[IRCA] Printer Friendly Version - Air America callsbrfor its cash lifeline
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[IRCA] Printer Friendly Version - Air America callsbrfor its cash lifeline



 
New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
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.

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