But now Clear Channel is signing on to the new liberal radio network Air America, which airs Al O'Franken's program, among others.

Clear Channel is putting Air America on one of its Miami talk stations.

Currently, Clear Channel broadcasts Rush and Hannity on its main talk station, WIOD-610 AM.

Now Clear Channel is dumping its sports programming on the new WINZ-940 AM station in favor of Air America.

The Air America lineup, in addition to O'Franken, includes Janeane Garofalo and Randi Rhodes.

As it turns out, Rhodes' national program first began on another Clear Channel station, WJNO in West Palm Beach.

Rhodes' Air America show continues to be carried on that station and gets the highest ratings in the market for drive-time talk.

So far, it isn't clear if Air America can succeed in the ratings game.

It is carried by a mere 17 stations nationwide, including Key West, Portland (Maine), Pittsburgh, San Luis Obispo, Honolulu, Minneapolis and Anchorage.

According to the Palm Beach Post, given the success of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," Clear Channel's bosses decided the Air America hook-up was a natural ... at least in Miami.

"It made a lot of sense," Peter Bolger, general manager of Clear Channel in Miami, told the Post. "We saw some impressive numbers from stations doing this format. We also feel South Florida is an ideal market, because it was ground zero in the 2000 election and looks like it will be again this fall."

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