Why Air America Failed (El Rushbo's Exclusive Look At Demise Of Liberal Radio Network Alert)

Rush Limbaugh.com ^ | 10/13/06 | Rush Limbaugh

[FormerACLUmember]

Rush should have purchased advertising for the Limbaugh Letter on Air America. That would have been a hoot.

These are classless low-lifes who would never have accepted Rush's advertising.

[FormerACLUmember]

After their election takeover, the 'rats will create public funding for "Err Amerika" and will ban conservative talk radio. That's why we cannot allow them to take over.

I fear you are correct in the latter.

[goldstategop]

Rush was kidding. No one keeps that much in their checking account. But when you add up what Air America has on hand as opposed to what they owe, its pathetic. They should sell but I don't think they'd fetch anything near to what the market would price them at. Certainly not enough to pay back all their debts.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

They Aren't entertaining.

Exactly right. It has nothing to do with their politics. I can take Jon Stewart because he is at least entertaining(can't say the same about his "correspondents" however). Regardless of his politics Al Franken is one of the most boring comedians out there, if you can call him that. I just never had the patience to hear him complete a sentence when he started one.

[FormerACLUmember]

That picture should be useful if Franken ever runs for the senate, which he is supposedly considering.

Franken will be a US Senator like I will be Scarlett Johansson's boyfriend. (Gratuitous image pasting follows)

[goldstategop]

Agreed. No one wants this business at any price. Even liberals like Drobny and Soros are smart businessmen first. They could certainly afford to buy it but without a viable business model, it would be in the red again like it was for the last two years since it debuted. I'm surprised the network lasted as long as it did. No one is going to miss listening to Air America.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[goldstategop]

It will go down as the one of the most stupid business schemes ever thought up. Not one of the principals did their homework. No one is going to see a dime. They all deserve what they got for putting this network on the air without feasibility studies, marketing, advertising and recruiting real talent. And to build a sustaining business takes years and if you really believe in what you're selling, you better have enough cash on hand to see you through before you turn a profit. Air America is no guts, no glory, the junk bonds of talk of radio.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[joebuck]

"What's funny is that Spankin' Franken has to ride this dead horse to the bitter end to save what little face he has left. He was so cocky and arrogant at the beginning. His words are going to be a gold mine of one-liners for conservative commentators for years to come."

That's not the half of it. Big Al Franken is taking the biggest hit on this. Early on when AA ran into trouble they couldn't pay Al's large salary so he argeed to do it on the come and took an equity position in AA to secure the back pay. Well, he gets left with some worthless paper and nothing to show for three years of a five day a week grind. (Equity owner + bankruptcy court = loser)

The money the big guys lost on this was chump change to them, they won't miss and it will make good cocktail chatter on the beautiful people circuit. I don't think Big Al's that heavy a hitter though. It's gonna leave a mark.

[Axhandle]

Well, they've officially declared chapter 11 bankruptcy. Any predictions as to when they will officially declare moral bankruptcy?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

All that is true. But I think Rush would still be tops even if there was as much competition to reach the conservative audience as there is by the drive by media to reach their liberal audience. Simple. Rush just outshines everyone, liberal or conservative.

How does Rush do that ? I think there are a number of factors that converge into making Rush the most unique broadcaster in the history of broadcasting- tv or radio. His assets in no particular order

1. His larynx and vocal chords, that "emit vocal vibrations" into the Golden EIB mic. They have been carefully developed and cultured over the years, like the fine tobacco he smokes. His speech patterns and delivery are nearly flawless. Although the syllables themselves are appropriately accented and generally staccato in style, the flow itself is smooth and rhythmic with no abrupt interruptions or pauses, which typically happen when you are struggling for words or have an inconsistent train of thought. And that is exactly my next point. I think Rush has spent (probably still does) as much time in mastering the English language as he does in analysing the issues. I doubt very many broadcasters do that. It takes more than everyday conversational ability to be a great broadcaster. And because his brain can translate complex thoughts into meaningful, complete and grammatically correct sentences faster than his mouth can utter them, the verbal diarrhea behind the mic never ceases. Rush's voice is the closest normal human speech comes to music. I wouldn't be surprised if he happened to be an operatic baritone in a secret life.

2. His acutely analytical mind and deep understanding of the issues need no mention. He will often pull out seemingly mundane news stories and draw an inference that would have eluded most. Cutting edge of societal evolution -- damn right.

