YEARS ago I saw some documentary on AirAmerica (I'm thinking it should be on Youtube for free by now?) profiling the roll out.
I remember that scene on the street where the manager had to talk to the guy on the street outside, begging him not to pull the rug.
Disillusioned, they guy was thinking that as the left wing was un-represented in the media space at the time, thought that lining up Al Franken, et. al would have been a viable package to "flip" to a major network or syndicator in weeks.. but when the bills started rolling in instead of the money, he bailed.
I have (old) experience in talk radio. I have to tell you the reason that right wing talk radio thrives and left wing does not is because radio / media is driven by demographics. An advertiser asks, "who listens to right wing radio?" The answer is clear - men who buy pickup trucks, beer, and make other large purchases.
Here in Philly, I remember Air America was picked up by only one small station that split their programming with other shows serving minority communities. The signal was so weak it was easier to subscribe online. That's in the fifth largest market in the US with major universities and a large urban population.
Meanwhile, back in the day I would drive down I-95 and there would be a desert of radio reception. The most reliable thing was to get either religious radio or right wing talk, esp Rush Limbaugh.
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