Clear Channel New Home to Hannity & Limbaugh?

[FredLeonard]

With regard to real callers or paid callers getting on talk radio, I for one did manage to get on one daytime national snow either twice or three times (and I was far from being a paid caller). That show was the Radio Factor (usually when Bill had someone filling in for him. Once was Mike Smerconish and the other was Dom Girodano co hosting with Lis Wiehl). I also got on the air with Lou Dobbs radio show when it was on the air, and earlier this year I was on the air on the Herman Cain show. Some of the other local/regional show I called into and got on the air were Marty Griffin in Pittsburgh, Matt Allen in Providence, JD Hayworth in Phoenix (when his show followed Hannity), Mike Garfield in Houston, Lynn Wooley in Lubbock, Rick Hamada in Honolulu, Jason Lewis (when his show was still locally based) in Minneapolis (twice), Joyce Kaufman in Ft. Lauderdale, Tom Marr in Baltimore, Rocky D in Charleston, SC, Matt Mittan in Asheville, Bob McLain in Greenville, Jen Brien in Boston, Ken Pitman in New Bedford, MA (when his show was on the air), Bud Hedinger in Orlando (twice), Martha Zoeller (when she was syndicated throughout the state of Georgia), Vicki McKenna in Madison, Brian Sussman in San Francisco, Alan Autry (when his show was on the air) in Fresno, Tom Tancredo (when his show was on the air) in Colorado Springs, and even in far flung shows such as John Gormley in Sasketewan, Christy Clark in Vancouver, BC, and Travis Coffman in far flung Guam. Also on two or three occasions I was on the air on Doug McIntyre's Red Eye Radio.

So with regard to national shows, it probably all depends on the show itself individually and not lumped all in one basket on which callers get on the air.

Sounds like at least some of these experiences were some time ago. Others are local shows or national shows with smaller audiences. Paid callers have not been in use since day one. Some shows will still use known civilian callers.

 

[Small Market Guy]

So, where is your proof? You suggest Josh is a liar but why should we believe you? You claim you "personally know" some of Rush's callers? What are the odds? You say they called your show where you used to work. That qualifies as "personally know?" Not hardly. And did you actually hear these people (you don't say how many)? Or did they just say they called Rush? Did they say they got through? Got on? How long ago was this? Did you demand "proof" from these callers (or is that just when somebody presents information that does not fit how you want to view the world)?

You say you work in radio. Can you prove it?

You have made lots of assertions of fact on this board but I have yet to see "proof" of any of them.

In other words, you can't prove that the major syndicated talkers use actors as callers. I can prove everything I've said. All one has to do is listen to the quality of calls that even Rush gets and understand that they're not planted. The story going around is that these fake callers make $40 an hour. That's more than many radio hosts make. I sure know it's more than I make. The entire meme is so ludicrous that only those with a bone to pick believe it.

Think for yourself for a change, instead of believing what you read on blogs.

 

[FredLeonard]

I can prove everything I've said. All one has to do is listen to the quality of calls that even Rush gets and understand that they're not planted. The story going around is that these fake callers make $40 an hour.

This is your idea of "proof?" :

 

[joshzz]

Small Market Guy,

What nationally syndicated talk show host makes $ 40 hour?

From the news, "NYT: Striking a deal estimated to be worth $400 million through 2016, the conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has renewed his contract with Clear Channel Communications and its syndication subsidiary Premiere Radio Networks."

All nationally syndicated talk show hosts are making far more than $ 40 per hour, but you can trust me in that Premiere is not paying that much to "paid callers" I'm sure they are salaried and probably do a number of duties.

Why are you having such difficulty accepting that this is the way nationally syndicated talk radio works?

You should listen to the callers on local radio versus those that call Limbaugh etc. You will note that those calling RUsh appear to be polished. They're not nervous. They say their questions smoothly and their comments sound orchestrated as such.. well actually they are.

Listen to a local talk station like 1210 or any local sports station and you will hear listeners go off a long tangents, have difficulty posing their questions, comments, etc. That's real radio.

And please don't tell me, it's because Rush has more callers to pick from.

 

[umfan]

He's asked for proof. It's not been provided. I doubt that you or Fred have insight into Limbaugh's show. I take at face value that they may have been used on shows you worked on but beyond that, it's conjecture on your part.

