Al Franken: OUT @ Air America??

Two Progressive talk stations have silently replaced Al Franken on thierAir America scheules with Portland, OR talk host Thom Hartman.

Al is gone on his annual USA tour and while he is out, his producer/sidekick Billy Kimball is running things. Franken's show is still on the AAR Feed, and Kimball promises that he will get Franken on throughout the week eithet via cell or satphone.

Hartmann is a power house in Portland, keeping his AAR affilliate KPOJ-AM near the top of that city's Arbitron ratings heap.

Franken has been working for the finacially-challenged network without pay for months and has been mulling over a Senatorial campaign. Many radio insiders say that AAR would stand a better chance at survival with a more professional sounding and successful host. Having stayed competive with Rush limbaugh many times in the Portland area, Hartmann seems to fit both bills.

AAR has been operating on Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules since October, and has been given extra time to fina a buyer. Reliable sources have identified an investment froup headed by a former AAR boardmember as being close to a buy deal.

Impacting............

Media Matters: ABC, REI respond to Air America blacklist memo

Responding to Media Matters for America's October 31 posting of an ABC Radio Networks memo indicating that nearly 100 ABC advertisers insist that their commercials be blacked out on Air America Radio affiliates, ABC provided Media Matters with a statement in which the company did not challenge the memo's authenticity but instead noted:

"It is not uncommon for advertisers and/or agencies to request that their ads
run or not run in specific programming environments or dayparts. ABC Radio
Networks does not solicit nor encourage these requests from advertisers. If a
request is made by an advertiser/and [sic] or agency we make our best effort to
comply."

However, one of the advertisers included in ABC's list, REI, apparently claims it did not request that its ads not be aired during Air America programming. Several Media Matters readers have sent this response from REI, which reads, in part:

Today, an internal memo on ABC Network letterhead was posted on the Air
America website and picked up by various blog sites. The memo lists companies
that refused to have their radio advertising supporting Air America and Al
Franken's programming. REI was listed as one of the companies declining to
advertise; however this information is incorrect.

The memo posted on the internet is not correct. REI has not refused to
advertise during Air America's programming. In fact, REI has placed radio ads on
stations carrying Air America programming.
It is unfortunate that this
misinformation has been widely distributed. We are currently working with our
advertising agency and the ABC radio network to track down how this happened.