[Off the] Air America Media Dissolves

Image via Wikipedia

 Air America Radio debuted in 2004 as a progressive network alternative to Rush Limbaugh, G. Gordon Liddy, and other conservative stalwarts dominating the airwaves and chronicled in Hot Air by Washington Post Media Columnist Howard Kurtz.

Although never dominant, Air America at its height had more than 100 radio outlets across the nation and boasted established "names" including now-U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D.-Minn.) and actress/comic Janeane Garofalo, and soon-to-be stars such as Rachel Maddow.

It all came to a crashing ending this week as Air America Media ceased live programming Jan. 21 and will disappear from the airwaves entirely Jan. 25 as it undergoes Chapter 7 bankruptcy dissolution. Ownership blamed the dramatic drop in local and national advertising revenues that has plagued the industry as a whole, but Air America's history was turbulent before the nation's recent economic downturn. 

Air America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in 2006 and soon after, was purchased by Green Family Media.  Full-time employees with more than 6 months' tenure will receive severance packages.

Other notable hosts over the network's brief six-year existence included Ron Reagan, Jr., "Lionel", Jerry Springer, Joy Behar, and Richard Belzer.

Liberal listeners will have to make do with NPR, and oldies, jazz, and classical stations.

Senate Dems to Get Franken Privileges?

Al Franken via last.fm

The Minnesota Supreme Court today ruled that Al Franken is entitled to a certificate of election as U.S. Senator in the Nov. 4, 2008, election in which he bested incumbent Republican Norm Coleman by 312 votes.

In a per curium opinion In the Matter of the Contest of General Election held on November 4, 2008, for the purpose of electing a United States Senator from the State of Minnesota, Cullen Sheehan and Norm Coleman, contestants/Appellants v.Al Franken, contestee/Respondent (A09-697), the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected Coleman's challenge on due process and equal protection grounds, and affirmed the findings of the three-member panel of judges it appointed in Franken's favor (See "TUOL" post 6/1/09).

Though the court found that the 58-year-old Franken is entitled to the certificate of election needed to assume office, the opinion did not direct Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty to sign the certificate. Pawlenty, an aspirant for the 2012 GOP presidential sweepstakes, has previously indicated he would sign the certificate if so ordered by the Court. No response as yet from the 59-year-old Coleman, whose camp previously has raised the possibility of appealing an adverse ruling to the federal courts. The parties have spent more than $50 million to date on the eight-month-long post-election skirmish.