

CORRECTION: Green 960 PD John Scott dropped a line saying the Mario rumor is not true. But he does have a surprise up his sleeve for next week.

Right-wing bloggers from across the land are salivating over all of this, particularly the Drobny claim from Rhodes' attorney. Guess it shows they're really not champions of small business and free enterprise after all, right? I'm not direct-linking them, but you can do a Google search if you really want to. I personally think this vulture-like seance and gloating over Mr. Drobny's personal issues is quite disgusting, but I guess it really shows that most conservatives aren't all that 'compassionate'. Shame on them.

Rhodes' official message board community may be as AWOL as the host herself, but some fans are congregating at their own board. And, as far as message boards go, it's not a bad place to congregate and share rumors and news. If you want to talk Randi, you may do so at this link.

As for Rhodes' site, it should be back up soon. It is now on a new server, though the only content on there currently is the official statement she released last week. Stay tuned.

There is currently a web prank making the rounds that purports to a 'listen live' link for Rhodes's show. I won't link to it, because it is a malicious virus-spreader, and it's bogus anyway. Rhodes is currently not doing any live shows. Period. If and when she starts doing one again, it will likely be on WJNO first. Until then, don't believe any ridiculous links. When she returns, we'll all know about it. In the meantime, there's always podcasts. Or other shows.

You can view the entire document detailing the John Manzo/Nova M lawsuit at this PDF link, courtesy of Phoenix New Times. They have an article about all the mayhem here.

Things are crazy, tough and chaotic all over in the radio biz, so it's not just about Nova M and liberal talk in general. Sirius XM (who's ongoing financial woes have taken a backseat here mostly due to the whole Nova M/Rhodes situation, was saved from the chopping block by a white knight, namely Liberty Media, which obtained a large stake in the ailing satcaster.

Elsewhere, it appears CBS is going to blow up the last remnants of their old 'hot talk' franchise that was built around Howard Stern (and his subsequent departure). Most of the hot talk FM outlets around the country have since flipped to other formats (lately, it's been sports). And syndicated morning guy Adam Carolla, the so-called "West Coast Stern replacement," is winding down his show this week. His flagship station, and the last FM talker in the CBS stable, KLSX in Los Angeles, will reportedly wiped out its entire talk show slate, leading up to what could be a flip to CBS' current format flavor of the month - Top 40.

Got anything else? I'm going to be away from this most of the day, so it's an open thread. Post whatever rumors and news (substantial stuff, not some anonymous clown on a message board somewhere grasping at straws) here below.

Nova M(ess)?

The drama continues...

There are many reports circulating today claiming many different things in regard to the status of Randi Rhodes and her (now former) employer, Nova M Radio. For those of you keeping score at home, here's where it all stands:

1. Randi Rhodes and Nova M Radio are apparently through with each other. As mentioned in an update to a previous entry, she has issued a vague statement claiming that the problems that have kept Rhodes' show off the air are not of her doing.

2. If and when she comes back, will anyone still want her? One programmer that's sick and tired of all the finger-pointing and back-and-forth legal letters was at one time one of her biggest supporters, John Scott of Green 960 in San Francisco. In a blog post, he says that he will offer the station's highest-rated host, Stephanie Miller, in a replay during the 4-7P PT timeslot, observing that his listeners want to be entertained rather than listen to what he calls "Debbie Downers":

I do not know if Randi Rhodes is coming back. I have spoken to program directors and talkhosts around the country this past weekend, and this is what I came up with: The network [Nova M] is in chaos, Randi is on the bench, and this might be it.” Scott deduces that Randi “is fighting with [Nova M] over a contractual issue, and is apparently not coming back to Nova M unless they do some stuff for her. I am not assigning blame here, but the bottom line is, the show I made a deal with Nova M for is not available. And I may be prepared to move on, friends...

While Rush and Hannity and Mark Levin and Hedgecock and Michael Savage chug along, full steam ahead, I am surrounded by drama, inconsistency, miscommunication, ego and a trail of wreckage of some very, very bad decisions made by the networks who supply the shows to affiliates like Green 960.

