Air America Radio files Chapter 11
 

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/10/1....ap/index.html
NEW YORK (AP) -- Air America Radio, a liberal talk and news radio network that features the comedian Al Franken, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a network official told The AP.

The network had denied rumors just a month ago that it would file for bankruptcy. On Friday, Air America spokeswoman Jaime Horn told The Associated Press that the filing became necessary only recently after negotiations with a creditor from the company's early days broke down.

The network will stay on the air while it resolves issues with its creditors, Horn said. In addition to Franken, the network also features shows from liberal talk show host Randi Rhodes and Jerry Springer.

Horn declined to name the creditor with which talks had reached a logjam. The company will operate in the interim with funding from its current investor group.

Air American also said Friday it had named Scott Elberg as its new CEO. Elberg, a former general manager of the radio station WLIB in New York, has been with the network since May of last year.

The filing marked the latest turbulence at the liberal talk radio network, which went on the air two years ago. This April, Danny Goldberg stepped down as CEO and was replaced by an interim chief executive from a management consulting firm.

"Nobody likes filing for bankruptcy," Elberg said in a statement. "However, this move will enable us to concentrate on informing and entertaining our audience during the coming months."

It has been rumored to be coming for months. I think it is odd that the ultra conservative hosts make a killing and there really are no similar ultra liberal ones.

They're coming. Schultz was on Larry King this week. It just is taking time for them to gain ground. AAR keeps getting new affiliates so I don't get why they aren't doing well. Hopefully the new CEO knows what he is doing. AAR isn't the only co out there, there is also the Jones Radio Network.

None of those are on the level as BO, Hannity, RL, etc. Not even close. I think that sucks, but it is indicative if not dispositive of the market interest. I think that is a parralell to why the R's raise so much more money than the D's. I think in some way, the D's just reach less people or at least less people with money. It is an interesting issue though. I would love to research it one day.

Part of it is due to getting rid of the fairness laws where it became okay to give only one political side over the public airwaves. Then, the people that have the money are largely Rs and setup R shows. They did not develop their markets quickly either, it struggled at first. AAR is definitely fighting an uphill battle but I think they can get there, especially with someone like Schultz there. He's just so damn reasonable.

Rhodes (from Jones) insists that any market where her show is up against Limbaugh she kicks his ass.

On edit: I predict that ES will be a household name one day.

I get the fairness laws stuff, but think it is a bogus argument. If the product is wanted, it will sell :shrug: Certainly, CNN learned that from Fox :shrug:

The liberal media comes across as the 98 ound weakling in the school yard that gets the ****tee kicked out of it by the bully and until that changes, conservative shows will rule.

Well, it's starting from the bottom up. Plus, they do not have a television channel. I really don't think it's bogus either. If no one is willing to carry a product, like a store just won't put it on its shelf, how is it going to sell? The big companies are largely R and they're the ones who own the stations.

Ed's talking about this. http://www.wegoted.com/ His show is apparently not even owned by AAR.

Okay, no Ed isn't paying me, but here he talks about the "slow" progress of liberal talk and why ownership is an issue. http://youtube.com/watch?v=W0V0XWjfz3k

The Jerry Springer of the infamous tv show?

If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door :shrug:

In this instance, the product is out there already in the form of Air America - it just did not sell.

Did you ever listen? I don't know how it was managed and what not. Please just watch the youtube link above. I don't agree that they have failed. The phoenix will rise again. There is a market.

No, it, like RL and crewe, is not my deal.

If there is a larger market - which has yet to be found - then they need to approach it a different way.

Who is RL? I don't know how you can dismiss something you've never even heard. I agree, AAR needs to do something different for sure since what they've done has led them here! :eek:

I do not need to listen to it to make the correct observation that it failed for lack of reaching a market large enough to sustain its costs - hence the bankruptcy, which speaks for itself :shrug:

If we use your logic, BTW, then how can you dismiss RL (Rush Limbaugh) because I am confident you do not listen to him :wavey:

I have heard him. You hear what you want to hear.

RL is just an example. I am sure there are those you have not heard, yet would make presumtions about :shrug:

I hear what I want to hear? I do not think so :shrug:

Moreover, I am not commenting on the content of the failed venture. I am commenting on its inability to reach a market that can sustain its costs. Don't you see the difference and that calling me out for never listening to it for any significant period is irrelevant to that argument because my point is proven by the bankruptcy.

In other words, I never had to have heard it once to know that it failed because it did not reach a big enough market. Hell, they say as much in the news articles on it.

I think you think I am gloating over its demise. I am not. Its not my cup of tea though and there is nothing wrong with that and I am not a bad person for it.

