Easter eggs (the digest version)

Nothing fancy for the day after Easter. A few articles you may (or may not) enjoy.

First, we hear from Air America's newest host, Montel Williams, who has a firm idea of what he wants with his new show. And he told the New York Daily News' David Hinckley what he has in mind:

"My beliefs include both left and right," says the 52-year-old Williams, looking fit in casual blue jeans and, of course, his signature shaved scalp. "That's the way it should be. Don't just pick a side. Look at each issue."

(snip)

"What media put out, most people follow," he says. "We are lemmings. That's why it's a concern that 80% of radio talk is conservative. That's why it's a problem to see the same six or seven people on talk shows every day. There are plenty of people with different views who are just as informed. Let's bring them in."

(snip)

"There's so much anger behind it," he says. "It brings the discussion down to a playground level, when what we need to do is lift the discussion up.

"I don't call people names. There's nothing in the world I'm afraid to discuss, but let's argue using facts."

And in the "Uh oh, here we go again" department, Williams says that he is considering a career in politics, though not in the short term. He's looking about a decade or so down the road.

Moving right along, here's a pretty good blurb about another recently introduced Air America offering, the online-only "BreakRoom Live with Maron & Seder":

Remember Air America Radio? Remember radio? Well after video killed the radio stars Air America Media buried some bodies and sat Marc Maron and Sam Seder in their break room and started breaking new ground. The show mostly consists of Marc and Sam comically battling and boiling down hot topics and politics, bouncing subjects off guests like Janeane Garofalo, and batting out the occasional sketch or rant. All followed by the post show chat with the online audience.

Marc and Sam have a wealth of experience that helps make a live broadcast look easy... These guys are sharp and witty and it shows. Producers Carl Ginsburg and Brendan McDonald have given the show the appropriate polish that keeps it feeling real while delivering comedy on par with The Daily Show and Colbert Report.

(snip)

While this show is live, there is a wealth of comedy to be mined out of the archives. You can find Maron product testing electric cigarettes or ranting about his ex-wife in the reoccurring segment, The Angry Chef. Sam delivers his own laughs with his regular segment, Survival Sam.

Next, Bill Mann provides his own take on Rachel Maddow, who has achieved what Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura Schlessinger - a so-far successful career in television, and she's only been doing it for five months.

From the HuffPo article:

...Most evenings on her show, Maddow -- described by Keith Olbermann as MSNBC's "resident policy wonk," looks relaxed and highly informed. It's obvious that Maddow does a lot of show prep; she brings to light issues often ignored on cable-news outlets.

Paul Krugman, for example, would have been proud of Maddow's detailed, plain-English explanation of why economic stimulus is far better served by creating jobs than by the Feds just handing out tax cuts. That show in February deserves serious Peabody Award consideration.

MSNBC's other liberal hosts can provide the bombast and the passion. The thoughtful Maddow has established a lower-key approach with her "just the facts, ma'am" essays, and she's carved out an important niche for herself at MSNBC...

And we close with a piece on MSNBC's newest host, radio talker Ed Schultz. This one is yet another sneering screed from those masters of silly spin, nonsensical namecalling and manufactured outrage. Yes, I'm talking about the 'tighty righties' over at the Media Research Center's NewsBusters blog. And it seems they're getting so desperate, they're digging up stuff from five years ago and claiming it 'news'. This is essentially intended to be a hit-piece on Schultz (who recently got his own MSNBC show). Since they couldn't to task because (gasp!) they got financial help from well-known Democratic politicians. Oh, the horror!

Brian Maloney has tried in vain to make people think Schultz is crazy because he's never been shy about showing his hot temper. Keep in mind that Maloney says this while practically turning his blog into a kiss-ass shrine to high-strung head cases like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, so consider the source.

I won't bother to paraphrase anything here. It's pretty stale stuff. But you can read the latest meme from MRC here.

Maybe we should take a look at how the MRC built up its own war chest. Hmmm...

Brent Bozell's bozos and the rest of their ilk failed miserably at trying to take down Maddow. Now they're trying again with Schultz. But it will likely fail, apart from becoming the typical standard conservoporn for (what's left of) their die-hard flock. After all, these guys couldn't find their asses with both hands, a flashlight and a head start.

MSNBC puts new show plans on hold

For the past few months, MSNBC has been toying with the idea of building on their prime time lineup, possibly by adding a new show in the 10P ET hour following "The Rachel Maddow Show", in place of a rerun of Keith Olbermann's highly-rated "Countdown". But don't look for it anytime soon.

MSNBC will continue airing "Countdown" twice each weeknight in prime time, with the possibility of adding a new show put on "indefinite hold." No reason was given, but it could be due to the rough economic climate affecting the media as a whole, and the fact that the Olbermann rerun actually pulls in a respectable audience, considering that rerunning it is a lot cheaper than starting something new.

MSNBC chief executive Phil Griffin suggested earlier this year he was on the lookout for a new show. He never named names, but the potential host most bandied about was Ed Schultz, who had done some fill-in work for the network on various shows. Fans of the online show "The Young Turks" and of Air America's Sam Seder have been lobbying to get MSNBC to consider them.

From Huffington Post:

Fox has 2.1 million viewers, on average, in the time slot in March. Cooper on CNN has 1.2 million and Olbermann has 902,000, according to Nielsen Media Research. On a handful of nights, a rerun of Olbermann has even beaten a live Cooper in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic that MSNBC watches most closely.

MSNBC may give up entirely on the idea of putting a new live show in that time slot, Griffin said.
"We're not going to mess with it until we see where it levels off," he said. "It places the burden, if we are going to put a show there, (for it) to be a big show because the repeat of `Countdown' is doing so well."

