Anybody Listening To Air America?

[SFL Cat]

Originally Posted by WussGawd

Fixed this for you.

Hate to tell you this, but conservatives do not have an exclusive right to speak for America.

They don't. The left controls Hollyweird and the major networks (where I think it is illegal -- or at least job-threatening -- to utter...the R-word); the right controls AM talk radio, and cable news (where Fox is absolutely kicking the a$$es of the other cable news networks).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by WussGawd

Nice spin. The truth is I'm a regular listener, and the ads were pulled a month ago. As in, I haven't heard a GM ad since. I've heard ads for other companies products, not GM.

Now maybe your location isn't up to date in your profile, or maybe you're listening to a webcast or something, I don't know but ... you're not exactly someone I'd expect to be listening to the New York affiliate (which is what the GM story is about - that one specific affiliate).

And even in a webcast environment, it's not unheard of for stations/outlets to have different content for the online broadcast vs the over-the-air broadcast, especially in cases involving syndicated programming.

So, unless you're actually in NYC, listening to the over-the-air broadcast on WLIB itself, just because you aren't hearing it doesn't mean it isn't running.

[CamEdwards]

meanwhile, I'm happy to report we've had no staff turnover and we've made every payroll over here at NRAnews.com

[timmynausea]

Actually, I'm 95% certain that the online broadcast is just the WLIB broadcast. Also I distinctly remember hearing a GM commercial early this week. I took note of it, cause I hadn't heard it before, and I thought it was weird that GM would advertise on Air America. I only listen on the web.
I hope Air America pulls through. Actually I hope Franken's show survives. It's funny. I don't care about the rest.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

meanwhile, I'm happy to report we've had no staff turnover and we've made every payroll over here at NRAnews.com

I'm just waiting for the scandal to break when it's discovered that NRAnews.com is a web-only broadcast because it's actually produced in Malaysia by underpaid child labor.

;-)

[Ryche]

I'm just waiting for the scandal to break when it's discovered that NRAnews.com is a web-only broadcast because it's actually produced in Malaysia by underpaid child labor.

At what point is child labor paid a suitable wage?

[CamEdwards]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I'm just waiting for the scandal to break when it's discovered that NRAnews.com is a web-only broadcast because it's actually produced in Malaysia by underpaid child labor.

;-)

Hey, we pay Hwok Ju a living wage!

Actually, if you ever get out to D.C. let me know and I'll be happy to give you a tour of the studio. Should take about ten seconds and then we can go grab a beer.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

Hey, we pay Hwok Ju a living wage!

Actually, if you ever get out to D.C. let me know and I'll be happy to give you a tour of the studio. Should take about ten seconds and then we can go grab a beer.

I'll be sure to take you up on that sometime... My family lives in Lynchburg, VA, and anytime I make it back there, I usually try to visit DC.... especially if it's football season, and the Redskins are playing.

[Dutch]

Do you have any guns in the studio?

[WussGawd]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Now maybe your location isn't up to date in your profile, or maybe you're listening to a webcast or something, I don't know but ... you're not exactly someone I'd expect to be listening to the New York affiliate (which is what the GM story is about - that one specific affiliate).

And even in a webcast environment, it's not unheard of for stations/outlets to have different content for the online broadcast vs the over-the-air broadcast, especially in cases involving syndicated programming.

So, unless you're actually in NYC, listening to the over-the-air broadcast on WLIB itself, just because you aren't hearing it doesn't mean it isn't running.

I listen via XM...greatest thing since sliced bread. Most, but not all of the radio spots seem to be going via XM. However, your point is good...though I distinctly remember hearing GM commercials when they first went on the air, and I could swear this story crossed the newswire a month ago.

[timmynausea]

I just found this on salon.com.
Interesting.

Arbitron shocker: Franken beats Limbaugh

Boy, talk about burying the lead. In its Monday profile of the new liberal talk radio network Air America, the New York Times spent so much time dwelling on the financial woes that have reportedly plagued the start-up company that it wasn't until the 15th paragraph that readers learned this bombshell: Talk radio novice Al Franken's new Air America show beat conservative kingpin Rush Limbaugh in New York City where the two go head-to-head every weekday afternoon from noon to three o'clock. That's according to preliminary Arbitron rating estimates for April.

