Shame on AAR for their treatment of Sam Seder. Their latest letter:

[madfloridian]

I don't have the link, as it is a newsletter. This infuriated me. They are putting Sam down by giving him just two days in one week.

AMERICAN AFTERNOON BEGINS W/ BELZER, BEHAR, BARR + MARON, REAGAN, KUBY, AND SEDER...ALL MAY.

When the 3-6p ET program slot opened up on Air America Radio, we thought that we might as well both have fun and be smart. Hence our own version of "(Air) American Idol," a search for someone who's informative, entertaining, funny. In other words, compelling radio. We're having on talents who are household names and radio veterans. So far, very good.

We've named the show American Afternoon with...and it can be heard in between veterans Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow and of course can be streamed online.

First up the week of April 21 was Richard Belzer, Det. John Munch on Law & Order and noted comedian -- or as he referred to himself, "the best face on radio you've never heard." Mixing the comedic and the contentious, he began with a bang with the one and only Jon Stewart. For the remainder of the week, Air America listeners were entertained by stars in the world of comedy and drama, like Bill Maher, Louis Black, Sarah Silverman, Martin Short and David Chase creator of The Sopranos. Richard also cross-examined Jonathan Granoff on how to stop nuclear proliferation and Josh Kors about how the U.S. government misdiagnoses Iraqi vets and then denies them their benefits. Nice going George, invade the wrong country and then honor our troops by denying them benefits.

Next came Joy Behar, star of ABC's popular late morning TV show The View and leading stand-up comic from Caroline's Comedy Club. Her irrepressible good humor punctuated probing interviews of Katrina vanden Heuvel on the presidential campaign, Deedee Myers about her new book Why Women Should Rule the World and Suze Orman on money and mortgage matters. And as if to prove that women were not yet monopolizing the world, Joy also talked to filmmaker Michael Moore about how Hillary Clinton was running her campaign. They thought not very well.

This week we're hearing from award-winning TV personality Rosanne Barr, and her co-host Johnny Argent. When Texas took hundreds of children away from their parents, were prosecutors acting like Nazi storm troopers denying families their due process rights or heroes saving children from molestation by adults? "Those adults were nuts -- it's like going into a drug dens and saving children," said Rosanne.

Here's a sneak peek about what's coming up: Next week, they're back -- Marc Maron, previously of Air America's very popular Morning Sedition, will host Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, May 6,8 & 9; then it'll be Sam Seder, who doubles as AAR's editor-in-chief of our web site, on May 5 & 7. The Seattle talk show host Ron Reagan will handle the week of May 12. And then Ron Kuby, last of Curtis & Kuby fame on WABC radio in NYC, the week of May 19.

Not Simon Cowell, but rather millions of Air America listeners -you-- are the judges of this contest. What have you thought of the Hosts? Who else would you like to hear from? Please let us know what you think, that is if you're interested in Truth, Justice and the Air American Way.

[fascisthunter]

1. AAR Has Treated Him Like Shit from the Beginning

He may as well look else where for work.

[Larkspur]

2. I did end up liking Belzer. He won me over when he had Kent Jones play Lawton Smalls

But I think that Sam Seder should be the main host and the others can be guests co-hosting with Sam.

I heard a couple days ago on my XM radio that Randi Rhodes will be on AAR XM channel from 3-6pm starting next week, so AAR screwed up again.

[shireen]

3. i appreciate Randi, but

but if Sam gets a permanent slot from 3-6, I'd probably lean towards listening to him more often. I really like Seder, and he has a lot of fans. He will attract all those people who don't listen to Randi for one reason or another, which is quite a lot.

I don't know why AAR management is so *stupid* that they can't see it. They are seriously out-of-touch with their own medium!

Really! Sam is a natural talent for talk radio. I just don't understand why AAR is so reluctant to increase his profile.

[madrchsod]

4. i gave up listening to 820am chicago after two

i listen to the local sports guys who were the only "lefty" political commentators in chicago for the last few years.

i emailed them that i`m not listening after 2 until they find a decent host. this new line up sucks

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. I find Seder smart and earnest but predictable and dull.

Also a tad on the ... let's say... humorless side.


>>>>Ron Kuby?

Who is their PR person. Sam needs to get a show elsewhere, they do not appreciate him. >>>>

Kuby is a *natural*. Brilliant, analytical, phenominally articulate, hugley interesting and funny as hell.

[kma3346]

7. I think Sam is hilarious

I guess it depends on what kind of sense of humor you have.....

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. "hilarious"... I don't get that at all. To me he seems *nervous*...

>>>I guess it depends on what kind of sense of humor you have.....>>>>

... like he's waiting for someone to pull the plug; which is apparently what's happening. Nice guy though, and quite intelligent, no doubt about it.

Give Kuby a listen. He will not disappoint.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Kuby

[Preston120]

6. I don't stream Air America Radio anymore..They're not that American.

[jane_pippin]

8. They also spelled Lewis Black's name wrong. n/t

[lectrobyte]

9. Belzer is great. Roseanne makes me turn it off, on the other hand.

[KharmaTrain]

11. AAR's On Life Support

I keep hearing from contacts "inside the biz" that the Greens are trying to keep this network going to prop up Camp Clinton and try to make it through to the Convention, but its days are numbered.

The network has always been mismanaged, and other than Maddow, they've lost their two marquee names...Rhodes and Franken and the network has been losing affiliates at a quick rate. Less affiliates mean less money coming in...not that there was much in the first place...sooner rather than later the Greens will decide no longer to subsidize it.

Under the Greens all they care about is the New York affiliate and their hires have been to try to boost the ratings of that crappy station...thus why they brought in Lionel and now Kuby.

The ideal place for Sam is Pacifica Radio or a public operation...away from the ratings and egos that have made AAR a circus...and a poorly operated one.

[Edgewater_Joe]

12. Let Nova M Pick Up Seder

I know they just spent a bunch of cash for Randi, but I also suspect their income has boosted exponentially with the move. With that, they should put him after Randi in what would be the old Majority Report slot, then Nova M would corner the PM progressive syndication programming with Randi, Seder, Malloy and, if they had some extra affiliates, maybe Maron after Malloy.

Then Jones would have Press (boring as Hell), Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz (who I admit are now both growing on me thanks to their reality about Clinton).

As for AAR, Rachel will end up on MSNBC and Thom Hartmann will find another syndication deal as he always has; I can see Jones pick him up easily. They'll survive. I give two damns about Lionel.

AAR will be remembered as the company that helped prove there was an audience for progressive radio - but as is often the case, the company that breaks the mold often can't handle the long-term, but they pave the way for other companies to take advantage of their work. For that I'll always be grateful for AAR, even if most of their errors were self-inflicted.