Air America Radio
Encyclopedia
Air America was an American
Radio in the United States
Radio is one of the major mass media of the United States.-History:The beginning of regular commercially licensed sound broadcasting in the United States in 1920 ended the print monopoly over the media and opened the doors to the more immediate and pervasive electronic media...

 radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...

 specializing in progressive talk programming
Progressive talk radio
Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing liberal or progressive viewpoints of issues, as opposed to conservative talk radio...

. It was on the air for a little less than six years, from March 2004 to January 2010.

The network featured discussion and information programs and specialized in presentations and monologues by on-air personalities, guest interviews, calls by listeners, and news reports. Several shows had million plus audiences, and multiple weekday presenters continued on in radio, television, or politics after their time on Air America. For example, in 2008, The Thom Hartmann Program had 1.5-2 million unique listeners a week and The Lionel Show had 1.5-1.75 million unique listeners a week. Hartmann, Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes is an American progressive talk radio personality, formerly featured on Air America Radio and Nova M Radio and now on Premiere Radio Networks. Her eponymous program, The Randi Rhodes Show, airs live Monday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time.-Early life:Rhodes was born in...

, and Mike Malloy
Mike Malloy
Michael Dennis Malloy is an American radio broadcaster from Atlanta, Georgia. Previously his show has been carried by WSB Atlanta, WLS Chicago, the I.E. America Radio Network, the Air America Radio network, Nova M Radio and the On Second Thought network. He is now self-syndicated...

 still have shows on other networks. Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....

 went from his show to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, and Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...

 moved her show to television on the MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...

 network.

However, financially the network was troubled. A scandal involving nearly a million dollars in loans from a Boys and Girls Club in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 secretly transacted by Evan Cohen came out in 2005 and was a source of negative publicity. The loans were repaid, and in October 2006, mounting debts forced Air America Radio to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company was bought by Green Family Media, made up of New York real estate investor Stephen L. Green
Stephen L. Green
Stephen L. Green is the founder for S.L. Green Realty Corp., which claims to be Manhattan’s largest owner of office buildings.Green is the older brother of former New York City Public Advocate Mark J. Green...

 and his brother Mark J. Green
Mark J. Green
Mark J. Green is an author, public interest lawyer and a Democratic politician who lives in New York City. He worked with Ralph Nader from 1970-1980, eventually as director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch, and is also the former president of Air America Radio .He was New York City Consumer...

, who bought the network in March 2007 for US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

 4.25 million.

The company eventually changed its name from Air America Radio to Air America Media and lastly to just Air America, an effort to establish itself as a broadcaster on multiple media sources including television and the Internet, and one not merely relegated to radio. Always primarily a radio network, on January 21, 2010, Air America went off the air citing difficulties with the current economic environment, and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

 and liquidated itself. Bennett Zier was the company's last CEO including through the bankruptcy and liquidation.

Programming overview

Air America Media's liberal talk radio programming
Radio programming
Radio programming is the Broadcast programming of a Radio format or content that is organized for Commercial broadcasting and Public broadcasting radio stations....

 and radio shows consisted primarily of news, talk, comedy, interviews, guest editorials, and listeners' telephone calls. The talk portions featured some extended host monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...

s in the classic talk radio format. Live and pre-recorded comedy routines, featuring various comedians, were also aired. As with most syndicated broadcast networks, local affiliate stations were able to choose which programs to air subject to contractual arrangements.

Format

The shows followed a half hour format from six minutes past the hour to 28 minutes after the hour followed by a hard break for six minutes until 34 minutes past the hour. The final hard break occurs at 58 minutes past the hour leading into the news at the top of the hour.

News

Air America featured their own news summary breaks at the top of each hour, with content from wire services such as the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

 (AP) and United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...

 (UPI). Some affiliates used other news services or run their own newscasts during the six minute "news hole" at the top of the hour. AAR later switched to AP Radio Network
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...

 News, and finally Free Speech Radio News
Free Speech Radio News
Free Speech Radio News is an independently produced half hour daily national and international radio news program focusing on peace and social justice issues in the US and around the world. FSRN is collectively run by its workers and reporters...

. These ended on June 29, 2007.

Public affairs and editorials

The public affairs programs tended to closely follow current happenings in the news, with monologues and reflections offered by the hosts and their guests. Listener comments by phone or the Internet were worked into these segments along with the interviews.

Music

Although better known for its political shows, Air America also featured a couple of music oriented shows on weekends. On The Real
On The Real
On The Real was a radio show on the Air America network hosted by Gia'na Garel & Chuck D.The program included commentary from the hosts on current events, and interviews with various artists in the music and entertainment industry....

 featuring Chuck D
Chuck D
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...

 had a strong music focus. The Steve Earle Show (which ended in 2007 with Earle moving to Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...

) mixed music with political commentary. Dr. Demento
Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....

 was a guest host on the network at least once. Also, most of the talk shows had their own theme songs, used bumper music
Bumper music
Bumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements. Bumper music is commonly employed when a syndicated program takes a break for local station identification or...

 to segue between commercials and segments, and played political novelty songs. Theme songs and bumper music were generally commercially released rock music.

Weekday programs

Air America produced sixteen hours of weekday network programming. The entire schedule was carried on the network's internet stream, and affiliates may have carried some, most or all shows.

The network's schedule as of Mid-2009:

Time Show Notes
5–6 a.m. ET The Rachel Maddow Show rebroadcast of the MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...

 program.
6–9 a.m. ET The Lionel Show redebuts in new time slot May 26, 2009. Original debut: May 14, 2007.
9 a.m. – noon ET Montel Across America
Montel Williams
Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...

debut: April 20, 2009; took The Lionel Shows old time slot.
12–3 p.m. ET Live in Washington with Jack Rice
3–6 p.m. ET Montel Across America debut: May 18, 2009; took Doing Time with Ron Kuby
Doing Time with Ron Kuby
Doing Time with Ron Kuby was a left wing political talk show hosted by criminal defense and civil rights lawyer Ron Kuby. He is also the former cohost of Curtis and Kuby, with Curtis Sliwa, the popular AM drive show on WABC. The show aired weekdays from noon-3 PM eastern time until June 22, 2009...

's old time slot.
6–9 p.m. ET The Ron Reagan
Ron Reagan
Ronald Prescott "Ron" Reagan sometimes known as Ronald Reagan, Jr., is a former talk radio host and chief political analyst for KIRO radio in Seattle until his show was canceled on August 8, 2007...