Speaking of MSNBC and cable news, CNN is poised to finish March third in the prime-time weeknight ratings behind Fox News Channel and MSNBC, according to the Associated Press. This would be the first time this has ever happened for the channel that pioneered the cable news genre back in the early 1980s.

The calm after the storm

Since all the mayhem of last week has settled down, how 'bout catching up with a few items seemingly left by the wayside?

Seder, Uygur vie for MSNBC gig

As MSNBC is rumored to be looking to fill the post-Rachel Maddow 10P ET slot, two liberal talk radio hosts are lobbying hard for the gig.

From Politico:

Since MSNBC mentioned looking for a 10 p.m. host to follow Rachel Maddow, the LA Times reports that two grass-roots campaigns have been flooding the network — as well as hitting Facebook and YouTube — in order to push liberal talkers Cenk Uygur, of "The Young Turks." and Air America's Sam Seder.

The lobbying efforts have drawn thousands of supporters and led fans to pepper MSNBC with e-mails in support of their favorite personality. Hundreds of people have posted messages of support online, some even creating their own video spots. (Give the time slot to "The Young Turks," warns one, "or I'll switch back to CNN.") Liberal bloggers on sites like MyDD.com have also weighed in.They all hope that MSNBC will choose a host cast from the same left-leaning mold as Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, who have helped power the cable channel's ratings.

President Phil Griffin said that the network isn't going to pick based solely on ideology but wants the hour "to be edgy, to be smart, to be a little snarky."

It's... Frangela!

John Scott at Green 960 in San Francisco is using the 4-7P PT slot currently left vacant by Randi Rhodes to audition some new talent. This week, it's Frances Callier & Angela V. Shelton, a.k.a. Frances and Angela, or "Frangela".

Who?

Here's a little more about them, from the press release:

'He’s Just Not That Into You', in theatres now, marks Frangela’s feature film debut! The girls appear alongside Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck and Scarlett Johansson. Frances Callier and Angela V. Shelton are real life best friends who talk to each other all day long. Frances is from Chicago and proud of it. She can be seen weekly on VH1’s Best Week Ever, and has appeared on NBC’s 'My Name is Earl', HBO’s 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', ABC’s 'According To Jim', ABC’s 'Emily’s Reason’s Why Not', Oxygen’s 'Girls Behaving Badly', Frances is also a fan favorite as Hannah Montana’s bodyguard Roxie, on Disney’s 'Hannah Montana'.

Angela is a badass Detroit native. In Chicago she hosted the regional Emmy Award winning PBS series, 'The Cheap Show' – a local version of Bill Maher’s 'Politically Incorrect'. Angela can been seen weekly on: VH1’s Best Week Ever, and has appeared on CBS’s 'Grounded For Life', NBC/Bravo’s 'Significant Other’s', HBO’s 'Mr. Show', Disney Channel’s 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody', Oxygen’s Girl’s Behaving Badly, WE Television’s 'I Can’t Believe I Wore That', 'Junk Yard Teddies' (pilot). She has also voiced 'Spider Man 2' and 'Ultimate Spider Man', 'Superman', and 'Reservoir Dogs' video games.

Frances and Angela are regular “Pop Cultural Pundits” on NBC’s 'The Today Show' and 'Dateline', Fox’s 'Mike and Juliet Show', CNN’s 'Showbiz Tonight' and 'Headline News', Fox News’s 'Red Eye' and 'The Big Story', MSN’s 'The Big Debate', and are regular contributors on NPR’s 'Day to Day' and 'Off Ramp'. They also host their own radio show, 'The Week According To Frangela - Real News, Real Funny' in Los Angeles on Progressive KTLK AM 1150 and fill-in for nationally syndicated radio talk show host Stephanie Miller.

Got all that?

More Nova M(ess)

In case you're desperate for as many sides of the story about the defunct Nova M Radio network, how about one side of the story, this from former weekend host King Daevid MacKenzie. You can find it here.

Updates, schmupdates

Yeah, I know.

The center column links and listings are woefully out of date. That being said, I'm working on it.

I plan to remove shows and stations that are no longer around, or have changed time slots. That includes all the WWRC links. I'm also going to plan ahead, since I really have no idea if Thom Hartmann will still be available on Air America's stream next week when he moves to Dial Global.

That being said, this should all be updated this week. Be patient, and if you know of any exclusions (aside from the Roots Up Radio shows that will be added), let me know.

MSNBC looking to add new show

With the success of Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show helping to make MSNBC a contender among cable news outlets, there are reports that the network is looking to expand even further.

The New York Times' Brian Stelter reports that MSNBC is looking to add a new show in the 10P hour, immediately following Maddow.

"It's almost like we're one personality away," MSNBC president Phil Griffin told Stelter. Olbermann supports the move as well. "Losing the 10P replay (of Countdown) is a very small price to pay for a last piece to the puzzle." Olbermann says. MSNBC insiders tell us there is nothing currently in development, but the network's goal is to add a 10P show when it finds the right host.

A reader poll on the TV Newser site, asking who should get the nod, showed Sam Seder in the lead as of yesterday (though the page keeps crashing my browser today). There is a movement to get The Young Turks' Cenk Uygur the nod, however.

And Ed Schultz has confirmed that he has been involved in negotiations for a TV gig following the move of his show to Washington, DC, though he has not gone into specifics, in particular naming the entity (entities) that he has been talking with. We shall see.

The one after Black Monday (updates updates updates)

I thought about suspending my blog until the resolution of our current fiscal crisis, but I figured I'd probably be even less useful than that decrepit, so-called grandstanding 'maverick' douchebag who foolishly thinks he can single-handedly save our country. Yeah, only 35 days until the "Straight Talk Express" drives off the cliff.

