Air America Media announced this week that it is launching its own in-house network sales division, which will represent all of the company’s shows and products — including radio, video and online content — directly to media agencies and buyers.

The new business structure means Air America is taking over work once done by Westwood One radio network to create direct relationships with advertising agencies in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Air America Media CEO Bennett Zier told FishbowlNY. Previously, Air America dealt with some advertisers directly but let Westwood One handle relationships with agencies.

“Agencies are sophisticated in their planning and their creative approach in making strategies for their clients, which will hopefully become our clients,” Zier said. “Because Air America is a particular type of company, and a left of center company, there are certain companies that want to advertise with us, and we want to be able to facilitate that and work with them more directly.”

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Yesterday, our colleagues at MediaJobsDaily reported exclusively that three ad sales reps in USA TODAY‘s New York office and one in Chicago lost their jobs on May 13, which a spokesperson from the newspaper confirmed.

The layoffs come as a surprise since USA TODAY‘s parent company Gannett required staff to take furloughs during the first quarter with more on the horizon for some employees in the second quarter — along with possible salary cuts and freezes on wages and salaries.

Hopefully, those measures will prevent future layoffs at USA TODAY, but we’ll be keeping tabs on them.

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