And when do these CBS guys get Fired?

[feeball]

So I walk away after reading the last post in which a lot was said about our children. For one, I can never remember a time in my life with the exception of Tipper "Canoe" Gore in the 1980's in which censorship and children were two words that were even used in the same sentence. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson did not have anybody's children in mind when they targeted Don Imus. The comment Imus made was extremely infantile and yet some people with an infantile mentality decided to take it upon themselves to blow the whole thing out of proportion. The fact that this event happened to CBS Radio, a company that has enough problems in the radio business currently, did not help matters at all. CBS and MSNBC decided at first just to suspend, then the media got a hold of the comments and painted some type of imagery that almost made Imus look like he was wearing a robe and burning crosses in people's front yards. Then MSNBC decided not to continue with the show, then advertisers pulled their support of the show, and finally Imus goes bye bye.

If you think anybody is worrying about censorship for the children, then watch more television. Watch WWE RAW, South Park, and the millions of realitiy shows that are on each and every cable network and give an example of how these programs are being censored for the good of the children. The media does not and has never given a damn about children. They take every opportunity to exploit a child who is terminally ill or abducted or being used as a decoy in some type of perverted Dateline:NBC sexual predator sting, but they could honestly care less about censoring themselves because of our children.

You want to know where the children fit into this? Nowhere. It was a business decision and when a business becomes afraid of a negative backlash from a community because they support something a community does not support, then the business usually pulls their support as well. The advertisers who pulled their support of Don Imus did so because they did not want anything negative from the African American community and when advertisers pull their support of a show, it's done. It's has nothing to do with our children and everything to do with how business works. To quote Machiavelli, "The ends justify the means."

 

[nhradiochild]

I'll agree with you on how the current shows got canned. It was a matter of revenue. And no one brought up children... yet. That was my pre-conceived notion of something that's yet to be.

And you're also right about media not caring about what's out in front of kids. That's why I think a change may occur. And could possibly be without anybody really mentioning it.

My feeling that there will be a parallel drawn (again) between youth in America and various forms of degrading and demeaning broadcasts (need I cite many MTV programs, although to be fair they are not the only outlet, merely the most prominently youth-targeted) and how all this affects them.

I, for one, as a former broadcaster with children, who are uppity and listen to rap music nearly religiously, would not cry if programming were altered to reflect nicer qualities of life. However, the change truly needs to occur in the hearts and minds of those that are producing this material. With America the way it is, I doubt that this will happen.

I just think in light of more heinous acts occurring all around the world there may again be the call for "Peace, Love and Harmony" whether it's fictitious in nature or not.

 

[nhradiochild]

:-[

Apparently the time limit for modifying posts is 15 minutes. lol Here was what I was going to tag on to my previous post:

I do want to be specific here, though. I do not expect the TV crew to clean up their act. After all, they have the "V-chip". Radio has no such thing however, soooo...

 

[feeball]

I understand your point and what you have said should be the way businesses such as radio and television conduct themselves. Key word being should because every time it all comes down to money. If a radio station can make money having a stoned hippie spinning old 45's and 33's, that's what they will do. If a television network can make money on a show in which a spoiled brat goes to different parties across the country and hooks up with a different guy every night, that's what they will do.

Families are such a low-end priority in all aspects of the media that it is downright sickening. Take a look at NBC releasing the video of the Virginia Tech killer as a prime example. Not only was this unethical on multiple levels, but it really takes away from a much larger picture. Why did they decide to air the video, advertising revenue. What will sell advertisers to our product a focus on the gun laws in the state of Virginia, which are nearly non-existent or airing the video the killer sent to our news crew?

There is only one way to stop all of this behavior cold, advertisers discontinue to air ads on radio and television networks. But as long as both sides continue to make enormous sums of money, it won't happen.

Good point about the V-Chip. These days with digital cable and satellite cable a person does not even need to utilize a V-Chip. All inappropriate programming can be blocked through the satellite or cable receiver. There has been a parallel in behavior and the forms of entertainment for many years and it will continue. What is an even bigger disturbing trend is that in other countries violence and sex are prime time television material and yet the levels of violence in those countries are not even close to what the United States has. I think what leads to violent behavior in the United States is the same thing that leads to the media making the decisions that they make regarding their content, money.

