-
Goldberg Memos Staff On Air America Reports
March 7, 2006 at 7:15 AM (PT)
What do you think? Add your comment below. -
After reports in ALL ACCESS, the NEW YORK POST, and several other news outlets picked up on the story first printed in BRIAN MALONEY's RADIO EQUALIZER blog about AIR AMERICA RADIO possibly losing its lease on flagship WLIB-A/NEW YORK, the network's CEO DANNY GOLDBERG has sent a memo to the staff that does not specifically address MALONEY's charges but asserts that the network's ratings are growing and blames "right wing bloggers" for "bad mouthing" the network with "gossip."
GOLDBERG's memo says that the network will "continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY" but does not say whether WLIB will continue to be the outlet and does not refer to whether WLIB owner INNER CITY BROADCASTING has or will terminate the lease, as MALONEY reported.The memo obtained by ALL ACCESS tells staffers: "As you may know, some right wing bloggers have, yet again, been bad mouthing AIR AMERICA’s business. No CEO and no company, large or small, discuss its confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum. However, following are some general comments on recent gossip.
"1. AIR AMERICA RADIO is much stronger today that it was one year ago or six months ago and is on track to be stronger still in the coming year and years. Our audience is bigger, the total number of affiliates carrying our programming is greater, and the amount of revenue we are generating is increasing.
"2. It is vital, when analyzing chatter about AIR AMERICA to consider the source. In almost all cases, the people who say bad things about our company’s business are conservative ideologues who have a particular interest in damaging AIR AMERICA, for one reason and one reason only: the political opinions expressed by our on air talent. BILL O'REILLY alone has mentioned AIR AMERICA on thirty-seven separate occasions since our programming went on the air. (AL FRANKEN has offered to debate O'REILLY in any number of forums including on “THE O'REILLY FACTOR” and O'REILLY has declined.)
"3. AIR AMERICA’s ratings in NEW YORK went up substantially in the FALL 2005 book. AIR AMERICA’s NEW YORK audience is large, growing and valuable. In every conceivable scenario, AIR AMERICA will continue to be on in NEW YORK CITY.
"4. Last week, two of our affiliates changed their format, leaving AIR AMERICA with the need to find new outlets for our programming in those markets. In recent weeks we have also picked up affiliates in recent months (sic) in EL PASO, TEXAS, BUFFALO, NEW YORK and others. Overall, AIR AMERICA’s weekly audience as measured by ARBITRON has more than doubled from what it was one year ago.
"5. AIR AMERICA is a new business which has required investment albeit far less investment than many conservative media companies have consumed. Our board continues to be very supportive of our company and we continue to operate on a firm footing in all respects."

