JaBbA's Hut

Air America's signal was pulled off the air at KBLA Los Angeles and WNTD Chicago this morning.

Matt Drudge is reporting that 'Inside Sources at the Tribune' have told him that AAR bounced their checks to Multicultural Broadcasting and :

A Chicago source familiar with the situation said a Multicultural representative showed up at WNTD's offices Wednesday morning, kicked out Air America's lone staffer overseeing the network's feed to the station from New York, switched over to a Spanish-language feed, and changed the locks on the doors...

However, AAR has laid out what happened. Arthur Liu, owner of Multicultural Broadcasting, had entered into a contract with AAR for airtime on KBLA and WNTD. There are 2 different contracts, not just one. AAR was presented with information that Liu had ALSO sold the same airtime to another entity, and that AAR's contract for the airtime may not be valid because Liu broke the law selling it twice. So they contacted MB and told them that they could not cash the check, as it was written against a possible invalid contract.

Liu took them off the air not JUST in LA, but also in Chicago, where there is NO DISPUTE. The check was paid, is in MB's account, and Liu, in violation of the contract with AAR, has taken them off the air.

AAR is filing for a temporary restraining order to get back on the air. Beware of "Inside Sources". Always look for the attribution, or a explanation if someone's information is anonymous.

Oh, BTW, Drudge of course CYA'd by stating that AAR "strongly denies" the reports of the bounced checks. The "Strongly denies" is in <font size="-5"> like this: A charge the network strongly denies.... but the line AIR AMERICA 'BOUNCES CHECK' is in <font size="+7"> like this: AIR AMERICA 'BOUNCES CHECK'; (Note the quotes, so he can deny responsibility) (Source: The Source code of www.drudgereport.com, which I won't link to because he pisses me off)