 Show
debut: September 8, 2008. Expanded from 1 to 3 hours on February 3, 2009.
9–11 p.m. ET Clout
Clout (radio show)
Clout is a talk radio program in the United States, which began on the Air America Radio Network, and is now airing on WCPT, a progressive talk radio station in Chicago....

with Richard Greene, moved from weekends September 4, 2007.
11 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET This Is America with Jon Elliott
Jon Elliott
Jon Elliott is an American progressive talk radio personality, formerly featured on Air America Radio.-Business Experience:...

debut: September, 2006 ran through May 15, 2009.
11 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET The Nicole Sandler Show debut: June 15, 2009; took Jon Elliott time slot.
1–3 a.m. ET Montel Across America rebroadcast
3–5 a.m. ET The David Bender Show rebroadcast

  • A one-hour webcast, Breakroom Live with Marc Maron & Sam Seder, aired weekdays from 3-4PM Eastern. Marc Maron
    Marc Maron
    Marc Maron is an American stand-up comedian and podcast host.He has been host of The Marc Maron Show, and co-host of both Morning Sedition, and Breakroom Live, all politically-oriented shows, produced under the auspices of Air America Media. He was also the host of Comedy Central's Short Attention...

     and Sam Seder
    Sam Seder
    Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...

     hosted the show from the actual break room at Air America Media in New York. Breakroom Live aired its last show on July 15, 2009.

Weekend programs

On many Air America affiliates, weekends featured repeats and highlights from the network's weekday shows, combined with new original programming and some syndicated shows produced independently.

Original network programming for weekends included:
  • Marc Sussman’s Money Message
    Marc Sussman’s Money Message
    Marc Sussman’s Money Message is a one-hour syndicated radio program in the United States, airing on the Air America Radio Network. The show is hosted by Marc Sussman, and debuted May 26, 2007, airing Saturday mornings from 9-10AM ET....

     (one hour 9–10 a.m ET Saturday)
  • State of Belief
    State of Belief
    State of Belief is a weekly radio program on four U.S. radio stations and the Internet, hosted by Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of Interfaith Alliance....

     with Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy (one hour 10–11 a.m. Saturday; rebroadcast 7–8 p.m. ET Sunday)
  • Go Vegan
    Go Vegan
    Go Vegan Radio is a one-hour talk radio program hosted by Bob Linden. The show airs in the United States on terrestrial radio via the Clear Channel network on Green 960 AM in San Francisco and K-TALK 1150 AM in Los Angeles, CA every Sunday between 3pm – 4pm Pacific Time . The show is also...

     with Bob Linden
    Bob Linden
    Bob Linden is the creator, executive producer and host of Go Vegan Radio, a one-hour talk radio program dedicated to topics including veganism, animal rights and environmentalism. Linden is also a successful events organizer and professional promoter...

     (one hour 2–3 p.m. ET Saturday)
  • Freethought Radio
    Freethought Radio
    Freethought Radio is a weekly radio show produced by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It is broadcast live every Saturday on The Mic 92.1 in Madison, Wis. and on Air America, streamed online, and available as a podcast. It is also available through syndication and XM Radio on Air America...

     with Dan Barker
    Dan Barker
    Dan Barker is a prominent American atheist activist who served as a Christian preacher and musician for 19 years but left Christianity in 1984.-Biography:...

     and Annie Laurie Gaylor
    Annie Laurie Gaylor
    Annie Laurie Gaylor is co-founder of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and, with her husband Dan Barker, is the current co-president. She is also editor of the organization's newspaper, Freethought Today, which is published ten times per year. She is a self-described feminist and liberal...

     (one hour 1–2 p.m. ET Saturday)
  • Ring of Fire
    Ring of Fire (radio program)
    Ring of Fire is a nationally syndicated American talk radio program hosted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, and Sam Seder. The trio focuses on exposing people whom they consider to be "corporate fat cats, polluters and media spinmeisters". The show has been on the air since 2004 and is...

     with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio
    Mike Papantonio
    James Michael Papantonio , popularly known as Mike Papantonio, is an American attorney and radio talk show host. A prominent trial lawyer, he co-hosts Ring of Fire, a nationally-syndicated weekly radio program, with Robert F...

     (three hours 3-6 p.m ET Saturday)
  • 7 Days in America
    7 Days in America
    7 Days In America is a one-hour syndicated radio program in the United States, airing on the Air America Radio Network. The show is hosted by Mark Green, Arianna Huffington, and Bob Kerrey and debuted May 26, 2007, airing Saturday evenings from 6-7PM ET, with a replay on Sunday mornings from 9-10AM...

     with Carlos Watson and Arianna Huffington
    Arianna Huffington
    Arianna Huffington is a Greek American author and syndicated columnist. She is best known as co-founder of the news website The Huffington Post. A popular conservative commentator in the mid-1990s, she adopted more liberal political beliefs in the late 1990s...

     (6–7 p.m. ET Saturday; rebroadcast 9–10 a.m. ET Sunday)
  • Radio Nation
    Radio Nation
    GRITradio was a weekend radio show hosted by writer and long-time radio host Laura Flanders and produced by GRITtv. The show features in-depth interviews with activists, journalists, and writers....

     with Laura Flanders
    Laura Flanders
    Laura Flanders is a British-American journalist who presents the current events show GRITtv, broadcast weekdays on Link and Free Speech TV....

     (one hour 1–2 p.m. ET Sunday)
  • Politically Direct
    Politically Direct
    Politically Direct is a weekly radio talk show that airs Sunday afternoons on the Air America Radio network. David Bender serves as host.The show originally aired on weekends but eventually was moved to an 8-9 PM nightly slot. In May 2007 the show was cancelled in favor of a show called The Air...

     with David Bender
    David Bender
    David Bender is an American political activist and host of the talk radio show Politically Direct on Air America Radio.-Political activism:...

     (three hours 4–7 p.m. ET Sunday)
  • The Steve Earle Show with Steve Earle
    Steve Earle
    Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....

     (one hour 10–11 p.m. ET Sunday)
  • On The Real
    On The Real
    On The Real was a radio show on the Air America network hosted by Gia'na Garel & Chuck D.The program included commentary from the hosts on current events, and interviews with various artists in the music and entertainment industry....

     with Chuck D
    Chuck D
    Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...

     and Gia'na Garel
    Gia'na Garel
    Gia'na Garel is a writer, producer, filmmaker, composer and entertainment consultant based in New York City. From 2005 to 2009, she co-hosted an entertainment-oriented Air America Radio program, On The Real, with pioneer rap artist Chuck D.- References :...

     (two hours 11 p.m ET Sunday – 1 a.m ET Monday)

Former programs

  • The Al Franken Show
    The Al Franken Show
    The Al Franken Show was the flagship talk show of the former talk radio network, Air America Radio. Hosted by Al Franken, it featured commentary and interviews arguing for left-wing positions on the issues of the day, and comically poking fun at the George W. Bush Administration. The show began as...

