"I’m thrilled to have Randi on the Air America Washington team…it’s about time we were reunited.” says Air America’s program director Bill Hess.
Rhodes will do PM drive at WZAA, AAR's new progressive talker in Washington DC.
Hess says her “entertaining, aggressive style makes her the perfect fit for the ride home in Washington, where she’s now based.”
It's kissy-lips now, but it was ugly when they split up.
That was in April of last year and Randi Rhodes, (KPTK m-f, 6-9p) one of the original talents at Air America, called Hillary Clinton a "big, fucking whore" in a boozy off-air speech at a station promotion in San Francisco. She was suspended by AAR.
A couple of days later, Randi responded: "You can't fire me, I quit!" She then went to the ill-fated Nova M Network,(another AAR spin-off) until it went bust, then spent a few months wandering in the off-the air desert.
In April, however, the popular Randi Rhodes Show was picked up by the prestigious Premiere Networks the syndicator of Everyone Big, Owned by Clear Channel, it's the company that syndicates Rush, Beck, Hannity, and Casey Kasem for god's sake.
It was a big break for her, and has put her back on the dial in Seattle and in a hundred or so markets nationwide.
(Many doubt the hugely indebted Clear Channel, the nation's largest media conglom will survive past the first quarter of 2010. Terrestrial radio is a dying industry in the grips of a deep recession, and CC isn't the only biggie in the shit.
No one knows what bankruptcy, restructuring, and/or liquidation of the Mothership will look like, but the bitter fruits of duopoly and consolidation, many be finally coming home to roost).
I'm looking forward to seeing her numbers whenever they come out now that she's got a wider presence. She always said she beat Rush head-to-head and only in those areas where he was dually aired or the only thing on the dial does he win.
It will be interesting. He old fans have welcomed you back enthusiastically.
Posted by: joanie | June 23, 2009 at 08:51 PM
Im confused
...I thought she was with Premier
Posted by: sparky | June 23, 2009 at 10:16 PM
sparky why do you always have to be a fuddyduddy... just enjoy the presence of randi.. why can't you be more like joanie..and love more? be more positive sparky!
Posted by: justlove | June 24, 2009 at 04:59 AM
She is syndicted through Premier. But she has been added to the line up on WZAA-AM in DC.
Posted by: LucasFoxx | June 24, 2009 at 08:22 AM
>>It was a big break for her, and has put her back on the dial in Seattle and in a hundred or so markets nationwide.<<
Huh? Her web site (randirhodes.com)lists SEVENTEEN affiliates, not "a hundred or so." Seventeen is ten less than she had when she was syndicated by NovaM.
Posted by: NYLefty | June 24, 2009 at 09:32 AM
Wasn't she already with AirAmerica in the past? I thought that she was one of the talent that helped deliver AAR in to Bankruptsy Court.
Don't those people ever learn? Next thing you know, Ford will reintroduce the Edsel.
Posted by: chucks | June 24, 2009 at 10:37 AM
In the radio business friends become enemies and enemies become friends.
Posted by: mrogi | June 24, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Whatever numbers she pulls in DC ... and remember, she didn't do much last time she was on in that market ... Rhodes will be hampered by the station's lousy 44 watt signal when it gets dark early in the fall. And yes, she will blame Air America for that!
http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WZAA&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
Posted by: casual observer | June 24, 2009 at 11:59 AM
No Puts or Duffman back yet - Is it a lull before the storm (in more ways than one) ?
Posted by: KS | June 24, 2009 at 09:15 PM
44 Watts-now there is a transmitting blowtorch! You go girl. Both fans should be able to hear you over a couple of square blocks. Farther if you turned the transmitter off and just shrieked after getting properly prepared with your special tonic.
Posted by: Queens Hunter | June 24, 2009 at 09:36 PM