Heard in New York on WLIB-AM, whose ratings were virtually non-existent prior to switching over to Air America's programming earlier this year, Franken and the rest of Air America's 10 a.m-to-3 p.m lineup grabbed a 3.4 rating among listeners age 25-to-54. By contrast, Limbaugh who has been the most highly rated political talk show host in America for the last decade, and who is heard in New York on talk radio powerhouse WABC, lead the station to just a 3.2 rating. There's more (although the Times forgot to mention it): Among listeners 18-to-34, Franken and WLIB won in a knockout, garnering a 2.9 ratings share compared to WABC's dismal 0.4 showing.

[Cuckoo]

Who would be shocked that Franken beat Limbaugh in New York City?

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Cuckoo

Who would be shocked that Franken beat Limbaugh in New York City?

Agreed. This should come as no surprise. What would be interesting is to see if those numbers hold up over a period of time. Limbaugh's been holding steady for a loooong time.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by timmynausea

That's according to preliminary Arbitron rating estimates for April.

1) "Phase" estimates (basically partial ratings period "snapshots") are notoriously volatile & often bear no resemblence to the actual ratings for
a quarter.

2) Judging from the wording here, I imagine these numbers refer to Adults in the given age groups, not Men in the given age groups.

Considering that talk radio, especially conservative AM talk radio, is almost exclusively male oriented (I've seen 90%+ male audiences for various shows in various markets for years), it's not really surprising to me that any number of things (including Owl Franken) would beat Limbaugh in Adults. Women outnumber men in pretty much all markets, if you can pull women, you can win Adults.

If the final numbers for the current book show Franken winning the daypart, then I'll allow that it's not unreasonable for A.A. to crow about it.
But until then ...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Fair is fair, so I felt it was appropriate for me to be the one to post this.
I'll reserve the right to editoralize on it later, for now, I'll just give you the story.

Champagne corks are popping at Clear Channel's Portland, OR cluster, as "Progressive Talk" KPOJ rises from a 0.4 rating in winter 2004 — when the station was Oldies as "Super 62" — to a 3.7 12+ share in the just-released spring 2004 Arbitrons. CC/Portland, OR RVP/Programming Tony Coles tells R&R that his entire staff was "blown away" by the results, although VP/Market Manager Mary Lou Gunn expected the results "to be huge." Meanwhile, KPOJ ranks third overall in the 25-54 demo, thanks to a 0.3-4.9 climb. KPOJ carries all of Air America Radio's shows except Unfiltered, which is preempted in order to accommodate the Jones-syndicated Ed Schultz News and Views. The move paid off well for KPOJ: The KFGO/Fargo, ND-based program ranks No. 1 in the 25-54 demo in Portland, with a 6.4. Specifically, KPOJ's 10am-3pm daypart grew from a 0.4 in March to a 4.9 in April and a 5.5 in May in among listeners 25-54. Given those results, projections by Schultz's team put his show earning at least an 8.8 share in June in the demo.
http://radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/...0/topstory.asp
(Note: this link may change as other stories roll through R&R, but you should be able to find it for a week or so by clicking their "Today's News"/"Newsroom" link)

On a side note, I saw the other day where they've hired Mike Malloy, a former WSB-AM host who was the first politically oriented talker I listened to on a regular basis quite a long time ago.

[CamEdwards]

wait a second. you're telling me a Clear Channel owned station is running liberal talk?

But I thought they were a part of the right wing hate machine?

I'm so confused.

[SFL Cat]

Heh, it's a strategy called diversification! Psst, don't tell the liberals.

[timmynausea]

More news concerning the doomed Air America.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=5724045

[SFL Cat]

He beat O'Reilly, but Limbaugh beats them both combined. I'm kinda surprised by Limbaugh's staying power, especially after his much publicized drug problems.

Air America is only on 17 stations? That's nothing to crow about considering all the publicity it got during its startup.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

He beat O'Reilly, but Limbaugh beats them both combined. I'm kinda surprised by Limbaugh's staying power, especially after his much publicized drug problems.

There's a certain cyclical nature to radio, at least for long-running hosts/shows.
Limbaugh has been resurgent in quite a few markets since returning to the air, this seems like a continuance of that trend. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" or something like that perhaps.

[CamEdwards]

and don't forget that O'Reilly's radio show has never been successful. I don't think there's a single market where it outperforms Rush (or for that matter, even comes close).

[timmynausea]

I'm listening right now. They were playing this debate from Tuesday between Hannity and Franken. Hannity is a real douche.

