Sad Sign of the Times for the Truth Movement

AscendingStarseed · 01-23-2010, 05:54 AM

As much as I try to keep my chin up, this has not been a good week....

The last couple days I couldn't understand why I was hearing reruns from earlier this week on Ron Reagan's radio show, here on KTLAam in Los Angeles...it's now 9pm Friday evening and Richard Green just announced that "Air America" is another victim of the economy and will cease programming on Mon January 25!

This is a very sad loss for radio broadcasting because there are very few sane voices left on talk radio amongst all the hate, race baiting and lying taking place on the air waves in right wing radio. It was one of the last vestiges of truth and fact checking in media, where the hosts weren't trying to be politicians or speaking for corporate interests.

The Truth Movement just took some major hit this week - the Supreme court basically ruled that corporations have the same rights as humans, Massachusetts replaces Kennedy's seat with a Republican Cosmo centerfold, we got cheated out of a health care bill when it would've been as easy as expanding Medicare and my daily dose of Air America am radio is gone forever

here's the announcement left on Air America's website this evening

Air America
It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business.

The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times.

Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success.

With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies

When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation's history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as "un-American" — Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation.

Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress.

Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival.....but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure.

We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end.

We are proud that Air America's mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation's progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues.

Thank you.

no caste · 01-23-2010, 06:23 AM

buck up, AscendingStarseed

Check this, nice song too -

http://www.area907.info/911/index.html

"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato

AscendingStarseed · 01-23-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no caste

buck up, AscendingStarseed

Check this, nice song too -

http://www.area907.info/911/index.html

"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato

Great video! thanks for the link...and the smile!

01-23-2010, 05:54 AM	#1
AscendingStarseed Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, Ca Posts: 355	Sad Sign of the Times for the Truth Movement As much as I try to keep my chin up, this has not been a good week.... The last couple days I couldn't understand why I was hearing reruns from earlier this week on Ron Reagan's radio show, here on KTLAam in Los Angeles...it's now 9pm Friday evening and Richard Green just announced that "Air America" is another victim of the economy and will cease programming on Mon January 25! This is a very sad loss for radio broadcasting because there are very few sane voices left on talk radio amongst all the hate, race baiting and lying taking place on the air waves in right wing radio. It was one of the last vestiges of truth and fact checking in media, where the hosts weren't trying to be politicians or speaking for corporate interests. The Truth Movement just took some major hit this week - the Supreme court basically ruled that corporations have the same rights as humans, Massachusetts replaces Kennedy's seat with a Republican Cosmo centerfold, we got cheated out of a health care bill when it would've been as easy as expanding Medicare and my daily dose of Air America am radio is gone forever here's the announcement left on Air America's website this evening Air America It is with the greatest regret, on behalf of our Board, that we must announce that Air America Media is ceasing its live programming operations as of this afternoon, and that the Company will file soon under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code to carry out an orderly winding-down of the business. The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a "perfect storm" in the media industry generally. National and local advertising revenues have fallen drastically, causing many media companies nationwide to fold or seek bankruptcy protection. From large to small, recent bankruptcies like Citadel Broadcasting and closures like that of the industry's long-time trade publication Radio and Records have signaled that these are very difficult and rapidly changing times. Those companies that remain are facing audience fragmentation as a result of new media technologies, are often saddled with crushing debt, and have generally found it difficult to obtain operating or investment capital from traditional sources of funding. In this climate, our painstaking search for new investors has come close several times right up into this week, but ultimately fell short of success. With radio industry ad revenues down for 10 consecutive quarters, and reportedly off 21% in 2009, signs of improvement have consisted of hoping things will be less bad. And though Internet/new media revenues are projected to grow, our expanding online efforts face the same monetization and profitability challenges in the short term confronting the Web operations of most media companies When Air America Radio launched in April, 2004 with already-known personalities like Al Franken and then-unknown future stars like Rachel Maddow, it was the only full-time progressive voice in the mainstream broadcast media world. At a critical time in our nation's history — when dissent on issues such as the Iraq war were often denounced as "un-American" — Air America and its talented team helped millions of Americans remember the importance of compelling discussion about the most pivotal events and decisions of our generation. Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives. With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress. Laws have changed for the better thanks to this revival.....but all the same our company cannot escape the laws of economics. So we intend a rapid, orderly closure over the next few days. All current employees will be paid through today, January 21. A severance package will be offered tomorrow to full-time current employees with more than six months of tenure. We will strive to assist affiliates and partners in achieving a smooth transition. Starting at 6 pm EST today, we will provide our affiliates, listeners and users a selection of encore programming until 9 pm EST on Monday, January 25, at which time Air America programming will end. We are proud that Air America's mission lives on through the words and actions of so many former radio hosts who are active today in progressive causes and media nationwide. In the years ahead, as we look back, we should all be proud of our passionate determination to assure that our nation's progressive voice would be heard loud and clear. Through the hard work and dedication of current staff, and those who preceded you, a lasting legacy was forged which will now continue through other voices and venues. Thank you.

01-23-2010, 06:23 AM	#2
no caste Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,375	Re: Sad Sign of the Times for the Truth Movement buck up, AscendingStarseed Check this, nice song too - http://www.area907.info/911/index.html "The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." ~Plato