3. Rumors are swirling right now that Nova M has folded. Proving that he's in a world of his own, the Tranquilizer is claiming that Rhodes' lawyer sent him a letter claiming that Nova M didn't make payroll and is about to fold, that Mike Malloy's show has been cancelled and that the network's co-founder, Sheldon Drobny, is in the hospital after an apparent 'suicide attempt.' Suicide??? Basically, Brian Maloney has topped himself on the crass-o-meter.

Sheldon's wife, Anita, confirmed that her husband was in the hospital, but it was a 'nervous breakdown'. So, like anything regarding either Nova M, Randi Rhodes or, heck, most liberal talk radio in general, there are a lot of mixed signals here...

4. So, if Nova M is totally and completely kaput and the Malloy show has been outright cancelled, then that's news to Mike and Kathy Malloy. The show should go on as scheduled tonight.

5. Radio & Records, a more reliable source for industry news than right-wing blogs run by crazy people, cites Nova M's general manager, Eric Reinert, who said that Nova M is no longer an entity and that a new company called On Second Thought LLC has been formed and is moving forward. Reinart also confirmed that Rhodes is officially out. The new network will continue to offer Mike Malloy, Phoenix host Mike Newcomb and a new show from Nancy Skinner, who had been filling in for Rhodes.

6. Oh, and that lawsuit brought against Nova M by former CEO John Manzo? Reinart wouldn't comment on that. The 16-page complaint alleges, among other things, that the syndicator breached Manzo's contract, failed to pay state and federal taxes on his behalf, defamed his character and cast him in a false light.

Confused by all of this? You should be.

Rhodes, Nova M up in the air (updated)

UPDATED. See below.

After a vague, unexplained standoff that has seen Randi Rhodes absent from her syndicated Nova M Radio show for the past week, without explanation, her future at Nova M Radio is unclear.

From Nova M's site:

To all of Randi's listeners;

You are all correct - I have not had the option to disclose what has been happening between Randi and Nova M...

You see, it's in her contract that she has total control, but, after Wednesday night, I want you all to know that Nova M has done everything we can to get her back on the air.

All this is her choice; if she wants to tell you all what the issue is, then I hope she does, but I can't according to her contract rules.

But I can tell you this - I have wanted her back on the air. She's an amazing talent and needs to be heard.

Thank you all for all of your support.

Randi now has to make her decisions as to what she must do with her career...

Anita Drobny

There are conflicting stories (and a heck of a lot of rumors that have popped up in my email box but I won't disclose at this point) regarding the motives behind Rhodes' absence. However, the consensus is that her flagship station, Clear Channel-owned WJNO in West Palm Beach, FL, has been making preparations for her to return to a local-only show. It will likely not be syndicated.

Other rumors claim that Rhodes has cancelled her show until further notice, due to personal issues.

UPDATE 2/15: Rhodes sent out a statement to her affiliates, in response to the Nova M statement. From Green 960's blog:

Nova M Radio has not yet corrected the problem that has kept me off the air despite my strong desire and readiness to broadcast my show. Respecting the employer-employee relationship that has existed between Nova M and me, and expecting the solution to be quickly achieved, details of the disabling event were withheld in good faith. But I can tell you this much: You should not beleive any statement implicating me as being in any way responsible for the disruption in the Randi Rhodes Show. There is no truth to any such message. In fact, I did everything in my power to help Nova M make it possible for me to return.

In light of the most recent developments, my show will be seeking a new home. I would ask for your continued patience and indulgence in respecting my rights during this time. Your unwavering support is cherished. Thank you.

Randi Rhodes

Whatever happens between the two parties, and if and when and if Rhodes returns, it will likely be only via WJNO for the time being.

Rhodes, Nova M reportedly "working it out"

Speculation and rumors are still circulating in regard to the on-air whereabouts of Nova M Radio host Randi Rhodes.

Yesterday, after a weekend of responses from concerned listeners, Rhodes and Nova M co-owner Anita Drobny issued an official joint statement via Nova M's website:

Nova M continues its efforts to rectify the technical problems that have caused an interruption in Randi's ability to broadcast THE RANDI RHODES SHOW. Randi has made every effort to assist Nova M in order that the show can be returned to the air immediately. However, despite her daily concern and intervention, there is nothing more that Randi and her team can do. We truly regret the inconvenience resulting from this situation, and hope to have it solved without further delay.

