Article: Mike Malloy Is Back on the Air on New Liberal Radio Network

Mike Malloy Is Back on the Air on New Liberal Radio Network

Tough talking liberal talk show host Mike Malloy, who was fired by Air America some weeks ago, is coming back.

Malloy, who filled the late night slot on Air America Radio, will be returning to a similar slot-- 9:00- Midnight, EST, starting October 30th.

Malloy told OpEdNews he's thrilled to back on the air in time to comment on the 2006 Fall elections.

"Will he change anything, in the way he does his show?" we asked.

Malloy will be doing the show from his studio in the Atlanta area.

He will be working for a newly formed company, NovaMRadio, founded by Sheldon and Anita Drobny, the original founders of the company that became Air America Radio.

Malloy told OpEdNews that he started out as a writer, for Democratic talk radio, for CNN, but he got burned out.

He first had contact with the Drobnys when he was doing a show for the now defunct IEAmerica radio network. The Drobnys were in the early stages of developing the idea of a liberal syndicated radio network.

Sheldon Drobny told OpEdNews that Mike was one of the first talk show hosts they decided on including in their new project (along with Al Franken.)

Malloy, speaks very highly of Sheldon and Anita Drobny, saying, "The Drobny's are good hearted people. There are very few people in radio who I consider to be 'good hearted,' which I consider to be one of the highest compliments, and I consider Shelly Drobny to be one of them. He's very idealistic, decent man."

OpEdNews asked Malloy, "Do you have any particular issue or issues that are most important to you?"

He replied, "Yes. We should get this country back in the hands of people who do not HATE America-- Republicans, conservatives, right-wingers, these religious, greedy people who hate this country. They want to turn this country into some kind of fascist theocracy. If my program has any point of view, it is to see this country get back in the hands of people who love this country, who respect the planet, who believe there is a better way to do things than just clubbing people into submission. We don't have a real "mission" on my program. But there's a part of me that believes that people can still redeem themselves.We can still find a way out of this f*cking mess. Because if we don't, then surely, the human race's time is over. And this hell on me, because I have kids. I have grandkids and a two year old and my interest in the future is deep and abiding."

We asked, if NovaMradio is as successful as possible, what would that look like?

Malloy replied, "I'd like to see NovaM expand. I'd like to see them bring on more liberal talent-- people who are really didicated to liberal causes... I'd like to see NovaM oick up affiliate stations in major markets throughout the country, who are run by individuals who understand that if you take Chicago, New York, Miami or Houston or LA or where ever, that half of the audience has left talk radio because of all the right wing bullshit... and that it is you-- the program director or sales manager of the radio station-- if you really want to get your audience back, then include liberal programming, because more than half this country (is responsive to the liberal message.)"

Malloy will initially be broadcast on two affiliates-- in Phoenix, AZ and Little Rock AR.

"We love Mike Malloy," said Sheldon Drobny, co-founder of the new NovaM Radio Network. "The response we've had from many of the liberal talk radio slash Air America stations has been tremendous. They want Mike Malloy back. So we're really thrilled that we've got one of the best liberal talk radio hosts, and we're going to build upon that and we're talking to others."

"Affiliate stations and the satellite links are ready to go."

Talking about the goals for NovaM Radio, Drobny told us that, "with Air America Radio, we established that we could get station owners to commit to 24-7 liberal programming. We got about 90-95 stations to carry liberal content, to commit to liberal talk radio format. We're going to leverage on our experience there and do things that Air America did not do."

Drobny pointed out that Air America started off with a very large management and expensive office and very expensive studio, with very high paid talent, which contributed to the financial pressure that led to their bankruptcy. He explained that the approach NovaM radio was taking would be leaner, so less cash flow and start-up capital would be required. "Air America decided, for whatever reason, they have a very large head count. They had, up until they down-sized-- over a hundred people there and they had a studio that hardly anybody used, because most of their people were broadcasting from other places in the country. They just didn't understand that essentially A radio company can be handled with very little overhead. There doesn't have to be that kind of investment and lots of people."

Bottom, line, Drobny's plan is to keep a very lean management and employee mix, relative to other operations.

"What we plan to do is to take the best of talk radio and syndicate it ourselves," Deobny explained.

OpEdNews said, "It sounds like you're going to go into competition with Air America radio."

Drobny replied, "I wouldn't call it competition. Many if not most of the stations select from Air America's content and we're just going to add to that."

OpEdNews asks, "So, you're looking at building upon the pattern where radio stations are pulling their content from different sources, like Air America and Jones (Ed Shultz) Network."

Drobny replies, "I don't think there's a single Air America affiliate that doesn't have their own content."

OpEdNEws observed, "You must really feel that there's a market out there for multiple syndicates-- multiple networks."

Drobny replied, "If you look at the whole market of liberal talk radio, it's still in its embryonic stages.

In addition to Mike Malloy, NovaM will be offering an hour show, � ��"The Pulse of the Nation, with co-hosted by pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. Former HOward Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi will also play a strategic role in the company, which is being headed by Mike Newcomb, MD, CEO & Chairman.

Listen to Mike live on 1480 KPHX Phoenix and 1380 KDXE Little Rock, starting October 30th.

To listen to Mike live, on the net, go to novamradio.com