What's the latest on Air America radio?

[undeterred]

[davidwparker]

1. still there. podcasts downloaded fine and it's stil being streamed as

I type this.

[snowbear]

2. No "brand new" news it seems...

I'm glad that Stephanie Miller & Big Ed Schultz are on a different network. And that Thom Hartmann and others have been picked up by other networks!!

But as far as Air America itself --- I haven't seen any new news since 11/30 -- http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/local/16129141.htm

I read that Al Franken is heading off for another USO Tour, and isn't holding his breath on returning to his show when it's over..



Note: Big Eddie's show is doing incredibly well! Changes to a new timeslot this coming Monday and will compete with Blow hard Limbaugh.. (who Eddie is beating in NUMEROUS major outlets!)

[rocktivity]

3. According to two sources familiar with the negotiations,

Air America is in the final stages of arranging a sale to a small media company, which they declined to name. "My understanding is that everything is done except for the final touches," says one former Air America staffer. "It's a media company—a very small one. I had never heard of it."

...(Another) source...expressed doubt that the new owner could afford to employ Air America's two biggest names—Franken and Randi Rhodes...

...Franken insists he's not paying attention to the turmoil—"I'm Zen-ing it," he says—and he's focused on his upcoming USO tour.
(Radar Online, 12/8/06)

If the company is so small they can't afford Franken and Rhodes, why are they trying to buy the station? And do you REALLY believe that Franken is leaving with NO idea what he'll be coming back to? And how realiable is a FORMER staffer as a source?

In conclusion, I think we're going to be hearing some good news about AirAm.

:headbang:
rocknation

[undeterred]

5. I think Franken might be ready to go anyway

I could be totally wrong, but if he is planning to run for Senate in 2008, its not going to hurt him too much to leave AAR now. He's got plenty of things going on. For Randi, this is her career. I'd hate to see her leave, but no one is irreplaceable. I think there are a lot of terrific progressives ready to come on board at Air America if they can no longer afford her.

[LTR]

6. You know, AAR can be pretty frustrating at times

These guys are shrouded in more secrecy than the illuminati! They leave everyone to just float rumors about them.

And I wish Franken would make up his damned mind already. It seems like he doesn't really care about radio anymore, and as a result is starting to lose a lot of his station clearances to either Hartmann or Schultz. I'm starting to think that he's weighing down the network. He needs to go one way or another, and quit being a distraction. I honestly think he'll go. He's not a radio guy by nature, and like Jerry Springer, who ended his show this week, he's got plenty of other projects to amuse himself with. At least we know people like Randi, Steph and Eddie are pure radio people. They don't do anything else (unless you count Steph's occasional dalliance with TV, but her success lies on the radio).

[Cooley Hurd]

4. This morning, Sam Seder said that he's very confident AAR will be fine...

:thumbsup:

He said he has a great deal of faith in the "present" AAR management and that AAR will continue on...

[LSK]

7. Al Franken is going on a USO tour in Iraq

His last words were "see you next time".

So he plans on returning from what I can tell.

[jgraz]

8. Here's a recording of the comments by Sam

I cut this down from the podcast today. Not a lot of info, but good vibes all around.

http://homepage.mac.com/jgraz/Seder.mp3

[robcon]

9. I don't think we should be tough on AA.

They don't want to announce anything prematurely - without the i's dotted and t's crossed.

I doubt things will be the same - the current model is not making money. I believe any person or organization that wants to buy a network that's losing money will have significant changes in mind.