So, I will continue onward doing what I do. Here are a few things to talk about as our entire financial system crumbles around us...

Maron V. Seder to debut October 1

There's been vague mention of this for the past month or so, and the information is still, well, vague, but at least we now have a date for when all this vagueness will begin.

"Maron V. Seder," the new collaborative effort between Air America exiles Marc Maron and Sam Seder, will debut as an online video show on October 1 at 3P. Air America will also have a hand in producing and promoting the show, but so far, it looks like an online-only project.

So, what's it all about? Tune in tomorrow at 3P ET and find out.

Air America names digital chief

Shelly at Air America's PR department sends word that Michael Bassik has been hired by the network as their chief digital officer, effective November 6. The press release claims Bassik "is well known for crafting new, creative ways to use technology to reach new audiences. Most recently, Bassik helped build the nation’s largest online political marketing firm at MSHC Partners, where he served as the Vice President of Interactive Marketing. In this newly created position, Bassik will focus on Air America Media and its digital strategy, building AirAmerica.com into a leading source for independent news, commentary and community."

“Michael’s background is ideal to lead Air America ’s digital growth,” said Bennett Zier, Air America ’s chief executive officer. “As the nation’s leading online political marketing expert, he will have a significant influence on making Air America ’s online presence a superior, user-friendly, interactive experience for our viewers, readers, listeners and advertisers.”

Bassik directed political advertising strategy at AOL during the 2000 and 2002 election cycles, and previously held positions at The New York Times, The White House and City Hall in New York .

Scrambled signals

Okay, I've gotten a few emails from readers who claim that this blog is looking kinda funny. Namely, the outside columns are there, but there is no 'blog' to this blog. What the hell happened to the middle of this?

This has been an occasional problem with three column layouts on Blogger since I started using them. It was a bigger problem before I switched this thing to Blogger's new XML layout standard and the main web browsers out there (Internet Explorer and Firefox) updated to their current versions. The problem seemed to be more frequent with IE, but now some Firefox users are reporting issues with it. I do know that older versions of IE don't show this thing right.

Rest assured, all the content should be on the page. In some instances, the center column may be pushed down the page (not sure why it's still doing this). I played with the layout parameters and temporarily got rid of a few features, in the hopes that it will improve the situation. And I advise all of you to make sure your web browsers are updated to the most current versions.

I ask all of you reading this to do me a favor and post a comment below. In it, tell me what browser you are using (including version, such as IE7.xx or Firefox 3.xx). If possible, perhaps your screen resolution and whatever other information you feel is relevant. This will help in me figuring out how to fix this situation, which may go so far as to shift back to a two-column setup.

I have made few layout changes in recent weeks, but it is pretty irritating when computer code seems to suddenly make up its own mind about how to best show this thing. But

Air America gets new webmaster

From the Air America press release:

NEW YORK -- Air America Media , a progressive media company, has named award-winning publisher and media consultant Beau Friedlander its Web site editor-in-chief. In his new role, he will build and oversee editorial content, recruit guest bloggers, and work with Air America’s on-air talent and producers to post timely text, audio and video content.

“As Air America continues to grow our multimedia offerings, Beau is the ideal candidate to lead the charge online,” said Bennett Zier, Air America ’s chief executive officer. “With more than 20 years of publishing, media and consulting experience, he brings a versatile and progressive voice to our interactive initiatives.”

“With Sam Seder transitioning out of this role and focusing his time and energy on new online initiatives, Beau is the perfect person to fill his shoes,” said Bill Hess, Air America’s senior vice president of programming. “He’s not afraid to take risks, and is an essential element as we take Air America Media to the next level.”

Added Friedlander, “Sam has worked hard to make a name for airamerica.com, and I’m looking forward to continuing his work.”

Prior to Air America, Friedlander was president of Friedlander and Associates, a progressive media consulting group that provides custom publishing, guerrilla marketing, activist outreach, web presence, author representation and conflict mediation. He also founded Context Books, a small, independent publisher, whose works were honored with several independent publishing awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and Columbia University’s J. Anthony Lucas Book Prize. More than half of the company’s works also made the American Booksellers Association’s Book Sense list.

Previously, Friedlander served as editorial director at Abrams Image and creative director at Chelsea Green. He received his B.A. from Bennington College, and received an M.A. from both the University of Oxford and Columbia University.

Seder vs. Maron: The comeback?

It sounds like an idea so obviously stupid-proof that it almost couldn't possibly have come from the executive office at Air America Media.

Exiled hosts Marc Maron and Sam Seder re-launched their video podcast program last Friday, and to celebrate, offered up a big announcement. The two will be posting a new show every day between now and the November 4 election, as well as from this week's Democratic National Convention in Denver. And both hosts also stated that they have also been offered a new show on Air America - working as a team.

According to Rebecca O'Malley at The Resilient Rabbit, Maron claimed that the new show, which will supposedly begin in September, will included a number of creative humor elements as well as straight political commentary. Maron may even bring back some of his classic team from his old Morning Sedition show.

So far, that is all that is known about Seder vs. Maron. No time slot has been disclosed, though the most obvious shift would be morning drive, 6-9A ET, which is currently airing previous day replays of other Air America programming.

Bender returns, replaces "Seder on Sunday"

According to a network press release, David Bender’s Politically Direct will return to Air America Radio, beginning Sunday, June 8. The show will broadcast on Sundays 4-7P ET, and will replace Sam Seder's departing Seder on Sunday.

The program previously aired weeknights on the network from 2005-2007 in a one hour format. Bender left the network during a large-scale scheduling shakeup and planned to write a book. He continued to appear on various Air America shows as both a contributor and fill-in host. The new version of Politically Direct will be a weekly three hour affair.

