Air America pulls the plug on Sam Seder

Sadly, it's true this time: Friday the 13th of April is the last day for the Sam Seder Show as we know it.

Seder's been at the troubled Air America from the beginning. A close-in source says he'll probably take a Sunday afternoon show as a consolation prize.

"It's like a gold watch," she said. "Besides, they'd owe him a shit load of severance."

Who's next in the 9a-12p (East coast) time slot? Mark Green told the staff Thursday that the person hadn't been locked in, but should be by Monday or Tuesday.

"We think," he said brightly to the troubled assemblage, "you'll love the replacement."

It's been a death of a thousand cuts- not great for a slasher film plot, but serves a passive-aggressive (read chicken shit) executive AAR executive well.

In February, chief operating officer Scott Elberg, the network's corporate Jason Voorhees, and sixth CEO in three years, slashed Seder's budget and salary by 40%. 

Elberg is a veteran radio guy, and was the last AAR man standing after the bankruptcy. Many however, say Elberg simply doesn't even believe in the liberal talk format.

"He voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004," staffers grumble.

Elberg never worked in a network or in syndication, they say, "He's a sales manager."

The whole deal is mysterious. It's not based on data because there isn't much- there's been no full book since Seder inherited in September from Jerry Springer, who'd bled ratings from that key anchoring position before he was finally fired.

It's not that Seder lost affiliates-of the twenty two stations Seder got from Springer, he lost nine when he took over- eight of which were lost because stations dumped the format, and the ninth, KTRC in Santa Fe actually flipped back after two months. He picked up a few more- his affiliates now number 16.

New owner, Mark Green reportedly told people he wanted "less substance" in the 9-ta-noon timeslot. Hence they offered it, to no avail to comedian Marc Maron, and tried unsuccessfully to get Jones Radio's Stephanie Miller with her comedic format. 

Many think Elberg is enamored with Free FM "hot talk," the testosteronic, hyper-sexual audio foreplay like Anthony & Opie, or The Radio Chick except he'd have it with politics- a coupling of hot libs with hot libidos in sweaty, partisan, lizard-brain, 9-ta-noon, weekdaily orgies.

"I think he [Elberg] thought Maron could morph into that," says one staffer, "and when Maron balked, he'd gotten himself in a position he couldn't back off of- that there was something wrong with Sam's program." 

Elberg really wanted Maron back on; and, says a staffer, he first tried to can Randi Rhodes, "but the minority partners refused to let him."

AAR may try to blame Sam Seder saying it's poor performance- not unlike the Bushies firing of the U.S. Attorneys for incompetence that turned out to be apocryphal. 

But Air America's problems have never been with the product- Jerry Springer was the only real programming failure- the real fuck-up is that they never figured out how to monetize liberal talk.

It can be done because Jones Radio, (Stephanie Miller, Ed Shultz, Bill Press) is doing it.

Sam Seder, 40, is a talented guy- a comedian, writer, author, actor, film director, television producer-director and we're sure he'll never not make a good living. We sure hope he'll stay in radio- he's smart, glib, funny, and well-connected.

As listeners and progressives, Seder's firing portends worse for Air America than it does for him.

Comments

[robinz]

Why don't you like Randi, Robin? She takes callers but not a lot all the time. I like callers because I don't like to hear straight ranting.

I haven't tried Randi since she very first came on. Maybe I should again. Maybe it was the ranting or maybe she never seemed like she had a sense of humor. Sometimes you just have to laugh or you end up crying over everything. I don't need anyone whos going to make me even more pissed than I already am. That blood pressure thing. :)

Robin

[joanie]

Well, the last few weeks, she's been hot and informed. It takes my breath away. And, yes, my blood pressure goes up but I feel like I've been apprised of information I cannot get anywhere else.

Just now she played a tape of Bush speaking at Fort Irwin (sp?) and the troops were absolutely silent. According to her, these troops have injured soldiers assigned to that camp just to increase the head count of ready troops and some of these injured soldiers are being trained to be sent back - injured.

