Randi Rhodes is MIA from her show on NOVAM radio. Her show went dark last Wednesday and a replacement host has been doing the show since. The NOVA M network posted this note last week. “Technical problems ” have been the explanation officially stated as the reason for her absence. Of course her message board has lit up with speculation. Her replacement, Nancy Skinner is doing the best she can given the circumstances. Because of her sudden departure from AAR, there are ample scenarios to guess at.
Randi is not every one’s cup of tea. Personally, I believe that she is one of the most well-informed talk show hosts on the air, and I like her. The way things are in the media I welcome ALL left -o-center radio. I hope she gets back on the air soon, I miss her.
UPDATE!!!
Anita Drobny from NOVAM posted the following on the “about Randi” page on the NOVAM site:
To all of Randi’s listeners;
You are all correct – I have not had the option to disclose what has been happening between Randi and Nova M…
You see, it’s in her contract that she has total control, but, after Wednesday night, I want you all to know that Nova M has done everything we can to get her back on the air.
All this is her choice; if she wants to tell you all what the issue is, then I hope she does, but I can’t according to her contract rules.
But I can tell you this I have wanted her back on the air. She’s an amazing talent and needs to be heard.
Thank you all for all of your support.
Randi now has to make her decisions as to what she must do with her career…
Anita Drobny
So whatever THAT means, Randi is STILL off the air, and the way it looks NOW, she MAY not be back. There’s STILL a bunch of speculatin’ about how or when this idiotic situation will resolve. I think she is being screwed over for remarks she made about oxi-rush and clear channel and they are trying to get her to apologize to lardass. She didn’t lie about lardman taking a hundred mil, and CC firing a couple thousand people. So here we go again, the saga of RandiRhodes and the fools who control radio. PATHETIC!!!!!
UPDATE X 2
Randi Rhodes left a statement at Green 960, You can check it out HERE. I GUESS it says that her relationship with NOVAM is over. We’ll keep our ear to the tracks and update as this idiotic situation developes. *sigh*
February 15th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Hey Frank – Down here in Arizona, there’s more to the story than what the rest of the US hears about regarding Randi.
Rumor is that Mike Malloy is about to go, too. And, the NOVA-M network has already let go several staffers and hosts in Phoenix, including CEO John Manzo (who is suing the owners, the Drobnys), CIO Billy Foster, Account Executive Kim Macias, and weekend host “King Daevid McKenzie” who was either let go or resigned.
Manzo is suing the Drobnys, and his attorney (Jonathan V. O’Steen –
is the son of a very well known attorney (Van O’Steen, http://www.vanosteen.com/) who went to the Supreme court making it possible for attorneys to advertise on the radio! (like Bob Pittmann / Tacoma, of Legal Line on 770 LOL
With O’Steen, John will most certainly win, and the Drobnys will have to pay.
Previously, NOVA-M host Mike Newcomb has sued the Drobnys, and won.
Unfortunately, because they can’t keep Randi in syndication, Progressive talk will die.
Here’s why:
With the likely forthcoming formal announcement of the termination of the national syndication of Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy, and the recent resignation of Rachel Maddow, Clear Channel now under the conservative brain of Mitt Romney (Bain Capital) will likely go to all sports on its air america stations.
Randi and Rachel were carrying much of the ratings for many Clear Channel Air America stations. Now that they’re gone, without suitable host replacements, Clear Channel will likely cancel its liberal stations and change them to ESPN or FOX sports.
So, what we can do is get NEW hosts into national syndication into time slots left by Randi, Rachel, and Malloy. How about Doug Basham and Lydia Cornell (http://bashamandcornell.com), and Jay Diamond (http://talkradiousa.tripod.com)?
What the Drobnys can do is to find a way to retain Randi. Otherwise, they will indirectly kill several progressive affiliates. They must do it. I don’t know why they can’t, but they have to in order for Clear Channel not to go to sports – which they are, in March, in Miami on WINZ 940 (and they did it already on 1360 KLSD San Diego).
If they don’t, then *Time Is Of The Essence* to start national syndication for an entrepreneur, because Clear Channel Officials under the conservative brain of Mitt Romney could begin their format changes in the weeks ahead, probably by April when sports stations usually see a ratings increase due to the baseball season.
