A BIG "Thank You" to the UAW and Sheldon and Anita Drobny.

[ConsAreLiars]

I suppose mist of you know this history, but let this be a reminder. Before 2004 there was only one source for Progressive Talk Radio. Yes, there was the very important Pacifica, but it was not focused on call-in talkers. And yes there were and are several scattered progressive talk radio hosts on assorted stations. But the only exclusively class-struggle progressive talk network with several affiliates was IEAmerica. Only on the internet if you wanted nothing but honest hosts, but with many shows picked up and broadcast by many radio stations. They almost made money for a while. After the jingoism revival created by the PNACers, terrestrial stations dropped on host after another, and the UAW, which had created IEAmerica, already facing hard times, abandoned the venture.

But by they had also introduced many of us to Peter Werbe, Thom Hartmann, Mike Malloy and several others.

A couple of venture capitalists with progressive ideals, Sheldon and Anita Drobny, picked up where IEAmerica left off, and developed a business plan for another such progressive talk radio network. The plan for Air America was sold to others for implementation. And even though one of the buyers turned out the be a con artist, it has managed to survive through several ownership changes. There aren't a lot of talk radio stations that carry a fully progressive schedule, but compared to zero, well.... Without the line-up of Air America hosts, there would be zero.

Mike Malloy was/is a good friend to the Drobys since his time in Detroit where IEAmerica originated, and although it took a few months before he was hired by Air America, I suspect that continuing to provide him an microphone was a part of the goals for developing the Air America plan. When he got canned by the Greens, the current owners, the Drobnys launched a new venture, Nov M Radio, in conjunction with the Phoenix Air America affiliate, KPHX. That station, like many, had been killed via buy-out by those who want to stifle progressive voices, but determination, strong community work, and support from around the country including DU allowed the station to rise from the ashes.

The station continued to broadcast a lot of Air America content, and via the Nova M partnership, Malloy was back on the air and again syndicated to several radio stations. When Air America dumped Randi Rhodes, Nova M had already laid the foundations for getting her back on the air with new syndication contracts to most of the stations that had carried her show within the week, far before Air America had even found someone to fill the slot she was fired from. And thanks to the CEO at KPHX/Nova M, John Manzo who did all this work. Randi gives him high praise often, and he surely deserves it.

So, again, a big shout-out and thank you to the UAW for getting the ball rolling, to the Drobnys for picking it up and passing it off, and again for carrying it further forward when the receiver began to lose a sense of direction, and to John Manzo for doing the very hard pragmatic work to keep it moving.

I know there are a few who pose as holier-than-thou puritans in order to trash any or all of the hosts on progresive talk radio. No surprise about that. But for me, I want to give a thank you not only to the hosts, but especially to draw attention to the behind-the-scene players who used their talents and resources to bring them to us.

Thank you UAW. Thank you Anita and Sheldon Drobny. Thank you John Manzo. Thank you to all the producers and technical people who make everything possible. Thank you Kathy and Lauren and Billy. Thank you all.

[ConsAreLiars]

1. Just a kick..

[choie]

2. K&R. I loved IE America and now Nova M. Radio with courage! n/m