     (noon–3 PM ET) Aired March 31, 2004 – February 14, 2007. Originally called The O'Franken Factor. Franken left the show in order to run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota
    Minnesota
    Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

    .
  • The Majority Report
    The Majority Report
    The Majority Report is a talk radio program originally on the Air America Radio network hosted by film actress/comedienne Janeane Garofalo, and actor/comedian Sam Seder, until Garofalo left in July 2006. Garofalo was reportedly originally asked by Air America to host the program and suggested Seder...

     (7–10 PM ET) Aired March 31, 2004 – September 15, 2006. Cohosted by Sam Seder
    Sam Seder
    Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...

     and Janeane Garofalo
    Janeane Garofalo
    Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...

  • The Randi Rhodes Show
    The Randi Rhodes Show
    The Randi Rhodes Show is a three-hour radio program in the United States hosted by Randi Rhodes combining live interview, call-in and commentary with a progressive bent. The show is currently syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The show had previously aired over the now-defunct Air America Radio...

     (3–7 p.m. ET, later shortened to 3-6 p.m. ET) Aired March 31, 2004–April 3, 2008. Moved to Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...

     on April 10, 2008.
  • Morning Sedition
    Morning Sedition
    Morning Sedition was a three-hour radio program that premiered April 1, 2004 and ran until December 16, 2005, in the United States. It was hosted by comedian Marc Maron and New York radio veteran Mark Riley. Prior to June 2004, the show was also hosted by radio and television journalist Sue...

     with Marc Maron
    Marc Maron
    Marc Maron is an American stand-up comedian and podcast host.He has been host of The Marc Maron Show, and co-host of both Morning Sedition, and Breakroom Live, all politically-oriented shows, produced under the auspices of Air America Media. He was also the host of Comedy Central's Short Attention...

    , Sue Ellicott
    Sue Ellicott
    Sue Ellicott is a former television correspondent for the BBC and political writer for The Times in Washington, DC. Ellicott has appeared on CNN, ABC News, and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. Ellicott is one of the recurring guest panelists on the NPR radio news quiz show Wait Wait.....

    , and Mark Riley (6–9 AM ET) Aired April 1, 2004–December 16, 2005.
  • Unfiltered
    Unfiltered
    Unfiltered was a morning show on Air America Radio hosted by Rachel Maddow, Lizz Winstead and Chuck D.The show's theme song was "Exploration" by The Karminsky Experience Inc.....

     with Chuck D
    Chuck D
    Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...

    , Lizz Winstead
    Lizz Winstead
    Lizz Winstead is an American comedienne, radio and television personality, and blogger. A native of Minnesota, Winstead was co-creator of The Daily Show along with Madeleine Smithberg, and served as head writer....

    , and Rachel Maddow
    Rachel Maddow
    Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...

     (9 AM–noon ET) Aired April 1, 2004–April 1, 2005.
  • The Mike Malloy Show
    The Mike Malloy Show
    The Mike Malloy Show is a syndicated progressive radio talk show hosted by long-time radio personality Mike Malloy. Malloy came to talk radio in 1987, moving from his position as a writer and producer at CNN. He is married to producer Kathy Bay, with whom he has a daughter born in July, 2004...

     (10 PM–1 AM ET), Aired August 2, 2004 – August 30, 2006. Moved to Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...

     on October 30, 2006.
  • Springer on the Radio
    Springer on the Radio
    Springer on the Radio was an American radio program broadcast from WCKY and later WSAI in Cincinnati from January 17, 2005 to December 5, 2006 and syndicated nationally on the Air America Radio network from April 1, 2005 to September 18, 2006 when it moved to Air America syndication, meaning that...

     with Jerry Springer
    Jerry Springer
    Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...

     (9 PM- midnight ET), Aired April 1, 2005 – September 18, 2006. Broadcasted via Air America Syndication until December 8, 2006.
  • Politically Direct
    Politically Direct
    Politically Direct is a weekly radio talk show that airs Sunday afternoons on the Air America Radio network. David Bender serves as host.The show originally aired on weekends but eventually was moved to an 8-9 PM nightly slot. In May 2007 the show was cancelled in favor of a show called The Air...

     with David Bender
    David Bender
    David Bender is an American political activist and host of the talk radio show Politically Direct on Air America Radio.-Political activism:...

     (8–9 p.m. ET) Aired 2005-May 2007, then combined with The Mark Riley Show into The Air Americans.
  • Air America Mornings (5-9AM ET) umbrella name for Air America's morning drive-time shows: The Mark Riley Show and The Rachel Maddow Show.
  • The Mark Riley Show
    The Mark Riley Show
    The Mark Riley Show is a weekday radio show on the Air America Radio network hosted by long-time talk radio host Mark Riley. Originally it was part of a larger Air America Mornings program, but as of September 18, 2006 the show was billed on its own. The show features news items read by Riley and...

     (5-6 AM ET) Aired January 2006-May 2007, then combined with Politically Direct into The Air Americans.
  • This Is America with Jon Elliott with Jon Elliott
    Jon Elliott
    Jon Elliott is an American progressive talk radio personality, formerly featured on Air America Radio.-Business Experience:...

    , (11pm – 1 AM ET) Aired September 2006–May 15, 2009.
  • The Young Turks
    The Young Turks (talk show)
    The Young Turks is a progressive Internet talk show via live web stream and YouTube, and starting in late 2011, a weeknight news and political commentary program airing on Current TV. It was Sirius Satellite Radio's first original talk programming. The Young Turks claims to be the first Internet...

     with Cenk Uygur
    Cenk Uygur
    Cenk Kadir Uygur , is the main host and co-founder of the liberal Internet and talk radio show, The Young Turks . A naturalized U.S. citizen, Uygur was born in Turkey and raised from age eight in the United States. He worked as an attorney in Washington D.C. and New York before beginning his career...

     (6–9 a.m. ET), Aired September 18, 2006 – January 15, 2008.
  • The Thom Hartmann Show (noon–3 PM ET) Aired March 2007 – February 28, 2009. Replaced the Al Franken Show. Moved to the Dial Global
    Dial Global
    Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....

     network.
  • The Air Americans, hosted by Mark Riley with contributors David Bender, Laura Flanders, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Mike Papantonio. (8 PM-midnight ET) Aired May 21, 2007-August 2007.
  • American Afternoon, featuring revolving celebrity guest hosts such as Richard Belzer
    Richard Belzer
    Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...

    , Joy Behar
    Joy Behar
    Josephina Victoria "Joy" Behar is an American comedian, writer, actress, and a co-host of the talk show The View. Behar has a commentary program, entitled The Joy Behar Show, on CNN's sister network, HLN...