From the press release:

Continuing the tradition started by Seder on Sundays, Politically Direct with David Bender will offer callers the opportunity to react live and immediately to the Sunday network news programs, as well as to other late-breaking news and political events. Bender will also provide updates from the blogosphere, as well as other new media sources such as GoLeft.tv.

David Bender has been the senior political correspondent at Air America , and recently has been appearing daily as the "Political Guru" on The Rachel Maddow Show, as well as regularly with Mike Papantonio and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr." on Ring of Fire.

"In this important political year, we’re thrilled to be bringing back David Bender’s Politically Direct," said Mark Green, President of Air America Radio. “The program will once again provide Sunday listeners with commentary on the networks and the netroots and with David’s unique combination of savvy and humor."

Added Bender: "I'm tremendously excited that we're going to combine the two things I love the most about talk radio, long-form interviews with guests who shouldn't be reduced to sound bites and caller-driven segments from quick, funny listeners. Only on Air America , folks!"

No word thus far on his soon-to-be predecessor Seder's future plans at the network. Seder, who's on-air contract lapsed a few weeks ago, is still the chief editor of Air America's website, and also hosts online-only shows via his website. His last Sunday show will be this weekend, with the first two hours being prerecorded and final hour live.

The fate of Sam Seder

52.

That's the number of live installments of Seder on Sunday that have aired so far on Air America Radio. And it may be the total number as well, since Sam Seder's 52 week contract for the show has now expired. The next two weeks will consist of previously recorded shows, but after that, it's anyone's guess. Seder has become the second on-air talent at Air America in the past six weeks to leave the air due to an expired contract, following Randi Rhodes, who jumped to Nova M Radio in April.

Will Sam re-up for more Sunday/fill-in shows? Will he still be the web guru for Air America's website? Will he bolt for Nova M Radio or another venture? So far, there is no real concrete word, even from the oft-candid Seder.

Via his independent show blog, Seder says that his most recent Air America contract called for 52 live shows. That contract expired yesterday, but he has two previously recorded episodes in the can to last the next two weeks. He still plans on doing his webcam-exclusive shows, including ones with Marc Maron.

He will also still serve as online editor for Air America's website.

And he's still hoping to snag the vacant 3-6P shift vacated last month by Rhodes:

I may end up as Air America's 3-6 pm host. I really have no sense as to the chances of that happening. If not, there may be other opportunities at AAR or at other liberal talk networks. Don't know that those opportunities would happen soon or months from now, but I love doing liberal talk radio and one way or another I'll make it back on air.

The afternoon shift is still being occupied by a revolving door of guest hosts. Ron Reagan takes over the shift today and will fill in this week, followed by former WABC host Ron Kuby next week. Air America management has still not ironed out any permanent plans for a full-time replacement. It could be a possibility that Seder could take over another slot, since the 6-9A ET morning slot has been vacant since the beginning of this year, and the network could possibly move another host, such as Rachel Maddow, into afternoon drive.

As for Seder's on-air future with the network, that's anyone's guess. But seeing as Seder has always been direct with fans on his dealings with the network, I'm sure we'll find out soon.

Seder, Maron take over the "Afternoon" next week

While Air America Radio ponders how to fill space in the post-Randi Rhodes era, they have announced guest hosts for the coming weeks.

Marc Maron, who at one time vowed never to work for the network again, is back in the host's chair next week, as he fills in on Tuesday (5/6) and Thursday (5/8). The ever-faithful Sam Seder hosts next Monday (5/5) and Wednesday (5/7), and the two will team up for a joint show next Friday (5/9) and occasionally for an online-only "SammYCam" show.

The following week (5/12-16) will see Ron Reagan, son of the former president and onetime host at KIRO in Seattle in the shift. Ron Kuby, formerly of WABC, takes over for the week afterward (5/19).

Previous hosts of "American Afternoon" have included Richard Belzer, Joy Behar and this week, Roseanne Barr and Johnny Argent. The show has been heavy with guest appearances, including Cynthia McKinney, Phil Donahue, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Sarah Silverman, Martin Short, “Sopranos” creator David Chase, Lewis Black, financial advisor Suze Orman, filmmaker Michael Moore, and former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers.

Meanwhile, confirming last week's rumors, Randi Rhodes' show on Nova M Radio will air on XM's "Air America" channel starting next Monday, displacing "American Afternoon."

Thanks to Shelley Kapitulik at Air America for the heads-up, as well as the pics of Belzer and Barr (as seen in the previous entry).

News for short attentions spans

Lots of little stuff going on in the wacky world of media, and since I haven't had much time to really dig into it, I'll do yet another one of those catch-all entries.

The Randi wrap-up

First, a follow-up in regard to the whole Randi Rhodes saga. With Rhodes finally finding a happy home courtesy of Nova M Radio, she opened up about what led to the falling-out with Air America Radio. And, contrary to popular belief, it wasn't the 'whoregate' thing that led to her departure. A very candid Rhodes opened up on the air about what transpired over the past few weeks.

"It wasn’t about what I said, it was about locking me into something that I had deserved the right not to be locked into," claimed Rhodes. The whole dilemma was the result of contract issues. The most recent one ended on April 6. Air America was willing to sign her to a new one, and even offered her more money to do so. But there was a catch. The new contract would strip her of much of her freedom, mainly the right to leave at will, and install a new clause that would allow her bosses to fire her on a whim. After years of fighting for the generous contract she had been working under, this was unacceptable. During the contract impasse, she was indeed yanked off the air, as occasionally happens in the radio business.