Thank you for your continued support.

However, 'technical problems' could mean just about anything. Industry trade publication Radio & Records is quoting 'sources' today that "there is a contractual issue between the host and the syndicator that is in the process of being resolved. Negotiations are reportedly completely amicable with both sides determined to get Rhodes back on the air as soon as possible."

In addition, an LTR reader, who's somewhat 'in the know', sent an email that, without going into specifics, makes it sound as if the Radio & Records take is closer to what's really going on.

So what gives? Who knows? However, since many supposed molehills turn into massive mountains thanks to message board rumormongering and sloppy, irresponsible bloggers with their own twisted agendas, take everything with at least a grain of salt. And quit panicking already. Sheesh!

Where's Randi?

Message boards and blogs were buzzing over the weekend about the whereabouts of Randi Rhodes, who was AWOL from her show last Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, Nancy Skinner was called at the last minute to fill in.

Typically, taking a day or two off is no big deal in radio. Happens all the time. But some are wondering if it has something to do with her syndicator, Nova M Radio. There have been some rumblings that the network was having some financial difficulties, but that's all speculation at this point.

Some have also started crazy rumors about Rhodes getting reprimanded for criticizing Clear Channel, which owns her flagship station, WJNO. Then again, when hasn't she criticized Clear Channel?

A producer, Joe Campbell, posted the following on her message board:

Randi says she's sorry, she can't be on-air today.

She wanted to let you know this is a Nova M issue and nothing of her own making.

Nancy is kind enough to fill in today. And *cross fingers* we'll be back tomorrow.

And that "Nova M issue"? A technical one. There, now you can relax.

Now, I hesitated to post this one the other day. All too often, panic ensues and weird rumors fly all over the place. As of right now, nobody's saying anything about what's going on, aside from Brian Maloney and his ridiculous rumormongering, in his neverending campaign to rid the radio airwaves of all liberal talk. The guy got his 'scoops' for the story from message board posts, for cryin' out loud! Most of his 'news' comes via his own rectum, when his head isn't buried in it. Or from Rush Limbaugh's rectum, when Maloney's lips aren't fused to it.

To sum it all up, we'll know officially what's going on with Rhodes when the people in the know say what's going on. In the meantime, chill the heck out and stop spreading crazy rumors.

3WTanked

As of this morning, the short-lived Washington, DC talk trimulcast known as 3WT (107.7FM, 1500AM and 820AM) has started its eventual fade into the radio dustbin.

Bonneville International, owner of the stations, is in the process of shifting a few of their local properties in a somewhat confusing chess game. As a result, all-news WTOP will has begun simulcasting via 107.7FM in morning drive (they already do via 103.5FM in the city and 103.9 FM in Frederick, MD), and WFED (Federal News Radio), an all-news format at low-powered 1050AM that is geared toward government employees, will eventually take over 820AM and 1500AM. The shifting of programming is expected to be gradual, as the station's syndication deals wind down. By September 15, the transformations should be completed.

With the shakeups, Dial Global's Stephanie Miller will soon lose her Washington, DC-area affiliates, and Nova M Radio's Randi Rhodes will no longer be on 820AM. Also soon to be gone from the DC airwaves are Bill O'Reilly, Neal Boortz, Glenn Beck and Phil Hendrie. Local hosts, including Tony Kornheiser, have already departed Bonneville (though Kornheiser had recently taken a leave of absence to co-host ESPN's Monday Night Football).

The 3WT trimulcast is also the radio home to several local sports franchises, including baseball's Washington Nationals, the NHL’s Washington Capitals, Naval Academy athletics, and George Washington University’s men’s basketball. They will remain on the former 3WT signals for the time being.

The talk radio shakeup in the market could generate a ripple effect, as Red Zebra had recently acquired three AM signals from Clear Channel - sports talker WTEM, conservative talker WTNT and liberal talker WWRC. Kornheiser and the sports franchises are probably most appealing to Red Zebra, which as of late has been aggressively building its local and regional sports talk properties. But the availability of some notable syndicated talk show programming could also be enticing for the company's two new talk properties.

