The following quotes are from a NYT article that can be found here
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.
This is really pathetic. Despite their well-known celebrity hosts, the millions of dollars worth of "free media" pre-publicity they received, the massive amount of initial funding from various Leftist activists they banked, and the fact that the political Left is about one step away from openly slavering for conservative blood, these guys are still running through money like Charlie Sheen at a Thai brothel.
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.''
With wit like that, no wonder so many listeners are tuning in to the O'Franken Factor!
Mr. Sinton and Mr. Franken refused to say how much money the network had now, but said they had received assurances that the network would have no problem staying on the air through November, and beyond.
So, lemme get this straight: They won't have a problem staying on the air for another six months or more, but they already can't afford to pay their "talent"?
Sorry folks, but the way things are going, in another few months the only liberal-slanted radio news programming you'll be able to find will be NPR.
So sad, too bad. ;-]
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
So, RJ, you're in favour of more consolidation and restriction of the public broadcast spectrum?
Why is setting up monopolies seen as a good thing?
Or did you just get your delivery of Astro-Glide? Oh, never mind, we'll just let you have some personal time.
2 - Revtim
Ah yes, the old liberal = anti-America slur. How pathetic.
3 - Mark Saleski
uh, so it's a good thing that ALL news talk radio is slanted to the right?
and there's no way that npr is a polar as, say, rush limbaugh. no friggin' way.
4 - mike
I hate to break it to you, pal--but Franken's, and Air America's ratings are solid. Even if the network goes off the air, Franken will almost certainly land another radio gig. He beat Limbaugh in New York, at least, and did very well in Chicago.
First, the liberals came for the bestseller lists. Then they came for the radio waves....
5 - Natalie Davis
Indeed -- it isn't over 'til it's over, as the clichégoes. It took years before Limbaugh became El Rushbo. Give it time.
6 - Kudd45
I'm not committed to the "right" or "left", frankly i think their as bad as one another, but to criticize either without recognition of the flaws of the other is just stupid.
Limbaugh is an idiot, it's that simple, while i may not go through the endless reasons here, i think we all can agree.
Franken is just as big an idiot as rush. Let me here one good argument from this fool, not based solely on defacing the "right", and with a little sense and rational behind it. This man epitimizes the new-found political tactic of "zingers" and catch-phrases with no substance. Not to mention his arrogance is sickening, because he was an SNL member (not a particularly funny one i might add), he feels that he can roll that into a political career? He is a sad display of how far we gone down in political debate with reasoning.
Franken is to Limbaugh, as O'reilly is to michael Moore, pure propogandizers with no substance or insight.
7 - Mark Edward Manning
Good thoughts there, Kudd. You know, as much as conservatives get slammed as "Dittoheads" for listening to Rush, liberals hang on to Al Franken's every word. If conservatives are ignorant for loving Rush, the liberals are proving themselves just as incapable of individual thought by embracing Franken. Hmmm ... what could we call Franken's liberal audience: "Franken-steins?"
8 - RJ Elliott
Has anyone else noticed Franken's curious resemblance to a toad? Just wondering...
9 - headlefty
...hey R.J.,it's good to see that you're doing something more than putting out crappy songs after,"American Idol." Oh,you're not him. Never mind,he's more talented than you anyway. Now,let's look at reality. When Cable Programs like MTV,ESPN,etc. frist started,it was in small studios with then no-name hosts trying to make the most of what they had to work with. Fast forward to today. Those same programs are not only the leaders in their respective fields;but,also cash cows. Therefore,don't be so quick to discount Air America Radio the same way people discounted Rap Music.
10 - Michael D P
There is, of course, a big difference between the AirAmericaRadio crew and O'Reilly, Hannity, Rush, Savage, etc. If the Air America Radio programs have an error in their statements, they appologize and correct the information.
The conservative hosts just repeat their errors, even after they are proven wrong. Promoting a known error is lying.
And the Air America Radio hosts have offered to meet on air with any of the conservative pudits (your place or mine). For unfathomable reasons (perhaps the same reasons which drive them to screen their calls to allow no dissenting comments) the conservative hosts have ignored and/or refused these offers.
Fear?
11 - Michael D P
There is, of course, a big difference between the AirAmericaRadio crew and O'Reilly, Hannity, Rush, Savage, etc. If the Air America Radio programs have an error in their statements, they appologize and correct the information.
The conservative hosts just repeat their errors, even after they are proven wrong. Promoting a known error is lying.
And the Air America Radio hosts have offered to meet on air with any of the conservative pudits (your place or mine). For unfathomable reasons (perhaps the same reasons which drive them to screen their calls to allow no dissenting comments) the conservative hosts have ignored and/or refused these offers.
Fear?