More on the liberal talk radio network. Sounds like it will kind of be a comedy liberal radio network.



Central Air Media



"Our primary goal is to entertain and inform the listening public with an irreverent twist. Political and popular satire, hard-hitting parody and celebrity-fueled interviews will ensure that Central Air programs stand out as different, interesting and entertaining.



Using the nation's top comedy performers, sharpest political commentators and knowledgable experts from the worlds of business, sports, science, politics, and entertainment, Central Air is out to balance the discussion on our country's airwaves with politically progressive talk."



For hardcore newstalk radio fans that has to be a little bit of a letdown.



Franken is confirmed



Satirical superstar and St. Louis Park native Al Franken has signed on as a prime player with Central Air, a new politically liberal radio network. Franken will host a daily talk show, his agent confirmed on Monday. When the New York-based network goes on the air later this year, his show is expected to run from noon to 3 p.m., going head-to-head in many markets with conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.



"The deal was finalized Friday," said Franken's longtime friend and literary agent Jonathon Lazear.



Franken, the comedian, partisan satirist and bestselling author, could not be reached for comment. He has said publicly for months that he has been in talks with Central Air's investors.



Minnesota Public Radio host Katherine Lanpher's name has repeatedly surfaced as his probable cohost.



Freddie vs Jason, Godzilla vs Mothra, Ali vs Frazier, Yankees vs Red Sox, Al vs Rush...And there is this from December.



Central Air Media



Talent and Inaugural Markets Announced for National Network



New York, December 1st, 2003 - Taking another step toward redefining the landscape of American talk radio, program production and syndication company Progress Media Inc. today announced itsCentral Air radio network will hit airwaves in the first quarter of 2004, in time for the election season.



"Our success to date proves what we have known all along, a progressive radio network can be entertaining and engaging while also being a successful business venture," said Mark Walsh, Chief Executive Officer of Progress Media, Inc. and the Central Air radio network.



Progress Media is in discussions with comedian and author Al Franken, whose book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, a current best-seller and actress, comedienne and commentator Janeane Garofalo. The company also announced the hiring of Lizz Winstead, creator of the "Daily Show," to oversee entertainment programming; Shelley Lewis, a longtime network news producer who was most recently in charge of "American Morning" on CNN, to oversee news programming; Dave Logan, former Chicago radio executive, to serve as Executive Vice President of programming and operations and Martin Kaplan, an associate dean of the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Southern California, to host a talk show about the news media.



The top talent in the country is coming together to ensure Central Air provides the most compelling and entertaining programming on radio, said Central Air President Jon Sinton.



Central Air will broadcast a full schedule of programming on radio stations they are close to buying in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Boston, five of the ten largest media markets in the country.



Central Air will be available in the first quarter in top markets across the country, and our distribution channels will continue to expand in the coming months, said Sinton.



If they are going to "buy" stations in those markets they have a lot of money, and/or a huge credit line. I still think they might buy "time" on stations in those markets. But I haven't heard anything in the SF rumor mill about stations being sold.



And I blogged it a little here with more background links on Dave Logan and more.