As has been mentioned here before, talk radio is a tough nut to crack in the nation's capitol. There are far too many talk stations and not enough demand for them (particularly in a market where roughly half the population is African-American or non-white). 3WT was never a ratings powerhouse in it's one year on the air, though talk is a slow-grow format. Evidently, Bonneville didn't have the patience for the "left, right and whatever" format, and wanted to circle the wagons around its highly popular all-news format of WTOP and try to grow Federal News Radio.

Air America/Rhodes cleared in CACI defamation suit

A federal appeals court in Richmond, VA says a radio talk-show host's criticism of a U.S government contractor at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq was protected by the First Amendment.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected CACI International's defamation lawsuit against the talk-radio network Air America and former host Randi Rhodes.

CACI sued for $11 million after Rhodes accused company employees of raping and murdering Iraqi civilians at Abu Ghraib. The company interrogated Iraqi detainees for the U.S. military at Abu Ghraib.

A federal judge in Alexandria dismissed the lawsuit. The appeals court upheld that decision yesterday, saying in CACI Premier Technology, Inc. v. Rhodes that the company failed to prove the statements were made with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.

The appeals court characterized statements such as Rhodes’ Aug. 26, 2005, comment: “Yeah, don’t call them contractors, call them what they are, they’re hired killers, they’re mercenaries” as hyperbole and exaggeration.
“In several statements Rhodes, with free use of hyperbole and exaggeration, criticized the extensive use of U.S. military contractors in Iraq, saying that their employees could kill without being held to account,” the appeals court wrote.

Rhodes left Air America in April of this year following a suspension and contract dispute.

Friday this n' that

A couple small items to fill y'all in on...

First up, as Ron Kuby prepares to begin his career as Air America Radio's new afternoon host, it appears he'll have one less station carrying him. WXXM (92.1FM) in Madison has opted to pick up a delay of Thom Hartmann's show to fill the 2-5P CT slot.

So far, Kuby's new program will be on WWRL in New York and WVKO in Columbus. His predecessor, Randi Rhodes, who jumped to rival Nova M Radio in April to continue her show, has held on to most of her affiliates in the time slot.

Speaking of Rhodes, she is one of the first confirmed additions for Dallas' new progressive talker, KMNY, which expands the format to full-time on July 1.

And speaking of WVKO, they need money. About $50 grand. Running an independent radio station in a big market like Columbus is hard work, especially when doing battle with the Citadels and Clear Channels of the world. They have a donation link on their site. More importantly, they need sales professionals. They do have some good clients, and also make some money carrying local sports broadcasts. But they need salespeople, and past experience with progressive talk stations such as KOMY in Santa Cruz and KSAC in Sacramento proves that stations don't make money if they don't even bother to hire account executives to bring in new advertisers. The management staff of WVKO, who actually seem to have their act together, should be commended for making the effort to do something about this obvious dilemma, rather than just expect advertisers to hunt them down, which is what killed weaker small operations in the past.

So, if you live in the Columbus area (or are relocating there), have sales experience (radio preferred, but not a deal breaker) and love progressive talk, then contact them here.

Finally (unless something else happens today), the kind folks at Air America have forwarded this link. It's from Aaron Barnhart at the Kansas City Star, and it's a recorded interview with Rachel Maddow. In the clip, Rachel addresses Aaron’s question of whether, in her opinion, Barack Obama would help increase the presence of left wing talk radio, if elected President. You can find the clip here.

WCPT shuffles the deck, adding Maddow, local Hartmann hour

Well, it looks like Air America Radio's American Afternoon has lost a big affiliate.

While the network is still trying to figure out its longterm afternoon thing, WCPT in Chicago is dropping the show as of Monday and returning Rachel Maddow to the daily lineup, where she will air live 5-8P CT. The station is also moving Thom Hartmann from evening delay to the earlier 2-5P timeslot.

"As a native of Lansing, MI, it’s great to get back to my Midwestern roots and be able to talk to the people in Chicago in my new time period," Hartmann said, while Maddow added, "I am thrilled to be back on WCPT. Chicago is a wonderful city and I look forward to helping WCPT listeners make sense of this very unique time in which we live."