The tape spoke for itself. Fort Irwin is being used and the soldiers know it. Their silence was a cry for attention - that's her take anyway. Read the Salon article.

You've got to try her again. The truth has got to be told. One thing she does is link everything on her website. I like that feature because I can check up on her sources.

Also, she's having some fun occasionally and she plays some great commercials. I don't know who puts them together, but they are funny.

[robinz]

Ok, you've got me. I'll try her again. :)

Robin

[sparky]

Amen and high - 5 Robinz! I dont believe that Ring of Fire on weekends takes calls, nor does Laura Flanders, although maybe every once in awhile. Amy Goodman does not take callers either...all weekend shows.

Joanie...with Randi on at 5, it is hard to get to listen to her very often...I must watch Keith, you know, then I am busy with school stuff..I do sometimes stream her live at 12 PDT so i dont have to listen to Ed. If Stephanie is ever taken off KPTK I will also buy Steph-cast.

[joanie]

Flanders does take calls . . . I like calls because they break up the flow and I like that. Stephanie's funny but I guess I don't listen much for entertainment because I get tired of her.

Anybody who's a CSpan junkie like me is much too bookish, I guess. Laughter? Too trivial.

But not all the time. . . :)

When I'm home, I do listen to Randi online because there's almost nobody else I like much on the radio after Ron Reagan.

[joanie]

BTW, Sparky, Randi just talked about Keith. A caller commented that he hadnt been doing as many passionate monologues lately and Randi responded that as soon as he signed up for the next four years, his voice quieted down. So they were speculating that he has been muzzled a bit.

Have you noticed a change?

Also, Flanders, Turks - which I'm liking better but still dislike that Jill - and Ring of Fire all take calls but have guests on so the callers are fewer than other shows. I love guests!

[sparky]

ohhhh Jill sounds like someone's girlfriend who is hanging out with the guys, gets bored and whines about stuff...yuck!!

ok I wasnt sure about calls..I figured there weren't too many...

[robinz]

Actually I do listen to Ring of Fire sometimes. I do like that show.

Laura Flanders falls into the "I want to like her but can't stand her voice" file for me. Not sure what it is about her but she bugs me.

As for Steph....I need something that makes me laugh. She's like a female Marc Maron without the manic personality. Her show is fun.

The Turks are only good if both of them are there. I can't take either of them without the other. Those two guys balance each other out very well.

I'm hope whoever they come up with to fill Sam's slot it will be someone new. I have to believe there is more untapped talent out there and I mean someone who works in radio already and is polished but is maybe not recognized nationally.

Robinz

[robinz]

Ok, I d/l a weeks worth of Randi and I'll sprinkle her in with what I've got left of the week of the other shows I listen to, oh and the Mariners. I'm always a day or so behind which is fine because it gives me something for the weekends when I'm working in my yard ect.

[joanie]

While you're at it, consider listening to Mike Malloy. He's pretty crude sometimes but if you like passion, he's got it, too.

He just read a column by Joe Klein "An Administration's Epic Collapse"

Joe Klein was the originator of the Bush description: "lacking curiosity." Klein is pretty conservative himself so this is an interesting column.

BTW,Robin, I almost always listen on-line now. Why do you pay for this stuff? You can catch Randi in the afternoon live or on KPTK at 5:00, Malloy at 8pm . . . just curious.

[Webster Hubble Telescope]

Amen and high - 5 Robinz! I dont believe that Ring of Fire on weekends takes calls, nor does Laura Flanders, although maybe every once in awhile. Amy Goodman does not take callers either...all weekend shows.

Posted by: sparky | April 06, 2007 at 07:37 PM

I can't believe all this disinformation in one paragraph. ROF takes calls on their "hot line", even though it only a two hour show once per week. Laura Flanders takes calls all the time. Amy Goodman broadcasts every weekday morning.

Jaysuz.