    , Ron Reagan
    Ron Reagan
    Ronald Prescott "Ron" Reagan sometimes known as Ronald Reagan, Jr., is a former talk radio host and chief political analyst for KIRO radio in Seattle until his show was canceled on August 8, 2007...

    , and Roseanne. (3–6 p.m. ET) Aired April–June, 2008. Aired as a replacement for Randi Rhodes, later replaced by Doin' Time with Ron Kuby.* EcoTalk
    EcoTalk
    EcoTalk is a radio show on the Air America Radio network, hosted by Betsy Rosenberg. Rosenberg is a long-time radio journalist who has focused on environmental issues for the past eight years...

     with Betsy Rosenberg
    Betsy Rosenberg
    Betsy Rosenberg was the host of EcoTalk on Air America Radio. The program was broadcast every weeknight from 9-10 PM EST. Its last show broadcast on May 19, 2007. Rosenberg decided to leave Air America prior to its "Air America 2.0" re-launch. She sought EcoTalk's own re-launch in national...

     (9–10 p.m. ET), the show moved from the weekends to weeknights effective September 18, 2006. Show removed from weekday schedule May 18, 2007, and may resurface eventually on Sunday mornings.
  • The Kyle Jason Show
    Kyle Jason
    Kyle Jason is a singer, songwriter, musician and performer from Roosevelt, New York. He was the host of The Kyle Jason Show on Air America Radio. The program was broadcast every Saturday night from 2004 until January 2006...

     (two hours)
  • Liberal Arts with Katherine Lanpher
    Katherine Lanpher
    Katherine Lanpher is an American writer, journalist, broadcaster, and podcaster, who came to national prominence as the co-host of the Air America Radio program The Al Franken Show in 2004 and 2005....

     (one hour)
  • Mother Jones Radio
    Mother Jones (magazine)
    Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...

     with Angie Coiro
    Angie Coiro
    Angie Coiro is an American talk radio host. She is host of on KKGN in San Francisco. Prior to that, she was the host of Mother Jones Radio on Air America Radio...

     (one hour)
  • So What Else Is News? with Marty Kaplan
    Marty Kaplan
    Marty Kaplan is the Norman Lear Professor of Entertainment, Media and Society at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism and the founding director of the Norman Lear Center for the study of the impact of entertainment on society...

     (first daily for one hour; later weekends for two hours)
  • The Time Is Now with Rev. Dr. James Forbes
    James A. Forbes
    James Alexander Forbes, Jr. is the Senior Minister Emeritus of the Riverside Church, an interdenominational church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York City. He was the first African American minister to lead this multicultural congregation, and served it for 18 years.- Early life and...


Syndication

On September 8, 2005 Air America Radio formed a separate syndication division, designed to offer additional programming and services to both progressive talk and other talk/music formats. Air America Syndication was used to syndicate Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann is an American radio host, author, former psychotherapist and entrepreneur, and progressive political commentator. His nationally-syndicated radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, airs in the United States and has 2.75 million listeners a week...

, and later Springer on the Radio
Springer on the Radio
Springer on the Radio was an American radio program broadcast from WCKY and later WSAI in Cincinnati from January 17, 2005 to December 5, 2006 and syndicated nationally on the Air America Radio network from April 1, 2005 to September 18, 2006 when it moved to Air America syndication, meaning that...

 which aired at the same time as The Al Franken Show
The Al Franken Show
The Al Franken Show was the flagship talk show of the former talk radio network, Air America Radio. Hosted by Al Franken, it featured commentary and interviews arguing for left-wing positions on the issues of the day, and comically poking fun at the George W. Bush Administration. The show began as...

 and The Sam Seder Show respectively on the regular network lineup. Springer ended his show on December 5, 2006 and Franken's ended on February 14, 2007. On January 29, 2007, Air America announced that Hartmann would replace Franken on the regular network lineup. When Air America entered bankruptcy, there were no programs syndicated as a part of Air America Syndication.

Beginnings

In late 2002 Chicago entrepreneurs Sheldon Drobny
Sheldon Drobny
Sheldon Drobny is an American accountant and successful investor, best known for forming the company that later became Air America Radio.-Career:...

 and Anita Drobny, angered at the firing of their favorite radio host, Mike Malloy
Mike Malloy
Michael Dennis Malloy is an American radio broadcaster from Atlanta, Georgia. Previously his show has been carried by WSB Atlanta, WLS Chicago, the I.E. America Radio Network, the Air America Radio network, Nova M Radio and the On Second Thought network. He is now self-syndicated...

, decided to try to get Malloy syndicated nationally. At Mike's behest they called Atlanta-based radio executive Jon Sinton and requested a national berth for Malloy. The Drobnys hired Sinton as CEO of AnShell Media, and the three went about raising money. The first official fundraiser was in October, 2002 at the home of Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington is a Greek American author and syndicated columnist. She is best known as co-founder of the news website The Huffington Post. A popular conservative commentator in the mid-1990s, she adopted more liberal political beliefs in the late 1990s...

. The gathering was enthusiastically attended by many Hollywood notables. Sinton's brother, broadcaster Carey Bruce Sinton, suggested calling the venture Central Air, a name that stuck until just before launch.

Around this same time, Democratic political operative Tom Athans
Tom Athans
Tom Athans is a media entrepreneur and a notable member of the Democratic Party from the state of Michigan. He is widely considered the originator of the progressive talk radio format in the United States...

 and radio industry veteran Paul Fiddick launched Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio was an organization founded in 2002 by Tom Athans and Paul Fiddick dedicated to creating political balance on America's commercial radio airwaves. The concept was to develop and incubate progressive oriented talk programming and enlist radio networks to market the programs to...

 in Washington, D.C. Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio was an organization founded in 2002 by Tom Athans and Paul Fiddick dedicated to creating political balance on America's commercial radio airwaves. The concept was to develop and incubate progressive oriented talk programming and enlist radio networks to market the programs to...

 was an organization founded in September 2002 dedicated to creating political balance on America's commercial radio airwaves. Its concept was to develop, fund and incubate progressive oriented talk programming and retain well established radio networks to market the programs to stations around the country. Democracy Radio developed and produced talk shows that launched the national careers of Ed Schultz
Ed Schultz
Edward Andrew "Ed" Schultz Is an American television and radio host and a liberal political commentator . He is the host of The Ed Show, a daily news talk program on MSNBC, and The Ed Schultz Show, a talk radio show, nationally syndicated by Dial Global, promising "straight talk."-Early...

 and Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Miller
Stephanie Catherine Miller is an American comedienne and host of The Stephanie Miller Show, a progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles and syndicated nationally by Dial Global. Talkers magazine ranked her as the 24th most important radio talk show host in America for 2010.-Early...

