Air America, New York City, WLIB, George Soros, Randy Michaels

NO DENIAL

While Supporters Use Vitriol, Company Issues Odd Statement





Finally issuing a response to our Friday story exclusively revealing a major crisis at their liberal talk radio network, Air America, with its choice of words, attempted to be clever.

Unfortunately, in failing to deny the apparent impending loss of flagship New York City radio station WLIB-AM, all was revealed.

Because Air America consistently refuses to speak with us, the Radio Equalizer has been forced to wait while other media outlets seek post-publication comment. Here, with other trade publications ignoring our coverage, All Access reported this late Monday:

Report: Air America WLIB/NY Lease Endangered; "No Plans Of Leaving NY," Says Network

What's up with AIR AMERICA RADIO's lease of INNER CITY's WLIB-A/NEW YORK? A report by blogger/talk host BRIAN MALONEY at his RADIO EQUALIZER site says that the network may lose its lease on its flagship as early as the end of MARCH, with MALONEY saying that a consortium led by RANDY MICHAELS and ALTA COMMUNICATIONS is tipped as the likely successor to AIR AMERICA in leasing the facility. MICHAELS' P1 owns ED SCHULTZ' show and ALTA has invested in INNER CITY in the past. MALONEY cites an "internal source" reporting that INNER CITY exercised a termination clause on FEBRUARY 17.

In response to MALONEY's report, AIR AMERICA RADIO spokeswoman JAIME HOOD told ALL ACCESS that “it is business as usual at AIR AMERICA RADIO, we will not, nor have we ever discussed, our confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum. We have no plans of leaving the NEW YORK CITY airwaves and plan to be on in NEW YORK for many years to come.”

It took until late Monday to cook this up? There's no mention of WLIB in their rebuttal, just "New York". Of course the company has no plans to leave New York City, that was never at issue.

If WLIB remains in place as Air America's ongoing flagship station, there'd be no reason not to reaffirm it here.

And what does "business as usual" mean? That fresh money is on the way from inner-city children's charities?

And take another look at this:

...we will not, nor have we ever discussed, our confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum.

What's that doing in the statement? If nothing's going on, would "confidential negotiations" be underway?

In addition, were this report incorrect, Randy Michaels, Alta Communications and Inner City Broadcasting certainly could also have disputed it. We've so far heard nothing.


While it would be nice to see Air America Radio ever proactively come clean on anything, it obviously isn't going to happen here.

Other than hope for an 11th-hour miracle that salvages WLIB, it's not clear what the company believes will save it now. Once the outlet is gone, Air America's New York options are few and far between.



Question from readers: why didn't the new George Soros/ Democracy Alliance money prevent this from occurring?

For one thing, the $8 million bailout hasn't yet arrived. Also, we don't know for sure why WLIB owner Inner City Broadcasting appears to be pulling the plug.


Meanwhile, in a fresh reminder of just how unhinged the "progressive" movement is these days, radio message boards are filled with vitriolic personal attacks against yours truly and this site.

Apparently, Air America's failure is something they take very personally.

Hate to break the news, but after seven months of coverage, our Air America Radio reporting remains accurate. As you've made very clear, the truth hurts.

Thanks for your continued and vital Radio Equalizer support, via Amazon orders that begin with clicks here, regardless of what you ultimately order! Because this investigative work is taking an increasing amount of our time, it's needed more than ever.

What, Me Fall? and Looking For Money images: David A Lunde for the Radio Equalizer