 

[joshzz]

Premiere will never admit that Limbaugh and Hannity's callers are fake. Some people want us to post an admission statement from the company. That won't happen. It's like a magician giving away his secrets or a star player admitting that he is using steroids.

It would crush the hearts of their listeners. Why would they do that? They won't

Here is what they did have to say:: "Rush Limbaugh helped revive a nearly month-old story on Monday when he vehemently denied ever paying actors to pose as callers to his radio show.

The story, which was published on the website of Tablet magazine in mid-February, uncovered the existence of a service called Premiere On Call, which promised radio shows "voice talent to take/make your on-air calls, improvise your scenes or deliver your scripts. Using our simple online booking tool, specify the kind of voice you need, and we'll get your the right person fast."

Tablet noted that Premiere is the same company which syndicates many radio shows, including Glenn Beck's, Sean Hannity's and Limbaugh's. However, the magazine didn't claim that any of those hosts employed the service."

>>>>>>> In response, then who are they calling? Why does the service exist? They're not calling local shows. They are calling Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and company. I don't have the time but would recommend any doubter to record the callers voices (just a portion of each) for a month. Then play them back. You'll hear the same callers again and again but remember they're voice actors and change the tone of their voices just like cartoon characters do. Remember Mel Blanc did the voices for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Marvin the Martian, Pepé Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, the Tasmanian Devil and many of the other characters.

 

[FredLeonard]

And in radio, Mel Blanc also was the voice of ...
Jack Benny's parrot, Polly
Jack Benny's bear, Carmichael, who guarded his underground money vault
Jack Benny's car (an old Maxwell)
The train announcer ("Anaheim, Azusa and Cuc......amonga")
Sy ("Sy, Si, Sue, Sew")
Various harried store clerks.

In his on air response when this story broke, Rush claimed the On Call service was used to fake prank phone calls. He blasted the FCC for requiring stations to tell people up front they are being recorded, thus making real prank calls impossible to pull off. So, now they have to fake prank calls.

When the story was about to break, Premiere took down the On Call pages from its website.

News stories about this issue are available online, including the original story in Tablet, which Rush spent considerable time attacking on air. But apparently the Dittoheads demanding "proof" are not familiar with Google. People who demand proof, never provide any themselves. If they are offered "proof," they never accept it.

 

[joshzz]

A lawyer should make a filing with the FCC that all "fake paid callers" be acknowledged on air prior to each call-in. Do you know who would fight this? Premiere, and their hosts.

Like Premiere's as for fake callers states: "Using our simple online booking tool, specify the kind of voice you need, and we'll get your the right person fast.""

So why in the world would they allow someone on the air that might stumble or worse, oppose their "on-air King, their host?"

It's all a show.

 

[FredLeonard]

Josh: Hell hath no fury like a radio groupie told radio or his heroes are not all they seem. Payola? Rigged contests and game shows? False personality endorsements? False claims in commercials? News readers who really hate each other? Can't be. They would never do that!

Rush abuse drugs? Hire undocumented workers? Troll chat rooms? Say it isn't so.

 

[raccoonradio]

Years ago there was a lawsuit involving WRKO Boston when a producer or some kind of helper
was sacked from the Jerry Williams show because an impersonator doing a shtick did the voice of
mayor Kevin White.

>>Williams...interviewed a comic who impersonated then mayor of Boston, Kevin H. White (who) took calls from the radio audience...greatly exaggerating the mannerisms of the persona of the real mayor. Broad as the caricature may have been, the impersonator induced a flurry of phone calls to City Hall in which the callers made unflattering observations about what the "mayor" was saying on the air...the true mayor's press secretary was moved to lodge a protest by telephone with the management of the radio station. Williams did not identify his guest as an impersonator until well into the program

http://law.justia.com/cases/massachusetts/court-of-appeals/volumes/27/27massappct442.html

 

[boombox]

In the 1990's I used to listen to Rush frequently.

He had maybe one caller an hour, if I remember correctly. And it was usually "dittos, Rush!" and the caller would get maybe half a sentence in before Rush took over for another half hour or so of monologue.

People are getting paid for that? If they're actors, they aren't doing much 'acting'.

I haven't listened to Rush's show since 2000 or so, but the few times I have heard weekend re-runs, I don't seem to hear many callers. Rush's show seems to be mostly a monologue.

