WKBF/Quad Cities sold, will flip to Christian talk

UPDATED 10/20/06

The liberal talk radio of WKBF-AM 1270 will give way to a Christian talk format before the end of the year.

Mercury Broadcasting, which owns WKBF, sold the station for $150,000 this week to Quad-Cities Media, a one-man operation making his first move into broadcasting.

The switch should take place in mid- to late December.

WKBF had been managed by Clear Channel Communications’ Quad-City Radio Group, under a joint sales agreement. Larry Rosmilso, Radio Group general manager, said new FCC laws forbid the operation of more than six radio stations, and no more than four FMs, in the market. WKBF, whos ratings were the lowest of the group, was obviously the most expendable.

LTR to buy YouTube for $1.69 billion!

Well, not exactly. If I had that kind of money, I wouldn't be sinking it into YouTube.

Nonetheless, many of you are familiar with this ubiquitous video site. For those of you who aren't, think of it as MySpace, but with actual entertainment value.

And while I'm not sinking my hard-earned dough into this site like Google did, I am putting it to good use.

Introducing... LTR at YouTube!

What is this?

Well, this new YouTube group will act as a sort of extension to this plain ol' blog. Videos relating to material covered here will be accessible in one convenient spot. You can see Randi Rhodes on Larry King Live, or Stephanie Miller sparring with Sean Insannity. Be entertained with clips from "The Daily Show". See some cool documentaries like "Outfoxed". I might even throw in some comedy here and there (I'm partial to Ali G, aka Borat, aka Sacha Baron Cohen myself).

And the neat thing about this group? You can participate! And you don't even need to upload videos!

All you have to do, if you don't already have one, is get a YouTube account (of course, it's free). Then join the group. Once you're in the clique, you can add videos to the group. For example, if you happen to find an interesting video on YouTube that fits in with the gyst of the group, simply add it to the collection.

Only thing I do ask is to at least keep within the flexible framework of the group. Don't add cats flying into ceiling fans or the latest musings from lonelygirl15. No Republican propaganda (please!). And no racist Michelle Malkin-type stuff either (though if you do happen across one with her shooting ping-pong balls out of her coochie, by all means add it!).

So, check it out, and be entertained and informed. After all, it's probably a bit more interesting than this, right?

Free Howard Stern!

So, you're a Howard Stern fan, but you don't want to cough up the coin for satellite radio, huh? Well, you're in luck. For two days, anyway.

On October 25 and 26, you can listen to Stern's hilariously raunchy and provocative Sirius Satellite Radio show for free. And legally.

So, what's the occasion? Or more to the point, what's the catch? Well, Sirius is promoting their new Internet radio service, where they're rolling out "over 75 channels of CD-quality programming over the Internet -- without having to buy a Sirius radio -- for a monthly subscription fee of $12.95 -- the same price as an existing Sirius monthly subscription."

Remember, it's only a two-day promotion. After that, if you like it and you're hooked, whip out the Visa card and get Sirius. And keep in mind that Stern's current show sounds considerably different than his old CBS days. Meaning Stern and the gang can get away with stuff the FCC would likely throw him in prison for if he tried to do it on the terrestrial airwaves. In other words, not for the easily offended or prudish. Still pretty damn entertaining, though. And far fewer commercial breaks.

The two-day free trial of “The Howard Stern Show” marks the first time he has been available to a non-paying audience since he left terrestrial FM radio in December 2005 (or at least the ones who haven't discovered BitTorrent). The service can be accessed by logging on to www.sirius.com.

Nova M to start new liberal talk radio network with Mike Malloy

Venture capitalish Sheldon Drobny, a co-founder of Air America Radio, is starting a new radio network. Most noteworthy of this new venture will be the return of Mike Malloy.

The announcement comes after Drobny was rebuffed in his offer to purchase Air America Radio, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday. Unlike Air America, Drobny's new network will not be a full-service operation. And Nova M-controlled stations in Phoenix and Little Rock will be the flagship stations for programming. It is assumed that their shows, particularly Malloy, will be offered for general syndication. KPHX in Phoenix does offer web streaming.

