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Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
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SuperFlyBCat Offline
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Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/01/2...and-burns/

Air America Radio Crashes and Burns

Posted by jkiesewetter January 21st, 2010, 4:57 pm They pulled the plug on the liberal Air America radio network today. Original programming ends at 6 p.m. today, and the network goes dark after reruns stop airing 9 p.m. Monday. There’s no Air America affiliate here, though some shows did air on WCKY-AM (1530) with the launch of Jerry Springer’s talk show in January 2005.

Here’s the statement sent staffers at 4:36 p.m. today by Chairman Charlie Kireker:

It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business. 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.


Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success. With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies.

When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation’s history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as “un-American”— Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation.

Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress.

Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival…..but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure. We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end.

We are proud that Air America’s mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation’s progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues.

Thank you.

Charlie Kireker, Chair, Air America Media
01-21-2010 05:40 PM
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Rebel
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Post: #2
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Who?
01-21-2010 05:43 PM
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SuperFlyBCat Offline
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 05:43 PM)Rebel Wrote:  Who?

03-lmfao
01-21-2010 05:46 PM
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smn1256 Offline
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
I think we should raise taxes to keep it on the air. It's too big to fail, you know.
01-21-2010 05:51 PM
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 05:51 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I think we should raise taxes to keep it on the air. It's too big to fail, you know.

....stay tuned.....
01-21-2010 05:59 PM
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DrTorch Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 05:40 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics.

So why does he think the Gov't can?
01-21-2010 06:27 PM
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Paul M Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
How many times can these asshats go bankrupt?
01-21-2010 07:40 PM
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WoodlandsOwl Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 07:40 PM)Paul M Wrote:  How many times can these asshats go bankrupt?

Clear Channel won't bail them out this time.

Funny how other radio syndicators like Premier, Westwood One, CBS, Clear Channel are able to stay in business and make a decent profit.
01-21-2010 08:22 PM
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Rebel
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Post: #9
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
What I said on MT.org:

Quote:Blamed the economy? The Obama economy? Seems the conservative shows are doing well. Maybe this is the newest thing with liberals, blame something else on your failures.

Hey Charlie, it wasn't the economy, it was your message. No one wants to sit there listening to how America sucks all day long and how Socialism and Marxism is the key to "progress".
01-21-2010 08:25 PM
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NIU05 Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
PBS should purchase them and run them as an affiliate.
01-21-2010 08:49 PM
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sparkomemphis Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 08:49 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  PBS should purchase them and run them as an affiliate.

They already have NPR
01-21-2010 09:19 PM
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dwr0109 Offline
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Shocker. By far the most boring content and "personalities" in the history of media.
01-22-2010 01:15 AM
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Paul M Offline
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Liberals want to silence hate speech? They got their wish.
01-22-2010 09:54 AM
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rickheel Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Maybe they can ask Rush for a few bucks. He is freakin rolling in it.
01-22-2010 10:48 AM
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SumOfAllFears Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Star personalities like Al Franken and Rachel Maddow?03-lmfao03-lmfao
(This post was last modified: 01-22-2010 10:55 AM by SumOfAllFears.)
01-22-2010 10:55 AM
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Lord Stanley Offline
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Post: #16
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-21-2010 05:46 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  
(01-21-2010 05:43 PM)Rebel Wrote:  Who?

03-lmfao

Silly posters, don't you remember the old CIA airfreight program?

Wait, what?
01-22-2010 11:10 AM
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RobertN Offline
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Post: #17
RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
Good thing that many of the lefts radio hosts weren't even on "Air America". While they may not be getting as big of an audience(old white people is larger than the younger more liberal crowd who don't spend their every waking hour listening and/or talking about politics).
01-24-2010 04:28 PM
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ummechengr Offline
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RE: Air America Radio Crashes and Burns
(01-24-2010 04:28 PM)RobertN Wrote:  Good thing that many of the lefts radio hosts weren't even on "Air America". While they may not be getting as big of an audience(old white people is larger than the younger more liberal crowd who don't spend their every waking hour listening and/or talking about politics).

Using your dumb example...which group would appear to care more about what's going on in the country by staying informed and expressing their right to free speech by discussing certain topics pertaining to the decisions that are made on their behalf by elected officials.....and which group, well just calls everyone that disagrees with the current administration racists, or in the case of black conservatives...not really black (Thanks Mr. Jackson).
01-25-2010 06:07 PM
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