Liberal radio network Air America has gone bankrupt and will cease live programming, the company told employees today.

"The very difficult economic environment has had a significant impact on Air America's business. This past year has seen a 'perfect storm' in the media industry generally," Charlie Kireker, chair of Air America Media, wrote in a letter to employees.

Air America was founded in 2004 as a liberal response to conservative dominance of the radio airwaves. In five years it has served as a platform for a number of liberal talkers that have moved on to prominence, including now-Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

The network will air re-run programs until January 25th, at which time all programming will end.

Kireker also touted the networks political impact.

"Through some 100 radio outlets nationwide, Air America helped build a new sense of purpose and determination among American progressives," Kireker wrote. "With this revival, the progressive movement made major gains in the 2006 mid-term elections and, more recently, in the election of President Barack Obama and a strongly Democratic Congress."

More . . .

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Air America network goes bankrupt; KTNF largely spared

By David Brauer | Published Thu, Jan 21 2010 5:30 pm

While I was out grocery shopping, Air America — the lefty network that once employed Sen. Al Franken — went bankrupt. You can read the network's statement here. They're choosing Chapter 7, which is liquidation, which is dead, dead, dead.

So how does this affect local lefty station KTNF-FM, a.k.a. AM950? Fortunately, Janet Robert's station — once known as Air America Minnesota — largely detached from the national enterprise awhile ago.

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This has been all over the news this evening..  You can read the letter sent out within Air America to the staff.

 

-- Edited by Sanders on Thursday 21st of January 2010 08:47:32 PM