New York-headquartered Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, which claims to be the largest multi-language media owner in the USA, was on Thursday ordered by a New York State Supreme Court justice to reinstate liberal-leaning radio network Air America Radio following its axing in the Chicago market -- allegedly due to a bounced check.
Provided AAR posts a $156,000 bond, Justice Marylin G Diamond issued a restraining order that allows its programs back on-air Friday.
AAR chairman Evan Cohen denies that the liberal broadcaster's check was not honored by its bank, while those close to the situation insist the problems between the network and Multicultural are not contractual.
But AAR remains off-air in the Los Angeles region where, says Cohen, it is urgently "seeking legal remedies and exploring other broadcast options".
It is uncertain whether political factors have come into play in the matter. AAR was launched on March 31 with four stations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
It describes itself as a "progressive" radio network, aiming to challenge the dominance of of the airwaves by such far-right media megaphones as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage.
Data sourced from: New York Times; additional content by WARC staff