So whether the callers are real or fake, does it really matter? Most of these national shows seem to be basically monologues, with a short call thrown in.

 

[FredLeonard]

Israeli Government Take Page From Rush's Playbook

Et tu, Bibi?

Israel to pay students to defend it online

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is looking to hire university students to post pro-Israel messages on social media networks — without needing to identify themselves as government-linked, officials said Wednesday. ...

READ MORE: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/08/14/israel-students-social-media/2651715

Of course, this is 21st Century. Paid callers is so 20th Century.

 

[Small Market Guy]

Sorry, double post.

 

[Small Market Guy]

And please don't tell me, it's because Rush has more callers to pick from.

Don't want to hear the truth, I assume.

Rush's callers are almost as bad as some I get. So don't give the old "they're polished" argument. They're not. They're slightly better than a large market station, and anyone who works at a station who runs Rush will eventually hear one of their own local callers on Rush's show.

Again, if this is such a well known and common practice, why can't you provide a single example of it actually happening?

 

[Small Market Guy]

People who demand proof, never provide any themselves.

As opposed to someone who blindly believes whatever they read in a blog because they dislike a certain host?

I also love how this has morphed from "all hosts do it" to "Rush does it".

Pretty much seals the deal that this is just more agenda based nonsense. I'd be surprised if you've even seen the inside of a radio station, much less been "in the business". All you do is come to this website and post unsubstantiated rumors and racist remarks about guys like John Watson.

 

[joshzz]

SmallMarketGuy, you wrote: I also love how this has morphed from "all hosts do it" to "Rush does it".

Rush is just an example of the many Premiere Radio Networks hosts that have paid callers.

Premiere Radio Networks hires the callers and the hosts.

Premiere On Call, promises radio shows "voice talent to take/make your on-air calls, improvise your scenes or deliver your scripts. Using our simple online booking tool, specify the kind of voice you need, and we'll get your the right person fast."

SamllMarketGuy, I believe you previously indicated an interest in becoming a paid caller. If you or anyone for that matter is interested in an audition to become a paid caller please visit this Premiere Radio Networks website for an audition.

http://www.premiereradio.com/shows/view/premiere_on_call.html

 

[joshzz]

Please note that on the application page it mentions that you may required to sign a waiver. HHmmm, Wonder what that's about?
I think we can all take a guess on that.



"I understand that in order to be hired I will need to supply a W-9 and may need to sign a waiver."

 

[TheBigA]

So the assumption is that because Premiere offers a caller service, and Rush is a Premiere show, that therefore Rush uses the Premiere caller service?

There's a big gap in that logic.

 

[joshzz]

BigA, I would recommend that anyone who questions as to what shows use syndicated programs to apply for the job as a paid caller. If you get hired please share with us your experience, specifically, what shows you called, how you received your scripts and especially the phone numbers you were given to gain immediate access to the hosts. Would love to surprise the hosts with some real questions.

 

[FredLeonard]

For point of clarification:

Nobody has said they all do it.
Nobody has said Rush has always done it.
Nobody has said Rush only uses paid callers.

On this latter point, many hosts/shows keep a list of "regulars" or "usual suspects," which they have built up. Often these people go to the front of the queue, maybe get a special number to call and maybe even get called. A few have become hosts themselves. One guardian of traditional morality, who used to be distributed by Premiere and broadcast from a Clear Channel station, started as a regular caller who slept with the host and then got her own show. If you want proof, the pictures the host took are still circulating around the Internet.

And speaking of proof, it sounds like those who just can't bring themselves to believe that El Rushbo is capable of this have not bothered to read any of the original articles (not blog posts) cited here.

For the record: I see nothing wrong with this practice. It's fine with me if Randi Rhodes, who also works for Premiere/Clear Channel, uses paid callers. I think shows should be required to air a regular notice that some callers are "compensated representatives of various viewpoints" (or whatever other euphemisms the lawyers come up with). But this is show business. If 60 Minutes or All Things Considered used paid actors, that would be different. The only sin in all this is hypocrisy - not the act but the denial.

Then again hypocrisy is nothing new. Rush calls for drug prohibition and promotes the "war on drugs" to pander to his base, while abusing drugs himself.