Re AAR: Right-Wing Media Gets Desperate

[Ivan Sputnik]

"Business is booming at Air America; so Limbaugh and O'Reilly have started spreading lies about the network's looming bellyflop."

Article by Danny Goldberg, AAR CEO

Read more:
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/26178/

[fasttense]

1. They have said this since AAR started. They are a bunch of blowhards.

[NYCGirl]

2. I posted this column from the Huffington Post the other day.

Glad to see Goldberg's words are getting around.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4916670

[boardwalk]

3. Katherine Lanpher is leaving the Al Franken show.

She was hired away from a high salary at MPR less than 18 months ago.

Also, they lost Philadelphia just this week. I just don't know what is going on there. Danny Goldberg made it sound like all was rosy with the Gloria Wise Foundation money; like it was a regular loan, yet on AAR web page they posted a note that AAR was not even responsible for the debt and did not even know about it!

Something just does not smell right. I hope I am wrong. But it just does not smell right.

[AX10]

5. AAR just bought a new multi-million dollar studio.

Lanpher is an NPR "national propaganda radio" hack, so there's no loss there.

[boardwalk]

11. "Bought" a new studio as in "Leased". Everything is leased there.

The facility, the equipment, the furniture. Leased, leased, leased.

They have a year to exercise a purchase option on the studio equipment.

[SoFlaJet]

7. not a bad thing

especially since seeing her on the Sundance show.She doesn't look as good as she sounds shall we say.Read;disingenuous

[LisaM]

8. Katherine Lanpher got so popular she got a book deal

and she is going to go write it - since Franken's show will end when he starts his Senate campaign.

[LSparkle]

9. She's quitting to write a book, and Franken's going to run for Senate

and is moving the show back to Minnesota anyway. Doesn't mean anything's wrong with the network.

Dunno about Goldberg. He's a music guy, not a radio (especially talk radio) guy, even though he's been involved with politics. Randi especially seems to think he's not the right guy for the job. They really need a radio pro to take the helm if you ask me.

[Ivan Sputnik]

15. That's just your wishful thinking talking

Oh, and "welcome to DU."

[enid602]

4. AAR

This AM a DU poster from Phillie mentioned that AAR is going off the air there tomorrow, but did not (at that point) know why.

[LisaM]

6. Aren't they just switching stations, or something?

Someone posted on this yesterday. I thought they were keeping liberal radio at the station, and that AAR thought they might already have a new deal (I think this was in Philly, not 100% sure.)

[LTR]

13. That's the rumor

AAR is leaving WHAT in Philly. Or at least the two AAR shows that WHAT airs are leaving. No big loss. Not a very good affiliate. WHAT will go back to all-urban talk. An AAR spokesperson claims that negotiations are on with another station in the market.

AAR in Sacramento will be flipping stations. KCTC (1320) will be the new AAR affilate in October. It's current affiliate, KSAC (1240) will pick up Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz and Thom Hartmann to take AAR's place. Not sure who dropped who, though. Mostly I've heard that AAR wanted to switch affiliates.

And AAR has picked up a new affiliate. It's WDOD (1310) in Chattanooga.

[thefloyd]

10. I think

AAR was turned off because the AM signal at the station was terrible.
I read it somewere

[LSparkle]

12. Heard on Malloy last nite that they're "losing" Sacramento

but maybe that station is just going away from strictly Air America programming and branching out to include non-AAR "progressive talk" programs (e.g., Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller). I don't think the FORMAT is in trouble; maybe Air America doesn't have enough programming on its own to support so many stations exclusively (??).

[tech3149]

16. Sacramento is a positive change

The current affiliate is going with a mix including Thom Hartmann and Stephanie Miller and the competing shows are being shopped for a second liberal outlet in the market. When it's all sorted out they will have twice the market presence in the area. It's a good move in the end. Everyone has their preference, some like Randi, some like Ed,some like Morning Sedition, some like Stephanie. There will also be LO shows on each station that will provide a more hometown feel. There's a lot still up in the air, but I think mgmt at the affiliate either got scared off by vocal opposition or less than expected ratings. I've been paying attention to proggressive radio almost since the error monkey took power and I have confidence in AAR. I even ponied up money I don't really have to join the AAR associate program. It's just my vote of confidence throwing shite at the faux outlets that tear AAR down.

If you want to get/keep a progressive radio voice in your area, target the PD for the station and local vendors that would benefit from targeting a progressive audience with the possibilities that are out there. A local station that had one weak progressive voice (WPTT Pittsburgh)picked up Thom Hartmann after enough local input when he filled in for the local host. I've been working on other local stations and they love what they hear, but they haven't been willing to put their ass on the line to change the status quo. It would be nice if AAR could grow faster, but Limpballs was in radio for over a decade and got fired from more places than I ever worked for before he started to break through. Since AAR is less than two years old, I think they're doing pretty good.

[LTR]

17. KSAC has pretty decent ratings

As far as an upstart progressive talk format goes.

They've been consistently over a 1.0 overall share since signing on, which is not bad for an up-and-coming AM, where many stations have no chance of getting that many listeners. Not great ratings, but not bad considering their situation. I have no information on demographic breakdowns (more important than overall shares), but I imagine there's some encouraging stuff there.

[LisaM]

14. It sounds to me as if the syndication is getting some markets to have two

liberal talk stations, which is great.

I remember when AAR first started and someone over at FR was so upset, and actually wrote "how can we stop this?" Looks as if they are not going to.