.

AnShell announced its intentions publicly in a New York Times article in February 2003 in which writer Jim Rutenburg interviewed Jon Sinton about the need for a balanced national discussion. Sinton, the Drobnys and their associate, Javier Saade, a Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...

 grad and venture capitalist, continued to raise awareness but little money throughout 2003 by spending time in New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. Sinton met repeatedly with Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....

 to convince him to become the network's anchor talent. Franken did not commit to the enterprise, as he was worried about its sustainability.

After mentioning actress and activist Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...

 during an appearance on Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff is an American television news anchor and journalist.Woodruff is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Broadcast journalism career:...

's Politics Today show on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

, Sinton received a call from Garofalo stating her interest in hosting a show. On a fundraising trip to Los Angeles, Sinton, at the suggestion of Al Franken, met with Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...

 co-creator Lizz Winstead
Lizz Winstead
Lizz Winstead is an American comedienne, radio and television personality, and blogger. A native of Minnesota, Winstead was co-creator of The Daily Show along with Madeleine Smithberg, and served as head writer....

, and she would later co-host one of the original shows and be the first program manager. In November 2003, Sinton's brother Steve Sinton left Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...

's talk radio division to join AAR as vice president of programming and operations.

Meanwhile, none of these talent agreements were finalized, as fundraising was difficult. The reputation of the effort was coming under duress and scrutiny, as it was announced but not taking shape. A further complication was that AnShell found itself competing against Democracy Radio for investors. During a trip to Washington D.C., former Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

 Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...

 John Podesta
John Podesta
John David Podesta was the fourth and final White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, from 1998 until 2001. He is the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington, D.C., and is also a Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law...

 suggested a young lawyer, David Goodfriend, who introduced the Drobnys and Sinton to his former college roommate, Evan Montvel Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen is an American businessman from the island of Guam. He was a founder and the first chairman of the liberal Air America Radio. Cohen has worked primarily in the broadcasting industry and in politics.-Early life:...

, who had profited from advertising and research companies in the Pacific Rim. Having taken the idea as far as they could, the principals sold AnShell Media to Cohen and his partner, Rex Sorensen
Rex Sorensen
Rex Sorensen is the chairman and CEO of Sorensen Media Group. He was a founding board member of Air America Radio.-Biography:Sorensen is a graduate of the University of Oregon and is a Certified Public Accountant. Sorensen started his career in Hawaii as a real estate developer. Sorensen then...

, a broadcaster from Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...

, USA, who formed Progress Media, with Cohen as chairman, and Mark Walsh as CEO; Sinton's title remained as president, but his impact on day to day operations was reduced after the sale to Cohen

Launch and rapid growth

From the hiring or Goodfriend and Walsh in the fall of 2003, the network began to take shape. Al Franken and Garafalo finally agreed to contracts, and in short order the company was able reach agreement and hire Winstead, Chuck D, comedian Marc Maron, media attorney Carl Ginsberg, and many more people. In early 2004, talent, engineers and producers were hired, a lease was signed with New York's WLIB
WLIB
WLIB is an urban contemporary gospel AM radio station located in New York City. WLIB is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation along with sister station WBLS...

 creating a New York home and affiliate, and, at noon Eastern time on March 31, the newly re-named Air America Radio Network was launched.

Air America Radio was then the only all-liberal talk radio network. A predecessor, the UAW
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...

's I.E. America Radio Network
I.E. America Radio Network
i.e. America Radio Network was a Detroit-based radio network consisting primarily of liberal talk and lifestyle shows. They were owned by the United Auto Workers and broadcast nationally from 1996 to 2004, via radio stations and a webcast.-History:...

, which was home to hosts such as Thom Hartmann, Peter Werbe, and Mike Malloy, never gained national attention. Its last day on the air was February 27, 2004, only weeks before Air America took to the airwaves. Although not a network, Democracy Radio launched The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show
The Ed Schultz Show is a radio program hosted by Ed Schultz. It was formerly broadcast from KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota. It is heard on a network of over 100 stations , including seven of the 10 largest radio markets...

 three months prior to the launch of Air America in January 2004. The Stephanie Miller Show followed September 2004.

Franken's show was the centerpiece of Air America, and would remain so for a little less than 3 years. The show featured Franken's low-key humor, political commentary, and guest and audience participation. Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes is an American progressive talk radio personality, formerly featured on Air America Radio and Nova M Radio and now on Premiere Radio Networks. Her eponymous program, The Randi Rhodes Show, airs live Monday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time.-Early life:Rhodes was born in...

 was also in the initial lineup.

AAR became the fastest growing network in modern radio history. The executive team was able to assemble a national network of 100 stations, including 18 of the top twenty markets, in just six months.

Difficulties and turnover

At the time it started Air America Radio, Progress Media, (an entity created and completely controlled by Evan Cohen and his former business partner, Rex Sorenson) stated it had secured US$30 million in venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...

 before its debut. The amount was later estimated by the Wall Street Journal to be closer to US$6 million; Sorensen said that an investor had backed out at the last minute.

Sorensen never identified who the supposed investor was. Sorensen served as the Chief Financial Officer of both Progress Media, and Air America Radio. He had complete control over all funds and banking relationships for the company, and reported directly to the Chairman, Evan Cohen. No one else at the company, from Walsh on down, had any control of or input to Sorensen's activities.

On April 2, 2004, the day after launching the network, CEO Mark Walsh departed the offices for good. He had been having a number of disagreements with Evan Cohen about the direction of the company, and in particular about the complete lack of financial transparency in Cohen's business dealings and fundraising efforts. Walsh was a resident of Washington D.C. and told Cohen that he could not be part of an enterprise run in such a opaque and disruptive fashion. Walsh never returned to the offices while Cohen was chairman, and resigned from the company several weeks later.

Two weeks after the on-air debut of Air America Radio, programming was withdrawn in two key markets due to contract disputes. Multicultural Radio
Multicultural Broadcasting
Multicultural Broadcasting is a media company based in New York City founded by Chinese-American businessman Arthur Liu. Multicultural caters mostly to the Asian American community and owns television and radio stations in several of the top markets in multiple languages.-History:This company was...

 owned two stations contracted to carry Air America programming, in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

 and Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Air America alleged that Multicultural Radio had sold time on its Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 station to both Air America and another party, and said that that was why it stopped payment on checks due to Multicultural while Air America investigated. Multicultural Radio argued that Air America had bounced a check and claimed it was owed in excess of US$1 million. Air America Radio filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...

