Air America to relaunch with A-listers

[brooklynite]

Source: Crain's New York Business

(AP) — Air America is scheduling a high-profile lineup of presidential candidates, political players and celebrities for next week as part of the liberal talk network's "relaunch" after suffering financial woes.

Democratic candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, along with luminaries like Robert Redford, Paul Newman and Gloria Steinem, are among the more than 30 guests scheduled, the network announced Thursday.

New shows are also being added to the schedule, featuring famous correspondents and hosts, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Arianna Huffington and Bob Kerrey. The network also redesigned its Web site, where hosts will regularly blog along with a newly-hired blogger, Nancy Scola.

Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the subject of persistent presidential speculation despite his denials of any interest, was to tape his interview Thursday, facing questions from a former political foe, Mark Green.

Read more: http://www.newyorkbusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070517/FREE/70517009/1084/newsletter01

---

I'd like their programming to be successful, but so far I find most of the hosts to be uninspiring in either topics covered or quality of discussion.

[sam sarrha]

1. i am about to drop Premium and just get a CCrane 4 hr recorder and tape it off XM, i only listen to

a few of them now... they keep dropping the good people like Sam and put ED...eeeuuuuwwwww on XM instead of Thom Hartman... ED isn't even the other side of Thom's coin.

i will be waiting for the improvement.. thanks for the post

[Fluffdaddy]

3. I will keep my Premium membership just a bit longer.........But I better

see major improvement as well.

[sam sarrha]

8. me too... but every time i go back from not listening to a replacement and find Lee , they drop him

then there is Lyle.. i dont think i will invest anymore time on Lyle.. i tried.. lee wasnt sam and lyle isnt lee..i hate to be irratable about it, but i feel really cranky about it

AAR is the only real news access, i am an information junkie, i hate seeing something really good go to ' less content shows '... but if that is what it takes, oh well. thay have to pay the rent...

[krkaufman]

25. Lyle? Or Lionel?

[bananas]

6. XM streams are free with the new version of winamp. nt

[krkaufman]

26. Waaaah??

More info, please.

[bananas]

33. Oops, they only have about 20 XM stations, I don't think AAR is there

They're listed in the winamp Media Library under:
Online Services - AOL Radio With XM - XM Satellite Radio

Looks like it's been there since winamp 5.1,
I just noticed it a few weeks ago.
They're 64kbps stereo.

http://digg.com/music/Listen_to_XM_Satellite_Radio_for_FREE_now_through_Winamp_

Listen to XM Satellite Radio for FREE now through Winamp!

AOL Radio featuring XM is now available through Winamp. Once you have downloaded the Full, Bundle, or Pro version of Winamp 5.1, open up the Media Library, and start listening to AOL Radio Featuring XM today!

[leQ]

32. really??

on edit: you can listen to them via their website.

[bananas]

34. See my post #33 above. nt

[tridim]

2. Stop firing your best hosts AAR

and maybe you'll have a chance.

If it weren't for Randi, I'd never even bother tuning in.

[OwnedByFerrets]

5. You dont like Thom?

He is the smartest talk show host in the air. Randi is second.

[tridim]

7. I do listen to Thom, but I thought he was a syndicated AAR host.

Whereas Randi is an AAR employee.

[OwnedByFerrets]

31. Opps, didnt realize the difference.

[orleans]

39. wait...randi has said that she is employed by clear channel

on edit: i realize i might have sounded sarcastic, but i'm not.

she works at aar but since she has been there she said she works for clear channel; i just don't understand how this works--they contract her out? not sure.

[sam sarrha]

9. Randi, Hartman and Sam.... oh... i forgot about sam

[NewJeffCT]

4. I wish I could listen

They're not really in my signal range here in the Hartford, CT area and I'm not going to get satellite radio for AAR.

Once in a while, when I go out at lunchtime, I can get a signal from western Mass on AM 1600 and can hear the end of Stephanie Miller and the start of Thom Hartman. But, they sign off around 7pm each night, so I can't hear them at night.

and, I can't listen on the internets at work.

[PSPS]

10. They better get their sales staff to wake up and get off their lazy asses.

AAR's ad load is still mostly unsold. Over half the spots are either PSA's or ads for "joke" products and services like baldness & impotence "cures," predatory lenders, get-rich-quick scams, and the like.

[Arugula Latte]

12. I think many companies won't buy airtime on AAR.

There was a thing a year or so ago about a blacklist. AAR is too liberal for the corporate types.

[Canuckistanian]

16. A lot of companies do the blacklist thing

And it isn't just Conservative/Liberal.

A lot of companies just don't want to be associated with just one political stripe.

Rush has a blacklist. Hannity, too.

On the other hand, some companies seek out both. I've heard the same ad on both "EIB" and AAR sometimes.

