Randi Rhodes, Air America, WLIB, New York City

I WANT MY 'LIB

Rhodes: New York Flagship Or Else





Exclusive To The Radio Equalizer
By Brian Maloney


Like a pampered rock star demanding hand-selected green M&M bowls in the band's hotel suite, Randi Rhodes sure isn't making things easy for Air America Radio.

During recent lengthy and emotionally- draining contract renegotiations, Rhodes, an afternoon drive host with the liberal radio network, has demanded nearly everything, including the kitchen sink.

Even when that's thrown in, however, Randi seems to want more!


One key sticking point, according to a reliable internal source, is her attempt to force Air America's hand on the critical issue of the network's future in New York City. As we exclusively reported in March, it faces the loss of flagship outlet WLIB-AM later this year.

Without a decent option for finding a new broadcast home in the nation's most important market, AAR's chances of survival are more uncertain than ever.

Over the course of several months, Rhodes and her New York-based attorney, Robert V Gaulin, have repeatedly demanded that her show must be heard on New York's WLIB, or else!

Each time, the network's response has been clear: we can't promise that to anyone.

Through this tactic, Rhodes seemingly wants to compel Air America to finally reveal the truth (at least to her) about where the network is headed, if anywhere. Unfortunately for staffers, they're far more likely to get critical company news from this website than AAR's notoriously dodgy management.


While that might seem like a reason for sympathy toward Rhodes, in our view, it's a completely outrageous demand of her employer. In the history of talk radio, we doubt many have had the nerve to require, as a contractual condition, a particular station carry their program.

If his show were to leave WABC for another New York affiliate, would mega-talker Rush Limbaugh demand his contract be torn up? It's not only extremely unlikely, but in practice, Rush has been frequently been forced to weather station changes in major cities.

In such instances, hosts have virtually no veto power over affiliation agreements.


For Air America, even if they would like to accommodate Randi's unreasonable demand, it's simply impossible. As for now, the best that can be made is a vague promise they'll continue to broadcast somewhere in New York City (if only there was a place to go), but could they ever hope to find an equally powerful station?

The end result of her stubborn refusal to concede even the slightest point has been a childish game of back-and-forth.

The big question: before it finally becomes fed up, how long will Air America Radio continue to pamper Randi Rhodes?

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Rhodes 0.8: David A Lunde for the Radio Equalizer, WLIB in illegal immigration protest: mac.lachlan, creepy Rice image: AAR advertising campaign