Lean, mean, broadcast machine

[davideduardo]

John Adams said "Facts are stubborn things". When one side cannot accept Science & Facts (And talks about "Alternative Facts" = Lies), the point is moot. People may have the right to believe the Earth is flat, but they are wrong...

But most things in politics are not scientific fact.

There are various opinions on how big or small government should be. Arguments will point at different foreign countries, different from outs, and in most cases not 100% relevant. So in areas like that, we are dealing with a system of beliefs and making judgements.

Even in areas of science we hear a wide variety of interpretations of the "tipping point" of climate change or the amount that is part of the planet's normal cycles and the part that is caused by humans. Even those "facts" have to be interpreted.

Most of life is like tomorrow's weather forecast: a degree of probability but an absence of total certainty.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

There is a difference between common sense and opinion. If one is conservative, what is common sense is based on a conservative attitude. The same thing applies to progressives.

Yes. However.

Talk radio, as it's being programmed --- and programmed is the correct and operative word --- is a fetid stream that does not and has not for decades honored the opposing view, giving short shrift to "common sense" as exhibited by the aforementioned part-time fill-in host exhibiting a complete lack of such. Then again, as alluded to earlier in this thread, commercial talk radio thrives not on common sense but opinion, often extreme.

There seems to be a correlation with the present CIC and his supporters and talk radio hosts and their P1 listeners. They feed on each other. Conversely, talk show hosts dare not correct, dispute or even analyze an extreme caller's opinion or assertions, even when they're totally without merit, lest they be tagged as RINOs, an ironic acronym given the present state of the republican party. To this end there have been very few John McCain "no ma'am, he's not a Muslim" moments on commercial talk radio, most likely for the same reason many republicans in congress don't question or stand up to the CIC's name-calling and erroneous tweets: They fear alienating their base. In radio's case this would be P1 listeners. Worse, they fear being threatened, as was the case with the caller who threatened the County Executive. Far worse was the murder of Alan Berg.

Rarely does a talk show host on this market's dominant commercial news-talk station allow for and permit a caller to express an opposing view with respect and regard for the caller's well-stated opinion without derision. That noted, credit is due Tom Bauerle who a few weeks ago departed from the ritual and encouraged "impeachment undecideds" to call. Bauerle actually gave these listeners time to express themselves. Although he sometimes dismissed their positions, the dialogue with more than a few callers resulted in a refreshing departure from the formatic dissonance that commercial talk radio radiates not only in Buffalo, but throughout the country. It also demonstrated that Bauerle is capable of being a conservative talk show host that doesn't have to resort to histrionics.

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Moderators may deem this thread "political" as it develops. I'd encourage them to allow some latitude before consigning it to Take It Outside.

 

[TheBigA]

Talk radio, as it's being programmed --- and programmed is the correct and operative word --- is a fetid stream that does not and has not for decades honored the opposing view,

That's what format radio is. You go to WBLK and you won't hear The Carpenters or Katy Perry. People isolate themselves in their own personal silo. That applies to lots of things. Sports teams, for example. How many Bills fans will sit and listen to a lengthy documentary about the Colts or the Broncos? People like what they like, and they don't want to hear anything else. Sociologists refer to it as balkanization.

 

[tbolt909]

That's what format radio is. You go to WBLK and you won't hear The Carpenters or Katy Perry. People isolate themselves in their own personal silo. That applies to lots of things. Sports teams, for example. How many Bills fans will sit and listen to a lengthy documentary about the Colts or the Broncos? People like what they like, and they don't want to hear anything else. Sociologists refer to it as balkanization.

I don't believe that formats like the one on WBEN air disclaimers. Something like --"What you are hearing is not fact based and is solely intended as entertainment".

You mentioned the NFL. Sports fans(Fanatics) are not rational. Many people hate Tom Brady and The Patriots because they win too much. If Brady had helped the Bills win 6 Super Bowls, they would have statues of him in Buffalo. He would be revered. Some people also believe that the NFL is "rigged" Entertainment with the outcome predetermined. If that's true, the emotional reactions over wins and losses are illogical--Except for luckless bettors in Vegas who's team won but didn't cover the point spread...

 

[TheBigA]

I don't believe that formats like the one on WBEN air disclaimers. Something like --"What you are hearing is not fact based and is solely intended as entertainment".

I don't believe anything in the FCC rules require them to do so. And even of they did, I doubt the audiences would pay attention.

Just as music stations don't air disclaimers that all of the music we play is the best music, without ProTools.

 

[Tibbs4]

The managers are responsible for getting ratings and revenue, and you get more of both with anger than with happy talk.

There is always Dave Ramsey.... That's about as happy as it get's these daze. I know you miss hearing him on a daily basis, given his constantly updated talking points. $
Maybe his advice would get flybynight 3 cents per share and a shot at a nuked cherry pie.

 

[flybynight]

It's entertainment, and it gets ratings. It's all about dollars. You want facts? Listen to WBFO. And be sure to contribute.

The people who listen to WBEN don't know that. They think it's ALL fact. The disgusting part about that, is that WBEN knows this and just doesn't care.

 

[flybynight]

But most things in politics are not scientific fact.

There are various opinions on how big or small government should be. Arguments will point at different foreign countries, different from outs, and in most cases not 100% relevant. So in areas like that, we are dealing with a system of beliefs and making judgements.

Even in areas of science we hear a wide variety of interpretations of the "tipping point" of climate change or the amount that is part of the planet's normal cycles and the part that is caused by humans. Even those "facts" have to be interpreted.

