Michell Malkin is reporting that Air America is filing for bankruptcy. The Drudge report also has a link to the liberal blog that broke the story so the actual content isn’t available.
To me this is proof that America rejects liberalism. Conservative commentators reign supreme on cable news and the radio waves.
Tags: air america, conservative, fox news, liberalism, radio
Sean Hannity had a slightly different take on it this afternoon. He claims that the reason liberal talk radio in general (and Air America in particular) doesn’t succeed is because there are so many other sources of liberally oriented information to choose from (print media, broadcast networks, most cable news networks, etc.). On the other hand, conservative media is pretty much limited to a few sources (talk radio, Fox News, and a few print sources, e.g. National Review, Wall Street Journal editorials, etc.).
Another factor Sean mentioned was support. Air America was funded from the top down; since the earliest days of Rush Limbaugh, conservative talk radio has been much more a grass roots phenomenon.
There’s one more factor, and this is perhaps the most important one. Although I never personally listened to Air America (and now I guess I probably never will), the impression I got was that it was at once both negative in tone and not very entertaining – a deadly combination. Even at the height of the Clinton Administration, most conservative talk show hosts continued to maintain a lighthearted tone, pointing out Clinton’s shortcomings in a way that was more teasing than mean spirited, IMHO.
My thinking that “America rejects liberalism” in this case is because Air America advertised and was thrust into the national headlines several times. Most everyone knew about it, but no one listened to it, at least not enough to entice advertisers to purchase adspace.
If you ask me, the market destroyed them. There is better stuff out there.
As often is the case you beat me to the same answer CT. There is so uch maistream liberal outlets that one more is sure to be a failure. Take Sean hannity and allan Colmbs. Sean is prime time and impossible to call in to, Allan is late night and I get to him easy. He’s usually asking people to call.