It's purely a conceived business decision.

[brooklynite]

11. Additional Details from AAR

NEW OWNERSHIP "RELAUNCHES" AIR AMERICA RADIO WITH NEW WEBSITE, LINEUP, LOOK & SLOGAN

Network begins "I'm an Air American!" campaign with Paul Newman ad. AAR Hosts interview 30+ Headliners for Official ReLaunch on May 21-22, including: Clinton, Edwards, Obama, Richardson -- as well as Steinem, Sorensen, Newman, Nader, Stephanopoulos, Spitzer, Bloomberg, Waxman. Nancy Scola hired as chief blogger.
NEW YORK – May 17, 2007– Air America Radio today released a new website and ad campaign in conjunction with the official "ReLaunch" of Air America 2.0 on Monday May 21. All 12 Air America hosts starting on the 21st will air some 30+ taped interviews with prominent headliners (see list below) who discuss their thoughts on the Iraq war, campaign finance reform and the ’08 election, among other topics.

"The completely redesigned website will give Air America listeners another platform to participate in the progressive movement through an interactive blog where they can read and give commentary on topical issues of the day," said Mark Green, the new president of Air America; the site will also be easier to navigate with updated information about AAR shows and talent.

The network's hosts will begin to regularly blog on the 21st ReLaunch, along with Nancy Scola, who has been chosen as Air America's chief blogger. Nancy Scola is a Brooklyn-based blogger and writer who has served as a congressional aide and a presidential campaign staffer; she writes widely online, on everything from the latest in technology policy to the rebuilding of New Orleans.

The network also kicked off a new “I'm an Air American!” ad campaign in various radio trade publications, featuring the actor Paul Newman, as well as a series of talent-based ads beginning with Lionel, who joins the network from 9a-12p.

The two new weekday shows include "Lionel" and "The Air Americans" hosted by veteran Mark Riley, with correspondents Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Mike Papantonio, David Bender and Laura Flanders, airing at 8p-12a weeknights. The new weekend shows include "Seder on Sunday" from 4-7p Sunday and "7 Days in America" 6-7p Saturdays, a week-in-review show with Arianna Huffington, Mark Green, Bob Kerrey and Bob Shrum.

"This new phase in Air America's three year history has three goals," concluded Green. "First, we’ve created an even stronger lineup based on proven veterans, like Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, and The Young Turks. Second, we’ve rebuilt the website to create a community and conversation that becomes the go-to progressive bulletin board and social network in the country. And third, we’re asking all progressive patriots interested in talk radio to become 'Air Americans.' The critical mass of 30 headliners kicking off Air America 2.0 is the kind of news and views that we'll be offering for years to come and that no other radio or TV network now provides."

Air America Radio is the national progressive entertainment talk radio network. It is broadcast on 64 stations nationwide and on XM satellite and can be heard via live Internet streaming on www.airamericaradio.com.

The guests interviewed include:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg
David Brooks
A.G. Jerry Brown
Ron Brownstein
Senator Hillary Clinton
Howard Dean
Senator Dick Durbin
Senator John Edwards
Senator Russ Feingold
Al Franken
Senator John Kerry
Tony Kushner
Josh Marshall
Chris Matthews
Markos Moulitsas
Ralph Nader
Paul Newman
Senator Barack Obama
Rep. Charles Rangel
Robert Redford
Senator Jack Reed
Gov. Bill Richardson
Anthony Romero
Liev Schreiber
Rep. Louise Slaughter
Ted Sorensen
Gov. Eliot Spitzer
Gloria Steinem
George Stephanopoulos
Joe Trippi
Rep. Henry Waxman
Rep. Anthony Weiner

[bbgrunt]

13. David Brooks???? David Brock maybe, Or am I confused?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

35. nope-brooks

.

[Hun Joro]

23. I got that and immediately unsubscribed from their mailing list.

Screw AAR. David Brooks and Chris Matthews? Please. I was patient with them when they cancelled Unfiltered and then Morning Sedition, and I found other things to listen to (Democracy Now) in the mornings when Springer was on, but I'm done with them. I might still listen to Randi, although I'm surprised they're keeping her, since the goal seems to be the destruction of liberal radio.

[krkaufman]

27. Bob Shrum? Are you kidding me? AAR is *definitely* heading in the wrong direction...

... if they think Bob 'oh-fer' Shrum is someone worth broadcasting. I hope they're successful in the re-launch, so people like Hartmann can expand their audience, but the lineup has definitely veered Rightward from the early days.