, charging breach of contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....

 and was briefly granted an injunction to restore the network on WNTD
WNTD
WNTD is an AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Sovereign City Radio Services LLC. Its frequency is 950 AM and has separate day-time and night-time transmitter locations. It is currently one of three stations in the Chicago market that airs Relevant Radio, a Catholic talk...

-AM in Chicago. On April 20, 2004, the network announced the dispute had been settled, and Air America's last day of broadcast on WNTD
WNTD
WNTD is an AM radio station in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by Sovereign City Radio Services LLC. Its frequency is 950 AM and has separate day-time and night-time transmitter locations. It is currently one of three stations in the Chicago market that airs Relevant Radio, a Catholic talk...

 was April 30, 2004. The New York Supreme Court ultimately concluded that the injunction was improvidently entered and that Air America Radio's court action was without merit, dismissing Air America's complaint and awarding over US$250,000 in damages and attorneys' fees to Multicultural. According to a subsequent lawsuit filed by Multicultural, Air America Radio never paid the sums ordered by the court.

Four weeks after Air America's debut, its executive vice president for programming, Dave Logan, left the network. One week after those departures, its chairman and vice chairman, Evan Cohen and his investment partner Rex Sorensen, were forced out by the remaining investors. In a tense late night meeting, which included Franken, Saade, the Drobnys, Mark Walsh and other investors, the company found out that it had virtually no assets. It asked David Goodfriend to operate the company while a reorganization was planned and new funds were raised. Subsequently, the company had a number of acting CEO's, including outside investor Doug Kreeger and Jon Sinton for a short period.

As part of a reorganization, the Progress Media board of directors bought the assets of that company, creating a new company, Piquant LLC; at around the same time, the company decided to stop trying to buy radio stations and lease air time, and to allow affiliates to carry programming outside of the network's offerings.

On February 28, 2005, a new CEO, Danny Goldberg, was named, and in April 2005, Gary Krantz was named president of the network. Ginsburg and Sinton were named co-COOs
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...

 with Ginsburg in charge of operations and Sinton running programming and affiliate relations.

In December 2005, over Sinton's objections, CEO Danny Goldberg broke up the network's morning drive-time show Morning Sedition, and let comedian and co-host Marc Maron
Marc Maron
Marc Maron is an American stand-up comedian and podcast host.He has been host of The Marc Maron Show, and co-host of both Morning Sedition, and Breakroom Live, all politically-oriented shows, produced under the auspices of Air America Media. He was also the host of Comedy Central's Short Attention...

's contract lapse. While the increased overhead for the show's heavily produced format may have been a factor in the show's demise, Maron claimed that Goldberg did not "get" or agree with the comedy on the show. Maron exacerbated the conflict by calling attention to his situation during the show for several weeks, prompting a petition drive that garnered over 5,000 signatures. This was to no avail, as Maron announced on November 28 that his last show would be December 16, 2005. Maron was offered an evening show, which ran briefly on affiliate KTLK in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, but Air America never followed through with promised national syndication and the show was cancelled in July 2006. Goldberg announced his resignation on April 6, 2006, after a little more than a year on the job. Maron guest hosted a few times in 2007, and now cohosts a webcast program for Air America called "Breakroom Live".

Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...

's last day as co-host of The Majority Report was on July 14, 2006. Several reasons for her departure were cited (including her outside acting responsibilities). The show ended a few months later.

By the late summer of 2006 Sinton and Ginsburg's influence was marginalized (both would leave in short order).

On August 30, 2006, nighttime host Mike Malloy
Mike Malloy
Michael Dennis Malloy is an American radio broadcaster from Atlanta, Georgia. Previously his show has been carried by WSB Atlanta, WLS Chicago, the I.E. America Radio Network, the Air America Radio network, Nova M Radio and the On Second Thought network. He is now self-syndicated...

 was fired from the network. Malloy had hosted a nighttime show from the inception of the network. The show was vitriolic in its criticism of the right wing. Comments included referring to the Bushes as the "Bush crime family"; right-wingers commonly were referred to as "rat bastards" and "pigs". In the two weeks before the firing, Malloy had announced an impending multi-year deal for him to stay with Air America (and to return on the air in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

). The firing was explained as for financial reasons. Rumours persist that Malloy's criticism of Israel during its bombardment of Lebanon in the summer of 2006 may have played a role. News of his termination was conveyed via a short statement on the homepage of Malloy's website, posted by his wife/producer Kathy Bay Malloy. His final show was on August 29, 2006, filling in for Randi Rhodes. No mention of his firing was made during the broadcast. Malloy's firing drew criticism from Air America on-air talent, including Rhodes and Sam Seder
Sam Seder
Samuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...

. It also began a large online campaign, including a petition that had over 17,000 signatures as of October 2006. At the end of October, Malloy resumed his show on a newly created progressive radio network, Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...

.

Gloria Wise controversy

In July 2005, the Bronx News
Bronx News
The Bronx News is a weekly newspaper that covers the entire Bronx. Founded in 1975, the Bronx News is known for its headlines and reporting. News stories range from crime, sports, entertainment and politics. The front page appears in color, but photos inside the newspaper appear in black and...

 reported that the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club of Co-op City, a non-profit organization providing services for children and seniors in the Bronx, loaned US$480,000 to Progress Media, then owner of Air America Radio. It later turned out that there had been four separate transfers from Gloria Wise between October 2, 2003, and March 14, 2004, totalling $875,000, and that no interest was to be paid on these loans.

Since then, the city has suspended further funding of the agency, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America has revoked the group's right to use their name, likeness or logo. At the time the funds were to have been transferred, Evan Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen is an American businessman from the island of Guam. He was a founder and the first chairman of the liberal Air America Radio. Cohen has worked primarily in the broadcasting industry and in politics.-Early life:...

, the founder and first chairman of Air America and the former chairman of the now-defunct Progress Media, was also Director of Development for Gloria Wise.

In response to this report, Air America Radio's owners at the time, Piquant LLC, issued a press release stating Piquant had "no obligation to Progress Media's business activities", and Piquant, as previously agreed, would "fully compensate" the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club. While Gloria Wise remains under investigation, Air America has since repaid the loan. On May 28, 2008, Cohen was arrested at Guam International Airport on a warrant from the State of Hawaii. He was indicted in that state for money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...

 and stealing over $60,000 from a Honolulu-based landscaping company.

Air America, The Playbook

Air America, the Playbook, a 300 plus page collection of essays, transcripts, and interviews by mostly Air America personalities was published shortly before the 2006 Congressional elections. It was on the New York Times Best Seller list for October 8, 2006.

