A year ago today, former Minnesotans Al Franken and Katherine Lanpher were the first voices heard as the Air America liberal-radio network was launched from a funky New York City studio. ...

A year later, new management and more than 50 affiliates -- once again including Los Angeles, with discussions ongoing in Chicago -- have turned Air America into one of radio's biggest success stories in recent history. Its rocky ride to stability is chronicled, at times painfully, in an HBO documentary, "Left of the Dial," that premieres at 7 p.m. today on the pay-cable channel. ...

The network's second year will be devoted to growth, Goldberg said in an interview this week. The former music-industry executive and longtime political activist said Air America's programs now air in 17 of the nation's top 20 radio markets -- locally, Air America programming runs on KTNF (950 AM) -- and reaches 55 percent of the country's population.

"We'd like to be at 80 percent at the end of the year," he added.

The next year may bring other changes. Franken, who has said he plans a U.S. Senate run from Minnesota, confirmed Tuesday that he'd purchased a house in Minneapolis and plans to start broadcasting his show from the Twin Cities as early as January.