During this time, Air America decided to test Rhodes' strength, and importance to the network. They floated the San Francisco appearance in the media, and even announced that she was 'suspended.' "My own company fed this story to the press… They released the statement saying I was indefinitely suspended." Rhodes, who had no 'morals clause' in her contract, was "shunned and banished."

"There had been no coverage of the (San Francisco) event, pro or con. I called them and said, tell me what news story are you reacting to? They said they wanted to see the real value of the company and the ripple effect. What they found out was that without me they were nothing."

Yet Air America played hardball, and told her that if she did not agree to the new conditions, she would not be back on the air. Rhodes, who had made a decision immediately following the suspension to jump ship, called their bluff and told them she was done with them.

"They aren’t radio professionals and have no radio background," she said on her show.

As soon as word started leaking out, Rhodes' supporters rallied around her. First to her defense was Clear Channel, which owns many of her affiliates, including longtime flagship WJNO in West Palm Beach. KKGN in San Francisco was first to announce they were bringing her back, with or without Air America. By the next afternoon, Nova M Radio, which is currently run by several of the people who initially brought her to Air America, reached an agreement to syndicate her show, which would originate from WJNO's studios.

As for other matters, Rhodes has no idea what happened to her website, which was pulled down as soon as Air America announced her departure and replaced with a redirect to their site (the site later redirected to Nova M). Rhodes owns her website, claiming "It’s not a civil matter it’s a criminal matter. That’s my property." She hopes that the content on her site was saved.

Nova M Radio will offer podcasts of her show, as they do with Mike Malloy, Jeff Farias and others. They do charge a subscription fee, and will also ensure that her affiliates that carried podcasts of her show in the past, including KKGN and KTLK in Los Angeles, will no longer do so.

Musical chairs on Air America

While Rhodes has moved on to a seemingly more satisfying experience at Nova M, Air America is still in transition mode in regard to her old shift there. They're still using celebrities as fill-ins, under the banner "American Afternoon." Actor/comedian Richard Belzer has been guest hosting this whole week, and while rumored future hosts, including Rosie O'Donnell and Fran Drescher will not be hosting anytime soon, others, including talk show host Ron Reagan, actress/comedian/TV personality Rosanne Barr (with Johnny Argent), and "The View" co-host Joy Behar will be. Interestingly enough, all three, plus Belzer, have talk radio hosting experience. So far, there is no word on any permanent replacement for Rhodes.

"American Afternoon" currently airs on the network's webstream and satellite feed, and on affiliates WWRL in New York, WCPT in Chicago and WROC in Rochester, NY, among others. WWKB in Buffalo, NY is reportedly returning to carrying Rhodes, and there is no word from WXXM in Madison, WI, which is running "American Afternoon" this week and is looking into their options. A web poll on their site showed a strong preference by listeners for Rhodes, who garnered nearly 83% of the online vote.

As for a permanent replacement, Air America has made no announcement as of yet, though the ever-loyal Sam Seder has indicated to management that he wants to return to hosting a weekday show. A petition to support just that is currently online, via Brave New Films. You can also find a petition here.

New contracts that actually were signed

While Rhodes balked at the contract presented her by Air America, a couple progressive voices re-upped with their current stations this week. Popular longtime Miami talker Neil Rogers signed a new five year contract with WQAM, The deal calls for a substantial pay cut, reportedly from a maximum range around $1.5 million per year, to about half of that. The drastic drop is more a reflection of the financial situation at the station and in the industry than Rogers' performance. However, Rogers remains the highest paid personality in South Florida radio by a longshot. In addition, Rogers has dropped hints that he will move back to Miami from Toronto, from where he had been doing most of his shows.

In addition, Jay Marvin of KKZN in Denver has signed a two year contract to remain with that station, according to AllAccess.

Robbins lays it out for the broadcast industry

And finally, The National Association of Broadcasters must have realized what they were getting themselves into when they enlisted actor/filmmaker/activist Tim Robbins as the keynote speaker at the NAB conference in Las Vegas this week. The oft-outspoken Robbins held nothing back as he lashed out at the nation's television and radio broadcasters for fostering an environment that promoted irresponsible news reporting, homogenized programming and right-wing bloviators like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and others. In light of what many viewed as a rather tawdry and gutter-dwelling presidential debate a few days later on ABC, his words carried on even greater meaning.

“Shouldn’t broadcasters see themselves as part of a larger picture, isn’t there an obligation to honestly report on what’s going on, to pursue stories past their headlines,’’ Robbins said. “Haven’t criminal acts occurred in government? Shouldn’t there be accountability for inept policy decisions? Shouldn’t someone be fired? And you know something? I didn’t hear any of that, because I am still thinking about that starlet getting out of the car without the panties."

You can hear the entire speech via FAIR's website. Definitely worth a listen.

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.

Top 10 Liberal Talkers of 2007

In any kind of field, genre or category, there is always one lingering question, one that nearly everyone is always wondering. Namely, who is the best?

To rank someone the best is often rather subjective, and as a result, the outcome may be disputed. Last year, this very blog decided to rank the top liberal talk radio hosts of 2006. Criteria came in the way of a combination of voting and personal analysis based on who made the biggest impact in the genre throughout the year. The choice of Ed Schultz for the top position was a rather controversial one, but he did seem to have the biggest impact of all of them for the year.

For 2008, all control was turned over to the readers of LTR. An online poll was set up and ran throughout the fall. No ballot box stuffing was allowed, since the poll limited voting to one per IP address. Thousands of votes later, an interesting picture has evolved. And we do indeed have a Top 10 list of the biggest liberal talkers of the past year. So without further delay, here we go:

10. Alex Bennett

Wow! What a shocker! Here's a guy who's show is available only to subscribers of Sirius satellite radio. He narrowly beat out a beleaguered Air America host (Lionel) and a webcaster (Head-On Radio Network's Guy James). In addition, here's a host who's not treated too kindly on many progressive blogs and online communities. Suffice it to say, Alex Bennett doesn't get a whole lot of love. And that's too bad.

