Update on the Air America (WLIB) Gossip... Danny Goldberg Memo

[NashVegas]

from AllAccess.com:

the network's CEO DANNY GOLDBERG has sent a memo to the staff that does not specifically address MALONEY's charges but asserts that the network's ratings are growing and blames "right wing bloggers" for "bad mouthing" the network with "gossip."

GOLDBERG's memo says that the network will "continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY" but does not say whether WLIB will continue to be the outlet and does not refer to whether WLIB owner INNER CITY BROADCASTING has or will terminate the lease, as MALONEY reported.

The memo obtained by ALL ACCESS tells staffers: "As you may know, some right wing bloggers have, yet again, been bad mouthing AIR AMERICA’s business. No CEO and no company, large or small, discuss its confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum. However, following are some general comments on recent gossip.

"1. AIR AMERICA RADIO is much stronger today that it was one year ago or six months ago and is on track to be stronger still in the coming year and years. Our audience is bigger, the total number of affiliates carrying our programming is greater, and the amount of revenue we are generating is increasing.

"2. It is vital, when analyzing chatter about AIR AMERICA to consider the source. In almost all cases, the people who say bad things about our company’s business are conservative ideologues who have a particular interest in damaging AIR AMERICA, for one reason and one reason only: the political opinions expressed by our on air talent. BILL O'REILLY alone has mentioned AIR AMERICA on thirty-seven separate occasions since our programming went on the air. (AL FRANKEN has offered to debate O'REILLY in any number of forums including on “THE O'REILLY FACTOR” and O'REILLY has declined.)

"3. AIR AMERICA’s ratings in NEW YORK went up substantially in the FALL 2005 book. AIR AMERICA’s NEW YORK audience is large, growing and valuable. In every conceivable scenario, AIR AMERICA will continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY.

"4. Last week, two of our affiliates changed their format, leaving AIR AMERICA with the need to find new outlets for our programming in those markets. In recent weeks we have also picked up affiliates in recent months in EL PASO, TEXAS, BUFFALO, NEW YORK and others. Overall, AIR AMERICA’s weekly audience as measured by ARBITRON has more than doubled from what it was one year ago.

"5. AIR AMERICA is a new business which has required investment albeit far less investment than many conservative media companies have consumed. Our board continues to be very supportive of our company and we continue to operate on a firm footing in all respects."

Mods: I know that's more than 4 'graphs. All but 3 are straight from the horse's mouth, it's making its way to the trades.

[NJCher]

1. audience doubled in one year!

That IS remarkable.

If they have to find a new station in NY, I hope they find a better one than WLIB. This frequency is not strong enough and I have trouble receiving it even out in Morris County, which is not that far from NYC.




Cher

[MamaBear]

2. Yes.

Even in NYC it is often overridden by the Bloomberg station. And, if they find a new venue, I hope they bring back Mike Malloy! And get rid of the Satelline Cyst-ers.

[vi5]

3. Really?

I have no problem getting it anywhere in Morris County.

[drbtg1]

4. Very remarkable,especially after cutting off 3 million potential listeners

Yeah, I'm still bitter about AAR cutting off Sirius, but Goldberg just brings it out of me ;)

[Rosco T.]

9. you still have that backwards....

.. Sirius passed on the AAR contract renewal at the price AAR was worth, so they took the XM deal.

And of course you see that Sirus promptly added back in another lib channel..

oh, wait, they didn't... oops.

[drbtg1]

22. you say tuhmaytoe, I say taamaatoe

I know we look at this differently, so I'm not looking to fight you here. Long day. Need a beer more than a debate.

And I'm certainly not going to defend Sirius's progressive offerings. True, no second channel (and they're about to add that Faux Talk channel XM already has), and why the hell they still have Alex Bennett and Lynn Samuels on the air is beyond me.

[drbtg1]

24. Any idea how long the XM-AAR deal was for?

n/t

[Suziq]

25. I Agree

I am in Union County and can only get good reception on WLIB from 5:00 - 6:00am and after 6:00pm.

I really wish they would acquire an FM station.

[Beelzebud]

5. How many times have we been told of the Death of AAR?

And everytime, those people were wrong.

I had a guy about 6 months ago telling me that AAR went bankrupt after its first few months on the air, and didn't exist anymore.

He was a little suprised when I brought up airamericaradio.com and showed him their affiliate list. He isn't a politically minded person at all. He was just regurgitating what he had heard.

That was actually a cool moment because it was a clear example for him of how information is distorted in our mass-media environment. He actually thought AAR had went under, and was history, until he saw that they had over 50 affiliates nation-wide.