Since Hartmann will continue to be heard on delay on WCPT, he will air an exclusive Chicago-only live hour at 4P Fridays. "Thom Hartmann's Third Hour Friday Live" starts May 23.

The station continued to air the network's post-Randi Rhodes offering in the afternoon shift, but hinted at future changes. Considering that the station is owned by Democratic activist Fred Eychaner, a well-known supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential aspirations, and taking into account Rhodes' obvious vocal dislike for Clinton, the likelihood of returning Rhodes' Nova M Radio show to his station was a bit of a longshot.

Midweek roundup: Rhodes to XM, Newsom to the radio

XM fans may be able to satisfy their Randi Rhodes fix soon. Orbitcast is reporting that Rhodes, who left Air America earlier this month for Nova M Radio, is in talks to return to XM Radio's so-called Air America (ch 167) channel.

An announcement can be expected in the coming weeks, according to sources.

In addition to Air America programming, the channel also carries Nova M stablemate Mike Malloy and Jones Radio Networks' Bill Press and Ed Schultz.

And coming in a few weeks is a new radio show. Chris Mason of KKGN (Green 960) in San Francisco dropped a line to let you all know that they reeled in none other than the city's mayor, Gavin Newsom, who will do a local Saturday afternoon show starting May 3 at noon (PT).

Green 960 Program Director John Scott says "We're really excited about this, and we jumped at the opportunity. Most programs of this type are normally done as part of an existing show, with a regular host. This is Gavin Newsom, on his own, no rules, his passions and his interests. He'll be doing interviews from across the country (when he's traveling) as well. It's going to be a great way for him to engage with his constituents and fans. The test shows we've already done have been really compelling!"

The show will feature interviews with local personalities, newsmakers, and cultural icons, in a relaxed, intimate conversational format; and live phone calls as well.

Contrary to previous reports, the show will not be on Air America. It is strictly exclusive to Green 960. Of course, the station does stream across the country, so anyone interested can tune in via webcast.

Air America does the shark hop

Now that the smoke has cleared and the dust has settled somewhat, we can now take a step back and assess the whole Randi Rhodes/Air America/Nova M game of musical chairs that took place this past week, as Rhodes prepares to relaunch her show from West Palm Beach, FL today. We can take a look at the winners and losers in all of this, and perhaps speculate about the future of liberal talk radio.

Here's what happened in a nutshell. On March 22 in San Francisco, Rhodes appeared at a promotional event for her affiliate there, KKGN (Green 960). As is the norm for radio stations these days, staffers posted video of the event on Green 960's website. Along came a reader and contributor to No Quarter, a blog run by ex-CIA agent, former Republican operative and current Hillary Clinton cheerleader Larry Johnson. This person discovered the Green 960 video and extracted a five minute segment where Rhodes lashed out at Clinton and former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro in rather vulgar terms. The segment was then uploaded to YouTube. Johnson and company proudly boasted of the move.

And that's where the fun began. The YouTube clip, where Rhodes referred to both Clinton and Ferraro as 'fucking whores,' became the meme of the day during this ongoing and often hostile presidential primary season. The pro-Clinton blogs became livid, on a scale comparable to the mock outrage quite often found in the right-wing blogosphere. Air America, by now in damage control mode, took a stand quickly, doing what most other media companies do - they suspended her. This is par for the course in the broadcast industry, as ESPN took a similar stand against on-air personality Dana Jacobson a couple months prior after bawdy and offensive remarks made at a private employee roast. The oft-volatile Rhodes, who reportedly had shaky relations with the new management team of her network, was livid, and claimed that the suspension was a violation of her contract.

The suspension was only the tip of the iceberg. Last week, Rhodes' lawyer, Robert Gaulin, claimed Air America management told her that her suspension wouldn't be lifted unless she made contract concessions, and apologized for the raunchy on-stage remarks from a few weeks earlier.

"Their actions caused the contract to terminate. They refused to give her her microphone back and put her on the air," he said. "It was a real shame. She was ready, willing and able to go to work."

