Air America calls
for its cash
lifeline
By DAVID HINCKLEY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday,
May 24th, 2004
Air America, the progressive talk network heard
locally on WLIB (1190 AM), says it has a new infusion of cash to keep the
wheels on the track.
It's coming from a group that includes Sheldon Drobney, the
Chicago entrepreneur who first conceived the idea of a new radio network
to counter the conservatives. Drobney is informally seen as the "white
knight" who can stabilize an operation that suddenly has begun to look
shaky.
It's never a good sign when much of top management leaves less than two
months after sign-on. It's not a good sign when the network loses its
affiliates in two of the top three markets (Los Angeles and Chicago).
Nor was it a good sign when paychecks were delayed two weeks ago,
particularly since previous management had repeatedly issued assurances
the network was amply funded to absorb years of deficits.
On the brighter side, it has signed up some new affiliates - and it's
also true that all media startups have shakeouts in the early going. What
gets them through is the confidence of listeners, supporters and
advertisers that this new entity has the resources and will to keep going.
To survive, Air America must convey that message credibly. So far it's
not off to a great start - which is bound to rekindle speculation that the
network is less concerned with the long-term plans it has outlined than
with the shorter-term benefits of being a Democratic on-air voice through
this November's elections.
AROUND THE DIAL: WFUV (90.7 FM) features Bob Dylan all
day today, saluting the fellow's 63rd birthday. Anyone in central or south
Jersey can also hear 12 hours of Dylan, noon-midnight, on WDRV (89.7 FM,
91.9 FM) in Sergeantsville. Expect to hear a few Dylan tunes on stations
like classic rock WAXQ (104.3 FM) as well.... Charley Connolly is
leaving as program director of WQCD (101.9 FM) to take the same position
at WEZN (99.9 FM) in Bridgeport.... "Soundcheck," 2 p.m. on WNYC (93.9
FM), today starts a week-long look at summer music festivals.... The
Maury Allen/Bill Liederman call-in show heard nightly on WFAS (1230
AM), 7-9, is expanding to WKNY (1490 AM) in Kingston, WPUT (1510 AM) in
Danbury and WINE (940 AM) in Poughkeepsie.... A pirate station tagged
L.A.C.A. has been fined $10,000 for broadcasting at 96.1 FM and 96.5 FM,
cutting into the signal of the legal WQXR (96.3 FM).... The February-April
Arbitron ratings, a marker on the way to the important Spring ratings
quarter, have WSKQ rising from 4.9% to 5.4% of the audience, a close
second behind perennial leader WLTW at 5.6%. Also up: WWPR, WABC, WBLS.
Down a little: WRKS, WQXR, WPLJ, WCBS-AM.... We jumped the gun here last
week on the "Radio Star" contest being heard Sunday nights on WHTZ (100.3
FM). The three finalists were announced last night and the winner will be
announced next Sunday.