Most of life is like tomorrow's weather forecast: a degree of probability but an absence of total certainty.

You're talking about differences in perspective based on ideology. The point being made has to do with demonstrably false information and/or conspiracy theories being spread as fact by hosts who know they're just throwing red meat to the masses, consequences be damned.

 

[flybynight]

That's what format radio is. You go to WBLK and you won't hear The Carpenters or Katy Perry. People isolate themselves in their own personal silo. That applies to lots of things. Sports teams, for example. How many Bills fans will sit and listen to a lengthy documentary about the Colts or the Broncos? People like what they like, and they don't want to hear anything else. Sociologists refer to it as balkanization.

Apples and oranges. Watching a Bills documentary vs. a Colts documentary is one thing, but watching a Bills documentary that is filled with demonstrably false statements about other teams is a totally different thing.

I cannot count the number of times I've heard rightwing talkradio defended using lame musicradio references. Talkradio has a VERY different effect on a community than any music station. Why? Because people listening often think the OPINION hosts are newspeople, so what they say, especially when never balanced, can have a very negative effect on a community or nation.

 

[TheBigA]

The people who listen to WBEN don't know that. They think it's ALL fact. The disgusting part about that, is that WBEN knows this and just doesn't care.

You can't change people. They like what they like. They believe what they want to believe. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Take a look at the president. He has access to lots of facts, and he refuses to listen. If you make your money by attracting listeners, you can't force people to hear what they don't like.

Because people listening often think the OPINION hosts are newspeople, so what they say, especially when never balanced, can have a very negative effect on a community or nation.

You're placing your own bias on the situation. What they think doesn't matter. If the government itself is the source of this kind of information, why is it radio's fault when they broadcast it? If you're concerned about a negative effect on the community or the nation, consider when the government itself is promoting the same stuff. And that government isn't going to hold a radio station responsible if it is just promoting the government. You need to convince your fellow citizens of what you're saying.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

To the initial point: It's all marketing and format fun and games until somebody's family is threatened, harmed or worse.

As cavalier as this statement may appear in print or on a message board, it is in fact true. When radio, television and/or social media veer into the "threaten lane," there is only one recourse and that is to call it out and ultimately correct it. Freedom of speech is to be protected, but that protection doesn't cover a person who falsely shouts "fire!" in a crowded room/theater, resulting in panic, violence or physical harm.

 

[TheBigA]

Freedom of speech is to be protected, but that protection doesn't cover a person who falsely shouts "fire!" in a crowded room/theater, resulting in panic, violence or physical harm.

Did anyone at the radio station threaten anyone?

The right thing to do is to report the threat to the FBI. The radio station can co-operate with the FBI in investigating who the caller is, and if the caller is an actual threat to the county executive. If the caller actually carries out the threat, the call could be used as evidence in a trial.

 

[TheBigA]

To the initial point: It's all marketing and format fun and games until somebody's family is threatened, harmed or worse.

Now had an employee at the station done something like this, it would be different:

A Denver talk radio host has been fired after he said he wanted "a nice school shooting" to interrupt coverage of "the never-ending impeachment of Donald Trump." The firing came just hours after a father who lost his son in a school shooting in Colorado earlier this year said the host should be fired.

The station in question is owned by Salem.

 

[Oldbloodandguts]

Call screeners at WBEN dump any callers that disagree with right wing views and with the talk show hosts. They use to use the slogan "two way talk in a one newspaper town". Probably dumped that slogan because it was so far away from the truth!

 

[tbolt909]

Now had an employee at the station done something like this, it would be different:



The station in question is owned by Salem.

These stations deliberately wallow in the cesspool of crass, tasteless, fact-free programming. Occasionally, they have to sacrifice one of their own when it "goes too far". The guy in Denver is the latest.

These formats have called the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax, encouraged the Birther theory, praised the Troll in the White House for calling Nazis "good people", etc... The examples are endless.

George Carlin was right. Americans get a front row seat to the Freak Show...

 

[ckg279]

The station in question is owned by Salem.

And-as you noted-unlike WBEN, that station took swift action when that idiot acted the fool.

 

[TheBigA]

And-as you noted-unlike WBEN, that station took swift action when that idiot acted the fool.

Who at WBEN has called for school shootings?

 

[flybynight]

You're placing your own bias on the situation. What they think doesn't matter. If the government itself is the source of this kind of information, why is it radio's fault when they broadcast it? If you're concerned about a negative effect on the community or the nation, consider when the government itself is promoting the same stuff. And that government isn't going to hold a radio station responsible if it is just promoting the government. You need to convince your fellow citizens of what you're saying.

What bias? I stated FACT.

And since WHEN has a radio host HAD to take the government's word for something, especially when it's a government whose executive branch has set a very consistent pattern of making demonstrably false statements?

 

[TheBigA]

And since WHEN has a radio host HAD to take the government's word for something, especially when it's a government whose executive branch has set a very consistent pattern of making demonstrably false statements?

Where did I say they "HAD to take the government's word?" Radio is regulated by the government. If the government is promoting false statements and radio just repeats them, then what's the penalty? None. What they're doing is obviously great for ratings and revenue. They're one of the top stations in Buffalo.

If you don't like what the government and a radio station are doing, it's really your problem. You need to go out and educate your neighbors. I'm sure they'll all sit quietly and listen to you lecture them on how stupid they all are. But it's not radio's job to educate your stupid neighbors. They're just making a living.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Did anyone at the radio station threaten anyone?

The talk show host did nothing, allowing a caller to threaten the life of the county executive. That's complicit.