Stephen L. Green is out, and Charlie Kireker is in at liberal radio network Air America, yet another change at the top of the perennially up-and-coming political radio web. Kireker has purchased Green’s controlling share of the network and taken over the chairman’s chair, but that does not make it Green-free. Stephen’s brother Mark is staying on as president.
Kireker says that while the network is not yet profitable, it’s foundation is solid and that it has a strategy in place that will get it into the black soon. It is said to have 65 affiliates and about 2M weekly listeners. Future prospects hinge in part on plans to get an internet version of the network up and running. The biggest question is what if any changes will need to be made to its programming style — it was born to attack a government largely controlled by Republicans, and may face an environment where Democrats are in charge. Kireker says he would be willing to face that challenge.
