Malloy: Right Wing Management at Air America

[bookman]

Just listening to Mike steaming.

He spoke of right wing management at Air America. It was most upsetting. Does anyone have more info on this?

[Downtown Hound]

1. Oooh! Where can I stream from?

on edit: sorry, I thought you said streaming, not steaming.

[Eric J in MN]

2. Sheldon Drobny, founder of AAR, criticizes Rob Glaser

...who decided to declare bankruptcy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheldon-drobny/air-americas-future_b_31692.html


Whether Rob Glaser is right-wing, I don't know. The only poltician newsmeat lists him donating to is CANTWELL, MARIA (D)
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?city=Seattle&st=WA&last=glaser&first=rob

[Union Thug]

10. I'm guessing the Glaser/Cantwell link involves Real Player/Audio/Whatever.

...anyone know for sure?

[upi402]

15. cantwell is a corporatist mostly

social dem, otherwise anti-worker fiscally.

[madfloridian]

3. Here's the article from Creative Loafing featuring Mike.

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=135707

"Malloy had lost other jobs because of his politics, including a highly rated show at Chicago's WLS-AM (890). Blogosphere babble has it that Malloy's often-heated criticism of Israel, especially during its disastrous adventure in Lebanon, prompted pressure from Jewish groups. Malloy doesn't discount his detractors, but blames his demise on Air America management. "They're liars, cheats and thugs," he says. "They have no intention of keeping the original mission of progressive radio."

Tom Taylor, editor of the Inside Radio newsletter, says the near extinction of left talk radio coincides with deregulation. "In 15 years, the national limit on ownership has gone from 14 stations to no limit," Taylor says, "while the local limit has gone from two stations to eight in large markets." In other words, a few conservative, corporate honchos decide what's heard.

Air America was born to give progressive talk a home. Earlier attempts, including one by a union-owned network where Malloy worked, had failed to gain traction. Air America immediately ran into big trouble. Investors and management were replaced and replaced again. Ex-CEO Evan Cohen, a Republican activist, created a scandal by diverting money from a youth club to Air America. The network's star, Al Franken, called Cohen a "crook."

Last spring, Air America lost its full-time Atlanta affiliate (full disclosure: CL hosted a show on that station). Then, in August, the network went from its New York flagship, WLIB, to a lower-power station. Air America is now under the control of Rob Glaser, who founded the RealPlayer software company. Glaser has brought in an odd duo of bosses: CEO Jim Wiggett, who has no broadcasting experience, and CFO Bob Ennis, who previously worked for Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp.

Wiggett concedes severe financial problems, but says, "We're still broadcasting." Ennis says Malloy's suggestion that he's Murdoch's stealth saboteur is a "clever conspiracy story. It shows the depth of Mike's delusion."

[Downtown Hound]

4. How the hell did all these conservatives ever get to be in charge

of Air America? That's a little like hiring Free Republic moderators to run DU.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Downtown Hound]

8. ......

:eyes:

[Missy Vixen]

13. Excuse me?

>You think that DU doesn't have FR-like mods from time to time?<

I've been lucky enough to serve as a mod more than once. Those I've met who also were moderators are, to a person, conscientious, hard-working, and very definitely Democrats.

To read those I count as friends unjustly maligned is nothing short of sad.

Julie

[tech3149]

11. I don't think it's a matter of RW ideology per se

It seems to be a common theme in corporate America (if not worldwide) that the focus of the company is unimportant. I've seen it directly in the electronics industry and book sellers that executives are brought on board who have no knowledge of the industry and they are judged on their short term effectiveness of boosting profits or mid-level executives manipulating reports to present their figures to put their performance in the best light. In essence executives are chosen based on their short term financial performance or how it is perceived without regard to the effect on the focus of the company beyond immediate profits. In todays world Shakespear would most certainly say "first thing, we kill all the MBA's".

[bobbie]

9. Ah yes, the word "conspiracy" is synonymous with "deranged"

In right wing vernacular.

[TheWraith]

5. Pretty damn sad.

It seems to me that Malloy is pissed because he got fired from the network, and so concocts some elaborate fantasy about supposed right-wing management. If there were right wing management at AAR, how does all their other programming stay on the air?

[choie]

12. why is it a fantasy?

The fact is that Bob Ennis was a member of murdoch's newscorp. If that's not right wing media credentials, I don't know what is. Air America has been beset by these bastards since Evan Cohen involvement. It's about time somebody spoke out.

[TheWatcher]

14. Why is it a Fantasy?

Because TheWraith said so.

Good enough for me. Is American Idol On? :sarcasm:

[ikojo]

17. No, but Dancing with the Stars might be on and if

that's not on there is always Deal or No Deal.

[upi402]

16. Malloy's past "fantasies" are our current NIGHTMARES

It would be helpful if more Republicans would listen to him. That is, if they actually cared about this country.

AAR seems to be intentionally committing suicide. They move talenst around different timeslots and eliminates popular ones. It gives other strong talent a lesser timeslot.

I can only wonder what the hell goes on with that Rupert Murdoch minion.

[Pepper32]

7. Is Mike on the air saying this?

Is there a link?

On edit: Nevermind, I found the it.