Air America Radio Loses Its Buzz

Posted by Ben Berkon on January 22, 2010 04:21 PM

Air America Radio, the progressive Democratic radio network, announced today that it has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and will immediately cease its programming.

In a press release, executives cited “difficult times,” “lack of funding,” and other economically based reasons for the collapse of the once promising left-wing station, which launched in 2004.

Even though on the surface, its economic shortcomings are valid, there is another reason for its collapse -- the radio waves to the right. Despite featuring the likes of former comedian-turned-Minnesota Senator Al Franken, and current MSNBC personality Rachel Maddow, Air America stood little chance trying to replicate the success and popularity of right-wing radio.

In most parts of the country, Air America didn’t even air. In comparison, Rush Limbaugh’s right-wing radio show was not only significantly more popular, but dominated the waves -- sometimes even simultaneously cast on multiple stations.

Ratings and polls have also long shown that the largest audience for talk radio -- especially political radio -- is in the 50+ age group, which is predominantly a right-wing demographic. Though the political wars between Democrats and Republicans will certainly go on forever, the battle for airwave supremacy seems to be over.

Republicans 1, Democrats, 0.

More about: Air America Radio, Republicans, Democrats, Rush Limbaugh, Al Franken

Al Haberstroh says:

One thing your analysis fails to mention is that the natural constituency for Air America was already an avid NPR listener. NPR's programing is, for the most part, not so overtly political as Air America's but it is where the left leaning listener gravitates. It also has strong core listener loyalty and has the advantage of being "commercial free". To be successful, Air America had to take listeners from NPR, no easy task This is a problem that right wing radio never had.

January 25, 2010 09:36 AM #

A Sauer says:

Yes, yes and yes.

January 25, 2010 07:35 PM #

uglygeorge says:

Natch, the Lefties are blaming Hilary's notorious 'vast right-wing conspiracy' (mysteriously led by unnamed fat-cat Republicans (Ugly George & Richard Mellon Scaife?) for 'deluding' the poor,dumb American peasants into tuning IN Rush & right-wing radio and tuning OUT commie-pinko A.A. Note that these are the SAME 'peasants' who were 'smart' to vote in Cal.lefty Gov.Grey Davis in the 90s but were then 'dumb' when they IMPEACHED him over something silly like soaring electric bills; lefty radio immediately claimed that Enron paying Comrade Davis had nothing 2 do with it & it was all a secret plot led (from 100s of miles away) by Tex.Gov. George Bush!..and if you believe that, the 'fair-minded' A.A. had every Dem-Lib as 'good' and every GOP-Consrv as 'bad'...(amazing coincidence). But when A.A.-funder Mark Green actually SNEERED at U.G. on Park Ave.South-then THAT was its' death-rattle...›

January 25, 2010 10:18 AM #

Paul Wilson says:

Air America is a failure of ideas, plain and simple. The network's ideas failed to resonate with people, and therefore it drew an unsustainably small audience. As Maddow and Franken should learn, that a shrill, strident and condescending delivery does NOT make an argument more forceful, and certainly does not make it more valid. Air America didn't fail because conservative media is more powerful, but because conservative media presents more powerful ideas.

January 25, 2010 11:36 AM #

Dis here guy Paul Wilson uses such BIG WOIDS to describe a simple thing: WHY do some radio stations, some TV shows,some records, some books, some movies sell brilliantly whilst others fail miserably? The simplest answer in branding history: because customers WANT to buy them...! This gut reaction, this "buzz", this "trend" is not "an idea" & it certainly is not a 'marketing plan'. Sony Pictures had spent millions on a 'marketing plan' for their new romantic comedy a year ago-and yet no moviegoers knew its' name. They hurriedly re-named it "The Ugly Truth" & Ugly George's 93-million links did the trick...Pointy-headed 'critics' can't get people 2 buy, but Cicero can: "De Gustibus Non Est Disputandem": "There is no arguing about what people want to buy tix for...!"

January 25, 2010 12:04 PM #

stevef says:

As a former radio station owner I can tell you that Air America failed because it began by buying bulk time on marginal stations, hired big staffs who had never done radio before, and had little in outside promotion (outdoor,TV,local press). Most of the progressive talkers on air today beat the right wingers in ratings in major markets, however Rush does have 600 plus stations and its hard to top that kind of audience. Right winger Bill O'reily lost his show because it couldn't sustain any real ratings. Sucessful Radio syndicators (Dial Global, Premier) are doing great with progressive shows like Randi, Steph,Tom,Mike, Ron. And Air America did provide a start for SENATOR Al Frankin, so that's not so bad for an upstart against so many others, many right wing who failed also.(Tammy,Larry,Dennis).

January 25, 2010 05:25 PM #