Krantz Out At AAR

[fred flintstone]

All Access:

Krantz Leaves Air America

ALL ACCESS has learned that in an unexpected move, AIR AMERICA President GARY KRANTZ and the network have mutually agreed not to renew his contract, effective JULY 1st. KRANTZ is currently considering several new opportunities, will still be available as company resource....

Additionally, as of JULY 1st, ALL ACCESS has learned that Head Of Programming JON SINTON will also oversee Affiliate Relations.

No word on Krantz' replacement. AAR hired Krantz in April 2005. He was previously an executive with Clear Channel.

 

[Scribbler]

From Billboard Radio Monitor (Words that Brian Maloney, Bill O'Reilly, and our own Fred Flintstone will not want to hear):

"I am very proud of my accomplishments over the last year in terms of increased revenue, affiliation, audience, and our Web presence,” he told Monitor. “Air America is -- and will continue to be -- a great force in talk radio."

 

[fred flintstone]

Typical PR crap. It was in the AAR story, too, and I cut. Somebody quits/is fired they say that. The AAR story had the usual line about wishing Krantz "well in his future endeavors." Right! Only a closed-minded true believer would think stuff like that means anything.

The fact is (whether Scribbler likes it or not) they are not only cutting costs. There is a management shake-up underway.

 

[Scribbler]

Typical PR crap. It was in the AAR story, too, and I cut. Somebody quits/is fired they say that. The AAR story had the usual line about wishing Krantz "well in his future endeavors." Right! Only a closed-minded true believer would think stuff like that means anything.

Actually, when a parting is acrimonious, the person who is leaving usually says something like "We had creative differences, but I wish my former colleagues well" or "I decided that I'd accomplished all I could and that it was time to move on." Krantz was unusually effusive about how well the company is doing. He was exaggerating of course, but his words were sure to infuriate Maloney, O'Reilly, and Webster/Flintstone.

 

[fred flintstone]

BS does not irritate me. And apparently we agree, Krantz' statement was BS.
You say you listen to Hartmann. I like Hartmann.
I think Randi is the best in AAR's line-up. You complain she's repetitious (and you switch to NPR).
Yet you accuse me of always bashing AAR.
As I recall, you have been less than complimentary toward Stephanie Miller, as well.
So, who/what do you like?
Maybe you just like an arguement.

Back to the topic:
First we had Danny Goldberg out and consultant Jim Wiggins in as CEO
Now we have Krantz out and Jon Sinton taking over most of Krantz' purview.
Now you can start talking about Maloney, or you can see this as a needed realignment that may help AAR's long-term viability as an enterprise.
Now, Maloney's original spin was Goldberg left (in large part) because he couldn't get along with Krantz. Now they are both out. Sort of shoots that theory.
Here's my interpretation: Sinton is once again running the show. He's the guy the Drobnys brought in before the beginning when they started AnShell Media (the predecessor to Progress Media and Piquant). They were looking for progressive talk radio to achieve the kind of influence many attributed to conservative talk radio. Their goal was influence rather than profit, but now it appears they are not happy with the return they have been getting on their investment. So their boy is back at the helm.
AAR does have problems/challenges they need to address. Being in denial about them won't help AAR stay in business for the long haul.
Besides, you should see the criticisms over on AAR's own message boards. Anything I've said is mild by comparison to some of that stuff.