AAR Reveals New Program Line-up and Ad Sales Arrangement

This is a day of breaking news in the world of liberal talk radio. First the announcement that Stephanie Miller will guest-host her daily radio show next week on MSNBC. Now a big announcement from Air America Radio about changes in their ad sales and affiliate relations representation and program line-up.

AAR confirmed today that they have ended their ad sales arrangement with Jones Media Group and started one with an even bigger company --Westwood One. According to the anouncement, released just minutes ago, beginning June 1, WW1 will oversee all network ad sales for the liberal talk network in addition to affiliate ad sales. WW1 will also work with AAR's affiliate relations group to secure and maintain new radio stations coverage.

Serving more than 5,000 radio stations, WW1 is the nation’s leading provider of audio content. It distributes more than 150 news, sports, music, talk, entertainment programs, features and live events and, through its Metro Networks division, provides local content to the radio and TV industries including news, sports, weather, traffic, video news services and other information. WW1 is managed by CBS Radio.

"Because Westwood One is such a renowned network ad and affiliate sales firm," said Air America Chief Operating Officer Scott Elberg. "It’s obviously exciting that Westwood One will be a vital part of AAR 2.0. We appreciated Jones Media's past work and now look forward to a new effort behind the new Air America."

"We're pleased that the new ownership and management of Air America is looking to us to expand their audience and secure their success of being informative, entertaining talk programming," said Roby Wiener EVP, Chief Marketing Officer for WW1.

AAR also announced the addition of three new shows on weekdays and five on weekends (see new line-up below).

In addition to the previously announced Lionel Show, which will be carried from 9-12 AM ET, veteran early morning talker Mark Reily will launch a new show called The Air Americans from 8-12m ET and San Diego based host, Jon Elliott will be given a permanent slot in the line-up from 12m-3am ET.

"Our line-up combines the best of proven radio stars like Randi Rhodes, Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow and The Young Turks along with new programming that broadens and deepens Air America's reach," said AAR's President Mark Green. "When people ask what Air America 2.0 means, they'll hear the answer on May 21."

The biggest surprise in today’s announcement was the expanded role Riley. His new show will include contributors Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mike Papantonio of Ring of Fire, David Bender of Politically Direct, and Laura Flanders of RadioNation. The show will consist of various segments discussing not so much the War on Terror abroad as the War Against Democracy at home as well as talk about culture and music.

It appears that two shows have been dropped from AAR's weekday line-up -- Politically Direct, hosted by David Bender and Ecotalk, hosted by Betsy Rosenberg. Bender, a friend of AAR president Mark Green, will have a continuing role on Mark Riley's new show. However, it appears that Rosenberg will not be a part of AAR 2.0. Also, Laura Flander's Show (Radio Nation), has been significantly cut back. Currently, Radio Nation is heard three hours on Saturdays and three hours on Sundays. Next month, Flanders is scheduled for only one hour on Sunday afternoons.

The weekend line-up will receive a dose of fresh voices with five new programs:

*Your Money with Marc Sussman 9-10am ET on Saturday mornings, will be a unique show for ethical, personal planning, and socially responsible investing.

*This Week in America, 6-7pm ET Saturday, will be the network's first weekend news-of-the-week-in-review -- from a decidedly beyond-the-beltway perspective -- with "immoderator" Mark Green and panelists Arianna Huffington and Bob Kerrey.

*Clout with Richard Greene on Saturday 8-10pm ET, will explore how corporate and political muscle is exercised in the corridors of power.

*Sam Seder’s new show, Seder on Sunday, airing Sundays, 4-7pm ET, will recap and review the Sunday morning political talkfests largely from the view of bloggers and the blogosphere -- hence the program will be the first of its kind to look at the networks from the netroots.

*A new RadioNation with Laura Flanders will be an hour program at 1pm on Sunday and will focus on the articles featured that week in The Nation Magazine, the country's oldest and most read liberal magazine.

Here's the new AAR schedule which debuts on May 21. (All Time shown are ET):

Monday
6A-9A "The Young Turks"
9A-12N "The Lionel Show"
12N-3P "The Thom Hartmann Program"
3P-6P "The Randi Rhodes Show"
6P-8P "The Rachel Maddow Show"
8P-12M "The Air Americans" hosted by Mark Riley with David Bender, Laura Flanders. Robert Kennedy Jr., and Mike Papantonio

Tuesday-Friday
12M-3A "This Is America, with Jon Elliott"
3A-6A (rebroadcast) "The Randi Rhodes Show"
6A-9A "The Young Turks"
9A-12N "The Lionel Show"
12N-3P "The Thom Hartmann Program"
3P-6P "The Randi Rhodes Show"
6P-8P "The Rachel Maddow Show"
8P-12M "The Air Americans" hosted by Mark Riley with David Bender, Laura Flanders. Robert Kennedy Jr., and Mike Papantonio

Saturday
12M-3A "This Is America, with Jon Elliott"
3A-5A Best-of "The Young Turks"
5A-7A Best-of "The Thom Hartmann Program"
7A-9A Best-"The Air Americans" hosted by Mark Riley with David Bender, Laura Flanders. Robert Kennedy Jr., and Mike Papantonio
9A-10A "Your Money, with Marc Sussman"
10A-11A "State of Belief" with Reverend Welton Gaddy
11A-1P Best-of "The Lionel Show"
1P–3P Best-of "The Randi Rhodes Show"
3P-6P "Ring of Fire" with Robert Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, & David Bender
6P-7P "This Week in America" with Mark Green, Arianna Huffington, & Bob Kerrey
7P-8P "The Time Is Now" with the Reverend Dr. James Forbes
8P-10P "Clout" with Richard Greene
10P-12M Best-of "The Young Turks"

Sunday
12M-1A Best-of "The Young Turks"
1A-4A Best-of "The Air Americans"
4A-7A Best-of "The Lionel Show"
7A-9A Best-of "The Young Turks"
9A-10A (rebroadcast) "This Week in America" with Mark Green, Arianna Huffington, & Bob Kerrey
10A-1P Best-of "The Thom Hartmann Program"
1P-2P "Radio Nation" with Laura Flanders
2P-4P (rebroadcast) "Clout" with Richard Greene
4P-7P "Seder on Sunday" with Sam Seder
7P-8P (rebroadcast) "State of Belief" with Reverend Welton Gaddy
8P-10P (rebroadcast) "Ring of Fire" with Robert Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio, & David Bender
10P-11P "The Steve Earle Show"
11P-12M "On the Real" with Chuck D. (Hour 1)