In The Absence Of Randi, NovaM Becomes "On Second Thought"

La Affaire Rhodes II continues to evolve, in new and decidedly odd ways. To someone like me, who's been listening to talk radio long enough that he doesn't remember what it was like to listen to it for pop music, it's pretty unprecedented.

In a business that is an inscrutable miasma to the vox pop, this kicks it up another notch (via RadioandRecords.com):

The finger pointing between host Randi Rhodes
and her network Nova M is over, and so is Nova M. Network GM Eric
Reinert tells R&R that Nova M is no longer an entity and that a new
company called On Second Thought LLC has been formed and is moving
forward. Both Reinart and Rhodes' lawyer Robert V. Gaulin confirm that
Rhodes is no longer associated with the group.

I just with someone would have explained just what the name NovaM meant anyway. Now, we'll never know.

The new name, "On Second Thought" sounds so passive and nice. The evolution is going sloppily as well, the only thing replaced on the website being the top banner (which looks decidedly amateur) and Randi Rhodes information still on the thing.

Stay tuned to this space. If anyone can figure out what's going on here, I'd be thrilled to know too.

(To read the entire text of the article, go to http://radioandrecords.com and type "Randi Rhodes" in the search box. The article is not linkilicious.)

Big Day At The Office ... The Total Number Of Hits Has Doubled

Of course, this is a brand new blog, only been in existence for about two and a half weeks, but it seems I'm not the only person in the noosphere passionate about Randi.

As of this writing I've had more than 150 hits today, as many as in the entire existence of this blog before I made any posts about her.

Thanks for stopping by, peeps.

Oh, I do note that Phil, of Frieddogleg (I love that name) returned the favor of linking and following, so, you rock, Phil. Like the cut of your jib and all that.

Randi Rhodes APPARENTLY Off NovaM! (Breaking) (Updated)

Read up http://therandirhodesshow.com today ...

Got a page, the top of which looks like this:



Say what you want, this is not looking good.

She is, as of this time, still atop the NovaM website however.

And This Just In:

Green960 AM, San Francisco, PD John Scott has posted the following, credited to Randi:

NOVA
M RADIO HAS NOT YET CORRECTED THE PROBLEM THAT HAS KEPT ME OFF THE AIR DESPITE MY STRONG DESIRE AND READINESS TO BROADCAST MY SHOW.  RESPECTING THE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS EXISTED BETWEEN NOVA M AND ME, AND EXPECTING THE SOLUTION TO BE QUICKLY ACHIEVED,
DETALIS OF THE DISABLING EVENT WERE WITHHELD IN GOOD FAITH.  BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS MUCH: YOU SHOULD NOT BELIEVE ANY STATEMENT IMPLICATING ME AS BEING IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISRUPTION IN THE RANDI RHODES SHOW.   THERE IS NO TRUTH TO ANY SUCH MESSAGE.  IN FACT, I DID
EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO HELP NOVA M MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO RETURN. 

IN LIGHT OF MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, MY SHOW WILL BE SEEKING A NEW HOME.  I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE IN RESPECTING MY RIGHTS DURING THIS TIME.  YOUR
UNWAVERING SUPPORT IS CHERISHED.  THANK YOU.
 
RANDI RHODES

Yeah, it's gotten weird again.

Wonder why this is all coming through Green960 though (a question designed to illustrate my utter ignorance of how broadcasting works, and in no way meant to cast aspersions or suspicions on anyone anyhow)

Updated, 1829 on Feb 16th: The above text is now the complete content of therandirhodesshow.com. Not only that, I'm listening to Malloy via NovaM stream right now, and he is (as expected) not giving any information out (though it's possible he hasn't much, if any at all, information), though, notably, he's nodded his head toward the imbroglio by calling his syndicator the "I Don't Know What It's Called" Network.

Bigger problems that just Randi leaving, I wonder?

That'd be damned sad.

L'Affaire Rhodes II: The Sequel

Something like a year ago, AirAmerica Radio attempted to consume its own young by forcing Randi Rhodes to accept a diminished contract. We all know how that went.

Since then, Randi's moved to the upstart Nova M syndicated network, where her show is, quite seriously, back and better than ever.

Over the last week, though, Randi's been missing. Nancy Skinner's been doing the yeoman's job of filling in. As the week's worn on, though, it's gone wierd, culminating in the following word from one of the Nova M powers, Anita Drobny (who helped found AirAmerica) which essentially answers nothing really:

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
Co-Founder, Nova M Radio

Sigh. I'm trying not to read what I think is the handwriting on the wall here, but instead of despair, let me try a different tack.

The world of radio broadcasting is bright and shiny out front and this horrid miasma out back. Hosts are allowed to build fan bases only to have their "on-air" friend yanked from them because of some business decision that has little or nothing to do with the listenership.

We Democrats are better people. We should expect and demand from those who carry our combined message forward that they do business in a different way. That means, when the chips go down (like they may or may not be doing here) be as adult to us as our favorite hosts are when things aren't so emotional.

Be clear with us, be direct. If the current model won't support that, then change the model. We hold ourselves, as Democrats and liberals, as a group with a devotion to the actual truth (not Republican-brand Truth™) and as much transparency as possible.

Be straight with us as to why Randi is off the air and why she isn't back yet. Randi, I've listened to your program on The POJ from the beginning, when you taunted Teh Lars about the fact that you kicked his ass in the Portland market. If it's under your control to be clear, then be clear.

We're Democrats, and we're liberals. We are obliged to be behave better. If we don't, what's the point?