Issue #0008

Will Air America Start Asking For Donations?
New Way To Raise Funds?With radio-advertising revenue down 9% last year and on track for a dismal 2009, writes TODAY's WALL STREET JOURNAL, some commercial stations are borrowing a tactic from public radio: asking listeners for donations. Until lately, the paper reports, "the practice has been limited to quirky local stations with low profiles and eccentric owners. Now, however, AIR AMERICA RADIO is considering putting out the begging bowl. The for-profit liberal-talk radio network, whose financial problems included a 2006 bankruptcy filing, may soon launch a membership program, with top donors getting access to AIR AMERICA talent and tickets to special events." "NPR isn't pleased about the new competition. 'There's plenty of opportunity for confusion,' says spokeswoman DANA REHM, who fears the 'audience may not discern the differences between public and for-profit operations.' "Indeed, at WJIB, a commercially licensed oldies station in CAMBRIDGE, MA, that supports itself entirely with donations, a listener once sent a check with the subject line marked "WGBH" -- a prominent local public-radio station. Owner BOB BITTNER says he sent the check back. "AIR AMERICA says it is weighing a fee-based membership program, even though it is on the path to profitability. CHARLIE KIREKER, a VERMONT venture capitalist, now heads the company's board, former CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS INC. executives are running the business, and fresh programming like a show from MONTEL WILLIAMS is filling out its roster. 'AIR AMERICA has a very passionate audience,' said Chief Executive BENNETT ZIER. 'They want to get more involved.' ZIER says the company would never represent itself as a nonprofit."

Pathetic, Awful, Laughable... Air America has dropped to a new low (because the ratings can't get any worse) Air America made a huge mistake that companies like XM, CBS, and Clear Channel all made at about the same time... They gushed money at no talent/big named celebs and gave them 3 hours a day to say what ever they wanted... Two problems, 1. They had NOTHING to say... 2. Even if they did have something to say I wouldn't want to listen to it because I like to see them act or sing that has nothing to do with their political views. What happened to radio people doing radio? There isn't a real minor league of radio right now... It use to be that the smaller markets get you ready for the bigs... But now the smaller markets tend to pipe in shows from big cities and the music stations voice track... That's how you get David Lee Roth and Whoopie... Now back to the meat of the article, Air America has their hands out like bums... Asking for change (literally)... If you wanted to pay for radio their are services for it... Lets make money the old way... selling commercials on good shows, that people want to listen to, because they are invested in a true talent...

Not a sermon, just a thought