[robinz]

BTW,Robin, I almost always listen on-line now. Why do you pay for this stuff? You can catch Randi in the afternoon live or on KPTK at 5:00, Malloy at 8pm . . . just curious.

because I can't just sit and listen. I have to be doing something else at the same time. Which means pod casting, which means paying so I can wonder around. However it also means NO Commercials! I work in the yard in the summer, I clean house, even if all I do is Sudoku puzzles at the same time at least I'm doing something. I'm the same way with TV. I can't just sit and watch TV. I have to be doing something else at the same time. It's a twitch. :)

The only time this is a problem is when I watch Heros! Hiro speaks Japanese and we get subtitles and I have to look at the screen to see what he's saying. Thank goodness I don't watch live TV (except for the Mariners). I DVR everything! TV and Radio should be at my convenience not theirs. :)

Robin

[sparky]

whatever, Webster. Im still on vacation so comments like yours ....well...I fart in your direction!

[joanie]

Actually, I'm the same . . . that's why I don't buy cable! I get basic which is a clear screen and government channels!

I just put the computer online and listen while doing other things. . . of course, that doesn't work outside. When outside, I still take my little Sony walkman and listen to whatever I can find. Funny! I even gave up my VCR cause I would tape things but never watch! I can listen to CSpan . . .

[joanie]

Yeah, Webster. We already determined they take calls but not always a lot of them cause they have guests. And Goodman most certainly repeats on the weekend . . . you may not listen much. And Goodman is on the Bellevue station (forgot the numbers) at 5 pm every weekday.

So, we know our stuff! As, Michael and putsie would say, lighten up a little.

[joanie]

Oh, Sparky, my condolences, your spring break is over . . .

but, mine has just begun!

Don't the days go by quickly?

[David St. Hubbins]

An Amy Goodman show is rerun on Air America on the weekends on KPTK....during the week she isnt carried by Air America, but by Pacifica Radio, and sydicated to a variety of stations.

Miss Robin asked for shows that had "little or no phone calls." Compared to other AA hosts who have many callers, I do believe the shows that Sparky mentioned would fall under those categories Robin requested.

[Derek Smalls]

Can I raise a practical question at this point? Are we gonna do "Stonehenge" tomorrow?

[sparky]

heh...fine with me!

Joanie I had a fabulous break..still two days to go.
All ready to WASL in another week or so, and we have some special events in May and June, so it will go fast. Today was wonderful, the flowers are out, we BBQ'd tonight and nobody is going to ruin my mood!

[robinz]

As a parent I do believe WASL is dumb.....12 years of school balanced on the head of one test. dumb dumb dumb.....I'll be so glad when I get mine completely clear of the k-12 school system. I've got him in running start so he's part way clear of that mess. Just one more quarter to go.....

Robinz

[joanie]

I didn't realize until this week that WASL is now a 3rd, 4th 5th grade nightmare! Good Lord! When does a teacher have time to teach?

As a first grade teacher, I'm a bit out of the loop.

I'm on the fence about WASL and discussed it with a friend for whom I have a lot of respect . . . he's a mensa. So, he said there will always be children who do well in the trades (and Murray also wrote a trilogy of articles I read concurring with this view) and they should work and achieve to the best of their ability and their teaching should be excellent.

Kids who are college-bound, those for whom college is really appropriate, should be the group taking the WASL because it is asking for a kind of critical thinking combined with an ability to articulate that thinking that isn't necessarily commensure with average kids.

Wondering what you all think? I think the WASL does test a certain ability and it is important. Perhaps not appropriate for all students, however.

[joanie]

BTW, if you can't tell, I'm just sitting at the computer tonight reading blogs, listening to Malloy, and playing Shanghai between it all!

It has been a very exhausting week! I'm vegging right now. Feeling back about polar bears and now seal babies because there is no ice on which they can reside for the two weeks they apparently need it . . . so seal babies are the next big tragedy. I don't care what is causing global warming, I'm sorry I'm around to see it.

Easy. . . to be hard . . . hurts.

[joanie]

That should be "feeling bad" . . .

