Air America Finishes Rocky Month

Not the best opening month for a radio network.
Air America Radio is off the air in Chicago, a month after its highly reported launch as a voice of the liberal part of the political spectrum.
Noting the departure of the service from WNTD(AM), columnist Robert Feder of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, “It would be hard to imagine how the rank amateurs running the operation could have done a better job of mismanaging their maiden month or alienating their potential audiences in such crucial markets as Chicago and Los Angeles.”
He noted Air America’s “shaky startup, including unseasoned on-air hosts, inadequate studios and an insufficient sales staff,” and said “the loss of its Chicago and L.A. broadcast outlets over an embarrassing payment dispute with the owner of those stations strained the patience of even the network’s most loyal listeners.”
Also making headlines have been the departures of Mark Walsh as CEO and Dave Logan as executive vice president of programming and operations.
Feder quotes the chairman of Air America Radio as saying, “We believe our relationship with our listeners is long-term.”