Nick Coleman's Letter to Air America Staff

Eva: Below, you will find the text of a letter I sent to AM950 station staff on Aug. 8, the day of my resignation. As you will see in the third graf, I specifically mentioned Janet's demands for control over "topics, tone and guests."

In fact, my decision to resign was set in motion when Janet fired my producer for not snapping to attention fast enough when she ordered him to cancel one guest and book another.

What we are dealing with here is a raging control-freak and micro-managing political dilletante who bought a radio station in order to advance her own narrow (mostly 6th-district based) agenda and to pursue her own vendettas. That is not liberal, or progressive. Now, she is just covering her butt.

nick

Dear Staff:

If you believe anything in the note you received about me from Janet Robert this morning, then Janet has some a swamp in Washington County she would like to sell you.

Truth is:

Janet and I verbally agreed to the terms of a new six-month contract on June 24, and reiterated that agreement and our determination to go forward on July 1, 2005. But on July 6, at the very minute that was time-stamped on my new baby's birth certificate (in other words, my wife and I were in the operating room, babe in arms), Janet sent me an e-mail reneging on the terms of our agreement and insisting on micro-managing the program, including a demand that she control topics, tone and guests.

This was completely unacceptable to me, as I had made clear to her before beginning the program last January. Unfortunately, Janet's interference in the program and her desire to set an agenda for the show became more and more pronounced. All of this was under serious discussion when I returned to the station from vacation to do a show on Monday, July 25. Janet and I talked after the show, and seemed to be on the verge of making progress. A few minutes later, however, Janet fired my show producer, Joe Palan, without my knowledge or approval, apparently because he had questioned her angry orders to book one show guest and to dump another guest who had been scheduled.

Janet was vexed. Very vexed.

She had brought matters to an intolerable level of interference.

I went on "hiatus" at that point and asked management to re-hire Joe, as well as to re-hire Tim Dennis, the board operator who Janet fired in June. I also asked that Janet return to the verbal contract agreement we had reached on June 24 and July 1.

Tom Kennedy called me to arrange a meeting on July 29. During this meeting, Kennedy told me that Janet Robert would no longer attempt to control my radio program and that an "insulated zone" would be created to ensure that the show remained independent and free from attempted interference. He also told me that the major terms of the verbal agreement Janet and I had reached could be restored, and that he would like to see me resume the show beginning during the State Fair or after Labor Day.

This seemed acceptable to me, and I met with Kennedy again this morning (Aug. 8) to discuss the details of my return. At that time, Kennedy told me that Janet Robert would never accept my request that she cease and desist from micromanaging the show, from insisting on topics, from attempting to determine the direction of on-air discussions, and that she refrain from mercurial firings of show staff.

But Kennedy said it wouldn't be possible. In other words, same old Janet.
Once again, I had been bait-and-switched.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I am giving my 30-day notice, per my original agreement,that I am leaving Air America Minnesota. This notice is effective today, Aug. 8, 2005.

I am very disappointed that things did not work out. Air America's listeners deserve much better. They deserve to hear progressive programming without "agendas," without filters, without interference, and from real progressives.

I wish you all the best for the future.

But as to that piece of swampland Janet Robert is trying to sell?

It's not in Stillwater.

It's in Eden Prairie.

Nick Coleman