AIR AMERICA TUNED OUT? (Losing WLIB (AM 1190) N.Y.?)

[seriousstan]

March 7, 2006 -- AIR America is close to losing its New York flagship station - knocking Al Franken and his liberal colleagues off the air on their second anniversary.
The network has a two-year lease with WLIB (AM 1190) that is reportedly set to expire April 1 - and at least one reliable report says it is "extremely likely" the deal will not be renewed.

Losing its New York outlet would be a serious blow to the fledgling liberal radio network. "Radio Equalizer" blogger Brian Maloney - who blew the whistle on questionable loans to the lefty network last year - published the first report that WLIB was on...

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/60684.htm

[aquart]

1. My mom will have FITS. It's all she listens to in the car.

[orleans]

41. your mom sounds like a great woman!

tell her orleans said hi.

[sabbat hunter]

2. NY post

the post is a right wing rag. according to the daily news, reports of them losing NYC outlet is false.

[Renew Deal]

11. Where does it say it's false?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=594144&mesg_id=594144

"We have no plans of leaving the New York City airwaves and plan to be on in New York for many years to come."

That's no denial.

[NYCGirl]

3. Franken broadcasts from Minneapolis. How will this "knock him off the

air"?

BTW, for those who aren't familiar with it — the NY Post is a right wing rag.

[BlueEyedSon]

6. Where the studio is is irrelevant.

[bananas]

27. The NY Post is a local paper - they mean off the air locally. nt

[brooklynite]

4. A different view at the Daily News

AIR TIME: The progressive network Air America, heard locally on WLIB (1190 AM), is seeking to deflect reports that WLIB may change formats when its Air America agreement expires at the end of this month.

"It is business as usual at Air America Radio," said a statement late yesterday. "We will not, nor have we ever discussed, our confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors or others in a public forum. We have no plans of leaving the New York City airwaves and plan to be on in New York for many years to come."



http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/397287p-336752c.html
- - -
Take a look at who's pushing this story:

The New York Post
The New York Sun
Newsmax
The Conservative Voice

[seriousstan]

7. Thank you for the additional info

[Gloria]

12. Malloy was saying he was probably going to be back on the air

in NYC in a couple of weeks...perhaps the whole AAR lineup will be on a new station, too....

The WLIB deal was never ideal. It's a community station and there was a lot of complaining that AAR knocked off the community shows. The agreement reached was that WLIB didn't broadcast the AAR show reruns over night so that the community shows could air.

If AAR can get a station that is fully AAR, that will be an improvement.

[AX10]

18. Also, they need a stronger transmitter too.

[adriennui]

39. thank goodness

i've missed malloy since AAR took him out of the 10 slot in NY. i have a feeling AAR is going to a new flagship.

[AX10]

17. Please repost this as it's own thread.

The right wing wants to see Air America gone. They know that we are a success and they can't stand the competition.

[NYCGirl]

5. And here's more — from Danny Goldberg (courtesy of DUer Crisco):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x595738

[KittyWampus]

8. pasted

Update on the Air America (WLIB) Gossip... Danny Goldberg Memo
Edited on Tue Mar-07-06 12:19 PM by Crisco
from AllAccess.com:

the network's CEO DANNY GOLDBERG has sent a memo to the staff that does not specifically address MALONEY's charges but asserts that the network's ratings are growing and blames "right wing bloggers" for "bad mouthing" the network with "gossip."

GOLDBERG's memo says that the network will "continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY" but does not say whether WLIB will continue to be the outlet and does not refer to whether WLIB owner INNER CITY BROADCASTING has or will terminate the lease, as MALONEY reported.

The memo obtained by ALL ACCESS tells staffers: "As you may know, some right wing bloggers have, yet again, been bad mouthing AIR AMERICA’s business. No CEO and no company, large or small, discuss its confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum. However, following are some general comments on recent gossip.

"1. AIR AMERICA RADIO is much stronger today that it was one year ago or six months ago and is on track to be stronger still in the coming year and years. Our audience is bigger, the total number of affiliates carrying our programming is greater, and the amount of revenue we are generating is increasing.

"2. It is vital, when analyzing chatter about AIR AMERICA to consider the source. In almost all cases, the people who say bad things about our company’s business are conservative ideologues who have a particular interest in damaging AIR AMERICA, for one reason and one reason only: the political opinions expressed by our on air talent. BILL O'REILLY alone has mentioned AIR AMERICA on thirty-seven separate occasions since our programming went on the air. (AL FRANKEN has offered to debate O'REILLY in any number of forums including on “THE O'REILLY FACTOR” and O'REILLY has declined.)

"3. AIR AMERICA’s ratings in NEW YORK went up substantially in the FALL 2005 book. AIR AMERICA’s NEW YORK audience is large, growing and valuable. In every conceivable scenario, AIR AMERICA will continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY.

"4. Last week, two of our affiliates changed their format, leaving AIR AMERICA with the need to find new outlets for our programming in those markets. In recent weeks we have also picked up affiliates in recent months in EL PASO, TEXAS, BUFFALO, NEW YORK and others. Overall, AIR AMERICA’s weekly audience as measured by ARBITRON has more than doubled from what it was one year ago.

"5. AIR AMERICA is a new business which has required investment albeit far less investment than many conservative media companies have consumed. Our board continues to be very supportive of our company and we continue to operate on a firm footing in all respects."

