Bust but still beaming: US liberal radio

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1923883,00.html

Last month Air America denied claims that it was headed for bankruptcy, but with just $4m (£2.1m) in assets and debts of more than $20m, the semblance of normality could not be sustained. Under a chapter 11 filing for bankruptcy protection, the network will be able to continue broadcasting while it sorts out its financial problems.

Early on its finances looked shaky, with a lack of cash forcing it to cease broadcasting in several large cities, such as Dallas and Philadelphia, or to move to weaker signals. It has also suffered a string of management problems, with three chief executives in the past six months.

"From the beginning it has been a comedy of nincompoops," said Michael Wolff, media columnist with Vanity Fair magazine. "The lesson to draw from this is that progressives and liberals don't know anything about financing a business."

Michael Harrison, publisher of the US talk radio trade magazine, Talkers, said the network had so many debtors it was "the walking dead". "There's a fundamental problem here: if you start a business saying you are going to save the world in a higher cause, and then don't pay your employees, you aren't going to get a lot of support." He said it was founded on a false premise: that America lacked liberal media. "There is tonnes of liberal media - just look at National Public Radio. It just doesn't shout about it."

[tularetom]

1. There's so much wrong in those quotes I don't know where to start

"progressives and liberals" aren't the only ones who don't know anything about financing a business. The "conservative" bidnessman who fucked up Arbusto and Harken eneregy apparently didn't know much about it either. I believe "progressive and liberal" George Soros bailed him out once. Besides I believe the CEO's of AA have been basically apolitical - not advocates of progressive causes.

"tonnes of liberal media - just look at National Public radio." I think by now most Americans have caught on to the fact that NPR is anything but "liberal media".

I think the business plan was top down and flawed. They should have built a product in the podunk stations before trying to break into major media markets.

[LTR]

3. The cons have had their own spectacular media failures too

Ever hear of National Empowerment Television (America's Voice)? The only reason it wasn't as noteworthy as AAR is because it never even came close to even getting off the ground.

And they even loaded it up with brand-name shows too, including stuff from the NRA, the Cato Institute, the Family Research Council and (drum roll please...) The Newt Gingrich Show! Hell, Newtie even tried to raise money for them!

Here's more about this colossal failure. I'm even working on an article for my blog about this mess:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Empowerment_Television

[LTR]

2. Lost of flaws in that article

And having worked in radio, it is my observation that newspaper people don't understand the medium.

First of all, the article makes it seem like they were forced to give up Dallas and Philly due to cashflow problems. The Dallas station was sold by its owner (Border Media Partners, not affiliated with AAR) to a religious group. And the station in Philly (WHAT-AM) only aired Franken and Rhodes, surrounded by a whole schedule of black-oriented programming. Long-time WHAT listeners started to abandon the station, which forced WHAT to drop the two AAR shows.

I just wish reporters would do a little fact-checking, instead of just relying on RW blogs.

And Michael Harrison isn't much of a source. "Talkers" magazine is highly overhyped and overrated for what it is, but it isn't much of a source for anything.

[zreosumgame]

4. but...but...butt was'nt Soro's pouring millions into AAR?

O'Lielly and Insannity keeps telling us that!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

5. One of the otherwise unlistenable Galvin Brothers this morning >

while covering for Springer had a good point about NPR. He said NPR got a reputation for being liberal because liberals make up much of the audience BUT liberals listen because, unlike conservatives, they are open to hearing content that doesn't simply underscore and validate their existing notions.