air america

Talk radio network and syndicator appealing to "progressives" aka liberals. When founded in 2004, it was said it would spread to about 600 radio stations (like Rush Limbaugh) but for the most part it has failed. Reasons include weak signals, the inability to feature local hosts, strident hosts who favor a political agenda over entertaining talk, and an anti- big business attitude that drives away advertisers. Some feel it shoots for the far left and drives away moderates or conservatives. Many Air America stations have changed to more profitable formats such as sports. Several petition drives have attempted to resurrect the format in cities such as Boston, Akron, New Haven, Dallas, and Sacramento. The only successful effort so far was a Madison station that decided against switching to sports. Some feel the Fairness Doctrine should be brought back to help liberal talk radio, but this is basically a gutting of freedom of the press. Conservatives feel talk radio should succeed on demand, talent, and the free market rather than through government force.