> > > > Air America has about 222,000 listeners at one time in
>
> > 61
> > > > markets compared to more than 4.4 million for Rush on
> > 600
> > > > stations.
> > > >
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
> > >
> > > One other key comparison: Rush's show became syndicated
>
> > in
> > > August 1, 1988. Air America started its network March
> 31,
> >
> > > 2004.
> > >
> > Does it matter? After its initial sign on it has plumeted
> in
> > the ratings barely drawing a rating here in Atlanta.
> >
>
>
> Plus...think of all the press they got before sign on. You
> couldn't turn on any of the time they got on CNN, MSNBC,
> FNC, CNNHN...the big 3. Not to mention print since then.
> And then the HBO thing a few months ago.
>
If Air America had grown to 300 stations and 2 million listeners, people would be saying that it only has 1/2 the audience of Rush. No one knows what the appropriate milestone in listenership at this point is for a radio network starting from scratch, attempting to create an audience where none existed.
That being said, Franken fares pretty well in the Bluer markets head-to-head with Limbaugh, even beating him in some cities in some demos.