Air America (radio network)


Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk radio. It was on the air from March 2004 to January 2010.
The network was founded as a left-wing alternative to counter talk radio with a right-wing perspective. Air America featured programs with monologues by on-air personalities, guest interviews, call-ins from listeners, and news reports. Several shows had audiences of over a million listeners, and multiple weekday presenters continued on in radio, television, or politics after their time on Air America. For example, in 2008, The Thom Hartmann Program had 1.5–2 million unique listeners a week and The Lionel Show had 1.5–1.75 million unique listeners a week. Hartmann, Randi Rhodes, and Mike Malloy later had shows on other radio networks. Marc Maron started his "WTF podcast" by trespassing in Air America's studios after the network's demise, before moving to Los Angeles. Al Franken went from his show to the United States Senate, Laura Flanders went on to host her own show independently on public television, and Rachel Maddow moved her show to television on MSNBC.
The network was financially troubled, however. A scandal involving nearly $1 million in loans from a Boys & Girls Club in New York secretly transacted by Evan Cohen came out in 2005 and was a source of negative publicity. The loans were repaid, but in October 2006, mounting debts forced Air America Radio to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company was acquired by New York real estate investor Stephen L. Green and his brother Mark Green, who purchased the network in March 2007 for US$4.25 million.
The company eventually changed its name from Air America Radio to Air America Media and lastly to just Air America, an effort to establish itself as a broadcaster on multiple media sources including television and the Internet, although it remained primarily a radio network. On January 21, 2010, Air America went off the air, citing difficulties with the economic environment of the time. The company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidated itself. Bennett Zier was the company's last CEO including through the bankruptcy and liquidation.
Sometime after the network's closure, Newsweb Corporation acquired ownership of the branding.

Programming overview

Air America Media's progressive talk radio programming consisted of news, talk, comedy, interviews, guest editorials, and listeners' telephone calls. The talk portions featured some extended host monologues in the classic talk radio format. Live and pre-recorded comedy routines, featuring various comedians, were also aired. As with most syndicated broadcast networks, local affiliate stations were able to air select programs or the entire schedule, subject to contractual arrangements.

Format

The shows followed a half-hour format from six minutes past the hour to 28 minutes after the hour followed by a hard break for six minutes until 34 minutes past the hour. The final hard break occurs at 58 minutes past the hour, leading into the news at the top of the hour. There was also a floating break in both the first and second half-hours. Local stations could run their own commercials, local news and weather or other features during the breaks.

News

Air America featured its own news summary breaks at the top of each hour, with content from wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International. Some affiliates used other news services or would run their own newscasts during the six-minute "news hole" at the top of the hour. AAR later switched to AP Radio Network News, and finally Free Speech Radio News. These newscasts ended on June 29, 2007, with local stations signing up with other radio news networks.

Public affairs and editorials

The public affairs programs tended to closely follow current happenings in the news, with monologues and reflections offered by the hosts and their guests. Listener comments by phone or the Internet were worked into these segments along with the interviews.

Music

Although better known for its political shows, Air America also featured a couple of music oriented shows on weekends. On the Real featuring Chuck D had a strong music focus. The Steve Earle Show mixed music with political commentary. Also, most of the talk shows had their own theme songs, used bumper music to segue between commercials and segments, and played political novelty songs. Theme songs and bumper music were generally commercially released rock music.

Weekday programs

Air America produced sixteen hours of weekday network programming. The entire schedule was carried on the network's internet stream, and affiliates may have carried some, most or all shows.
The network's schedule as of Mid-2009:
TimeShowNotes
5–6a.m. ETThe Rachel Maddow Showaudio rebroadcast of the MSNBC program of the same name.
6–9a.m. ETThe Lionel Showredebuts in new time slot May 26, 2009. Original debut: May 14, 2007.
9a.m. – noon ETMontel Across Americadebut: April 20, 2009; took The Lionel Shows old time slot.
12–3p.m. ETLive in Washington with Jack Rice
3–6p.m. ETMontel Across Americadebut: May 18, 2009; took Doing Time with Ron Kubys old time slot.
6–9p.m. ETThe Ron Reagan Showdebut: September 8, 2008. Expanded from 1 to 3 hours on February 3, 2009.
9–11p.m. ETCloutwith Richard Greene, moved from weekends September 4, 2007.
11p.m. – 1a.m. ETThis Is America with Jon Elliottdebut: September 2006 ran through May 15, 2009.
11p.m. – 1a.m. ETThe Nicole Sandler Showdebut: June 15, 2009; took Jon Elliott time slot.
1–3a.m. ETMontel Across America rebroadcast
3–5a.m. ETThe David Bender Show rebroadcast

  • A one-hour webcast, Breakroom Live with Maron & Seder, aired weekdays from 3-4PM Eastern. Marc Maron and Sam Seder hosted the show from the actual break room at Air America Media in New York. Breakroom Live aired its last show on July 15, 2009.

