Maddow renews with AAR, show will move to mornings

[LTR]

Here's the press release, which just landed in my email box. As it looks, Maddow moves to mornings (for an hour) and Ron Reagan expands his show to 6-9P ET.

NEW YORK – Rachel Maddow has reached a new agreement with Air America Media to extend her tenure with the company’s Radio Network and Interactive Division. “The Rachel Maddow Show” will air as a one-hour program to be presented in morning drive time on the network’s affiliates and streamed on airamerica.com.

“Rachel is a unique talent with an unlimited future,” said Air America CEO Bennett Zier. “We are delighted that Air America remains her radio home.”

“We’re elated with Rachel’s continued commitment to Air America,” added SVP/Programming Bill Hess. “As millions of Americans now know, Rachel has become a breakout star and our affiliates and listeners will continue to benefit from her wit, intelligence and insight.”

Simultaneously, “The Ron Reagan Program” will expand to three hours, airing weekdays from 6-9pm EST, also beginning February 2. After co-anchoring for Air America during the 2008 Republican National Convention, appearing as a regular panelist on Air America’s “7 Days in America” and guest-hosting “American Afternoon” in 2008, Reagan joined the company as a permanent host in September.

“The response to Ron Reagan’s one-hour program has been outstanding and we’re very happy to offer listeners, viewers, and readers even more of Ron’s perspective in 2009,” added Hess.

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2009/01/rachel-renews.html

[hlthe2b]

1. I wonder if XM will carry it...

[Ninga]

8. XM and Sirius got a lot of money from me just because I wanted to hear AAR. XM

does not do AAR justice.

Nor its subscribers like me.

:shrug:

[hlthe2b]

9. Exactly.... AAR has been preempted throughout the Fall....

not only on weekends, but often on weeknights... I am very close to canceling totally, but know my radios will be just a waste $$ since I doubt I'd get much for them.

[SharonRB]

2. Please tell me Rachel's hour will replace part of Bill Press' show!

I've missed her in the morning. I know Press isn't part of AAR, so I wonder what this will do to our local scheduling, if anything.

[Ichingcarpenter]

What about "The Lionel Show"

That's one I don't listen to either

I like Ron's program and glad he got a contract but sill miss Sammy taking
down right wingers.

[SharonRB]

11. We don't get Lionel here (except I think maybe in the middle of the night)

Thank goodness! I only listen when Nancy Skinner subs for him.

[hlthe2b]

10. I wish XM would have TYT in real time, ditch Bill Press, have Rachel

on in the morning followed by Hartman--timeshift Big Ed (I've equivocal on him)....

[shireen]

3. i like Reagan

listened to a few of his shows, and thought he did a pretty good job. That new time slot, 6-9pm, is a good one, tho' i wish he had 3-6, after Hartmann (the guy in that spot is so-so, not good, not bad).

[onehandle]

4. But she's my drive home buddy on XM.

Bill Press is my drive in buddy. What time will she be on?

[ronnykmarshall]

5. Love Rachel ...

but XM Left better not pull Shephanie Miller off.

[meegbear]

6. She's one busy bee ...

good for her!

[LSparkle]

7. Frankly, I think this is a good move ...

Rachel has used repeats of the audio portion of her MSNBC
show for part of her 3-hour slot occasionally (which for
someone like me who watches her religiously makes for a
"stale" show). Who hosts AAR's morning show? We get
Jones programming here in L.A. (Bill Press then Stephanie
Miller) so I don't know who's on AAR ...

I LOVE Ron Reagan, though -- and I think giving him a
full 3-hour show will be great (especially for us on the
West Coast who will hopefully continue to get him in
evening drive).

[SharonRB]

12. I just checked their site and they don't currently have any AAR

programming in the mornings. I guess that explains why so many affiliates air Jones shows. I love Stephie, but I could live without Press -- I really don't like him. I hope our local affiliate shortens his show so we can get Rachel. The release doesn't say which hour of drive time she's going to be doing, but I kind of hope it's 7:00 so I can listen to her while I get ready for work.

[Ian David]

13. PLEASE let this be the death of The Lionel Show!

Rachel is an ideal morning show.

She is pathologically perky, conveys a large amount of information in a short time, and she's more family-friendly than Stephanie Miller (not that I mind, but my wife doesn't like my daughter listening to Squeezie McFeelpants in the car).

[SharonRB]

14. Amen to that

but Rachel will only be on for one hour during drive time. She'll be done by the time Stephie comes on!

[mucifer]

15. Anyone else notice how segregated liberal talk radio is? AAR and Jones and Nova M

only hire white people for their major time slots. You can find liberal black owned radio stations. There doesn't seem to be a mixing of the two. It's weird and I don't like it!

[clbuck]

16. I'm not surprised that Rachel's show is moving

Rachel's current time slot makes it pretty much impossible for her to do a live show (since she's probably doing prep for her MSNBC show at 6 PM), plus they have that weird simulcast to fill out the second hour.

I wonder what KPOJ (my local affiliate) will do to their schedule. Right now, they air her show tape delayed from 6 PM-8 PM PST. They already have a local morning show; will they air Rachel in the very early morning live, or will they keep an hour delayed in the evenings?