What Air America's new management team wanted to do in regard to her current contract was what led Rhodes to bail out. Simply put, Rhodes' old contract was very generous in radio terms, as far as the power she wielded. She could quit and opt out of the agreement at any time for any reason, but she could not be fired. That's one helluva radio contract! The new management, however, wanted to amend it, to reverse the terms and turn the tables on the power relationship, giving them the power to dismiss her at will if they so desired and to exert control over the content of her show. She would also have to fulfill the term of her contract if she chose to quit (likely, a non-compete clause, which is common in almost all big radio contracts). That would mean that if she left, or was fired, she would have to serve out a period of time before signing with a competitor. In other words, the hardball tactics with Rhodes are a pure example of corporate dick swinging, though these guys are not ruthless or cunning enough to be any good at it. Charlie Kireker and Mark Green don't swim with the sharks - they leap over them. Or get eaten by them.

Of course, this new contract idea was not acceptable to Rhodes. No way would she agree to these terms. She had quite a few options open to her. She was still a Clear Channel employee via her West Palm Beach station WJNO. She had close friends and supporters at Nova M Radio,who would no doubt drool over acquiring a marquee talent like Rhodes and her loyal affiliate base. There were also other syndicators, such as Jones Radio Networks, who were also sniffing around. She refused to agree to the revised terms. Management said, in essence, "we own your microphone and you'll never get on air again unless you agree." She called their bluff and quit on the spot. Within twelve hours, she signed a new deal with upstart rival Nova M.

Rhodes discussed her move in two interviews the night of her move. First, she appeared in a brief segment on "Larry King Live." Next, she was on the phone at her new employer, Nova M Radio. Another former Air America host, Marc Maron, was guest hosting for Mike Malloy, and was able to get Rhodes to come on and talk candidly about what happened. She also spoke with Nicole Sandler of her Miami affiliate, WINZ (mp3).

So far, the rollout of the show is going exceptionally well, says Nova M Radio CEO John Manzo, who told Radio & Records, "Many affiliates came in one big block, namely the Clear Channel stations," and "another slew committed after the deal was official." Manzo says the smaller independent stations are still being reached out to, but he "hasn't heard a firm 'no' yet from anyone," adding, "In fact, I can't recall getting so much industry support for a single move ever before." Some stations are holding out, however, with WWRL in New York and WROC in Rochester among those carrying Air America's fill-in programming. WWKB in Buffalo will supposedly bring back Rhodes, and WCPT in Chicago, WXXM in Madison and WVKO in Columbus are still thinking about it. A complete list of updated (shocking!) affiliates can now be found on Nova M's site.

Meanwhile, Air America, after throwing all their eggs in one basket and spending the past year positioning Rhodes as their marquee personality, was left with an embarrassingly large hole in the middle of their broadcast schedule. In addition, Rhodes' departure will possibly take away a huge chunk of Air America's listed affiliates, the ones that aired only Rhodes' offering from the network. Taking a cue from Arthur Fonzarelli, was the Rhodes ordeal the point where Air America, pardon the cliche, 'jumped the shark?'

So, how do they fill the gap? As has become typical for Air America, they will go with a transition period consisting of guest hosts, like they did when they replaced Morning Sedition, Jerry Springer, Sam Seder and The Young Turks in the past. This time though, instead of calling someone like faithful understudy Lee Rayburn, Mark Green opened up the Rolodex and called some of his buddies. Next week, actor/comedian Richard Belzer will hold down the fort from 3-6P. Belzer, a longtime standup comic who currently stars on "Law & Order:Special Victims Unit" is an interesting choice. When it comes to riffs on pop culture, politics or life in general, he minces no words. His hilarious and oft-vulgar standup routine would probably make Rhodes blush. Which is ironic, given that one of Air America's beefs with Rhodes is that they weren't too keen on Rhodes' own standup act in San Francisco. Go figure. Oh, and in keeping with the whole shark jumping thing, did I mention that Belzer's cousin is none other than Henry Winkler, a.k.a. The Fonz?

