Air America Radio Network

For months, Al Franken and his co-hosts at the new liberal radio network Air America have merely been talking about what they will talk about when they launch at noon on Wednesday.

Coming only two days after the Republicans' upset U.S. Senate victory in Massachusetts, the sudden demise of the Air America radio network -- after a protracted illness -- left liberals reeling and conservatives gloating over the failure of their competing ideology's highest profile outlet. But the end of Air America is not the end of liberal talk radio, nor should it be, according to observers. "The only thing they did that was outstanding -- boy, did they get a lot of PR," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers magazine, a trade journal of the talk-radio industry.

Coming only two days after the Republicans' upset U.S. Senate victory in Massachusetts, the sudden demise of the Air America radio network -- after a protracted illness -- left liberals reeling and conservatives gloating over the failure of their competing ideology's highest profile outlet. But the end of Air America is not the end of liberal talk radio, nor should it be, according to observers. "The only thing they did that was outstanding -- boy, did they get a lot of PR," said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers magazine, a trade journal of the talk-radio industry.

Fans of liberal talk radio were no doubt baffled in recent weeks by the decision by KTLK-AM (1150) to relegate its popular midday personality Ed Schultz to the lesser time slot of weekday evenings and replacing him with a host with a lower national profile. But while listeners may be puzzled, Schultz himself thinks there's a conspiracy at work, one involving "progressive talk" station KTLK and struggling liberal radio network Air America. "It's not a radio decision," Schultz said by phone.

Air America Radio, the liberal talk network that was dismissed, derided and unceremoniously yanked off the air in Los Angeles two weeks after its April debut, is returning to the airwaves here -- this time under the aegis of the nation's largest radio chain. Clear Channel Communications is announcing today that its KXTA-AM (1150) will switch to "progressive talk" on Feb.

The nation's most prominent liberal talk radio network has tapped one of the music business' most prominent liberal activists to be its new boss. Air America Radio, seeking solid footing after a rocky start last year, on Thursday named veteran music executive Danny Goldberg chief executive of the network.

Stephanie Miller, a liberal voice on local talk radio for much of the 1990s, is returning to the L.A. airwaves next week. KTLK-AM (1150), local outlet for the left-leaning Air America network, is picking up Miller's 7-month-old syndicated show and will air it live, weekdays from 6 to 9 a.m., beginning next Monday. That may take some getting used to for Miller's former fans, who heard her at night when she worked at talk outlets KFI-AM (640) and KABC-AM (790).

Though comedian Al Franken, who gave up his Air America radio show for a U.S. Senate run, may have been the best-known personality on the liberal talk network, his time slot might be in even better hands now, a local station executive says. Thom Hartmann's three-hour program had been syndicated by Air America; now the network has begun airing it throughout the network in Franken's old 9 a.m. to noon window. "I think Thom's better than Al.

Air America Radio, a liberal talk radio network that features comedian Al Franken, said Danny Goldberg was giving up his role as chief executive and would be replaced by an executive from a management consulting firm. Goldberg, a longtime music industry executive, joined Air America as CEO in February 2005. He will remain with the company as vice chairman. Jim Wiggett will become interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement, the company said.

The restaurant that radio talk show host Thom Hartmann -- comedian Al Franken's replacement on Air America -- has chosen for lunch speaks volumes.

The restaurant that radio talk show host Thom Hartmann -- comedian Al Franken's replacement on Air America -- has chosen for lunch speaks volumes.

Though comedian Al Franken, who gave up his Air America radio show for a U.S. Senate run, may have been the best-known personality on the liberal talk network, his time slot might be in even better hands now, a local station executive says. Thom Hartmann's three-hour program had been syndicated by Air America; now the network has begun airing it throughout the network in Franken's old 9 a.m. to noon window. "I think Thom's better than Al.

Liberal talk-radio network Air America Radio has reached a tentative deal to be sold to a New York real estate investor, and Al Franken, its best-known host, will leave next month, the company said Monday. The agreement, outlined in a letter of intent by Air America to sell its business to SL Green Realty Corp. founder and Chairman Stephen Green, comes three months after the radio network filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

After a backlash from listeners, Clear Channel Radio is keeping its Air America affiliate on the air in Madison, Wis., instead of switching the progressive talk format to sports on Jan. 1. The planned change to Fox Sports Radio, announced three days after the Nov. 7 election, had sparked outrage in Madison, a city long known for its liberal activism. Clear Channel said the station, WXXM-FM, had struggled to attract advertisers despite high ratings.

With Air America filing for bankruptcy protection last week, and its local affiliate dropping in the most recent ratings, right-wing critics are gleefully writing the epitaph for liberal talk radio -- dead at 2 1/2 . But other observers say that regardless of whether Air America survives, an audience exists and will remain for left-leaning hosts. "There's a market for good talk radio, no matter what the political label is," said Perry Michael Simon, news-talk-sports editor of AllAccess.

Red ink finally got the better of the nation's blue-state radio network. The parent of Air America Radio, plagued by management and financial problems since its inception, filed Friday for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filing in New York by Piquant, the network's parent company, became necessary after negotiations with one of the privately held company's founding creditors broke down, said Air America spokeswoman Jaime Horn.

The first 24 hours of Air America, the much ballyhooed liberal talk-radio network that debuted midday Wednesday, brought to mind another radio voice from another time. Depression-era humorist Will Rogers once said, "I am not a member of any organized party -- I am a Democrat." But in spite of technical glitches, dead air and a lineup of mainly radio novices feeling their way through the medium, the hosts on Air America got their message out. "This show is about taking back our country.

Air America said Tuesday that it had reached a settlement in its battle with radio chain MultiCultural Radio Broadcasting, which owns the Los Angeles and Chicago affiliates of the fledgling liberal talk-radio network. Under the agreement, Air America will remain on WNTD in Chicago until April 30. MultiCultural had yanked the service off that station and KBLA-AM (1580) in Santa Monica a week ago due to a financial dispute.

Financially strapped Air America Radio acknowledged Thursday, after star commentator Al Franken said publicly that his paycheck had stopped coming, that it had suffered a small number of layoffs but insisted there were no plans for the liberal talk-show network to declare bankruptcy. "If Air America had filed for bankruptcy every time someone rumored it to be doing so, we would have ceased to exist long ago," said network spokeswoman Jaime Horn in a statement.

Air America Radio, a liberal talk radio network that features comedian Al Franken, said Danny Goldberg was giving up his role as chief executive and would be replaced by an executive from a management consulting firm. Goldberg, a longtime music industry executive, joined Air America as CEO in February 2005. He will remain with the company as vice chairman. Jim Wiggett will become interim CEO while the company searches for a permanent replacement, the company said.