[robinz]

My problem with the WASL that I don't believe the kids get a well rounded education. Teachers tech to the test, they have no options and I don't care what they say, there is far to much pressure on them to be doing anything else.

As for the college-bound/trades argument, I'm can't believe how little practical learning kids get anymore no matter where they are going. I had to explain to a 20 something today that the reason she couldn't siphon the water out of her water bed is because you cant siphon up hill out a window. Good grief. [shakes head in disbelief]

I'm hell bent these days that my son has to help with every single home repair we do. I don't care if he does go to college, he damn well needs to learn how to swing a hammer, turn a screw driver and for goodness sake know how to siphon water. Learning to work with your hands should not be look down on like it's only something the backward do.

The way things are going in this country the only people who are going to have jobs are those people who work with their hands and have to be on site to do their jobs. Everything else will be done by someone in a third world country for pennies on the dollar.

Robinz

[robinz]

I'm cranky tonight....:)

Nite alll

Robinz

[joanie]

The way things are going in this country the only people who are going to have jobs are those people who work with their hands and have to be on site to do their jobs. Everything else will be done by someone in a third world country for pennies on the dollar.

Absolutely agree! When I need a plumber to unclog the toilet, he/she is not going to come from India!

Good column on that here "AP on the Free Trade Downward Spiral"

nightie night . . . sleep tight.

[sparky]

I think your friend's perspective is the best explanation I have heard, Joanie.
Kids are not one-size-fits-all--anyone who has more than one kid knows they are totally different in the way they learn, what they like to do, who their friends are. Everyone should be able to follow their own path and the decision should be respected. But that doesnt fall into line with the attitude that created the WASL. You're right, Robin, teachers do teach to the test and a lot of other valuable stuff is never touched because of the pressure. The Legislature puts pressure on the school boards, the School Boards put pressure on the Superintendent, who puts pressure on principals, and so on. Did you know that in the Federal Way School district, 50% of a principal's evaluation is based on the WASL scores? He or she could be the crappiest principal in the whole world but if the test scores are up, they are considered to be excellent. We are turning out a bunch of kids who are getting only a percentage of what they should learn because if it isnt on the WASL it doesnt get taught, for a variety of reasons. I know of one district that hands teachers a time table of what page they will be teaching on a certain date and when the district-wide tests will be given. Others have "WASL Academy" after school where kids are drilled on how to take the test. So, the world will get a generation of kids who know how to take tests...but still think they can siphon water uphill..

Oh, and Joanie..dont get too complacient...there are many who are aiming for WASL testing to start in Kindergarten...

[joanie]

Oh my god, say it ain't so! I guess in this day and age anything is possible.

BTW, you guys, at the risk of sounding a little . . . well, you tell me . . . I think you can siphon water uphill. I do it with my fish tank . . . as long as the bucket is lower than the water you are siphoning, it will work. That's why they can siphon gas out of cars. In Robin's son's case, if the ground outside his window is lower than the waterbed, I think it will work if you can get it started. . .

Physics is not my area of expertise however. I expect to be thoroughly chastised and put in my place!

[robinz]

BTW, you guys, at the risk of sounding a little . . . well, you tell me . . . I think you can siphon water uphill. I do it with my fish tank . . . as long as the bucket is lower than the water you are siphoning, it will work. That's why they can siphon gas out of cars. In Robin's son's case, if the ground outside his window is lower than the water bed, I think it will work if you can get it started. . .

Yea, I know :) What you said is what I told her. The bucket or whatever has to be lower than what your siphoning from. Although I think there is a limit to how much suck verses hill. If the hill is to steep you are probably not going to get enough suck out of a regular garden hose. I learned it the same way you did, with fish tanks. It does go up over the tank but as long as the bucket is low, your in.

[blathering michael]

fish tanks? siphon hoses? what has this come to?

[sparky]

mellow, no-bashing, wimmin-talk, Michael :-)

[blathering michael]

OK, OK- wimmin- can't live with 'em, and you can't live with 'em...