Reorganizational bankruptcy and sale to Green Family Media

A week later, on October 13, 2006, Air America filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

 protection under Chapter 11, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. Air America continued broadcasting while the finances were worked out with the creditors. The company had US$4,331,265.30 in assets and US$20,266,056.23 in liabilities. Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....

 alone was owed US$360,749.98 and Rob Glaser
Rob Glaser
Rob Glaser is the founder of RealNetworks which produces RealAudio, RealVideo, RealPlayer, and Helix, among other products and services...

, founder of Real Networks, was owed the most at US$9.8 million. The filing had over 25 pages of creditors and showed that the company lost US$9.1 million in 2004, US$19.6 million in 2005 and an additional US$13.1 million by mid-October in 2006.

On January 29, 2007, Air America "signed a letter of intent to sell its business to SLG Radio LLC, an entity controlled by Stephen L. Green
Stephen L. Green
Stephen L. Green is the founder for S.L. Green Realty Corp., which claims to be Manhattan’s largest owner of office buildings.Green is the older brother of former New York City Public Advocate Mark J. Green...

, the founder and chairman of SL Green Realty Corp, a company that controls 27 million ft2 (2.5 million m2) of real estate with a market capitalization of US$12 billion". Air America CEO Scott Elberg said of Air America's sale, "We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement with Mr. Green, which will solidify Air America’s future." The sale was completed on March 6, 2007 to Green Family Media, a new company created by Stephen Green and his brother Mark J. Green.

Franken moves on to the U.S. Senate

During the bankruptcy, key on air personality Al Franken decided that he was going to give up his show of three years in order to run for U.S. Senate. He made his official announcement during the last show. Thom Hartmann replaced him in March 2007. Franken won a close and highly contested election
United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota took place on November 4, 2008. After a legal battle lasting over eight months, Al Franken from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in one of the closest elections in the history of the Senate...

 to become the 60th Senator in the Democratic Caucus for the 111th United States Congress.

Air America 2.0

After the sale, major changes were quickly put into place. Stephen Green became the network's chairman, and Mark Green became president of Air America, with a hands-on role. Former chief executive Scott Elberg remained as chief operating officer. Mark Green announced on Thursday, April 25, 2007, that Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...

 would take over the handling of Air America's ad sales from Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such as news and talk programs, syndicated radio shows,...

. In addition, a new lineup was unveiled for the radio network. The top four weekday shows were kept, but extensive changes were made to the rest of the lineup. Green also announced a redesign for the network's website, in addition to a new logo.

On March 14, 2007, the new owners of Air America announced the hiring of longtime radio veteran David Bernstein to be the new Vice President of Programming. Prior to joining Air America, he was best known as the program director at New York radio station WOR
WOR (AM)
WOR is a class A , AM radio station located in New York, New York, U.S., operating on 710 kHz. The station has a talk format and has been owned by Buckley Broadcasting since 1987, after the station was sold by RKO. The station has conservative, or right-of-center hosts.Its call letters have no...

 from 1995 to 2002. In an interview with the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....

, Bernstein explained his vision of Air America's future as "I don't see our purpose as 'answering' conservative radio or Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...

. There's no clear majority in this country today. We want to talk to everyone and help everyone make the right choice." On November 15, 2007, industry news site Radio Online reported that Bernstein was exiting Air America.

After being suspended by Air America management for derogatory remarks toward Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Ferraro
Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....

 and Hillary Clinton while off the air, Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes
Randi Rhodes is an American progressive talk radio personality, formerly featured on Air America Radio and Nova M Radio and now on Premiere Radio Networks. Her eponymous program, The Randi Rhodes Show, airs live Monday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time.-Early life:Rhodes was born in...

 quit the network on April 9, 2008, citing a contract dispute. She was one of Air America's more popular hosts, with a listener base of 1.5 million unique listeners per week built up over 4 years. Rhodes moved to Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...

 the next week, but is now syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Radio Networks
Premiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...

 after Nova M went bankrupt. The Randi Rhodes show is aired in its former time slot on the America Left
America Left
Sirius XM Left is located at channel 127 on Sirius XM Radio and carries a progressive/liberal talk format. The channel is programmed by Don Wicklin.-America Left :...

 channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Meanwhile long time host Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...

 was finding her way into television. As a guest host and as a panelist, she appeared on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...

. She started her own show on the network in September 2008, in prime time after Keith Obermann and Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews
Christopher John "Chris" Matthews is an American news anchor and political commentator, known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC...

. Her radio show became more of a replay of her television show, and ultimately her radio program became a one hour show in the mornings.

Maddow didn't want to completely depart from radio. She commented "My relationship with the radio audience is valuable and important. I also believe in what Air America is doing."

Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann is an American radio host, author, former psychotherapist and entrepreneur, and progressive political commentator. His nationally-syndicated radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, airs in the United States and has 2.75 million listeners a week...

 moved his show to the Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....

 radio network on March 1, 2009. Hartmann had been the flagship program on AAR for a year. Montel Williams
Montel Williams
Montel Brian Anthony Williams is an American television personality, radio talk show host and actor. He is best known as host of the long-running The Montel Williams Show, and more recently as a spokesperson for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance...

 hosted the new flagship program in Lionel's previous spot, and Lionel moved his show to the 12pm-3pm ET slot.

Closure

On January 21, 2010, Air America announced that it would immediately cease programming, and the company would file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States...

; citing some of the following reasons on their website:

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times.


Others involved with Air America or progressive talk radio cite other reasons as the cause of the network's demise. Thom Hartmann left Air America due in part to his dissatisfaction with the network’s merry-go-round management. “We’ve been far more successful since we left,” Mr. Hartmann said in an interview after the closure. Several other former employees have made similar complaints, specifically that the management of Air America lacked the necessary broadcasting business expertise.

Liberal talker Alan Colmes opined "Because conservatives were so entrenched on heritage stations, the progressives on Air America were relegated to smaller, less powerful, under-performing signals that could not compete with their more established counterparts; certainly not without lots of promotion and time to develop, both of which were denied in most cases."

Despite Air America's demise, progressive talk radio
Progressive talk radio
Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing liberal or progressive viewpoints of issues, as opposed to conservative talk radio...

 has endured. Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio
Democracy Radio was an organization founded in 2002 by Tom Athans and Paul Fiddick dedicated to creating political balance on America's commercial radio airwaves. The concept was to develop and incubate progressive oriented talk programming and enlist radio networks to market the programs to...

 talkers Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller, now with Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....

, continue to enjoy a strong following with Schultz arguably leading the way as the only liberal talker on both radio and television as a result of the launch of The Ed Show on MSNBC in April 2009. Former Air American Thom Hartmann, now also with Dial Global, remains on the air with an audience size comparable to Schultz and Miller. Mike Malloy independently syndicates his show over a smattering of stations.