What many listeners don't realize about Bennett is that he may be one of the most honest people on the radio anywhere. In an era of robotic political stances, hive mentalities, bullet point briefings from political parties and ideological think tanks, here's a guy who tells it the way he sees it. His stances may not jibe with the typical liberal talk listener, but he's living proof that everyone has a distinct opinion. Bennett's show is not a bully pulpit, it's a sounding board. A man, a microphone and a phone line. It's the old school approach to talk radio. Bennett's not an activist or politician or great thinker. He's a radio guy. And he's smart enough to know the show is not about pushing policy or changing the world. It's about creating entertaining and engaging radio. I had never really written about Bennett as much as many of the other hosts one will find on this list, so I'll go into a bit more detail here than with most of the other hosts that follow, as I personally feel that Bennett's story is a rather interesting one.

Born Bennett Gordon Schwarzmann sixty-eight years ago, this radio veteran has put in roughly half a century in the broadcasting business, starting as a teenager in his native Northern California. Carving out a career as a Top 40 disc jockey, he eventually found himself a member of the last incarnation of the fabled "Good Guys" at WMCA in New York. In 1969, as WMCA's Top 40 format evolved into talk radio, Bennett made the transition amazingly well. He became a voice of the burgeoning counterculture, as he and his listeners discussed the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon and many other hot topics. A year later, he moved to the FM dial, at freeform rocker WPLJ, where typical in-studio guests were friends such as Abby Hoffmann, Jerry Rubin, Cheech and Chong and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His controversial and provocative late night show was an institution on the New York airwaves, allegedly inspiring future radio personalities such as Howard Stern. Along with people like Jean Shepherd and Bob Grant, Bennett was one of New York's modern talk radio pioneers.

By 1980, Bennett changed gears, returning to the West Coast to host a comedy-oriented morning show for KMEL in San Francisco. The show quickly became an institution, and over the years introduced listeners to a slew of up-and-coming entertainers. The list is long. Bob Goldthwait, Bobby Slayton, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Durst, Dana Carvey, Ray Romano, and Jay Leno were just a few of the people heard on his show before they became big stars. The format of the show, which was essentially Bennett playing straight man while presiding over a wild free-for-all, has been copied over and over again to lesser results. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was a die-hard listener of the show, and to this day have never heard another morning radio show as compelling as this one. It was phenomenal radio.

In San Francisco, Bennett held sway over morning drive on and off for over 18 years, first on KMEL, then the short-lived KQAK ("The Quake") and finally KITS ("Live 105"). After KITS was sold to CBS in 1998, the new owners desired to replace Bennett with Howard Stern's syndicated show. Bennett left, and after dabbling in television and the internet, he sought to reinvent himself once again, this time on AM talk radio. A few different formats were tried, including technology talk for the now-defunct CNET Radio. The beginning of the Iraq War in 2003 inspired him to get political once again, but at the time, radio wasn't very interested in hiring an anti-war liberal voice. He had offers to switch gears and do conservative radio, but he held true to his convictions. Bennett did have a temporary gig as the sole left voice at new conservative talker KNEW, but greener pastures awaited.

Moving back to New York, he went to Sirius, who's 'Left' channel was lacking programming, and offered his services. They bit, and The Alex Bennett Program debuted in April 2004. Over time, the show became a linchpin for Sirius Left, and a favorite among subscribers. For three hours every morning, it's the oft-cranky Bennett with his often controversial take on current events, pop culture and rather mundane personal anecdotes, as well as phone calls from listeners. His opinions may not jibe with the typical listener of, say, Air America. But in an era of talking points and activist radio, Bennett takes the old school approach. It's all about the art of discussion and the sharing of opinions. And quite frankly, we need more of that in radio. There is definitely more than enough room in the world for a guy like Alex Bennett.

And like I said, you voted for him!

9. "Ring of Fire" with Mike Papantonio, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Morgan

Another new addition to the Top 10 this year is a weekend show. "Ring of Fire" airs Saturday afternoons on Air America Radio, and is one of the network's longest running shows. During their three hour show, hosts Mike Papantonio, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and John Morgan take on, in their words, "corporate crooks, polluters, hypocritical preachers and ugly politicians."

Papantonio, Kennedy and Morgan have a long background in the legal field. Papantonio is a prominent trial lawyer based in Florida. Kennedy, the namesake son of the former Senator/Attorney General, specializes in environmental law, most notably fighting to clean up the Hudson River in New York. Morgan, a newcomer to the show, heads a law firm that refuses to take insurance companies and large corporations as clients.

The hosts of the program have also ventured into multimedia, with GoLeft.tv, a YouTube-like venture targeting the left. "Ring of Fire," particularly Papantonio, was featured prominently in the acclaimed 2006 film documentary Jesus Camp.

8. "Democracy Now!"

A ninth place finish on the 2006 list entitled this long-running show to be in the running for 2007. And a tally of votes show that "Democracy Now!" is still a popular listen for many.

The show was started in 1996 at Pacifica's WBAI in New York City by journalists Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez, Larry Bensky, Salim Muwakkil, and Julie Drizin. Goodman is the program's principal host, with Gonzalez as co-host. Jeremy Scahill is a frequent contributor.

