Sid Rosenberg v. Mayor Mamdani

[Rollo-Smokes]

Sid is a loud, pompous jerk and an all-around *sshat, this we know. And, anyone who listens to his WABC show knows just that he hates the new Mayor of New York City about as much as he loves the president of the United States.

This time, he may have went too far.

This post on X was deleted after Rosenberg received far and wide backlash, and offered a half-hearted on-air apology yesterday (Mar. 4). His boss, John Catsimatidis, attempted to deflect WABC's (and ultimately, his) role in giving Sid a platform to spew his garbage. But considering Cats himself, and others on WABC have done the same thing directly and indirectly (though perhaps not as pointedly as Sid) don't expect Sid to be on shakey ground.

 

[davideduardo]

The fact is, however, that a significant percentage of Americans would, secretly perhaps, agree with Sid's opinion.

The opinion was poorly and tastelessly expressed, but, while Mandami was elected by a considerable majority in New York City, he has instilled fear and anxiety among many of us.

Sid has the right to an opinion. His bad judgement was in the way he expressed himself, not in the opinions themselves.

 

[ted chittenden]

Sid is a loud, pompous jerk and an all-around *sshat, this we know. And, anyone who listens to his WABC show knows just that he hates the new Mayor of New York City about as much as he loves the president of the United States.

This time, he may have went too far.
View attachment 11564
This post on X was deleted after Rosenberg received far and wide backlash, and offered a half-hearted on-air apology yesterday (Mar. 4). His boss, John Catsimatidis, attempted to deflect WABC's (and ultimately, his) role in giving Sid a platform to spew his garbage. But considering Cats himself, and others on WABC have done the same thing directly and indirectly (though perhaps not as pointedly as Sid) don't expect Sid to be on shakey ground.

Don't expect Sid to be on shakey ground until, and unless, the show's advertisers flee en masse.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

I just can't comprehend why anyone would find this kind of talk interesting. It is undoubtedly in the interest of New York City for the mayor and the president to have a working relationship. They don't have to be best friends, but begging Mr. Trump not to speak about Mr. Mamdani is just rooting against the city you claim to love.

Real people don't tend to be as ideological as Mr. Rosenberg. There's probably more people who voted for Mamdani in 2025 and for Trump in 2024 in the boroughs than there are in all of Vermont.

 

[gr8oldies]

I just can't comprehend why anyone would find this kind of talk interesting. It is undoubtedly in the interest of New York City for the mayor and the president to have a working relationship. They don't have to be best friends, but begging Mr. Trump not to speak about Mr. Mamdani is just rooting against the city you claim to love.

Real people don't tend to be as ideological as Mr. Rosenberg. There's probably more people who voted for Mamdani in 2025 and for Trump in 2024 in the boroughs than there are in all of Vermont.

There's something about Mayor Mandami's nomination that's broken MAGA's brains. In unison, all the talking points from 25-40 years ago have been dusted off. "Sharia law is coming!". Ma'am this is Tennessee and GOP has had a supermajority since at least 2010, nobody's passing Sharia Law, they're trying to pass Christian Law.

 

[TheBigA]

The fact is, however, that a significant percentage of Americans would, secretly perhaps, agree with Sid's opinion.

But almost none of them live in NYC. So it doesn't matter.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Sid has the right to an opinion.

This is always the answer offered by the purveyors of such toxic discourse and those who support it, under cover of the First Amendment. But just because the Constitution gives Americans the right to say what they want, that doesn't absolve Big Media owners from what should be a moral obligation to keep hate speech, and those who practice it, off their platforms.

Mayor Mamdani's response was measured and on point. It deserves to be included in this discussion:

To be called animals, insects, to be called a Jihadist mayor, to be called a cockroach, this language is both painfully familiar to me as a Muslim New Yorker but also as someone who was born in East Africa and it is difficult to hear.

 

[davideduardo]

But almost none of them live in NYC. So it doesn't matter.

When a local politician speaks of national or international events or subjects, it is relative to all of us as that politician is attempting to shape public opinion everywhere.