The choice of Belzer is not permanent. After all, he would have to get his head examined if he were to ditch his role on one of TV's hottest dramas, and the easiest meal ticket on the planet, to do radio for a teetering lower-tier radio operation like Air America. That's crazy talk. Belzer's merely on break from his TV show and is biding his time by doing a week behind the mic.

It appears that Air America president Mark Green is plugging the hole by turning his network into what seems like an exclusive audio clubhouse for fellow Huffington Post bloggers who want to play radio. Following Belzer, names that have been bandied about include Rosie O'Donnell (!), Fran Drescher (!!) and Phil Donahue. Granted, Belzer (who did radio at the old WNBC) and Donahue have talk show chops and the thought of hearing both on the air is somewhat intriguing. But Rosie the narcissistic emotional trainwreck? Fran, the nasally-voiced Nanny? Has Air America gone mad?

Conventional wisdom would dictate that Air America will permanently fill this time slot, one of the most high-profile on radio, with one of their own established voices, rather than explore the meager pickings outside of the network (the current HuffPo-palooza plan is not a viable long term solution). The smart money would be on their latest up-and-coming star, Rachel Maddow, who gets valuable face time and promotion nightly on MSNBC. Moving her show up three hours would make it easier for Maddow to make TV appearances, rather than the current usual method of prerecording her 6-9P ET show. In addition, a move like this would go down easier with a fanbase that has been quickly losing their confidence in the network. Moving Maddow would make quite a bit of sense, though common sense is something seemingly in short supply at Air America.

Switching morning host Lionel to afternoons would also be a no-brainer move. Lionel, brought over a year ago from a WOR show that had a substantial affiliate base, has been a dud for the network, as they've been fighting to sign affiliates to carry him. Most of the affiliates that do air his show delay it as long as 12-15 hours into the evening or late hours. After losing the New York clearance (in Lionel's home market) when WWRL opted for infomercials in the time slot, WWRC in Washington, DC appears to be the only over-the-air station in a major market that airs him live. And the low-powered WWRC is merely a bit player in a market overflowing with talk radio stations. Getting Lionel out of the morning dead zone could justify actually keeping him around. I can't imagine that a talent of that caliber in the industry is happy with the way his show is currently being handled. His former handler, WOR, is a pretty weak network, but Air America makes them look really good in comparison. Putting him in afternoons makes sense from a business perspective (and yes, I do realize that I will get flamed mercilessly by readers for even suggesting this).

A good option would be to move Maddow to afternoons and Lionel to the early evening slot. Lionel works better at night, as he proved at WOR in years past. I don't think Lionel would willingly return to his old late night stomping grounds, certainly not for Air America. But this is close.

As for filling the vacated shift, perhaps they'll try and salvage what core audience they still have and give Sam Seder back his weekday shift. But we know that won't happen. Air America doesn't seem to listen to their core fans. Seder, however, has made it known to management that he is indeed interested in returning to weekdays.

So, how does Air America clean up the mess, and stop the bleeding? At this point, they really need to hold on to their depleting fan base, now seemingly awash with so many options. This core of listeners have been angered by Air America's antics in the past, with Malloy's firing in 2006, Seder's demotion a year ago, the constant revolving door of shows and talent and now the whole Rhodes fiasco, which they bungled by trying to strong-arm their most-promoted talent. If I was in charge at Air America (and at this rate, I may someday be able to acquire it quite cheap), I would move Maddow to replace Rhodes, bump Lionel to the 6-9P ET slot, and give Seder his old morning shift. Hell, I'd offer Seder and the exiled Marc Maron the chance to team up for the still-vacant morning drive slot (6-9A ET) and tell them to do whatever the hell they want, so long as it's funny. Morning drive on the East Coast is an open field, with Bill Press the only syndicated option currently available. They could then find a unique show for 9A-12P ET that could possibly have a chance at competing with Jones Radio Network's Stephanie Miller juggernaut. Unfortunately, that unique show was supposed to be Lionel. Perhaps they could use it to groom an up-and-coming talent, as they did with Jon Elliot in late nights.

But let's face it, who does the management team at Air America listen to anyway? Aside from the voices in their own heads. Certainly not their listeners. And definitely not some pissant blogger like me. Air America all too often seems to be a network run solely on strong egos. And that's why they jumped the shark.