[silverojo]

14. How come nobody's recommending this thread?

K&R, baby! I guess tales of Air America's demise were premature! :rofl:

:kick:

[Wiley50]

15. Air America To Relaunch Listing To Starboard Instead of Port

Lionel Sucks
A-List, my ass

I stream Nova M now

Get Randi and Hartmann
Plus
Malloy

AAR is moving to the darkside

and I bet the rest of their Lefties jump ship to Nova M when their contracts come up for renewal

[geomon666]

17. Nova M already broadcasts Randi's show....

So AAR, in my opinion, can go take a flying leap.

[PBass]

19. I've been a huge AAR fan, and I'm doing my best

to stay interested, but it's been really really hard.

Air America REALLY screwed the pooch when they demoted Sam Seder (their best news analyst and host) and when they lost Al Franken, they apparently lost his amazing Rolodex (and the phone numbers of his excellent guests like Melanie Sloan).

I liken the Greens (new AAR owners) to somebody who buys a restaurant for the first time, and then decides that he'll fix everything by totally changing the menu all around. Just get rid of all the popular specials that the regulars like... because "what do the customers know about running a restaurant?"

And why do they make all these changes? Because "What good is buying a restauarant if you can't change everything".

When AAR stupidly demoted Sam Seder, they essentially lost the network's very best news analyst (IMO), plus he was funny, and nobody handled conservative callers better. Seder went from being 'the future of Air America' to being an asterisk in the schedule, and boy oh boy, that totally sucks.

Thom Hartman is good but I prefer radio hosts who analyze the hard news and current events, and overall trends... not so interested in philosophical discussions about topics like Ayn Rand. If you absolutely have to discuss Ayn Rand, can you limit it to once a month?

So far Lionel seems okay, with much more personality than substance. And exchanging him for Seder seems like a lousy trade. "CONTENT IS KING" not just on the internet but on the radio too.

[feminazi]

30. I listen to Nova M

But I can't stand Jeff Farias...ugh. Peter B Collins was bland, but he was better than Farias.

[Maat]

21. I stream NovaM all day also!

I need my full 3 hours of Hartmann, and my full three hours of Hartmann - and my full 3 hours of Malloy! I listen to Stacey Taylor, Scooter and Craig on 1360 KLSD from 7-9 (they begin at 6)before Thom comes on at 9 AM!

I can also listen to the first hour of Thom on Sirius as I'm driving around, and Sirius puts on Thom's 2nd and 3rd hours at 10 PM at night.

So, now I'm happy. I'd be even happier if NovaM landed Sam Seder.

I also listen to Randi in the afternoon on KLSD 1360.

[krkaufman]

28. "if NovaM landed Sam Seder"

From your fingers to God's eyeballs....

[sellitman]

18. I dropped XM & AAR when Springer was put on.

I don't miss it one bit. I bought a iPod and loaded it up with 3 thousand songs and off I go.

[bunny planet]

20. I still can't believe they took off Sam Seder weekdays for this crappy Lionel

show. He is unlistenable. Sam was great. Bring him back AAR, five days a week, not one. I can't give up my premium just yet though, that's how I listen to the Young Turks and any other shows I have to miss.

[JPZenger]

22. I Totally Agree

[Javaman]

24. There was a giant shift in programming after the dems won, haven't you noticed?

I can't stand to listen to it anymore.

I will listen to Randi and Rachel but that's it. I can't stomach how watered down the rest of it has become.

The whole point it was doing well was because it wasn't pandering to the advertisers. now it is.

I can totally understand the idea of wanting to make a profit but they sold out completely.

[krkaufman]

29. "shift in programming after the dems won"

Yeah, I've been especially suspicious of the Seder "demotion" given the platform he provided to outside-the-Beltway types, including bloggers (Markos, Atrios, Bill Scher) and politicians (Ned Lamont, for one). Sam's show was, in my opinion, the best hybrid out there, bringing the Internet towards the traditional broadcast medium, and I often wonder if Mark Green's purchase of AAR wasn't partially driven by a desire to water-down AAR's content. (Just paranoia, perhaps, but I'm totally at a loss as to why they'd dump their best show -- in my opinion.)

[seriousstan]

36. Drifting closer to center to get an audience. This should be interesting.

[NuttyFluffers]

37. outside of randi, flanders, maddow, ring of fire, and seder i don't bother w/ AAR

that's the only talent i hear on the network currently. i miss chuck d terribly. he was shuffled all over the place and now i think he's gone. anyway, the rest of the lineup doesn't stand much of a chance dragging me back in. as long as the ones i mentioned are there, i'm marginally ok with them. but if they go, i go, and i don't look back.

what is so hard about listening to the voice of experience? buy a restaurant? talk to the old managers, the old regular customers, and the old cook. doesn't seem advice all that hard to take.

[JI7]

38. never listened to Air America much, but i don't find this all that appealing

i want something that is more of a Bill Moyers style.