NYT article on Air America

[muchacho]

Office Politics Give Liberal Radio a Rocky Start
By JACQUES STEINBERG

Published: May 31, 2004

Even by the chaotic standards of a new media company, Air America Radio's first two months of broadcasting have been convulsive.

The fledgling talk-radio network has replaced five top executives, been taken off the air in two of its top three markets and lost several crucial producers. By late April, current and former executives said last week, the company was perilously close to running out of money. It has since received an infusion of cash, though it has not disclosed how much or from whom.

The roiling in Air America's front office has undercut its continuing assurances that it has the financing and leadership to survive past the presidential election in November, in pursuit of its goal of establishing a permanent liberal counterpart to Rush Limbaugh and his radio cohort on the right.

In a sign that the privately held company's financial woes have not fully abated, Al Franken, the network's best-known star, said in an interview last week that he had agreed not to draw a salary, however temporarily, making him "an involuntary investor.''

"We had some bad management,'' Mr. Franken said. "Then we got some good management.''

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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/31/business/media/31air.html?8dpc

[robbedvoter]

1. NYT goes to great length to write around Randi Rhodes - wonder why?

Before this becomes another gloom and doom thread, I will post one of the very few informed posts that appeared on DU on the subject


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1664394&mesg_id=1667009&page=

[kaitykaity]

2. They sure do. I wonder why?

One would think that her history as number one in her
market for book after book would be great background for
this article, wouldn't you think??? Especially since it
was in her time slot (noon to 3) that the victory over
WABC took place.

(Things that make ya go hmmm.)

[robbedvoter]

3. Actually, in NYC, she is 3 to 7 (rush hour). Her numbers must be greater

so Arbitron didn't even make them available yet....
It's this pissy rancid tone of articles like that that makes me hate NYT with such passion.

[kaitykaity]

4. D'oh.

I keep forgetting about the time difference.

On the tone, it's like some of these writers never
graduated from high school--in that they still think they're
the hot kids in the kool club, like Heathers or something.

I'm just glad that Al broke the ice with Randi so she
doesn't feel like such an outsider anymore.

[mom cat]

5. The rigrtwing stranglehold on the media is history!