It's an interesting choice for the management of Air America: Promote liberal radio by firing your liberal hosts and replacing them with non-liberals.
I don't know Sam personally, but this really bugs me on his behalf. I think Sam did a great job on his show, and the information I gleaned from it was often fodder for my posts here. When Air America first started, the line up really appealed to me (Morning Sedition, Franken, Majority Report). Now it sounds like they are trying to make over AAR as moderate or left-leaning Limbaughs. Now that Sam is gone, Rachel Maddow and Stephanie Miller are the only things keeping me listening (and Stephanie isn't really AAR).
In a surprise move, talk show veteran Lionel has been tapped to take over Sam Seder's 9A-12P ET midday slot on Air America Radio, beginning May 14, according to radio industry news site All Access.
"Lionel will be an eclectic mixture of current events and off-the-wall topics infused with his special brand of humor," said Air America President Mark Green. "Because he's one of the biggest names in talk radio, Lionel will be a very important addition to our line-up and affiliate base."
"Air America is about one thing: radio. Not about ideology; but democracy. (emphasis added) Radio that's an alternative to the usual, bumper sticker Rush wannabe. Radio that's listenable," said Lionel. "My goal is to garner and gather listeners. If you've got a radio, I'm your guy. Listeners want smart, funny, thoughtful, thinking, entertaining talk radio.With that in mind, my first show for Air America will be 'Great Polkas of the 20th Century.'"[..]
Seder will wrap up his weekday show this Friday and will soon debut a Sunday afternoon show, to air 4-7P ET.
If you would like to give Air America feedback on their programming, you can contact them here:
Scott Elberg
Chief of Operations
selberg@airamerica.com
David Berstein
Program Director
dbernstein@airamerica.com
As always, please be polite. Nasty-grams aren't very persuasive.