[timmynausea]

Oh man. This is hilarious. Franken just pulled out this joke on Hannity. I can't believe it. He asked Hannity how many USO tours he has done? Hannity of course said none. To which Franken replied, "Well, I understand. You don't have any talent."
Hilarious.
What would Hannity do on a USO tour? Talk about how Clinton is a liar? He really does have no talent.

[timmynausea]

doomed.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040803/nytu040_1.html

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by timmynausea

doomed.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040803/nytu040_1.html

Isn't the only reason Howard Stern's is on E! is because he has lots of naked women on it? I suppose it works for some of the Fox News, tho.

SI

[WussGawd]

FYI. Looks like there's an HBO documentary on the startup, near collapse, and recovery of Air America Radio on Thursday Night at 8 PM Eastern. It's called Left of the Dial. Saw a writeup of it on the LA Times' site earlier today, which has now disappeared.

[Galaril]

Hard to believe they survived thus far to the chagrins of the neocons. I
myself don't care for there way left slant to rthings about as little as I do Fox's Hannity/O'Reilly. But it is good to see that diffenet opinions to can be voiced openly.

[HomerJSimpson]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

and don't forget that O'Reilly's radio show has never been successful. I don't think there's a single market where it outperforms Rush (or for that matter, even comes close).

I was listening to Randi Rhodes for a second yesterday (March Madness ruins sports radion for the whole month), and she claimed that her show is actually beating Limbaugh in Palm Beach (where I believe both live). If true, I'll find that pretty funny. (BTW, I'll also be shocked. She is completely annoying)

[SFL Cat]

I would rather listen to a totally drugged out Limbaugh than perpetual PMS Queen Rhodes any day of the week (I live in the Palm Beach area btw). If I want to hear a woman bitching and moaning, I'll go home, thank you very much.

[Cringer]

I have flipped over to Air America every once in a while. What I find to be much better though is Sirius TalkLeft on Sirius radio obviously. They have better hosts then Air America, athough a couple are just as bad.

One show on TalkLeft that I found to be a pretty good show (when I listened to it) is The Young Turks.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

I would rather listen to a totally drugged out Limbaugh than perpetual PMS Queen Rhodes any day of the week (I live in the Palm Beach area btw). If I want to hear a woman bitching and moaning, I'll go home, thank you very much.

suprise!!

BTW, I told you all it would last.

[st.cronin]

I'll take NPR any day. They're lefty, but way more centrist and reasonable than Air America. The far left and the far right both make me want to cry.

[Bubba Wheels]

Well, I was going to listen one day, then decided that poking a sharp stick into my eye would be more fun (ouch! That hurts!!)

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by Bubba Wheels

Well, I was going to listen one day, then decided that poking a sharp stick into my eye would be more fun (ouch! That hurts!!)

im soo shocked

[Ksyrup]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Air America Radio, a liberal talk and news radio network that features the comedian Al Franken, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a network official told The AP.

The network had denied rumors just a month ago that it would file for bankruptcy. On Friday, Air America spokeswoman Jaime Horn told The Associated Press that the filing became necessary only recently after negotiations with a creditor from the company's early days broke down.

The network will stay on the air while it resolves issues with its creditors, Horn said. In addition to Franken, the network also features shows from liberal talk show host Randi Rhodes and Jerry Springer.

Horn declined to name the creditor with which talks had reached a logjam. The company will operate in the interim with funding from its current investor group.

Air American also said Friday it had named Scott Elberg as its new CEO. Elberg, a former general manager of the radio station WLIB in New York, has been with the network since May of last year.

The filing marked the latest turbulence at the liberal talk radio network, which went on the air two years ago. This April, Danny Goldberg stepped down as CEO and was replaced by an interim chief executive from a management consulting firm.

"Nobody likes filing for bankruptcy," Elberg said in a statement. "However, this move will enable us to concentrate on informing and entertaining our audience during the coming months."

[Ksyrup]

Bumped for news above and moved to GD forum.

[Oilers9911]

Originally Posted by SFL Cat

IIf I want to hear a woman bitching and moaning, I'll go home, thank you very much.

What is your wife's e-mail address? There is something I want to send her.

[hoosierdude]

So does this mean the big experiment isn't working, or that the liberals don't have as big a pocket as the conservatives?

Did anyone not see this coming a long time ago?

[Oilers9911]

Originally Posted by Bubba Wheels

Well, I was going to listen one day, then decided that poking a sharp stick into my eye would be more fun (ouch! That hurts!!)