[still_one]

9. is the nypost reliable?

all I know is they have been predicting the dimise of AAR for two years

They have increased their stations, and their listeners

If there is some validity in this story, there is no way that NYC would NOT have another radio station to take over AAR

[Ian David]

25. Isn't NY Post the "Headless Body found in Topless Bar" paper? n/t

[Catrina]

30. About as reliable as Fox News and it's owned by Rupert Murdoch,

as I recall. It is a rightwing rag in other words.

As for AAR, I have it on right now and the signal is okay, but they need a stronger signal as it weakens around six o'clock and practically disappears off the air ~ so I hope that part of the rumor is true ~

I just told several people I know about it, and they were thrilled. They were completely unaware it existed ~

I remember rightwingers claiming it would shut down right after it started. They never quit wishing for that, as now they have competition, and they really can't take it after 13 years of total control of the airwaves. Too bad, it's about time, and it's growing ~

[bluestateguy]

10. This strikes me as false

Maybe the New York post could ask 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee Dick Gephardt for a comment. :eyes:

[MrPrax]

13. Radio Equalizer has

an admitted agenda--he hates liberals.

BUT--some of the stuff he writes has been confirmed and he has appeared to uncover some not-so-nice aspects of AA that are legitimate criticism, like the Franken pay package.

His main page is here http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/

[The Wielding Truth]

24. This looks like a well funded hatchet job to me. Al is one of the good

guys.

[MrPrax]

38. Sure it's a hatchet job...

but is it true?

That's the only thing I amm interested in...and OH I don't actually think Al is one of the good guys, actually.

[Scout1071]

14. Not exactly "Latest Breaking News".

There has been a discussion all morning on this article in GD.

[seriousstan]

16. Has it been posted before in LBN? Is it less than 12 hours old?

These are the qualifiers. Postings in other forums do not affect LBN.

[Scout1071]

19. It's an article in the entertainment section based on a rumor.

Not exactly news just yet. If and when the station drops AAR, that is news. But considering that it's just rumor right now, I don't think it's LBN.

PS - You seemed to have skipped over rule #1:
1. Do not post opinion pieces, editorials, or other stories that are not news.

[LisaM]

15. Brian Maloney is not reliable

He'll take something with a grain of truth and completely misrepresent it. He was briefly on the air here in Seattle; he was unlistenable.

[jazzjunkysue]

20. That's what they deserve for firing Marc Maron

He was brilliant. Period.

[NYCGirl]

23. Marc Maron now has his own show on AAR. NT

[HuffleClaw]

21. this is merely very clear proof how successful they've been

or else they wouldn't be attacked as they have been.

[lies and propaganda]

22. AAR Phoenix is already gone.

Thank God for XM.

[fasttense]

26. Every week some sick repuke news outlet comes out with an

article saying Air America will be closing. I'm so sick of their constant lies. Can they ever learn to report the truth? I doubt it. They are addicted to lies.

[jus_the_facts]

28. If only they'd countered RUSH about 15 yrs ago...I knew how dangerous...

...he was 15 FUCKING YEARS AGO...and everybody just LAUGHED at him back then. :grr: :nopity:

[Miss Chybil]

29. Somebody bought the Air America Phoenix station and turned it into

a Christian station. We already had eight Christian stations. Apparently, the same thing happened in SC. Free country my ass.

[high density]

31. I say bullshit

WLIB was advertised just last month on the back "The American Prospect." I dunno why they'd waste the money on that if they weren't planning on renewing the lease.

[Eric J in MN]

32. the only one they have on the record about this is

"blogger Brian Maloney"

[AndyTiedye]

33. They Will Run AAR off the Air Completely Within the Year

They'll just keep buying the stations out from under us.

[Nutmegger]

34. They want AAR to fail

NY Post is another RW rag owned by Murdoch.

[sabbat hunter]

42. the post

its sad that the post was once a great newspaper, founded by one of the fathers of our country (alexander hamilton). it is one of the nations oldest papers. but years ago murdoch bought it and turned it into an american version of the english tabloids.

[Judi Lynn]

35. Here are some interesting LTTE's on Air America from Chatanooga:

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_81297.asp

[President Kerry]

36. thank you, great read.

Notice how responses supportive for AAR far outnumber the hate-filled call for censorship. They just can't accept an alternative viewpoint because they know truth is not on their side. They're scared people will awaken to the venom they're being fed. Pete Thurston, you're as unAmerican as they get in suppressing opposing viewpoints in the media.

[whathappened]

37. ara

havent been able to get it for a month , it says i will have to subscribe to listson

[Moochy]

40. I almost sent this Pete Thurston a nasty gram

But then it struck me, his name is Thurston. Like the millionaire from Gilligan's Island.

And then, I laughed.

on edit added: Thanks for posting that link to the Chattanooga newspaper opinion, great to see the liberal replies outnumber the norman rockwell wanna-be.

[columbusdem]

43. Air America Radio will be fine in New York

First, I seriously doubt the validity of this story. If it is true that AAR is being taken off WLIB, not worry, New York is the media capital of the world and I'm sure the they'll find another radio station. There will be bumps in the road in building a national radio network, sometimes big bumps--In the early going, AAR lost its LA affiliate but gained it back.