    Weekend programs

On many Air America affiliates, weekends featured repeats and highlights from the network's weekday shows, combined with new original programming and some syndicated shows produced independently.
Original network programming for weekends included:
  • Marc Sussman's Money Message
  • State of Belief with Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
  • Freethought Radio with Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor
  • Go Vegan with Bob Linden
  • Ring of Fire with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papantonio
  • 7 Days in America with Carlos Watson and Arianna Huffington
  • The Laura Flanders Show
  • Politically Direct with David Bender
  • The Steve Earle Show with Steve Earle
  • On The Real with Chuck D and Gia'na Garel

    Former programs

  • The Al Franken Show Aired March 31, 2004 – February 14, 2007. Originally called The O'Franken Factor. Franken left the show to run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota.
  • The Majority Report Aired March 31, 2004 – September 15, 2006. Co-hosted by Sam Seder and Janeane Garofalo
  • The Randi Rhodes Show Aired March 31, 2004 – April 3, 2008. Moved to Nova M Radio on April 10, 2008.
  • Morning Sedition with Marc Maron, Sue Ellicott, and Mark Riley Aired April 1, 2004 – December 16, 2005.
  • Unfiltered with Chuck D, Lizz Winstead, and Rachel Maddow Aired April 1, 2004 – April 1, 2005.
  • The Mike Malloy Show, Aired August 2, 2004 – August 30, 2006. Moved to Nova M Radio on October 30, 2006.
  • Springer on the Radio with Jerry Springer, Aired April 1, 2005 – September 18, 2006. Broadcast via Air America Syndication until December 8, 2006.
  • Politically Direct with David Bender Aired 2005 – May 2007, then combined with The Mark Riley Show into The Air Americans.
  • Air America Mornings umbrella name for Air America's morning drive-time shows: The Mark Riley Show and The Rachel Maddow Show.
  • The Mark Riley Show Aired January 2006 – May 2007, then combined with Politically Direct into The Air Americans.
  • This Is America with Jon Elliott with Jon Elliott, Aired September 2006 – May 15, 2009.
  • The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur, Aired September 18, 2006 – January 15, 2008.
  • The Thom Hartmann Show Aired March 2007 – February 28, 2009. Replaced the Al Franken Show. Moved to the Dial Global network.
  • The Air Americans, hosted by Mark Riley with contributors David Bender, Laura Flanders, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Mike Papantonio. Aired May 21, 2007 – August 2007.
  • American Afternoon, featuring revolving celebrity guest hosts such as Richard Belzer, Joy Behar, Ron Reagan, and Roseanne Barr. Aired April–June 2008. Aired as a replacement for Randi Rhodes, later replaced by Doin' Time with Ron Kuby.*
  • EcoTalk with Betsy Rosenberg, the show moved from the weekends to weeknights effective September 18, 2006. Show removed from weekday schedule May 18, 2007, and may resurface eventually on Sunday mornings.
  • The Kyle Jason Show
  • Liberal Arts with Katherine Lanpher
  • Mother Jones Radio with Angie Coiro
  • So What Else Is News? with Marty Kaplan
  • The Time Is Now with Rev. Dr. James Forbes

    Syndication

On September 8, 2005, Air America Radio formed a separate syndication division, designed to offer additional programming and services to both progressive talk and other talk/music formats. Air America Syndication was used to syndicate Thom Hartmann, and later Springer on the Radio which aired at the same time as The Al Franken Show and The Sam Seder Show respectively on the regular network lineup. Springer ended his show on December 5, 2006, and Franken's ended on February 14, 2007. On January 29, 2007, Air America announced that Hartmann would replace Franken on the regular network lineup. When Air America entered bankruptcy, there were no programs syndicated as a part of Air America Syndication.