LIBERAL TALKRADIO NETWORK TO LAUNCH MARCH 31

[Kooperman]

LIBERAL TALKRADIO NETWORK TO LAUNCH MARCH 31

Wed Mar 10 2004 13:15:26 ET

Air America Radio, a progressive talk radio network, announced today it will hit the airwaves on March 31st. "Air America Radio is launching in the top U.S. markets with leading talent that will provide compelling and entertaining programming on the radio, on satellite feeds, and on the web," said Mark Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of Air America Radio. “We aim to build an important new media franchise that delivers results.”

The network’s on-air personalities represent today’s top political and popular satirists, commentators and activists. Comedian, and best selling author Al Franken, who was recently taken to court when Bill O’Reilly and Fox News were seeking an injunction to halt distribution of "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right," and is known for fact-based, drug-free satire, will host a weekday show on the network called “The O’Franken Factor.”

“I’m so happy that Air America Radio will be on in three battleground states, New York, Illinois and California….no wait…those aren’t battleground states. What the hell are we doing?” said Franken.

Air America Radio has signed actress and comedienne Janeane Garofalo, hip hop icon Chuck D, radio personality Randi Rhodes, and political humorist Sam Seder to join Franken at the network. Environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., “The Daily Show” co-creator Lizz Winstead, and business-of-the-media analyst on the public radio program “Marketplace” Martin Kaplan will also join the network.

The network has unveiled its current weekday and weekend line-up:

Monday-Friday

Uprising: 6:00-9:00am

This is a fast paced morning show that will entertain and engage audiences with wit and political satire. It will feature the latest news, offering up to-the-minute interviews with newsmakers, analysis and strong opinions.

Host: Marc Maron

Co-host: Sue Ellicott

Co-host: Mark Riley

Unfiltered: 9:00am- 12:00pm

Air America’s midmorning program is a showcase for conversation about the political and cultural state of the union. Unfiltered introduces listeners to fresh new voices not available in mainstream media today.

Co-host: Lizz Winstead

Co-host: Chuck D

Co-host: Laura Flanders

The O’ Franken Factor: 12:00-3:00pm

Relentless, pure satire, delivered by the leading political humorist of this generation. With his partner, longtime radio host Katherine Lanpher, this will be three hours of fearless barbs, sketches, and interviews with newsmakers and characters who have lived, up until now, only in Al’s fertile imagination. He’s no policy wonk, but this best-selling author and veteran of Saturday Night Live, is devoting his energy to fighting back against rightwing propaganda with hard evidence and facts.

Host: Al Franken

Co-host: Katherine Lanpher

Producer: Billy Kimball

The Randi Rhodes Show: 3:00-7:00pm

Randi Rhodes has spent the last 20 years burning up the airwaves in southern Florida with her pointed and provocative brand of talk radio. Combining live interview, call-in and commentary, Randi engages her audience with a passionate presentation.

Host: Randi Rhodes

So What Else Is News? : 7:00-8:00pm

Based in Los Angeles, this is a one-hour program showcasing the intersection of politics, media and popular culture. This program will feature analysis and reports from the presidential campaign, as well as a daily reporters’ roundtable on how the news of the day is affected and reflected by the media. Marty will also cover the spinning of the news with a regular segment called “The Corrections.” This is also the place to hear the political voice of Hollywood, with celebrity guest interviews from the entertainment industries.

Host: Marty Kaplan

The Majority Report: 8:00pm-11:00pm

This program will introduce new, younger voices and opinions, with live guests from the world of politics, the arts and entertainment. Host: Janeane Garofalo

Co-host: Sam Seder

Saturday and Sunday

Air America Radio’s weekend line-up will offer more original programming, like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mike Papatanio’s “Champions of Justice,” a program that brings a fresh and entertaining perspective to talk radio from the top legal and social issues focused minds in the country. Additional programming will include Best-of Air America Radio and Best-of-O’Franken Factor as well as other original programming to be announced soon.

“Air America Radio will be available immediately in top markets across the country, and our distribution channels will continue to expand in the coming months via affiliation agreements with partner stations across the land,” said Air America Radio President Jon Sinton. Air America Radio will debut its programming on radio stations WLIB (AM 1190am) in New York, WNTD (AM 950) in Chicago and KBLA (AM 1580) in Los Angeles and a station in San Francisco to be named before launch.

Air America Radio’s partnership with WLIB owner, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, is a complementary agreement that builds on the goals of each organization – to bring new energy and new immediacy to messages, issues and audiences that deserve a place in today’s media marketplace.

“We are excited about the diverse and important voices Air America Radio is bringing to the airwaves, both on our own WLIB signal and others,” said Pierre Sutton, Chairman of ICBC. “This strategic partnership allows both companies to combine our resources and deliver relevant messages to a broad and diverse audience. Our talented Mark Riley joins new and exciting co-hosts throughout the broadcast day in multiple major markets to open the airwaves to opinions and entertaining commentary that Americans can hear nowhere else.” Live streaming of Air America Radio shows, along with show archives, will be available on www.airamericaradio.com. Air America Radio is in negotiations with satellite television and satellite radio providers. These national services will allow potential listeners to tune in anywhere in the country. The details of these partnerships will be unveiled soon.

“Our success to date proves what we have known all along: a progressive radio network can be entertaining and engaging while also being a successful business venture. We have made a lot of progress…and more is to come. We expect to deliver valuable listeners to our advertising partners,” said Evan Cohen, New York-based investor and Chairman of the board of Air America Radio.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash4.htm

[Kooperman]

I can't say I'm greatly excited by this....if they have the same type unrealistic spin masters and story slanters as conservative radio does it'll be as bad as them. With Al Franken on board I suspect the worst.

[DudeAsInCool]

Well, it certainly couldnt be any worse than those other talk shows :)

Off topic--Just out of curiosity, how many conservative artists can you name?

[MikeHunt]

co-host Chuck D...*snickers*

Koop ..I completely agree w/ you...

I can't say I'm greatly excited by this....if they have the same type unrealistic spin masters and story slanters as conservative radio does it'll be as bad as them. With Al Franken on board I suspect the worst..

hear ..hear

[Wolfie]

Off topic--Just out of curiosity, how many conservative artists can you name?

A good number of country music fans and artists tend to be on conservative side. Remember the stink everyone (artists and fans) made when one of the Dixie Chicks expressed her opinion (the last time I checked we were still free to that) of Bush?

[Kooperman]

The thing I truly hate about right-wing radio isn't necessarily the absurd lengths they go to in order to spin a situation by using half-truths and crackpot conjecture...what I really dispise is the mean-spirited manner in which they approach people and their right to have views different from theirs. When this liberal radio network starts I'm going to be checking them out hoping for a sense of fair play and respect that is non-existant on the Limbaugh and Hannity shows, along with others of that ilk. If I hear the same old crap just coming from the other end of the horn, I'll tune them out just as I have the others.

[ASUmusicMAN]

haven't they already tried this like twenty times before and every time it craps on their face...radio listeners tend to dig the conservatives peeps more...if this actually suceeds i'll be the first to be suprised

[DudeAsInCool]

haven't they already tried this like twenty times before and every time it craps on their face...radio listeners tend to dig the conservatives peeps more...if this actually suceeds i'll be the first to be suprised

excluding NPR, ive never heard one

[Kooperman]

excluding NPR, ive never heard one

Nor have I.

Of course, the right wing response to Dude would be "Well, listen to any of the network news reports by Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings."

The usual paranoiaspin..that and "This problem originated during the Bill Clinton

Administration" usually are in all right wing broadcasts.