 

[ted chittenden]

@Theater of My Mind's point (see above) is a very valid one if you use the criteria of radio's past. When the medium first started out, and especially from the years of Presidents FDR through Carter, the assumption was that the goals of commercial radio were twofold: to be of public service and to make a profit (usually small) while doing it. Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and especially since the signing of the Communications Act of 1996 by President Bill Clinton, public service has been fazed out with the goal of maximizing profits becoming the top priority. And, with the development of both satellite (even if it's losing its lustre now) and Internet radio, where broadcasting to the many is being replaced by narrowcasting to the few, over-the-air radio is rapidly losing even the profits it used to enjoy.

With regard to this specific thread, Mr. Rosenberg will not be removed from the air for his heinous (no matter how much support they've gotten nationally) comments unless, and until, there is a groundswell of opposition within WABC's local listening area that forces the show's advertisers to quit en masse.

 

[davideduardo]

@Theater of My Mind's point (see above) is a very valid one if you use the criteria of radio's past. When the medium first started out, and especially from the years of Presidents FDR through Carter, the assumption was that the goals of commercial radio were twofold: to be of public service and to make a profit (usually small) while doing it.

Read Broadcasting Magazine starting in the early 30’s and, even more interesting, the Heinel newsletter that started in 1926. Early commercials stations were very much intended to make money and many were extremely profitable.

Stations did “public service” not out of altruism but out of capitalism. In an era of newspapers with yesterday’s news served to you the next morning in the press, radio offered spot breaking news. Advertisers loved that and so did listeners.

Sarnoff built NBC to make money, first by selling radios but second to sell ads on his two national websites. And Paley wanted to sell cigars; he found that a Philly station did that very well and he bought it and built CBS

Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and especially since the signing of the Communications Act of 1996 by President Bill Clinton, public service has been fazed out with the goal of maximizing profits becoming the top priority.

I got my first radio job in 1949. I owned my first major market station in 1964. The goal was to make money; achieving that was based on giving listeners what they wanted. In the case of my first four stations, that did not include news and educational shows.

And, with the development of both satellite (even if it's losing its lustre now) and Internet radio, where broadcasting to the many is being replaced by narrowcasting to the few, over-the-air radio is rapidly losing even the profits it used to enjoy.

That is true because technology changed and the public got more options… most of the biggies don’t specialize in news, either.

With regard to this specific thread, Mr. Rosenberg will not be removed from the air for his heinous (no matter how much support they've gotten nationally) comments unless, and until, there is a groundswell of opposition within WABC's local listening area that forces the show's advertisers to quit en masse.

I’m willing to bet that many of the advertisers are as scared of Mandami as I am, but they simply don’t say those things out loud.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

I’m willing to bet that many of the advertisers are as scared of Mandami as I am, but they simply don’t say those things out loud.

With all due respect, do you even live in New York City?

This faux "fear" is insane.

 

[kevtronics]

I’m willing to bet that many of the advertisers are as scared of Mandami as I am, but they simply don’t say those things out loud.

Exactly what is he doing that is so scary to you? Making city buses free? Hiring people to shovel snow? Giving kids universal pre-K? Raising taxes on millionaires? Freezing rents?

I admit, those last two might be scary if you're a rich landlord. But for everyone else, Mamdani (note the spelling, which you've gotten consistently wrong) has been very popular so far.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

The only "fear" i hear are from the super-wealthy who are afraid to part with their money.

People like John Catsimatidis, who claims to love NYC so much and wants to stay. At the same time, he uses his station to undermine the new Mayor, prop up the anti-NYC policies of the current president (whom Cats claims "loves", "cares about" and "wants to help" NYC succeed), and promotes relocation to Florida (and his new luxury high-rise condo in St. Petersburg) at almost every opportunity. Let us not forget, last year he said he would move his headquarters to New Jersey if the Republican nominee for governor there won the election.

One thing Cats repeatedly rehashes is that Florida has a smaller state budget as opposed to New York state as a whole. And while that may be true, there is always more to the story and it isn't always the usual "tax-and-spend" spiel those on the right love to accuse the Democrats of.

 

[gr8oldies]

With all due respect, do you even live in New York City?

This faux "fear" is insane.

Whenever there is a disaster in our region, from Hurricane Helene, to the tornadoes in Kentucky, to Nashville flooding, the first person on the scene with supplies and a food truck is the Muslum Syrian refugee, now citizen, who owns "the nicest place in America". He also mentors other immigrants. Spare me the "scary Muslims! Scary Muslims! Sharia law! Fear! Fear! Fear!.