 

[jellyeggs]

These CBS guys from N.Y.'s "Free FM," WFNY have been suspended at least for this stunt, what's going on at CBS Radio in N.Y.? http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cb5_1177378417&p=1

 

[feeball]

JV and Elvis have a great fan base in New York, but I think it is the ultimate goal of every FREE FM employee to make some sort of an attempt to get fired. Roth didn't have to make too much of an attempt, Jim Cramer and Penn Jillette jumped out when the getting out was good. Now with O&A struggling, this recent event with JV and Elvis, and the clusterfruck in Pittsburgh, it is high time for CBS Radio to euthanize this puppy known as FREE FM.

 

[weee]

FREE FM would be a great format if they get rid of the 30 yr old men acting like 12 yr old immature boys who think it's funny to make fun of and ridicule everyone.

 

[feeball]

FREE FM would be a great format if they get rid of the 30 yr old men acting like 12 yr old immature boys who think it's funny to make fun of and ridicule everyone.

I see the point, but then what do they do?

I look at FREE FM as nothing more than an ill conceived idea by CBS Radio to cut corners and avoid paying royalties to the ASCAP and BMI to play music. When many of the FREE FM stations were nothing more than music formatted stations, their ratings were almost three times what they are today. People who think it is too early to pull the plug on FREE FM are too optimistic in their thinking. CBS Radio has proven that they can't capitalize on the talk market and the people they have in place for these stations are not winning over any new listeners. If fifteen months in is not enough of an indication of the downward spiral, consider the fact that the majority of these stations rank dead last in their market. Last place does not make money in anything. If people want excessive obsessive talk by a group of pretentious a-holes, they would probably be listening to some AM radio schlock or the political vehicle that Clear Channel has built consisting of Jim Quinn, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc.

 

[UncleBozzle]

Would it not be worth taking 92.3 in the direction that HFS in Baltimore has gone? Just a more subdued, yet still edgy approach. You have Ed Norris in mid-days, Don and Mike in afternoons, and a few more mainstream shows through the night. I would think there is room in the market for a more modern sounding talker than WABC, it just might need to be cleaned up a bit. You have some good shows on this station though they just seem to be in the wrong dayparts. How about JV and Elvis(if they return) to mornings, Opie and Anthony in PM Drive, and Radio Chick in Mid-days. Ron and Fez are perfect where they are. You'd have a winner, or something more solid than you do now. Nights need to be something more offbeat than normal, similar to when Ron and Fez were on latenights on WNEW(remember Ron and Fez.com?). We could go a step further and play music in the overnights and weekends too.

 

[stench]

...and the genius behind Free is? What? Not fired yet? No wonder Dan wants to pull programming up from the local markets...the ones in charge pushing down must be counting the days or is that daze? So many questions.

 

[feeball]

I said this in another thread but it bear repeating as it relates to Free FM. Not all of the Free FM stations will drop talk for musc and not all of the stations will carry Opie and Anthony at least not in the morning.

 

[TheLaffer]

General Manager - Chuck Bortnick; Operations Director - Mark Chernoff; Program Director - Eric Spitz; Senior VP Programming Greg Strassel. Didn't these managers buy into and nurture the whole Imus experience? Profit from it? What? None of these managers get the axe too? Not accountable?

As Reverend Al said, this is not about Imus. Like him or not, it is shameful he was thrown under the bus. A strong message to talent everywhere. Watch your back.

The bigger issue is that Reverend Al and Jesse will not be satiated until The government (FCC) regulates racist language and racist programming on public airwaves in the same fashion as indecency...of course this will never happen because of First Amendment issues.

Funny how 19 year old kids getting blown apart in IRAQ takes a back seat to this three ring circus.

I've worked with Both Strassell and Bortnick and have heard them tell and laff at jokes at the expense of women, balacks, hispanics.

 

[TheLaffer]

Les Hollander, Region SVP for CBS Radio in NY was let go Friday. He was a victim of "downsizing", but one insider said that he had much to do with the demise of the NY and Chicago markets for the last 2 years. When asked what he will do next, he was quoted as saying, "let me ask joel and I will get back to you!" 8)

Joel, Les and Brian Ongoro will be setting up a new business in Dallas. It takes a thief, Inc

First Clients CBS-NY CBS-Dallas CBS-Phoenix