Exactly the problem. People are so blinded and stubborn by their own political views that they wouldn't even consider listening to another point of view.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Oilers9911

Exactly the problem. People are so blinded and stubborn by their own political views that they wouldn't even consider listening to another point of view.

No, the problem was that there is something called NPR which already has Air America's target audience.

[waltwal]

i have never heard Air America as we don't seem to get it in the Palm Springs area. but something i have noticed in recent political ads. if you want to attack a Democrat you call them a "Liberal" and that seems to carry a very negative connotation with it. nothing else needs to be said. but i never hear anyone attacking a Republican by calling them simply a "Conservative". now there are other labels such as "far right wing" but Conservative is simply not enough to attack someone.

so when you label Air America as a Liberal talk show i think it is hurt coming right out of the gate. on the other hand the word Conservative doesn't seem to hurt the right political shows.

before you disagree with my views on the word liberal remember i am saying that i am actually hearing simply the word "Liberal" used by Republicans to attack Democrats in political ads.

[Oilers9911]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

No, the problem was that there is something called NPR which already has Air America's target audience.

No, I wasn't talking about the demise of Air America. I was talking about Bubba saying he would rather stab himself in the eye than listen to it. I assume he means any Liberal slanted media and not just Air America.

[waltwal]

i have rarely listened to NPR but it really maddens me that this network is maintained with taxpayer funds. it is known to have liberal leanings and when i listen to it on trips sometimes i find it to be liberal in its views. i would say the same thing if NPR was known to have conservative leanings. i do not think the government should be supporting any station with taxpayer funds.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by waltwal

i have rarely listened to NPR but it really maddens me that this network is maintained with taxpayer funds. it is known to have liberal leanings and when i listen to it on trips sometimes i find it to be liberal in its views. i would say the same thing if NPR was known to have conservative leanings. i do not think the government should be supporting any station with taxpayer funds.

There's reality's known liberal bias again...

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Oilers9911

No, I wasn't talking about the demise of Air America. I was talking about Bubba saying he would rather stab himself in the eye than listen to it. I assume he means any Liberal slanted media and not just Air America.

I have to admit, I'm with Bubba on this one. I too would rather he stab himself in the eye than listen to Air America.

[Fonzie]

Originally Posted by waltwal

i have rarely listened to NPR but it really maddens me that this network is maintained with taxpayer funds. it is known to have liberal leanings and when i listen to it on trips sometimes i find it to be liberal in its views. i would say the same thing if NPR was known to have conservative leanings. i do not think the government should be supporting any station with taxpayer funds.

How do you know that it has liberal leanings if you rarely listen to it?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Oilers9911

Exactly the problem. People are so blinded and stubborn by their own political views that they wouldn't even consider listening to another point of view.

This just doesn't fly with me. There's way more to it than this.

Make all the fights about Democrat vs. Republican, Liberal vs. Conservative and who wins elections, but when it comes down to it in everything i've seen America is around 50/50 split.. even if one side swings as far as 55, the other side has 45... to say that Air America failed because of close mindedness is silly... they have just as large of a potential audience that agrees with them as the VERY successful conservative shows.

Do I know why it's failing? I'm not particularly sure, I have some theories, but this is not an accurate one imo.

[wade moore]

Dola:

FWIW, I don't like much political radio on either side of the aisle. I prefer Afternoon/Morning Drive Radio, Sports Radio, NPR (believe it or not, there's a LOT of good stuff on there that is not political despite what a lot of people say), etc, etc. over most political radio.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Dola:

FWIW, I don't like much political radio on either side of the aisle. I prefer Afternoon/Morning Drive Radio, Sports Radio, NPR (believe it or not, there's a LOT of good stuff on there that is not political despite what a lot of people say), etc, etc. over most political radio.

I never listen to poltical radio. I have no idea where to find Air America on the dial. I've never listened to one second of it. I get too sick/angry to listen to the conservative trash. Like wm, I switch between Sports Radio and NPR on the drive to and from work. If NPR is too boring and there are commericals on the Sports Radio, I try to find some music.

[Warhammer]

My problem with Air America was all the nutjobs they had on it. I listen to Rush and Glenn Beck (who is a nutjob himself, but a lovable nutjob) because they are entertaining. Also, both of them will try to prove points rather than just saying what they want you to believe.

The ones I can't stand are the shows that try to shove everything down your throat and how they are correct, etc., etc., like Randi Rhodes and Sean Hannity.