Air America (radio network)
Air America Radio is a progressive radio network that began broadcasting on March 31, 2004. The expressed goal of the network is to serve as a Left-wing politics alternative to what they argue is the domination of right wing voices on talk radio. The network includes several radio stations over which it has full programming control, and a growing number which syndicate its programming.
During its development it was also known as Central Air. It is part of Progress Media, which has amassed tens of millions of dollars prior to first broadcasting, according to CEO Mark Walsh. As a start-up organization, the network is expected to lose money for the first few years of its operation.
The stations headquarters are in New York, using the Park Avenue offices, station, and equipment of WLIB, a station which used to focus on the African-American community. Some of the stations controlled by Air America previously focused on the African-American, Hispanic, or Asian communities.
Two weeks after debuting, Air America Radio was pulled off the air by the owners of two stations they are licensing in Chicago and Santa Monica, California (near Los Angeles). This was due to a contract dispute between Air America and the station's owner, Multicultural Radio Broadcasting. Air America alleges Multicultural Radio may have sold time on their Los Angeles station to them and another party, and stopped payment on checks to them while they investigated. Multicultural Radio alleges that Air America bounced a check and owes $1 million. Air America Radio filed a complaint in New York Supreme Court, charging breach of contract and seeking an injunction to restore the network in Chicago. Within a few days, it was back on the air in Chicago.
Promos
According to their promos, Air America Radio is further to the left than: Betty Crocker, the House Un-American Activities Committee, the NRA, the John Birch Society.
List of weekday programs
Air America produces seventeen hours of weekday programming, including news summaries at the top of each hour.
- Morning Sedition with Marc Maron, Sue Ellicott, and Mark Riley (three hours)
- Unfiltered with Lizz Winstead, Chuck D, and Rachel Maddow (three hours)
- The O'Franken Factor with Al Franken and Katherine Lanpher (three hours)
- The Randi Rhodes Show with Randi Rhodes (four hours)
- So What Else is News? with Marty Kaplan (one hour)
- The Majority Report with Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder (three hours)
Weekends on some stations
For those stations for which Air America has full control, weekends feature repeats and highlights from their weekday shows, combined with new original programming and some syndicated shows produced independently.
New network programming for weekends includes:
- The Laura Flanders Show with Laura Flanders (three hours)
- Bring the Noise with Chuck D (three hours)
Stations
The network's programs are streamed on the Internet and carried on XM Satellite Radio's America Left (channel 167) and Sirius Satellite Radio's Stream 125. The network has announced pending deals with Dish Network and stations in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Boulder, Colorado.
Broadcasting entire lineup
- WLIB 1190 AM in New York
- KBLA 1580 AM in Santa Monica, California (near Los Angeles)
- WNTD 950 AM in Chicago
- KVTO 1400 AM in San Francisco
- KVVN 1430 AM in San Jose, California
- KSQR 1240 AM in Sacramento, California (?)
- WTWK 1070 AM in Plattsburgh, New York and Burlington, Vermont
- WKIZ 1500 AM in Key West, Florida
- WMTW 870 AM in Portland, Maine
Affiliates
Affiliates carry at least part of one or more shows.
- KPOJ 620 AM in Portland, (the first affiliate)
- KCAA 1050 AM in the Southern Californian Inland Empire (O'Franken)
- WMNN 1330 AM in Minneapolis (O'Franken)
- KBZC 1300 AM in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- WJNO 1290 AM in West Palm Beach, Florida (Randi Rhodes)
- WCHL 1360 AM in Chapel Hill, North Carolina