It's always been a diverse country vs. a white ethnostate.

 

[gr8oldies]

The only "fear" i hear are from the super-wealthy who are afraid to part with their money.

People like John Catsimatidis, who claims to love NYC so much and wants to stay. At the same time, he uses his station to undermine the new Mayor, prop up the anti-NYC policies of the current president (whom Cats claims "loves", "cares about" and "wants to help" NYC succeed), and promotes relocation to Florida (and his new luxury high-rise condo in St. Petersburg) at almost every opportunity. Let us not forget, last year he said he would move his headquarters to New Jersey if the Republican nominee for governor there won the election.

One thing Cats repeatedly rehashes is that Florida has a smaller state budget as opposed to New York state as a whole. And while that may be true, there is always more to the story and it isn't always the usual "tax-and-spend" spiel those on the right love to accuse the Democrats of.

Didn't Cats bankroll Trump's Madison Square Garden rally?

 

[vw86]

I’m willing to bet that many of the advertisers are as scared of Mandami as I am, but they simply don’t say those things out loud.

And I'm willing to bet that many House Republicans are as scared of Trump, Vance and Hegseth as I am, but they simply don't say those things out loud.

 

[TheBigA]

When a local politician speaks of national or international events or subjects, it is relative to all of us as that politician is attempting to shape public opinion everywhere.

He has a first amendment right to say anything he wants on any subject for any reason, in the same way as Brendan Carr or Marsha Blackburn or anyone else who say things people disagree with. In the mayor's case he represents the people who elected him. Sid Rosenberg is upset that his side lost and is saying untrue and libelous things because he's upset that his side lost.

He & his station can be sued for billions of dollars in the same way that the president sued CBS and the BBC.

As dangerous as you think the mayor is, everything he wants to do has to be approved by the city council.

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

He & his station can be sued for billions of dollars in the same way that the president sued CBS and the BBC.

And that is the fine line which exists when it comes to ridiculing a public figure.

Sid loves to boast about (among many things) how better he is now than Don Imus ever was. But I don't think even prime Imus would have went there. The "nappy-headed hos" comment that brought Don down was insensitive and, in my opinion, taken out of context. I never believed Imus meant to be malicious. But here, Sid is saying what he and his audience believes. He chose to be blatantly inflammatory.

And I don't think Sid lives in NYC either, as does a large majority of WABC's audience.

As dangerous as you think the mayor is, everything he wants to do has to be approved by the city council.

Of course, this is conveniently forgotten about in the midst of the performative outrage about an alleged "communist", "anti-Semite", "jihadist", and "fake Democrat" who (among other things) wants to bring sharia law to New York, all because he is Muslim. And during Ramadan, no less.

 

[TheBigA]

Sid is saying what he and his audience believes. He chose to be blatantly inflammatory.

Absolutely. What Sid doesn't understand is that the president knows he has a lot in common with Mamdani. The president isn't an ideologue the way Sid is. The president is a transactionalist. The previous mayor was a crook. He was being investigated by the DOJ. The president called off that investigation because he liked the mayor. He would do the same thing for Mamdani if he was under federal investigation. But he's not.

When the two met, the president invited the mayor to call him a fascist. So calling people names means nothing to either of them. It's all radio theater designed for ratings and to counter that Curtis Sliwa is now on WOR. I expect Curtis will do the exact same thing for the same reason.

 

[gr8oldies]

The only "fear" i hear are from the super-wealthy who are afraid to part with their money.

People like John Catsimatidis, who claims to love NYC so much and wants to stay. At the same time, he uses his station to undermine the new Mayor, prop up the anti-NYC policies of the current president (whom Cats claims "loves", "cares about" and "wants to help" NYC succeed), and promotes relocation to Florida (and his new luxury high-rise condo in St. Petersburg) at almost every opportunity. Let us not forget, last year he said he would move his headquarters to New Jersey if the Republican nominee for governor there won the election.

One thing Cats repeatedly rehashes is that Florida has a smaller state budget as opposed to New York state as a whole. And while that may be true, there is always more to the story and it isn't always the usual "tax-and-spend" spiel those on the right love to accuse the Democrats of.

If your state provides next to no services, and expects residents to pay corporations for absolutely everything, yes, the budget will be smaller. Doesn't make it good.