Air America has now officially declared bankruptcy but no matter what happens to its shows the country’s top progressive talk show will not be impacted. This release was put out today by the Ed Schultz Show:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2006 Fargo, ND … Ed Schultz, host of America’s fastest growing progressive talk radio program The Ed Schultz Show, today assured his listeners and fans that his show is independently owned, operated and in no danger of bankruptcy or other financial obstacles.
Schultz’ assurances that all is well at The Ed Schultz Show and at Schultz’s partner and co-owner Product 1st, the programming company owned by long-time radio executives Randy Michaels and Stu Krane, were sparked by news of bankruptcy filings at a liberal talk network in no way related to Schultz.
Said Schultz, “Our show is growing in ratings and audience share everyday. That’s because we tell it straight from the heartland. And we’re here to stay!”
Schultz’s daily show can be heard in over 100 cities across the country. For a station near you, logon to www.edschultzshow.com
PERSONAL NOTE: I listen to tons of talk radio, of all kinds, when I drive and am stuck in traffic in L.A. and elsewhere in California. (Tuesday’s driving included four hours up and 3 1/2 hours down. Last night: four hours up. Today, 3 1/2 hours down). Schultz has one of the best paced and well planned talk shows around. It is not just rant, as many talk shows on the left and right are these days.
I heard today’s show when he had Stu Kane on. Kane was instrumental in helping launch Rush Limbaugh. Kane made it clear on Schultz show today that Product 1st’s bottom line is “the bottom line.” They want to produce a show that’s good radio, good entertainment, that gets listeners and makes money.
You can listen to the segment HERE. Schultz opened his show today talking about his appearance on Larry King Live and addressing the Air America bankruptcy. That segment his HERE.
At times some (not all) Air America shows sound as if they are on the air as the anti-Rush or anti-Bush forgetting about the elements of pacing, drawing in listeners who might not totally agree with the host on every issue (one Air America host a few weeks ago talked about how he hates moderates — a SURE WAY to expand your audience) and to make the show entertaining.
It’s important to note that two of the best progressive talk shows are hosted by Schultz and Stephanie Miller, who also isn’t with Air America. Miller’s show is at times laugh-out loud funny, moving at a break-neck paced with lots of wisecracks, one-liners, funny sound effects and satires.
UPDATE: You Tube has an interview done with Schultz a month ago in which he talks about his concerns regarding the future of progressive talk radio in general.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.