3. Sense of humor - legendary. And I don't mean the songs, parodies, impersonations or the regular self adulations. But the subtle quips he utters under his breath into the mic before quickly moving on.

4. Energy level and passion, boundless. Everyday. Unless Rush mentions it himself you will never know he is working on 4 hours of sleep for the second straight day.

5. His respect for the audience, and considering himself to be as one of us, versus them over there. Yeah he may jet off to some exclusive golf resort for the weekend in his GulfStream, but we are still family to him.

How much more do you need to keep millions of listeners hooked for decades ? Make no mistake my friends, when Rush claims to be a highly trained broadcast specialist, he is not joking.

[ArmstedFragg]

It displays the primitive hostility....

It also displays their hatred of the concept of free choice, a concept that will always be anathema to them because, given free choice, few would participate in their grand schemes. The success of liberal ideas requires coercion of those who choose not to participate. Proof, once again, that it's liberals who are the authoritarians, not conservatives.

[OldPossum]

Given the bucks that Rush is paid, his having $4M in a checking account would not surprise me.

Here's my take on that. I think that Rush likely does have $4 million in his checking account (interest-bearing, of course), but it suddenly dawned on him that his propensity for bragging went over the top there and he quickly retracted it.

I like Rush but the man sure does need a few lessons in humility, or at least learning how not to overly brag about his accomplisments and life situation. He could begin by not being so cheap and having professional announcers proclaim his greatness. You know, "A man, a legend, a way of life." Not from his lips, from a disinterested party.

[nonliberal]

Nobody wants to listen to a political philosophy based on plunder.

[Mr_Moonlight]

Air America is no guts, no glory, the junk bonds of talk of radio.

Ouch! Its gotta hurt to be called that. But it really goes to show that ya can fool none of the people none of the time, and all of the people none of the time ... nothing from nothing equals nothing. Is Al Franken proud now? He says that he hasn't been paid in two years .. will he be first to file a claim when Air America liquidates (in about two weeks when 11 becomes 7) ?

[Mr_Moonlight]

I couldn't stop laughing enough to stop my SUV from going over the guardrails.

The dreaded "SUV GOES BERSERK ON ITS OWN" syndrome again, ehhh? Good thing you stopped it in time, else we'd have lost another FReeper ... thank goodness we didn't :)

/chuckle off

[goldstategop]

I meant to say the junk bonds of talk radio.

In my personal opinion, Air America is below even junk bonds as a commodity. Its not desirable to any one. If it can't pay its hosts who broadcast the show, why should any one think its good enough to be worth listening to? I do expect them to be liquidated shortly and no one who worked for it will be happy having wasted their lives on this attempt to ape Rush Limbaugh that backfired badly on the Left.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Mr_Moonlight]

I do expect them to be liquidated shortly and no one who worked for it will be happy having wasted their lives on this attempt to ape Rush Limbaugh that backfired badly on the Left.

Not to worry about those who work or worked for Air America being cast out on the big bad mean streets of NYC to beg for money ... they're used to doing that already, been doing it every day and night in the subways and coffee shops all around town for years. Air America was just their side job, and it didn't pay all that much, b-b-b-bb-but it felt soooooooo goooood "sticking it to The Man", so they did their Air America gig for no pay, or the promise of a salty pretzel or two ....

/sarcasm off

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

I like Rush but the man sure does need a few lessons in humility, or at least learning how not to overly brag about his accomplisments and life situation. He could begin by not being so cheap and having professional announcers proclaim his greatness. You know, "A man, a legend, a way of life." Not from his lips, from a disinterested party.

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Rush's constant self adulations, self praise, self bravado--mostly tongue in cheek, is what makes him unique and hilarious.And on top of that he is always finding new ways to praise himself. If you realize that it grates on liberals like fingernails on chalkboard, it makes it even more enjoyable.

A caller calls today asking him what is meant by 'Socially liberals/fiscally conservative'. Rush replies 'with great erudtion', following which there is total silence from the caller. And after pausing for just the right amount of time, he continues "Well I guess there is nothing left to be said then...that's usually the case when I speak.[end of call]".
How can you not laugh at that ?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

but it suddenly dawned on him that his propensity for bragging went over the top there and he quickly retracted it.

I don't think it did. Dawn must have glared at him or rolled her eyes (you can only imagine). I wish he had said $40 million instead of $4 million regardless of the actual amount, and I am sure we could have heard collective gasps and grunts from liberals from across the Fruited Plain. Yes, we would have HEARD it.

[Yaelle]

This picture is not even photoshopped, is it????