Here’s the link to the Court Case filed by Jon A. Manzo w/ attorney Jon Van O’Steen:
(Randi’s producer and boyfriend) who is Suing Anita and Shelby:
http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CivilCourtCases/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=CV2009-003470
So, unless the Drobnys – who founded Air America – realize how important this is to their ideological stance, then progressive talk will die under Mitt Romney.
If Randi goes, Basham or someone else with high ratings must get in to replace Randi.
It’s all very sad. The Drobnys still have a chance! I hope they read this and realize the implications of not retaining Randi!
-tom
February 16th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Frankly, I got tired of Randi a long time ago. I am not exactly sure how she can claim the title of being the number one progressive voice on the radio when Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann, and even Stephanie Miller have a larger audience than Randi.
Most markets have her show delayed, and some even preempt her for college basketball or underwater basket weaving championships.
There is plenty of talent out there that could fill the void Randi leaves. I can think of several host in local markets who could step up and go national. For that matter, is there REALLY a reason for every progressive voice to be a nationally syndicated show?
Take a look at the really successful progressive stations. KPOJ, for example, is the number one talker in Portland, because it not only has nationally syndicated shows, but it also has LOCAL progressive shows too, that deal with LOCAL issues.
So we lose Randi — so what? Here in Seattle, she wasn’t on much anyways.
February 16th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
I am a fan of Randi’s, but she’s NOT everyone’s cup of…..tea? I just posted this on 960′s blog:
I have listened to Randi since the AAR days, and at first, I had a problem with her east-coast accent and in-your-face style. But she grew on me especially her well researched and reasoned approach.Her “homework” pages are amazing. She does the work and obviously works HARD at making sure she knows exactly what she’s talking about. No guesswork, solid fact.I was really hurt when she got the hook from AAR and was really glad that she got picked up so soon on NOVAM.
I DO think she has a volatile professional persona.She seemed so happy and free at NOVAM. I, as one who counts myself as a fan (paying 10 bucks a month to podcast her) have to assume that she is doing the right thing for HER and I’ll wait patiently for her return…..SOMEwhere.
There are ,luckily, progressive hosts for all tastes, I’m not going to rake anyone over the coals. I DID listen to MS Skinner tonight and I know her schedule today. FOX news,MSNBC, fox news again etc etc. If she is NOVAM’s pick to replace Randi….. Well I’m going to pass. I just canceled my NOVAM Founders Club account, and I didn’t do so because I’m in a big snit. I did so because like anyone else in these economic times I want value for my money.
I’ve watched the message boards on NOVAM and was in suspense the whole time like all of Randi’s other fans. It seems that both parties have decided to part company. I think it’s sad.So I’ll just wait till she lands somewhere else and sign up again. Thanks to 960 for this blog and especially thank you Mr Scott for this opportunity.
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So I’m gonna wait for her to appear someplace else and keep our little LOCAL show and I’m going to concentrate a bit more on local issues, labor issues and vet’s issues this year. *sigh*
February 17th, 2009 at 2:44 am
Frank….you could go national because what’s really missing in syndicated progressive talk is “magazine shows” with several hosts, guests, and callers all interacting and debating. Examples: Alan Colmes, Jay Diamond, Doug Basham/Lydia Cornell, and Rick Barber in Denver on 50,000W 850 KOA heard in 39 states at night…
Unbelievable that the Drobnys stole Randy’s web site: http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/ USED to have a FORUM and info on the show. Not anymore. Same thing happened when the Drobnys fired Jeff Farias (Phoenix local host). They re-directed his web site to the NOVA-M web site. Those web pages can contain copyrighted material from the host (photos, etc.). Killing them could be grounds for a lawsuit. Already, Randi’s boyfriend, producer, and radio veteran John Manzo has filed a lawsuit in Phoenix court against the Drobnys (see post #1 above). When John Manzo was managing NOVA-M, the station had many more on-air commercials AND sponsors on the web site than it does now!
