 Franken signed a one @-@ year contract in early 2004 to host a talk show for Air America Radio 's flagship program with co @-@ host Katherine <unk> , who remained with the show until October 2005 . The network was launched March 31 , 2004 . Originally named The O 'Franken Factor but renamed The Al Franken Show on July 12 , 2004 , the show aired three hours a day , five days a week for three years . The stated goal of the show was to provide the public airwaves with more progressive views to counter what Franken perceived to be the dominance of conservative syndicated commentary on the radio : " I 'm doing this because I want to use my energies to get Bush unelected , " he told a New York Times reporter in 2004 . Franken 's last radio show on Air America Radio was on February 14 , 2007 , at the end of which Franken announced his candidacy for the United States Senate . 
