Air America's Bankruptcy

Conservatives have reason to rejoice this morning. Air America has declared bankruptcy.

I never thought much of Air America, despite my politics. It was usually a hammer, conservative talk radio with a liberal face. And that's not me.

The network was a product of its time, those days in 2002-2003 when opposition to Bush policies dare not speak, for fear of losing their careers, being called crazy, or even (in the case of one Muslim professor) losing their right to live here.

In other words, Air America was a political act, not a business plan.

The fact is that radio networks, in the mode of Air America, have not really existed for some time. Nearly all leading "networks" today are in fact single shows, or music formats that are pushed for specific day-parts. Rush Limbaugh is a network, in other words. The music you hear as you wake up is a network. These "networks" can get numbers, and sell-out their ads at high prices. Full-day networking is dead.

So what happens now? Radio programming companies get a chance to bid on the pieces. Al Franken could be a network, if he would commit to the work (he might not). So could each of the network's other shows. Given the decent performance some of these shows displayed (despite poor signals), and given the changing political times we live in, it's very likely that a major programmer will pick up one, or more, of these shows and promote it.

Money has no politics, nor should it.