Media critic Bob McChesney calls "Democracy Now!," which reports primarily on news stories seldom reported by the mainstream media and how they really affect people, "probably the most significant progressive news institution that has come around in some time." The daily program, which airs on hundreds of non-commercial and commercial stations as well as public access and satellite TV, covers issues relating to war and peace, human rights, and U.S. foreign and domestic policy. Guests run the gamut of Presidents, politicians, journalists, activists, newsmakers and controversial figures. Essentially, you won't hear about Britney Spears' exploits here. But you will hear about global conflicts, personal liberties, and other stories that the so-called mainstream media deems uninteresting to viewers.

The show refuses to accept donations or funding from any government entity, such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Much of the funding is derived from foundations,,listener donations and some carriage fees.

There are a few news programs out there that are hard-hitting and serious. "Democracy Now!" raises the bar for broadcast journalism.

7. Ed Schultz

I caught a lot of flack last year when I named Ed Schultz the top liberal talker of 2006. It seems as if I was trashed everywhere but the message board on Schultz' own site. But I still stand behind my choice. Because, more than anyone else in the format, Schultz was the one who was most effective in gaining credibility.

Schultz made a wise move by aggressively building his show on his own terms. He knew that advertisers were wary of liberal talk. And he knew that attracting listeners to the AM dial, and liberal talk to rather conservative program directors and station owners, was an uphill climb. But four years and roughly a hundred stations later, he did it. To this day, he's the most-listened to liberal talk show host in the country, on a show originating from, of all places, Fargo, ND.

The show features a who's-who of newsmakers and movers and shakers. Politicians, journalists, bloggers and many others in the know have appeared on Schultz' show. When beleaguered toe-tapping Idaho Senator Larry Craig's exploits were revealed, the news came as no surprise to Schultz' listeners, as the topic of Craig's sexuality was oft-discussed with BlogActive's Mike Rogers on the show months earlier.

What even his most die-hard detractors will admit is that Schultz' strength is his appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners, rather than merely die-hard liberals. His small-town midwestern sensibility, as a self-described 'gun-toting, meat-eating, football loving lefty' appeals strongly to average folk who have yet to wrap their heads around Air America. In markets where he airs head-to-head with the likes of Limbaugh and Hannity, he does better than many would expect. And with the 2008 elections on the way, Schultz's show will obviously be a focal point for listeners and politicians alike. Not too long ago, Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich even made a special trip to Fargo to spend an entire show with him.

Regardless of what you may think of him, Schultz will be a must-listen for political junkies in the coming year. And he can even hold his own in a bar fight.

6. Randi Rhodes

A year ago, I wrote the following about Randi Rhodes:

As her network went through much turmoil throughout the course of the year and (Al) Franken has made overtures to leaving radio, it was up to Randi to keep Air America on course.

Sure enough, after Franken hung up the headphones in February, Rhodes became the focal point of the network, even more so than Franken's replacement, Thom Hartmann. Rhodes also became part of a focused effort by the new management of Air America to gain new affiliates. She was able to clear live slots in several markets, and her ratings and stature also rose in prominence. A controversial accident a few months ago, which sparked quite a bit of unintended publicity, also increased her stature.

I said last year that the show itself seemed at times to a bit unorganized. I also took her to task for taking fewer and fewer calls than in years past, and also chastised her tendency to take topics too far via windy rants that could cause listener fatigue. I wished that she could also lighten up a little more and make the show a bit lighter in 2007. she hasn't completely come around, but her listeners still love her. And seeing her growth in the past year, she has even more. All hail The Goddess!

5. Rachel Maddow

What a year it's been for Rachel Maddow. Originally taking a back seat to better known names in the early days of Air America, she has risen to greater prominence in 2007. a popular early evening show, coupled with frequent appearances on MSNBC and CNN have given her one of the highest profiles of any air America host. Her television presence was so well-received that she reportedly is even in the running for her own show on MSNBC.

Maddow has come a long way in a few short years. With no prior radio experience, the Rhodes scholar and San Francisco native got her first radio job at WRNX in Springfield, MA via a station contest to find new on-air talent. She later moved on to the morning show at WRSI in Northampton and left to become a co-host on Air America's Unfiltered. She was the least known of her co-hosts, but eventually overshadowed them, so much that when the show was canceled, Air America gave her a morning show of her own. The show moved to early evenings in September, 2006 and surprisingly, her devoted following allowed her to pick up quite a few affiliates. 2007 was a good year for Maddow, and 2008 looks even brighter.

4. Stephanie Miller

Many critics of liberal talk claim that many of the hosts take themselves way too seriously. Evidently, Jones Radio Networks' Stephanie Miller didn't get that memo. Many other hosts do tend to get themselves in a trap where their show becomes way too dour and depressing. Miller, a comedian and former television personality, has found her niche via comedy. And it's paid off handsomely. In many West Coast markets, Miller's show has been picked up for the coveted morning drive slot. With silly sound effects, celebrity impersonations, gags and jokes galore, the show is a fun and breezy trip through the previous day's headlines.

Dubbed by Miller and company as "a MENSA meeting with fart jokes", the show has been a hit in its three years on the air. Her show has dominated the liberal talk format so effectively that she's virtually shut out much of the competition in the genre. Jerry Springer left radio a year ago, and rival Air America has been trying to compete with the Stephanie Miller juggernaut ever since, currently with Lionel.

3. Thom Hartmann

On many progressive talk stations, Thom Hartmann's show immediately follows Miller's. While Hartmann's more educational, serious and straightforward manner may seem to some as the polar opposite of Miller's, the shows do flow together well. Chalk that up to Hartmann's engaging and friendly manner.