[MadisonProgressive]

15. Now they have 85 affiliates + XM radio

[Armstead]

6. In other words...Yep. Likely to get bounced from WLIB.

That sounds like corporate-speak for "Yes our present affiliation is in trouble, and we really don't have a specific back-up plan. But we want to be on in New York, so we hope something will come along."

If they get booted from WLIB, I would love to see WEVD pick them up. That's owned by the Jewish Forward newspaper, and used to be a liberal tallk station (interspersed with infomercials). The Forward is supposedly a liberal company (the call letters stand for the socialist Eugene V. Debs).

But a couple of year ago, they made an agreement with ABC that allowed ABC to run the station and turn it into sportstalk.

The Forward ought to turn the station over to Air America instead. That way they could still make some money while lso supporting liberal media. It would also give Air American a boost, because WEVD (formerly WHN) has a styrong signal that reaches well into otehr sections of the northeast.

It may be difficult to break the management contract with ABC. But maybe not, if the sportstalk station isn't doing well....ABC's agreement should have not been legal anyway, since ABC already controls a significant numnber of New York stations already.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. WEVD is dead. The Forward got its 30 pieces of silver from Disney/ABC

and no longer owns the station. In other words, the station's sold. Gone. WEVD's call letters have been retired. ABC will never relinquish its flagship station of ESPN on 1050.

[Armstead]

11. Did they actually sell it?

At the time it weas reported as a management agreement with the possibility of a sale later on.

Did that already happen? It seems like ABC would have run afoul of even the current anemic ownership limits since they already have so many stations in NYC.

If so, it's anotehr argument for REREGULATION of the media and breaking up these concentrations of power.

[no_hypocrisy]

13. I should know. I was the counsel for SAVE WEVD and drafted the

Petition to Deny to the FCC when it was considering the sale that went through.

BTW, Bill Mazer is on 1460-AM WVOX in Westchester M-F 3-6 and Sam Greenfield is on 1600-AM WWRL M-F 4-6

[Armstead]

18. Between ABC, Clear Channel and Infinity....

NNNNgggghhhhhh.....I still get mad when i think back to the bi-partisan idiocy in the 1996 Telecommunications Reform Act that made it possible for so few companies to own so much.

[Rosco T.]

10. Sounds more like another "Air America Phoenix" situation...

.. the Reich trying to buy the station out from under them to get them off the air.

[Armstead]

12. Not The Reich -- Just anotehr Corporate Greedhead

From what I read, one of the possible flies in the ointment is Randy Michaels who built up Clear Channel and is now striking out on his own to build a new Rdio Empire. Michaels has been investing in liberal talk shows on his own.

If indeed he does take over WLIB it's quite possible he'll replace Air America with competing liberal talk, such a Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller.

[november3rd]

7. Sounds gloomy

"3. AIR AMERICA’s ratings in NEW YORK went up substantially in the FALL 2005 book. AIR AMERICA’s NEW YORK audience is large, growing and valuable. In every conceivable scenario, AIR AMERICA will continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY.

Yeah, so? It's like one of the most liberal cities in the country. What about Cincinnati? Kansas City? Cheyenne?

I am sure there is and will continue to be a conservative effort to shut up and shut down AAR. The question is--are they going to knock it out of the Red states?

[DarienComp]

16. the rumor going around was specifically about NYC.

that's what the response addresses.

[Yavin4]

14. AAR Will Live Forever

In some way shape or form, satellite radio, internet, Ipods, whatever. Their message has an audience, and it will be heard. The fact that Drudge and his conservative allies are obesessing about AAR shows you that the conservative dominance of radio is on the decline. Angry White male radio cannot survive when conservatives run everything because there's no one to be angry at, other Liberal Hollywood or some random school teacher.

You cannot silence the truth.

[libnnc]

17. What kind of signal does WBAI have?

Sometimes I listen to it on the web but I have no idea how strong their signal is. Could they be an outlet for AAR?

[Armstead]

19. Can;t be done -- BAI is non-commercial

Different kind of license. WBAI can't accept advertising.

[bunkerbuster1]

23. And it's been awhile since I heard WBAI, but I bet they think AAR

are a buncha capitalist pig-dogs.

[AX10]

20. KICK and recomended!

[EVDebs]

21. Isn't there a law against corporate 'slander' ?

Can a corporate 'person' (Air America for example) be slandered and libeled ? Especially if it is to be used to drive down stock values ? Truth is supposed to be the defense against slander/libel, but too often large sums of money are used to determine what 'truth' is.

Any enlightenment from lawyers out there is greatly appreciated.