KFI dropped the ball big time on the Zimmerman verdict coverage

[henry]

Talk about a big city, Bush League news department!

... says the person with perfect weather and an AM radio station with a local news department that's staffed 24/7.

Meanwhile in the other 49 states ... :'(

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

I was really surprised that nary a word on the Zimmerman verdict was mentioned by Suits considering it is alleged by Zimmerman's defense to be a case of justified self-defense, something that's right in Suits's wheelhouse. To be fair, Suits spent the previous week's show covering the Asiana plane crash so maybe he felt that there were other, more important topics (such as the coup in Egypt) that he didn't want to let get anymore stale, but still he could have spent a few minutes on it. He didn't even say that they would cover it next week. Either he really, really doesn't care about the case (unlikely) or it was a pre-taped show. I'm betting on the latter.

One word, prerecorded. Didn't Suits move back North after his failed efforts in So Cal?

He does the show live normally. He was covering the Asiana crash live last week. Are you unaware of ISDN technology?

 

[justpassingthough]

KFI's listeners are older and whiter than most of the market- so there was probably little outrage over the verdict. If it had gone the other way, I imagine that KFI, Fox News and all the conservative news outlets would have been outraged in the same way that those who wanted to see Zimmerman found guilty were outraged. Its probably likely that if KFI had taken listener calls it would have been a bunch of agreement about the way the verdict came down- and it would have been a massive snoozefest.

 

[nmoore6676]

I was really surprised that nary a word on the Zimmerman verdict was mentioned by Suits considering it is alleged by Zimmerman's defense to be a case of justified self-defense, something that's right in Suits's wheelhouse. To be fair, Suits spent the previous week's show covering the Asiana plane crash so maybe he felt that there were other, more important topics (such as the coup in Egypt) that he didn't want to let get anymore stale, but still he could have spent a few minutes on it. He didn't even say that they would cover it next week. Either he really, really doesn't care about the case (unlikely) or it was a pre-taped show. I'm betting on the latter.

One word, prerecorded. Didn't Suits move back North after his failed efforts in So Cal?

He does the show live normally. He was covering the Asiana crash live last week. Are you unaware of ISDN technology?

Indeed I am aware but that doesn't mean that he uses it always. However ISDN is fast becoming a dying technology as many TELCOs are beginning to phase it out, not accepting new orders for circuits.

However Suits, live, recorded, or phoned in with a couple of Campbell Soup cans and a string is still less than compelling talk radio.

 

[TheBigA]

However ISDN is fast becoming a dying technology as many TELCOs are beginning to phase it out, not accepting new orders for circuits.

Only because there are better and cheaper ways of doing it. Some that allow you to also stream video.

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

KFI's listeners are older and whiter than most of the market- so there was probably little outrage over the verdict. If it had gone the other way, I imagine that KFI, Fox News and all the conservative news outlets would have been outraged in the same way that those who wanted to see Zimmerman found guilty were outraged. Its probably likely that if KFI had taken listener calls it would have been a bunch of agreement about the way the verdict came down- and it would have been a massive snoozefest.

Interesting overgeneralization, but you should know that as far as KFI goes John Kobylt was strongly in favor of a guilty verdict, Ken a little less so. John spent today's show attacking the jurors as morons. To your point, though, they've endured a lot of blowback from their audience as a result of their position on the issue (just as they endured blowback from Sarah Palin, Meg Whitman and Herman Cain fans in the past).

Also, I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Handel supported a guilty verdict too. He's not nearly as right-wing as your stereotypical AM host. Bill Carroll on the other hand probably has the opposite view. And Tim Conway Jr. probably still thinks George Zimmerman is the Men's Wearhouse guy.

 

[davideduardo]

KFI's listeners are older and whiter than most of the market-

Interesting overgeneralization...

The demographic profile of KFI listeners shows that they have an average age that is above the median for the market, and they severely under-index in African American and Hispanic listeners.

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

KFI's listeners are older and whiter than most of the market-

Interesting overgeneralization...

The demographic profile of KFI listeners shows that they have an average age that is above the median for the market, and they severely under-index in African American and Hispanic listeners.

I wasn't taking issue with his demographic breakdown, just with his portraying KFI as a "conservative news outlet", implying that every host fits the same cookie-cutter right-wing mould and you might as well be watching Fox News. Rush and Carroll I'll concede fit that mould, but that's about it. Just about every other host has their own independent outlook. Even Bryan Suits has libertarian leanings.

 

[Robnoxious]

Also, I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Handel supported a guilty verdict too.

Nah, Handel was on record saying the Zimmerman case had more holes than swiss cheese.
He fully expected a not guilty verdict.

 

[justpassingthough]

KFI's listeners are older and whiter than most of the market-

Interesting overgeneralization...

The demographic profile of KFI listeners shows that they have an average age that is above the median for the market, and they severely under-index in African American and Hispanic listeners.

I wasn't taking issue with his demographic breakdown, just with his portraying KFI as a "conservative news outlet", implying that every host fits the same cookie-cutter right-wing mould and you might as well be watching Fox News. Rush and Carroll I'll concede fit that mould, but that's about it. Just about every other host has their own independent outlook. Even Bryan Suits has libertarian leanings.

