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WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

S

skyeye

WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

"Radio Equalizer" Brian Maloney reports a group headed by former WNBC General Manager Randy Michael may assume control of WLIB, terminating the station's LMA with Air America.

Michael's is also former CEO of Clear Channel Radio and currently owns a company which produces the Ed Schultz Program, a liberal talk afternoon drive program distributed by Jones Radio nationwide but not heard in New York. On many Air America affiliates, the Schultz program pre-empts Air America's afternoon Randi Rhodes program.

Maloney describes the terms of Air America's lease on WLIB and suggests they may have defaulted, and that this created an opportunity for Michaels to move in and acquire the station from Inner City Broadcasting, the company controlled by former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton. Maloney says the end of Air America's lease may be April 1st.

What is not clear is whether Michaels will continue the LibTalk format, possibly replacing at least some Air America programs with local programs and other national programs (including his own Ed Schultz program), or adopt another format.

Maloney is clearly gloating in this article over the possible damage this might cause Air America, but the article does provide some interesting (if not well substantiated) details.

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

<font face="times new roman" size="3" color=660033">
When was Michaels GM of WNBC? I'm familiar with his storied career, but must have missed that chapter.

One thing's sure, the guy knows radio and loves to stir it up. Sure, when he gets involved in a project, "it's all about him," but Michaels knows how to roll up his sleeves and brawl. Some will be disappointed if Air America on WLIB goes away, but I'd be willing to bet that if Michaels' company LMAs the station, what's to come will be a greater threat to WABC than they've seen or heard in quite some time.</font>

>
> http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/
>
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

> When was Michaels GM of WNBC?

Never. <P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P>
 
WNBC? I Don't Think So...

> "Radio Equalizer" Brian Maloney reports a group headed by
> former WNBC General Manager Randy Michael may assume control
> of WLIB, terminating the station's LMA with Air America.
>
> Michael's is also former CEO of Clear Channel Radio

Dude..I can find no mention of WNBC in Maloney's blog. Sounds like you've added to this and your confused. Randy Michaels was never GM of WNBC.

You've (not Maloney) might have him confused with Randy Bongarten - one time WNBC GM.

They're two separate people dude.

And WLIB's license is "not at play". You have no idea what you're talking about and using the wrong terminology to describe the situation.
 
Re: WLIB License

> > When was Michaels GM of WNBC?
>
> Never.
>
<font face="times new roman" size="3" color="660033">
Thanks. As I suspected. I was beginning to think "CRS<sup>1</sup>" was taking its toll.</font>
<hr>
<sup>1</sup>Clinical: Can't Remember Sh/t
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

There are 2 separate issues here: air America's deal with Inner City/WLIB
and Inner City's license to WLIB. I can see a possible termination of the lease
by Inner City if Air America defaults; but I don't see a challenge to Inner City's license to 1190. Maybe another party would lease or purchase the station
if the Air America lease falls through; but not a license challenge before the FCC, IMHO.
action central
 
Re: WLIB License

> > > When was Michaels GM of WNBC?
> >
> > Never.
> >
>
> Thanks. As I suspected. I was beginning to think "CRS1" was
> taking its toll.
>
> 1Clinical: Can't Remember Sh/t
>
What about Jack Thayer? Did he not bring Imus to WNBC?
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

Several things here:

1. WLIB's license is not "in play". According to the FCC Web site, nobody has filed any objections to the renewal of Inner City Broadcasting Company's license for either WLIB or WBLS. Unless someone files an objection with the FCC, the WLIB license will be renewed in May and it will run for another seven years. If an objection is filed, the FCC will put the renewal on hold, review the objection, then decide if Inner City should have the privilege of operating a station on 1190 kHz in New York City for another seven years. Unless a station has a really horrible record, such objections are usually denied and the license of the station in question is renewed as a matter of course.

2. If Air America defaulted on its lease of airtime on WLIB, the Air America talk programming will disappear from that station. But Inner City will continue to own WLIB and probably would go back to programming it locally, perhaps with music of the English-speaking Caribbean (reggae, calypso, soca, etc.). That style of music was once the trademark of WLIB.

3. Randy Michaels once headed the radio division of Clear Channel, but he never was the general manager of WNBC. Could you be confusing him with Randy Bongarten?
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

> "Radio Equalizer" Brian Maloney reports a group headed by
> former WNBC General Manager Randy Michael may assume control
> of WLIB, terminating the station's LMA with Air America.

Is this more of Mike Maloney's typical rumor reporting?

No quotes, no sources, no verification?

I'd hardly call him a reliable source by any stretch of the imagination...
 
Re: WLIB's license may be in play; Air America may be off the station the end of the month

> "Radio Equalizer" Brian Maloney reports a group headed by
> former WNBC General Manager Randy Michael may assume control
> of WLIB, terminating the station's LMA with Air America.
>
> Michael's is also former CEO of Clear Channel Radio and
> currently owns a company which produces the Ed Schultz
> Program, a liberal talk afternoon drive program distributed
> by Jones Radio nationwide but not heard in New York. On
> many Air America affiliates, the Schultz program pre-empts
> Air America's afternoon Randi Rhodes program.
>
> Maloney describes the terms of Air America's lease on WLIB
> and suggests they may have defaulted, and that this created
> an opportunity for Michaels to move in and acquire the
> station from Inner City Broadcasting, the company controlled
> by former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton. Maloney
> says the end of Air America's lease may be April 1st.
>
> What is not clear is whether Michaels will continue the
> LibTalk format, possibly replacing at least some Air America
> programs with local programs and other national programs
> (including his own Ed Schultz program), or adopt another
> format.
>
> Maloney is clearly gloating in this article over the
> possible damage this might cause Air America, but the
> article does provide some interesting (if not well
> substantiated) details.
>
> http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/
>
These "stories" have the distinct aroma of rumormongering. Is there a story here at all? I don't think so.
 
Update

The license is in play because somebody else - Alta Communications - may acquire it.

To those who pointed out I confused two Randys: You are correct. I apologize for the error.

All Access reports Air America's response, which seems to stop short of a denial.

--------------
In response to MALONEY's report, AIR AMERICA RADIO spokeswoman JAIME HOOD told ALL ACCESS that “it is business as usual at AIR AMERICA RADIO, we will not, nor have we ever discussed, our confidential negotiations with third party companies, investors, or others in a public forum. We have no plans of leaving the NEW YORK CITY airwaves and plan to be on in NEW YORK for many years to come.”
--------------

As Maloney points out, they don't mention WLIB. They just say they have "no plans" of going off the air in New York.
 
Re: Update

So, assuming the conventional wisdom is correct:

Where do you think they will end up (anyone can answer)?

> The license is in play because somebody else - Alta
> Communications - may acquire it.
>
> To those who pointed out I confused two Randys: You are
> correct. I apologize for the error.
>
> All Access reports Air America's response, which seems to
> stop short of a denial.
>
> --------------
> In response to MALONEY's report, AIR AMERICA RADIO
> spokeswoman JAIME HOOD told ALL ACCESS that “it is business
> as usual at AIR AMERICA RADIO, we will not, nor have we ever
> discussed, our confidential negotiations with third party
> companies, investors, or others in a public forum. We have
> no plans of leaving the NEW YORK CITY airwaves and plan to
> be on in NEW YORK for many years to come.”
> --------------
>
> As Maloney points out, they don't mention WLIB. They just
> say they have "no plans" of going off the air in New York.
>
 
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