Big Eddie and Terry McAuliffe kicked ass on Larry King last night. I'm so damn proud of them. Why weren't they fighting back like this in '04?

They did well. I think the D's problems have been they are too closely aligned with the R's platform. In 04 the only differences in the public's eyes appeared to be the D's loved the sinful gays and the abhorrent abortionists - bioth of which were treehuggers. On the war, they all appeared the same and the D's must own that because the vast majority of them supported it, esp. Kerry. I think that if a D comes out presents a platform significantly different, they will win. I mean (other issues aside) GOre got the popular vote and Kerry damn near beat W. Moreover, the US public seems to despise the R's right now. So, it is the D's to lose this time. Hopefully, they will not fukc it up.

Well, Ed did not have the clout he has now. He did not have a big radio show to get him on prime time television. He was still only in a few markets. Right now he's the #1 liberal talk show host and Steph is #2.

You're right. I misinterpreted what you were saying as "there is no market" as opposed to "it did not find its market". I'm didn't mean that you can't say it didn't find its market if you haven't listened. I was just shocked that you've never listened is all. Some of the hosts are harpy and make you crazy to listen, I even have a hard time listening, but others have a lot to say that needs to be heard and can't be anywhere else IMO. Liberal talk will live on even if AAR tanks. Clearly it's been mismanaged.

Also, I didn't say you were a bad person and I don't think you are and never have. I'm fascinated by your point of view even when it kills me. :lol: Seriously though, I've learned a lot from you and that is a good thing and I happen to think you're a good person.

The Ds didn't seem to stand for anything. That is what I think their real problem was. So wishy washy. Grow a pair and stand for something, dammit. Give a direct answer to a question. Show some integrity! I know they did it for political reasons to keep the votes of moderates but that was a sham of a "tactic". Obviously it did not help them. Stand for something and get the people who normally don't even vote motivated to get out to the polls. Then you'll have something. If they screw it up in Nov I'm going to lose it. If you need me you'll find me in Mexico with a very large bottle of tequila in one hand a butt in the other. :laugh:

Well, thank you. And - that bad person line was not a personal thing, etc.

As for AA - - I did listen to some of it when Diss posted the RR think on Oliver North, when she incorrectly called him a felon or a convicted felon. When a conviction is overturned (even on a procedural ground like ON - and despite the fact that he is, as the court mentioned in the decision, likely guilty) - it is as if the conviction never happened. Thus, RR was clearly wrong and she knew it, but was being an a$$. Note - I think ON is a criminal and I despise his views and likely him. But, that has nothing to do with the fact that he is not felon, though it disgusts me that he got off on a technicality, etc.

I was watching the Sunday morning shows and one of the panel had a good point. AA and the far left do come across as somewhat elitist and preachy -- as opposed to RL, Hannity, BO, etc. - - who are more entertainers and their shows entertaining to the general masses. Maybe that is why AA failed.

I'll visit :laugh:

Also, it get that it takes playing to the middle to win in that there are more votes there than on the edges. However, Clinton led people in the middle to him rather than playing to it -- if that makes sense.

A good example to me is Kerry. He came out and said at the convention that he was a decorated war hero and he stood on that platform. When attacked (and mostly with lies) he should have at the debate said to W's face that yes, some of Kerry's medals were for slight injuries, etc. - but at least he volunteered and went and people knew where he was - rather than being a pu$$y like W who essentially was MIA for most of the war and while thousands of people like Kerry who went were dying and being iunjured. W, even if he was not MIA, was working on a political campaign because he was a rich Mama's boy. Then, I wqould have said, W, none of the people in around you went to any war a la Cheney who said he had better things to do. W would have no answer to that and Kerry would have shut him down right there and then. Then, Kerry should have said the same thing to Hannity, BO, RL, etc. and when those fools tried to spin it, I would have told them to shut the fukc up and put them right back on at least I went there.

Sadly, Kerry had no such backbone.

Randi does spin things for punch and I hate that. She speaks from her heart though and I've learned alot from her. I just wish she could calm down a little. :laugh:

You're right, Franken is so smart, but I don't think they do it to be elitist. They are just smarter! :lol: Franken is def not for everyone but I think he's hysterical. Although sometimes I have to :rolleyes: His skits are really funny. I also love when he reads his hate mail aloud. It's too much!

I guess AA needs more entertainers to entertain the masses. Oddly! ;)

Exactly! I wonder what he thought they may have had on him to shut him up. Or was it just fear of losing? If it was just fear of losing that is pathetic. Because if you fear losing that will become a self-fulfilling prophecy! You've gotta campaign as though you're gonna win. Dammit.

More specifically, I'll be in Tiujuana. :laugh:

Can I bring the Scotties?

Of course. And we must hit Cabo!