Lovers of liberal talk radio in Chicago and Los Angeles are wondering what happened today now that Air America, the liberal talk-radio network, has been yanked off the air in two of the nation's top markets.
"Air America Radio is temporarily unable to be heard on WNTD in Chicago and KBLA in Los Angeles," said Evan Cohen, chairman of Air America Radio, "but Chicago and Los Angeles listeners can still hear our broadcast on the web at airamericaradio.com and on XM Satellite Radio."
According to the Drudge Report, the Chicago Tribune is preparing a story stating the removal is due to "serious cash-flow problems."
"The owner of both stations said the network bounced a check and owes him more than $1 million," reports Drudge. "A Chicago source familiar with the situation said a Multicultural representative showed up at WNTD's offices Wednesday morning, kicked out Air America's lone staffer overseeing the network's feed to the station from New York, switched over to a Spanish-language feed, and changed the locks on the doors."
Cohen reportedly denies the financial trouble and says Air America is already seeking legal recourse to get back on the air in Chicago and Los Angeles.
"MultiCultural Radio Broadcasting's conduct in this matter has been disgraceful," he said. "To shut off a broadcast that listeners rely on without warning and in the middle of discussions is the height of irresponsibility and a slap in the face of the media industry. In addition, it is a clear violation of their contractual obligations, and we are seeking legal remedies against them in court."
Air America features liberal personalities including comic and author Al Franken and actress Janeane Garofalo, and was floated as an alternative to conservative radio talent such as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and Sean Hannity.
Besides Los Angeles and Chicago, it has stations airing its programming in Minneapolis, Portland, Ore., Riverside, Calif., West Palm Beach, Fla., Key West, Fla., and Plattsburgh/Burlington on the New York-Vermont border.
"[The situation] very accurately illustrates what the Kerry misery index and the Democrats' complaints about the economy really mean," said Limbaugh as he read news of the removal on his own nationally syndicated program. "It appears there is a problem with debt and that there is a problem with cash-flow in certain sectors of the American economy ... this new lib radio net being the stellar example of same. We'll keep a sharp eye on this story."
'We have dispatched Dr. David Kay...to search for the bio-warfare agents we believe hidden in Senator Kerry's forehead. If Senator Kerry has used botox as part of a wrinkle enrichment program, he is in violation of UN Resolution 752. Upon receiving Dr. Kay's report, the weapons of mass destruction that Senator Kerry so adamantly insists do not exist...may well be above his very nose.'" --Dick Cheney when asked whether John Kerry has had Botox treaments
posted on April 14, 2004 06:18:52 PM new
I tried to tune in--but neither the Los Angeles nor the Riverside stations come in where I live for some reason--just get a garbled signal & lots of static.
If they want people to listen, they need to be on stations that can be received more than a mile away from the station...
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Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on April 14, 2004 06:38:14 PM new http://airamericaradio.com/pub/resStations.htm
I was able to get the station in the Maryland area. You aren't missing anything right now, Bunnicula.
posted on April 14, 2004 06:59:04 PM new
Bouncing checks already?
The skeptic in me thinks this may well be a publicity stunt to get free advertizing to bring in more listeners.
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Gore seems to be having the same problem [$$]. The deal he's been working on for close to a year now to purchase that cable tv channel has met with a backer backing out so it's on hold.
posted on April 14, 2004 08:20:31 PM new
This was a contractual dispute.
According to Air America Multicultural owed money to air America. Multicultural had recently deposited a check from Air America for $315,000 and that check cleared. But Air America stopped payment on the second check for $156,000 after Air America discovered that "Multicultural had leased air time on its Los Angeles station to another programmer in February and March, before Air America went on the air March 31".
While not broadcasting during that time, Mr. Cohen said, Air America had already leased that time from Multicultural and was thus entitled to any fees collected.
The Air America programming could still be heard yesterday in nearly a dozen markets, including New York City. It said it was preparing last night to ask a judge in New York to order Multicultural to put the programming back on the air on its stations in Chicago and Los Angeles.
posted on April 14, 2004 08:26:50 PM newThe skeptic in me thinks this may well be a publicity stunt to get free advertizing to bring in more listeners.
Kindalike what Mel Gibson did with the "contraversy" with the pope and everyone else over his movie ?
posted on April 14, 2004 09:10:45 PM newkindalike?
LOL...I don't know. We'll see if this radio program makes it back on the air, in those two counties, and if it ever becomes the TREMENDOUS success that The Passion has been.
posted on April 14, 2004 09:26:08 PM new
I for one consider the name of the show very ironic considering the airline run by the CIA during Vietnam was also named Air America. Suppose Franken made a Freudian slip and is really a Conservative at heart....
'We have dispatched Dr. David Kay...to search for the bio-warfare agents we believe hidden in Senator Kerry's forehead. If Senator Kerry has used botox as part of a wrinkle enrichment program, he is in violation of UN Resolution 752. Upon receiving Dr. Kay's report, the weapons of mass destruction that Senator Kerry so adamantly insists do not exist...may well be above his very nose.'" --Dick Cheney when asked whether John Kerry has had Botox treaments
posted on April 15, 2004 09:56:15 AM new
Bear it is very ironic they took the name Air America, the movie, where they are 'illegally' running contraband in Vietnam. Something I wouldn't think liberals would like.
Oh yeah, Mel Gibson starred in that movie too didn't he?
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"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."- Carl Sagan
posted on April 15, 2004 11:12:30 AM new
Actually, I think they would like it. It would give them a sense of a rebellious nature to their whole programming.
Mel Gibson did star in the movie Air America, that is so funny.
posted on April 15, 2004 11:16:44 AM newAir America is paying.....well...no not quite....they're supposed to be paying but when a check bounces that's not paying. [just mentioning a small technicality ] lol
posted on April 15, 2004 11:45:30 AM new
Hey that was a good movie, Air America, it had its funny parts
Seriously Linda? I haven't read much about Air America, only the latest that they are taking Multicultural ? to court over this.
But you do understand what I mean, that they are not making money, they are paying for airtime. Whereas the 'bigger' talk shows get paid..... by advertisers. Oh yeah I did read that Air America was going to start seeking ads, and would want $1500 a minute, where a show like Limbaughs, the advertisers pay $16,000 a minute.
I don't know how they can survive honestly.
Its like a writer, he may write a good book, but the major publishers won't take it, so he pays a 'vanity publisher' to publish it. He is paying, so he isn't making any money. Not sure if that was a good analogy, but closet I could think of.
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"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."- Carl Sagan
posted on April 15, 2004 11:52:55 AM new
NTS - Sorry...I should have been clearer. I agreed with what you said...just added the point that they hadn't even really paid since their check bounced.
posted on April 15, 2004 03:56:54 PM new
How did they expect to make money on "Air Amerika" when the only listeners would be anti-capitalist wackos? They'd be bashing the evil corporations buying ads on the network!