Premiere Radio Networks, Clear Channel's national syndication division and home to Rush Limbaugh, signed its first liberal host in 2009. Clear Channel-owned WJNO personality Randi Rhodes, who had been dropped from both Air America and the now-defunct Nova M Radio returned to the airwaves on May 11 of that year on the satellites of Premiere, with Clear Channel's Progressive Talk stations, many of which previously carried Rhodes' show, serving as the linchpin of a national syndication effort.

Ratings

In Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...

's Spring 2008 ratings book, stations carrying a majority AAR programming and in markets reporting every quarter averaged a 1.3 share
Ratings (broadcast)
Ratings is a term used to describe the methods used by radio, cable and terrestrial television programming measure their performance. Ratings are collated using audience measurement.-Mechanisms for Calculating Ratings :...

. The highest rated Air America affiliates were KPOJ
KPOJ
KPOJ is a radio station located in the Portland, Oregon, area. It airs a progressive talk format and was an original Air America Radio affiliate.-History:...

 in Portland, Oregon (3.7 share), WXXM
WXXM
WXXM is a radio station owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications and serving the Madison, Wisconsin metropolitan area. The station airs a progressive talk format, and is noted for surviving a planned 2007 format change from that format to all-sports radio after an organized outpouring...

 in Madison, Wisconsin (3.5), and KABQ
KABQ (AM)
KABQ is a radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, owned by Clear Channel. The station features a news and talk format that started in August 2004....

 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (2.6). The lowest rated affiliates were WDTW
WDTW (AM)
WDTW is a Detroit-area radio station, operating at 1310 kHz with 5,000 watts. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and airs mostly syndicated progressive talk radio programs....

 and WLBY
WLBY
WLBY, "Ann Arbor's Business Talk Radio", is a business talk radio station brodacasting from Saline, Michigan. They carry nationally syndicated programs such as Dave Ramsey, The Clark Howard Show, and The Ray Lucia Show. The station is also home to former WAAM morning host Lucy Ann Lance weekday...

 in Detroit, Michigan (unmeasurable), WOIC
WOIC
WOIC is a News/Talk radio station licensed to Columbia, South Carolina. It serves the Columbia market. The Inner City Broadcasting outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 1230 kHz with an effective radiated power of 1 kW full time...

 in Columbia, South Carolina (0.4), WTKG
WTKG
WTKG is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, and now owned by Clear Channel Communications, it first began broadcasting under the WION call sign...

 in Grand Rapids, Michigan (0.5), and flagship station WWRL
WWRL
WWRL is a radio station in New York City, broadcasting at 1600 kHz AM owned by Access.1 Communications. Since September 1, 2006, its format has been progressive talk radio...

 in New York City (0.5).

WXXM
WXXM
WXXM is a radio station owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications and serving the Madison, Wisconsin metropolitan area. The station airs a progressive talk format, and is noted for surviving a planned 2007 format change from that format to all-sports radio after an organized outpouring...

 in Madison had announced in November 2006 that it would switch to all sports programming by the end of the year. Following backlash from the station's listeners and syndicated hosts, Clear Channel in Madison later backtracked, deciding to leave the progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...

 talk format on the station.

Affiliates

As of October 2008, Air America programming was carried on 66 terrestrial broadcast stations, an increase of 10 percent over the previous six months. Thirty-two of these stations broadcast a majority AAR programming. During the first 4½ years of the network's existence, Air America has lost 63 affiliates to other programming or formats. Air America counts any station that carries any of their programming as an affiliate, similar to radio networks such as ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...

. Stations owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...

 had been early backers of the network, and the company used the network as programming for some of its smaller AM stations. However, in the past few years, the network has been moving instead toward replacing Air America on those stations with Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...

 (a Clear Channel product), as WCKY
WCKY (AM)
WCKY is an AM radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 1530 kHz with 50,000 watts, and its transmitter is located in nearby Villa Hills, Kentucky. It is a class A clear channel station, sharing the frequency with KFBK in Sacramento, and can be heard, particularly at night, over most...

 Cincinnati, KLSD
KLSD
KLSD is a sports station based in San Diego, California. The sports programming began on November 12, 2007. Previously, KLSD's format was progressive talk radio....

 San Diego and WINZ
WINZ (AM)
WINZ, AM 940 The Sports Animal is a sports talk radio station that serves Miami-Fort Lauderdale. The stations airs primarily syndicated programming. It daytime signal reaches as far north as Ft. Pierce and as far west as Ft. Myers and Naples and as far south as The Bahamas. The station has managed...

 Miami were all once Air America affiliates but are now affiliated with Fox Sports. (There have been a few notable exceptions that have remained with Air America, such as WXXM
WXXM
WXXM is a radio station owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications and serving the Madison, Wisconsin metropolitan area. The station airs a progressive talk format, and is noted for surviving a planned 2007 format change from that format to all-sports radio after an organized outpouring...

 in Madison, Wisconsin, which kept Air America after listener protests, and KKGN in San Francisco, where the Fox Sports affiliation is held by another station and there are fewer programming options due to significant competition).

Sirius XM Satellite Radio channel "America Left
America Left
Sirius XM Left is located at channel 127 on Sirius XM Radio and carries a progressive/liberal talk format. The channel is programmed by Don Wicklin.-America Left :...

" gets half its programing from three former Air Americans: Mike Malloy
Mike Malloy
Michael Dennis Malloy is an American radio broadcaster from Atlanta, Georgia. Previously his show has been carried by WSB Atlanta, WLS Chicago, the I.E. America Radio Network, the Air America Radio network, Nova M Radio and the On Second Thought network. He is now self-syndicated...

, Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann is an American radio host, author, former psychotherapist and entrepreneur, and progressive political commentator. His nationally-syndicated radio show, The Thom Hartmann Program, airs in the United States and has 2.75 million listeners a week...

 (twice a day), and "The Young Turks
The Young Turks (talk show)
The Young Turks is a progressive Internet talk show via live web stream and YouTube, and starting in late 2011, a weeknight news and political commentary program airing on Current TV. It was Sirius Satellite Radio's first original talk programming. The Young Turks claims to be the first Internet...

."

See also

  • Jones Radio Networks
    Jones Radio Networks
    Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such as news and talk programs, syndicated radio shows,...

  • Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio
    Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...

  • Talk radio
    Talk radio
    Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...

  • Democracy Radio
    Democracy Radio
    Democracy Radio was an organization founded in 2002 by Tom Athans and Paul Fiddick dedicated to creating political balance on America's commercial radio airwaves. The concept was to develop and incubate progressive oriented talk programming and enlist radio networks to market the programs to...

  • Progressive talk radio
    Progressive talk radio
    Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing liberal or progressive viewpoints of issues, as opposed to conservative talk radio...

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK