Drobny began to pursue the start of a
liberal radio network sometime in late 2002 or early 2003. He and his wife, Anita, sold the forerunner of
Air America Radio to a group headed by
Evan Montvel Cohen. In mid-2003, the Drobnys met Cohen through a meeting arranged by
David Goodfriend, a former Clinton aide and
Beloit College classmate of Cohen. Cohen and his partner purchased the rights to start up the new radio network. After Cohen and his partners at Progress Media, LLC ran out of operating capital, Drobny and other investors moved in through Piquant LLC and purchased the assets of the radio network. In 2006, after failing to reacquire control of Air America Radio, Sheldon and Anita Drobny founded
Nova M Radio as a competitor to
Air America Radio in producing and syndicating progressive talk radio programs. ==Fourth Estate Society==