Free Republic

WHAT DID AL FRANKEN KNOW, and when did he know it? When Air America launched last year, it was the beneficiary of more free publicity than any radio show or network launch had ever received. So desperate was the mainstream media to find some left-leaning response to the Limbaugh-led revolution in talk radio that the many and obvious flaws in the network's offerings went largely unreported. Those of us who have been around radio studios for a few years know, though, that launch hype and selective reading of Arbitron results can never mask the key question: Is a show profitable?...

Air America's foot-dragging on repaying $875,000 borrowed from a beleaguered Boys & Girls Club in The Bronx has nothing to do with a probe of the club's controversial loans, city investigators said yesterday. Officials at the ultra-liberal radio network have repeatedly said Air America intends to repay the money, but claimed they put those plans on hold because of the city probe. "We're waiting for directions from the investigators on how to proceed," Air America spokeswoman Jamie Horn said........... But the Department of Investigation said there is nothing to prevent the radio network from repaying its debt immediately. "DOI has...

Officials at the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club — under investigation for lending Air America radio nearly $900,000 — yesterday demanded that the left-wing network start repaying the money. "Air America reached a legal agreement to have that loan repaid in full," beginning this summer, said Martta Rose, a spokeswoman for the Club, which is the subject of a probe by the city Department of Investigation. Air America said it put on hold plans to pay back the money because Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club was shut down by the city......."We're waiting for direction from investigators on how...