Air America Chairman Charlie Kireker says the syndicator is "ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and will soon file under Chapter 7" to carry out "an orderly winding-down of the business." He blames a "perfect storm" of economic conditions for all media and for New York-based Air America in particular. The company will feed taped programming to affiliates starting at 6pm tonight, through 9pm Monday, January 25. After that, "Air America programming will end." Air America debuted in April 2004.
Closing memo:
It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.
The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times.
Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success.
With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies
When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation's history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as "un-American" — Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation.
Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress.
Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival.....but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure.
We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end.
We are proud that Air America's mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation's progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues.
I'm sad about this only because its demise will fuel the Fairness Doctrine debate again.
In an America with a functioning First Amendment, every viewpoint has a right to be heard. However, the free marketplace has clearly spoken on the matter with AA. Guess all of that Soros money dried up during the last non-election year.
Rahm Emanuel recently called the First Amendment "Overrated". They will want to take away all of that right wing fuel away from those crazy racist teabaggers -- whom this administration has deemed a bigger threat to the country than Al-Qaeda.
[quote="AmpedNow"]I'm sad about this only because its demise will fuel the Fairness Doctrine debate again.
In an America with a functioning First Amendment, every viewpoint has a right to be heard. However, the free marketplace has clearly spoken on the matter with AA. Guess all of that Soros money dried up during the last non-election year.
Umm. it's a little more complicated than that... Take a good look at what business entities are the main backers of Rightwing radio, who they represent, and u will see that an opposing view point is NOT what they are interested in paying for...
Rightwing radio is the corporate mouthpiece for the big buisnesses.. Nothing new here...
After GWB destroyed the economy in fovor of less but bigger businesses, an opposing viewpoint started to get less of a voice..
Yesterdays ruling by the U.S. Supreme court ended any type of opposing voice..
Now all we will get are these mouth pieces that do the bidding for the interests of the big businesses...
No way the Fairness Doctrine comes back, it's just not worth the time or trouble.
If you're dumb enough to believe what comes out of Rush and Sean and Glenn's mouths, you deserve it.
Bob Campbell wrote:No way the Fairness Doctrine comes back, it's just not worth the time or trouble.
If you're dumb enough to believe what comes out of Rush and Sean and Glenn's mouths, you deserve it.
True... It just saddens me that so many people ARE that stupid..
How can a "network" of inferior talents, unsuited to the medium, survive the competition of multiple 50kW like minded tax exempt government funded taxwastes in each market, even WITH the funding of George Soros?
Answer: It can't.
And it never will.
Liberal talk radio needs funding. Conservative talk radio makes tens of millions. Need I say more?
"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached"
-Manuel II Palaiologos Byzantine Emperor (1391-1425)
Bob Campbell wrote:No way the Fairness Doctrine comes back, it's just not worth the time or trouble.
If you're dumb enough to believe what comes out of Rush and Sean and Glenn's mouths, you deserve it.
The First Amendment contains no fairness doctrine. The right to free speech is not a right to be heard. Nor does it confer on anyone the right to use government to prevent anyone else from being heard because a majority in Congress doesn't like what they are saying.
"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached"
-Manuel II Palaiologos Byzantine Emperor (1391-1425)
Lester wrote:No mention of being propped up by "Republican mouth-piece" Clear Channel. How ungrateful.
If CC hadn't put Air America on all their auxiliary AM stations it would have died years ago. Ironic, isn't it?
I note that CC left AA to the loser programming on WRVC and (as much as it pains me) WCMI. Kindred has yet to show it has a fucking clue about how to do talk. It doesn't.
"Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached"
-Manuel II Palaiologos Byzantine Emperor (1391-1425)
