Air America Turns Two, As In Terrible Twos

Brian Maloney at the Radio Equalizer blog analyzes Air America Radio on their second anniversary:

--- Ratings are in the toilet (another update soon on the way).

--- Just to stay afloat, it requires constant cash infusions from Rob Glaser and George Soros.

--- To sustain a bloated management and staff structure, company spending remains outrageous, with lavish salaries, perks and other benefits. Franken and some of its other hosts are compensated at rates up to ten times industry norms.

--- Does the firm ever intend to make money, or is it merely a political operation?

--- From skits advocating violence against President Bush, to the Gloria Wise taxpayer funds transfer scandal, Air America has had a nearly endless knack for generating bad publicity.

Don't forget the lavish publicity the launch received two years ago, as Rich Noyes documented here. We also noticed the publicity dried up when fortunes quickly went south, here. Add Maloney's entertaining and newsy blog to your Favorites list if you want to track Al Franken & Co. on a regular basis.