2007 was the year that Hartmann's show really started to get noticed. When Air America decided to syndicate the show in late 2004, it wasn't deemed a top priority. The show, which airs from noon to 3PM ET, went up directly against the network's designated star, Al Franken. Eventually, as Franken toyed with leaving radio to enter politics, radio stations decided that they preferred Hartmann's show, which had already had huge success in the ratings books in markets like Seattle (where he actually beat all other talk competition, including Rush Limbaugh, in all demographic breakdowns) and Portland. When Franken finally hung up the headphones earlier last year, his successor was obvious. Since then, along with Randi Rhodes and Rachel Maddow, Hartmann has become one of Air America's most prominent personalities.

Hartmann is a busy man. In addition to his nationally-syndicated Air America show, he also appears on the morning show of KPOJ in Portland (though he has cut back a bit there). He is also an acclaimed author, releasing at least two separate books in the past year. Oh, and he's also a public speaker, activist and owner of several companies. On top of this, he also reportedly does get some sleep at night.

James Brown may have been the so-called 'hardest working man in show business,' but it is not known whether he met Hartmann before he passed away a year ago.

2. Sam Seder

Here's an interesting scenario. It concerns a guy who got knocked-around, beat up and disrespected even more this past year than Griffin Dunne's character in After Hours.

Yet he's still a favorite in the eyes of many. So much that endless lobbying and campaigning yielded a massive swell of votes for this iron man of liberal talk.

Yes, you really like Sam Seder.

Seder started out the year with a late morning show on Air America. The ultimate fate of the show was unknown, as the network was in limbo waiting for its white knight to come and fetch it out of the ashes of bankruptcy. When the Green brothers took over, they had their own ideas for the shift and ultimately lured Lionel from WOR. Seder was banished to what could have been known as the wasteland known as Sunday afternoon. But it didn't work out that way. While not a force in the mainstream scheme of things, Seder maintained on of the most dedicated followings of any Air America host. Was it sympathy for his treatment by his bosses? His direct style on the air? His strong relationships with his listeners? His anti-authority mischievousness? The "SammyCam?"

Whatever it was, Seder was and still is a favorite of liberal talk listeners. So much that his handlers realized their mistakes earlier in the year and slowly began to bring him out of exile and integrate him back into the fold. Recently, Seder became the head blogger for AirAmerica.com. And he's still the go-to substitute, filling in occasionally for Rhodes. Let's see what 2008 has in store for Sam Seder. Last I checked, Air America needs a new morning show...

And now, the top banana. The numero uno. The host with the most. Yes, it's time for the Top Liberal Talker of 2007. As voted by you. And the winner is...


1. Mike Malloy

Truthseekers of the world unite!

When voting was opened up for this list, the biggest vote getters by far were Seder and Mike Malloy. It was a neck-and-neck race throughout. But one was triumphant.

Malloy was the Seder story of 2006. He was unceremoniously dumped by Air America that year, and spent a few months on the beach before being rescued by another liberal talk network, Nova M Radio. It was a tough climb back. An affiliate network had to be built from scratch, but he still wound up in some plum markets. Prior to a satellite deal, the show was fed via ISDN line to stations in a rather difficult way.

Thanks to Malloy, Sheldon Drobny's upstart Nova M Radio was able to build somewhat of a structure to an organization. Sure, they're a network with only one syndicated show. But flagship station KPHX in Phoenix was able to build around it, creating one of the most extensive rosters of any progressive talk station. There were misfires, of course (a conservative former CIA agent named John Loftus had a short-lived nightly show that was unanimously panned). But while not growing at an Air America-like pace, Nova M/KPHX has at least started in building a foundation. Whether it works in the long run remains to be seen.

This year, Malloy added just a few new affiliates, but was also able to land on both Sirius and XM. Via streaming audio, listenership is very heavy.

In last year's list, I wrote that I couldn't think of any other talk show host who has become as much as a force as he has via the internet. every night, thousands of listeners tune in via webstreams to wind down their day with the outrageously outspoken Malloy. How strong is web listenership? So much that a daytime-only station, WCPT in Chicago, added his show just to the station's webcast feed. If liberal talk has not yet taken hold on the terrestrial airwaves, it certainly has via international webstreaming. And one of the reasons for that is Malloy.

Malloy's act is not for everyone. Often dropping trademark phrases like "flying monkey right" and "Bush crime family," Malloy is no Alan Colmes. He gets nasty. And his adversaries are taking note. Even stuffy right-wing gasbag Bill O'Reilly name-dropped him, claiming that the FBI should investigate him for saying he's had violent fantasies about White House spokespeople Scott McClellan and Dana Perino. One could only imagine Malloy's response.

I also wrote last year that time will tell if Malloy and his fledgeling network, Nova M will succeed. Will it all work in the long run? Last year, I also mentioned that he had a history of burning bridges with his former employers. But with Nova M Radio, he finally seems to have found his proper home. He almost seems happy (believe it or not). And his following has remained stronger and stronger than before.

Forget Leno, Letterman, et al. The real king of late night in your eyes is one Michael Malloy, the Top Liberal Talker of 2007. Congratulations!

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.

Seder to be guest on Malloy's show tomorrow

Now this should be interesting.

The dedicated fans of Sam Seder will be elated to know that the newly-anointed Air America Radio weekend host will be a guest on Mike Malloy's show tomorrow night. Look for it during the second hour.

Seder relaunched his website earlier today, timed coincidentally with the debut Air America's new site. And Seder's new Air America show will start this Sunday, from 4-7PM. And no, there's no word on whether Seder's appearance on Malloy's show means anything more than the fact that he's merely a guest. If there's more to it, then stay tuned to LTR to find out more.

The Seder segment will be on during hour two of Malloy's show, which airs from 9P-midnight on Nova M Radio.