Overall, down here in Arizona there is a lot of corruption in business in general…
I’ve written an open letter to the Drobnys, published at:
http://talkradiousa.tripod.com/talkradiohosts
February 19th, 2009 at 9:52 am
There’s a new face on the Grand Rapids Public Radio scene. Has anyone heard the new 1680 AM? It used to be Radio Disney, but now bills itself as WPRR, Public Reality Radio. They do progressive, educational broadcasting. They also have a live stream right off of their website at http://www.publicrealityradio.org. Take a look at the catalogue of shows. One of my personal favorites is The Thomas Jefferson Hour. Humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson speaks on a variety of historical and contemporary issues in the character of Thomas Jefferson. It’s unlike any show I’ve ever heard before and is extremely interesting. Other new content the have is equally as captivating. Shows like “Dogma Free America” and “Freethought Radio” and other Pacifica Radio content will more than likely make some waves in conservative West Michigan, but I for one am pleasantly surprised that there is some refreshing new content being offered to the Grand Rapids community.
February 24th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
@ Tom Lane:
…hi, King Daevid MacKenzie here. I was fired because an online listener in Kansas City tried to email Shelly Drobny to ask why I wasn’t being paid for my work on KPHX, and Sean Ryan (my producer) intercepted the email. As a result, rather than explain their policy, they simply cancelled the show. I’m writing a series of posts for the Tucson Observer’s blog site detailing all the shenanigans that Ryan and his associates pulled on me, both before and after my exile from Nova M; the first installment is at http://tucsonobserver.blogspot.com/2009/02/nova-mess-part-one-refusal-to.html and subsequent entries will pop up over the next week or so at http://tucsonobserver.blogspot.com/ …
February 27th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Randi was the only reason I listened to NovaM. (I have heard that the host who succeeded her is not worth listening to). Randi did a tremendous amt of work prior to each show–watching C-Span, posting her sources and articles, doing research, etc. She was well–researched, intelligent, and lively. In the midst of corporate media, she was a voice for the people and for the truth. If someone knows what happened to her, or where she is broadcasting now, please post it!
February 27th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Hi Mary and thanks for checking our posts. As Mr Ginsberg related to us on today’s show, Randi is still in Florida working to get back on the air. She told Hal last Friday that she will be back on the air SOON. I guess it depends on how one defines “soon”. I have watched as liberals have ripped into her and propped up hosts THEY like.It’s MY opinion that Randi,like ALL liberal talk show hosts deserves to be heard. So I HOPE she gets back on the air SOON, we need her voice as much as all the others.
BTW, Nancy Skinner kind of twisted my tail by reading PART of a post I wrote out of frustration with the Randi blasters on other sites. I guess I got “foxed”. BUT Ms Skinner has as much right to her style and opinion as any other host. But I canceled my NOVAM subscription after listening to the show for a couple weeks. But I TRIED.
March 6th, 2009 at 8:17 am
There’s precious few who are so grounded with facts and therefore have the gravitas, the lively delivery and the minute-by-minute passion-cum- humor that Randi has. She had better get back to us fast…I’m dying to hear what she thinks of the daily machinations of our new Prez and what the right is doing…I bought her podcasts recently, and where did they go? Do I get my money back? Is there a place in the ether that I can still access them? Anybody know? I want what I paid for…those archives have to be somewhere, and my gratitude to anyone who can tell me.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
Where is she? Nothing on the web…not even gossip about her…strange!
March 24th, 2009 at 8:26 am
I agree.There has been no attempt to reach out from Randi at all. The closest thing I have seen for her to contact us listeners is a message she apparently sent through Hal Ginsberg, owner of KRXA 540 out of Monterey CA a few weeks ago. You’re right, strange.
May 15th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I want to know what happened to doug basham and lydia cornell. They aren’t on klav any more. The station said they’re not there anymore. A new person is on 5 days a week in their slot. Their websites don’t mention anything about it. Please explain.
May 16th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Hey Susan, I’ve been doing some checking and I have nothing, so far. Watch this post over the next couple days, I know a guy who has worked for Mr Basham, I’ll see if HE knows what’s going on. Thanks for checking our site.
June 13th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
maybe it was money?..L. Cornell updates her blog,
I got kicked off the “radio-ignorant” site for trashing Sean “Hasntany” too much,
Phx, Vegas, Washington DC Sacramento etc…it’s all dittohead any the time out there in radio land.