[joanie]

And, by the way, David Berliner is discussing his book,Collateral Damage about high stakes testing and the corruption of schools on CSpan right now. Well, just finished but questions and answer currently.

[robinz]

Re: Randi, I just listened to one of her shows and it was much better than I remember. The show seemed much tighter.

Also, didn't her show use to be quite a bit longer?

Robin

[sparky]

Bla'M..I heard it differently.."Men..can't live without them, can't kill 'em" :-D

Robin..her show used to be 4 hours but she was tired of that, and when some changes were made at AAR, she took the opportunity to cut an hour off her show...

[DennisNY]

Somebody mentioned not being able to listen to an Internet stream while out in the yard. I plug one of those little FM transmitters (that cost about $25) into the earphone jack on my computer and it transmits whatever I'm streaming into any FM radio in the house or out in the yard.

[sparky]

cool!!! Can you get one at Radio Shack?? That would be awesome for working in the yard..or even just being around the house doing chores... Thanks, Dennis!

[Duffman]

Happy Easter All! Wish you all an extra special day.

[DENNISNY]

Sparky,

Radio Shack has fairly cheap FM transmitters, but I can't vouch for them. I got mine from ccrane.com and CAN vouch for it, but I see that c.crane is now charging $69.95 (ouch!) for thiers. Mine is worth that to me, but a cheaper one might get the job done too.

[DennisNY]

I've been doing some research on FM transmitters and it looks like the cheaper ones may not deliver the goods. Some limit you to four frequencies, which is not good if there are FM stations already on those frequencies in your area. And some don't have the power of the C.Crane transmitter and might not transmit very far. The C.Crane transmitter can also be tweaked to deliver better performance. Details at http://tinyurl.com/pegb9

And no, I don't work for C.Crane. I'm just a satisfied customer.

[sparky]

cool..I have actually been by the C.Crane headquarters in California....I get their catalog in the mail so I will look the next time it comes in the mail.Thanks for the information!!

[coiler]

The CCrane can be tweaked, it is a simple gain pot on the back side of the unit, but the results are marginal. Using a clip-on antenna will add more fire to the wire.

[JimK]

Randi has a 4 year contract and it would cost a million plus to buy her out. I really doubt Randi’s job was every in jeopardy. A lot of people including liberals talk show host’s who consider AAR competition, ex-employees, would be very happy if AAR goes down and their doing the best to help.

Pretty simple, AAR offered Maron a job in the morning slot and was going to move Seder to evenings. Maron made a counter offer to AAR which was not excepted, now Maron is pissed and trashing his former employer at every chance.
http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2007/03/marc_maron_spea.html

Maron with Seder Friday, March 23,
http://minorcrisis.net/files/maron.mp3

[JimK]

V3000 USB FM Transmitter. Paid $47 on ebay,
http://www.mobileblackbox.com/content/view/34/55/

I get great range, manufacture says 150ft range.

Available frequencies:

106.7, 106.9, 107.1, 107.3, 107.5, 107.7, 107.9 MHz
Transmit range:
150+ Feet

[sparky]

Jim, Maron even said he refuses to even call in to sam seder's show anymore, he is that mad at AAR...

[roby]

Jeremy Scahill was with Sam this a.m. This guy is extremely articulate-wonder if he has any talk show aspirations.

[Bill Larsen]

Sam Seder was never my cup o'tea so I'm not that sorry to see him go. I'd like to see Lionel in his place or have the Young Turks moved to his timeslot so I don't have to listen to them at o'dark thirty.

Elberg really needs to go. Why did AA hire a Bushie in the first place? Anyone who screws with Randi Rhodes needs to be shown the door and then pushed through it.

[joanie]

Makes you wonder, huh Bill?

Perhaps Randi is too good for these so-called left-wing corporate pockets.

[sparky]

Are we sure Sam is leaving? I looked at his website and there is no mention of it at all....

[sparky]

Scratch that..I just went back to look and he made the announcement, along with the news of his new sunday show....