Learning From The Failure Of Air America

3:23 pm EST January 25th, 2010 | Media | 5 Comments

This is key. KEY.

In interviews last week a half-dozen former Air America employees cited similar complaints, namely that a series of owners and managers lacked the necessary broadcasting business expertise. They spoke to what may be Air America’s other enduring legacy: that political media from either side of the aisle is more successful when run as a business rather than as a crusade.

I will always contend that Air America’s biggest mistake, content-wise, was hiring too many comedians and non-radio people while also not taking phone calls – the life blood of political “hot talk” radio. The biggest offender in this regard was Al Franken, who is a far better satirist and US senator than radio host.

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5 Responses to “Learning From The Failure Of Air America”

  1. merl says:
    January 25, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    no phone calls? really?

  2. El Cid says:
    January 25, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    I really don’t think it was a content and talent problem. It was nearly entirely a management and business problem. When they did have successful shows drawing audiences, they’d screw over the talent, not have money to pay them, jack around with schedules, and in general act like the thumbs-up-their-asses nitwits who run the Democratic Party.

  3. Oliver Willis says:
    January 25, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Much of the talent never caught on because they weren’t radio people. Al Franken, Liz Winstead, Janeane Garofalo…

  4. Amused Observer says:
    January 25, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    Air America’s failure probably has several components. One, it was a product designed on the field of dreams approach, build it and they will come, product first demand second. Two, it was going head to head against established liberal radio networks, PBS and Pacifica, which don’t go out of their way to antagonize non liberals. Three, demographics, there are more conservatives than liberals.

  5. Jose Hipants says:
    January 25, 2010 at 8:45 pm

    I used to listen to Lionel on Air America online until they “upgraded” their website to use Silverlight technology for streaming. It’s the only internet radio I know of that insisted the users install Silverlight to access the stream. Since the computer I was using at the time wouldn’t run silverlight, it was no more Lionel for me.