Posted on 12/08/2004 9:18:05 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Air America Radio Signs Franken for 2 More Years The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - Air America Radio, a startup radio network that offers liberal talk and commentary, has signed a new contract with comedian Al Franken to stay on as its lead personality for at least two more years, the company announced Wednesday.
Air America also said that Rob Glaser, the chairman and chief executive of the technology company RealNetworks Inc., had joined the company as the chairman of its board. Glaser has also been an investor in the company, although he declined to disclose the value of his stake.
The company also said that its interim CEO, Doug Kreeger, had stepped aside and that it had begun a search for a full-time chief executive. Kreeger will remain on the company's board. In the meantime, the company is being run on a day-to-day basis by its president Jon Sinton, a longtime radio executive, and Carl Ginsberg, its executive vice president.
Air America has been signing up more stations and gaining its footing following a shaky start earlier this year. The company went through a management shakeup in May, about five weeks after going on the air, that included the departure of its previous chairman, Evan Cohen, and other executives.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.tbo.com ...
REAL ONE PLAYER uninstalled Sir!
George Soros
G. Soros
Soros, Soros, & Soros, LP
Soros Holdings of Grenada
I don't doubt, though, that Franken could syndicate his show and survive. Not with high ratings or big money, but it could survive.
Why would Glaser sink money into it if it's going under? Why would he make Franken a big creditor?
There goes another 13 million down the black hole:)
In theory, low power AM stations in certain markets could carry liberal talk radio and make a profit. It sounds like experimentation to me, though. The fact is that, in college towns, they're always competing against NPR which people listen to, even if it's not entertaining, because they feel good about themselves for doing so.
Sirrus and XM saved Air America.
KDKA is a Viacom owned station. When the Limbaugh show's contract was up with KDKA it was a sure thing that Clear Channel would move his show from a Viacom station to a Clear Channel station. There is no way Clear Channel would renew KDKA's contract for a top rated show it distributes when Clear channel had a station of its own to air the show.
Silly fools.
The KDKA ratings were terrible. The company line is that Rush asked to go to the other station. Now CC ownership probably played a big role, but Rush is on other non-CC stations around the country (like WABC, for instance) and will stay there as long as it makes economic sense.
Do they actually pay for Air America? I know they will pay broadcasters to be exclusive (Stern, Opie&Anthony) but do they pay for non-exclusive programming?
There not the only ones, Curtis Media has rolled out WZTK - 101.1 FM in Burlington, NC in the past year. Talk all day.
there = they're
This is not entirely surprising. Salon.com ceased to have any useful purpose about six years ago, but it's still with us. There's a certain kind of leftist with too much money and not enough to do who will feed their vanity and sense of self-importance by funding these ventures long after they have ceased to be helpful to their cause.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.