Grounded

It's been interesting to see the reactions on Twitter and Facebook to the demise of Air America Radio, or Air America Media, or whatever it was officially called at the end. There are the people who are gleeful because they see it as a conservative victory. There are the people who are worried about its effect on the future of liberal talk. There are the people who expected it, and there are people who didn't. There weren't many who didn't, actually.

But all the "I told you sos" and "it's corporate America's fault" comments are beside the point for me. I just hate to see people lose their jobs, whatever the reason, whatever I thought about the company or the product. You don't want to see a business go under and someone lose a job in 2010. Okay, maybe sometimes you do, but it's acceptable only when you used to work for the company, left on less-than-amicable terms, and have spent every waking moment since cursing the heavens and vowing to get your revenge. Other than that, you don't want to see it happen.

Can we learn some lessons from the network's demise? We can try. Let's do that:

1. Ideology second. You have to go into a radio venture intending to do the best radio show possible first (and, to be honest, second, and third, and fourth through whatever). Using the show to push an agenda -- any agenda -- should be secondary. Besides, if you DO want to push an agenda, you'll be more successful if you draw a large number of listeners in with entertaining radio. Do it the other way around and you end up preaching to the converted.

2. No need to reinvent the wheel. There are proven ways to create successful, compelling talk radio. The early stages of the network seemed to be going for something else, and it sometimes sounded as if the talent was being left to their own devices, which would have been more acceptable had more of them had radio experience. Later, more experienced radio people were in the building, with a better handle on how to do talk radio the right way, but by then, it was too late.

3. It's very hard and expensive to do a full lineup right out of the gate... so don't. Even in the beginning, I was wondering why they didn't just try syndicating one or two shows to get them off the ground and gain some traction. It would have burned through a lot less money. And you can see how other syndicators have taken that one-show-at-a-time approach and are making it work. That's why liberal talk isn't dead, but the network is.

4. Make sure your money people actually have all the money you need. That helps. And don't spend so much right in the beginning; you'll need it later.

And that's all, folks. Give the people involved some credit for making a lot of noise and getting talk radio a lot of attention, and for establishing a brand that, for better or worse, became synonymous with "progressive talk." It was an interesting almost-six years, anyway.

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Meanwhile, talk radio goes on, and talk shows still need material, right? That's what Talk Topics at All Access News-Talk-Sports is all about. This week, you'll find items about beer at Burger King, the last of the mom-and-pop video stores, a particularly interesting mistress'-revenge story, why do-it-yourself veterinary surgery might not be the best idea, why not to let a recently-paroled person borrow your car for a beer run, how not to react when you get fired, some really expensive additions for your "man cave," some news about reality TV "stars" that makes you wonder how low the bar's been set for celebrity, how country music and drinkin' go together like... er... country music and drinkin', the Grand Reopening of Virginia highway rest stops, how websites are ready to charge you for the stuff you've been getting for free (not us!), and many stories about Haiti, the Scott Brown victory, health care, the economy... really, if you're stuck for a topic, just come on in and I'll fix you up. Then you can go read "10 Questions With..." online sports talker Stacy Cole and check out all the news, features, and resources that All Access has to offer, including the new forums and more.

Next week? I'm not thinking about next week yet. I'm just hoping that it'll stop raining before that.

Perry Michael Simon
Editor
All Access News-Talk-Sports
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