From Nova M:

We the People,

It is with great excitement and optimism that I announce today the formation of a new progressive talk radio network. Myself along with my partners, Anita and Sheldon Drobny; the original cofounders of the Air America Radio Network, want to be the first to tell all you “truth seekers” that the original truth seeker himself Mike Malloy will be born again live on the public airwaves. The planned second coming (barring any apocalypse) is scheduled for October 30, 2006. The Mike Malloy Show will initially broadcast live, from 9PM -12 Midnight (EST) on Nova M Radio affiliates 1480-AM KPHX Phoenix (and 1380-AM KDXE in Little Rock).

In addition, I’m equally excited to announce our strategic partnership with Joe Trippi and associates. Joe Trippi revolutionized electoral politics in America with his instrumental role in Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign, raising over $40 million in small donor contributions over the internet. Joe created a new paradigm in how campaigns locally and nationally are conducted by leveraging the scope and breadth of innovative internet-based technologies and digital tools. Joe and his team will help us reach out to millions of us who share common values and common goals.

Also joining our team will be internationally renowned pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. John will be co-hosting a weekly one hour show, “The Pulse of the Nation” where John polls particular hot button issues from politics and pop culture to the War in Iraq and stem cell research. Each program will include expert guests and audience participation. At the end of each show John will reveal the secret results of the poll and each listener will then know whether or not they have their finger on “The Pulse of the Nation”!

We will continue to build upon the foundation laid by our predecessors and will work tirelessly to fulfill our fiduciary responsibilities to our investors. Equally important, we will with the millions of faithful progressive listeners uphold our vision to promote freedom, social justice, economic justice and peace worldwide.

We have many more exciting announcements to make; new talent, name of new network and so on. So stay tuned and keep up to date at our web site, http://www.novamradio.com/ ! And as always, from the bottom of my bleeding liberal heart, God Bless America!

In Solidarity,

Mike Newcomb, MD CEO & Chairman,
Nova M Radio, Inc.

Air America Radio files Chapter 11

FYI: Chapter 11 is a reorganization, not a liquidation.

From CNN, Bloomberg, Reuters and other sources:

Air America Radio, a liberal news and talk radio network, on Friday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after consistently losing money for more than two years.

They also sought bankruptcy court protection because of a breakdown in talks with a creditor.

In a filing with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan, Air America said it has lost about $40.9 million since the spring of 2004. The Associated Press reports that the company lost $9.1 million in 2004, $19.6 million in 2005 and $13.1 million so far in 2006. The company plans to keep operating as usual while it reorganizes.

The company said it has 4 million listeners. Its on-air personalities also include Robert Kennedy Jr. and Randi Rhodes. In addition, Air America syndicates a radio show from television host Jerry Springer.

Scott Elberg, who became chief executive on Monday, said in an affidavit that Air America's backers advised the company last month that they would no longer subsidize its operating losses.

Elberg, a former general manager of the radio station WLIB in New York, has been with the network since May of last year.

Air America will keep broadcasting as it negotiates with creditors, according to an e-mailed statement from Piquant LLC, which operates under the network's name. Piquant said it filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in a New York court.

"This regrettable action became necessary only recently when good faith efforts to resolve outstanding debt with a creditor from the company's earliest days broke down," the New York-based company said in the statement.

Last month, creditor Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Inc., blocked the company from drawing on its bank accounts, leaving it without money to operate. The bankruptcy filing will allow Air America to tap these accounts, he said.

Air America said it will seek court permission to obtain up to $3 million of financing from an entity known as Democracy Allies, LLC so that it may operate while under Chapter 11.

None of today's actions relate in any way to the Gloria Wise controversy. WRC-TV in Washington, DC reports that the loan has already been repaid.

And Air America also disclosed in the court documents that two directors departed in the last two months, Douglas Kreeger and Tom Embrescia. Gary Krantz also departed as president in June, and executive vice president Tom Athans and chief operating officer Carl Ginsburg both left in July.

Mike Malloy, who was let go from Air America back in August, chimed in via a post at Democratic Underground, claiming that the "new crop of right-wingers" in management are incompetent, ignorant and not very good at managing a company.

You can see the bankruptcy filing at The Smoking Gun. Air America is reporting assets of $4 million and debts of $20 million.

Commentary:

Sheldon Drobny
Taylor Marsh
Brent Budowsky