My overgeneralization aside, as the hosts may not be as conservative and cookie cutter as I made them sense, the majority of KFI's listeners fall into demographic categories that would support the notion that they were hoping for a not guilty verdict- so any surprise or outrage was minimized and they probably found this story less important because it went their "way".

 

[radio-darn]

the majority of KFI's listeners fall into demographic categories that would support the notion that they were hoping for a not guilty verdict...

I think it was more of a matter that listeners in that demo who followed this from the beginning understood that police found no evidence to support criminal charges and we all saw that the prosecution came about because of political pressure. So it was not so much a that we "hoped for" a verdict of innocent, but rather where not surprised when, after all the political posturing and media circus, the jury came to the same conclusion the police on the scene the day of this tragedy had reached.

The politicians and much of the media gave a lot of false hope to the lynch mob who thought that the justice system could be manipulated to reach a verdict that was not supported by the evidence. That's why we now have the cry for the White House and its justice department to, by whatever means possible, find a why to subvert the evidence and punish Zimmerman.

Lucky for the media that the rioters are not trashing the CNN and MSNBC studios for leading them on all these months.

If you were smart and didn't have a public agenda, you knew from the start that a fair trail would lead to the innocent verdict. I have to say I was surprised that there was a fair trial amidst the media hysteria. This whole episode has not been the finest hour for what passes as journalism these days.

 

[justpassingthough]

the majority of KFI's listeners fall into demographic categories that would support the notion that they were hoping for a not guilty verdict...

I think it was more of a matter that listeners in that demo who followed this from the beginning understood that police found no evidence to support criminal charges and we all saw that the prosecution came about because of political pressure. So it was not so much a that we "hoped for" a verdict of innocent, but rather where not surprised when, after all the political posturing and media circus, the jury came to the same conclusion the police on the scene the day of this tragedy had reached.

The politicians and much of the media gave a lot of false hope to the lynch mob who thought that the justice system could be manipulated to reach a verdict that was not supported by the evidence. That's why we now have the cry for the White House and its justice department to, by whatever means possible, find a why to subvert the evidence and punish Zimmerman.

Lucky for the media that the rioters are not trashing the CNN and MSNBC studios for leading them on all these months.

If you were smart and didn't have a public agenda, you knew from the start that a fair trail would lead to the innocent verdict. I have to say I was surprised that there was a fair trial amidst the media hysteria. This whole episode has not been the finest hour for what passes as journalism these days.

I certainly hasn't been the finest hour for journalism, and I agree that the evidence didn't line up for a guilty verdict, even if I wanted to see Zimmerman punished for his actions. Thats what civil trials are for- where proving beyond a reasonable doubt isn't the burden of the prosecution.

Back to the topic, though, it is interesting to see the dichotomy in this country between the older and younger generations that has developed in the past ten or fifteen years- basically post Clinton presidency. The line has been drawn on the sand with differing opinions on everything from immigration to gay marriage to whether or not George Zimmerman was guilty. I don't ever recall such a generational difference existing since the 1960s and its really magnified during events such as this trial. Certainly this carries over to radio- as the young people who tended to be in favor of a guilty verdict aren't KFI listeners.

 

[Thomps2525]

John Kobylt was outraged by the "not guilty" verdict. He said that the verdict will give license to anyone who wants to shoot another person and then claim that he felt threatened. Oh, really, John? Talk about jumping to a conclusion!

 

[Bug on the rug]

Members of the jury, do you agree KFI programmers were negligent NOT to go to special programming Saturday night RIGHT AFTER the Zimmerman verdict, when ALL KFI hosts -- well, with the exception of Neil "The Fork Report" Savedra! -- have been talking about this case, ad nausium, for a year and five months!?? (especially Bill Carol!)

Do you also agree that older, angry affluent white men ARE passionate AND hold strong opinions about the verdict - even IF they anticipated Zimmerman to be aquited, and understood this case was sparked by the national media (chiefly NBC!), racially divisive subject matter and fueled by politics!??

And, lastly, do you agree Brian Suits sucks as a talk show host with his winey, non-listener friendly voice and boring tune-out content!?? And you continually wonder how credible his background is to talk about milataristic subject matter, and how on earth he gets to be a guest on other KFI shows (that's known as cross-pollination in radio parlance), and even as a fill-in host for Jon & Ken!?? (7/5)

I rest my case.

 

[TheBigA]

Members of the jury, do you agree KFI programmers were negligent NOT to go to special programming Saturday night RIGHT AFTER the Zimmerman verdict,

No. Nobody was listening Saturday night. Monday Morning Quarterbacking works best on Monday morning.

 

[Bug on the rug]

Ok. Thank you juror B47. Your "no" vote is duly noted.

What say you jurors B48 though B51?

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Members of the jury, do you agree KFI programmers were negligent NOT to go to special programming Saturday night RIGHT AFTER the Zimmerman verdict, when ALL KFI hosts -- well, with the exception of Neil "The Fork Report" Savedra! -- have been talking about this case, ad nausium, for a year and five months!?? (especially Bill Carol!)

Do you also agree that older, angry affluent white men ARE passionate AND hold strong opinions about the verdict - even IF they anticipated Zimmerman to be aquited, and understood this case was sparked by the national media (chiefly NBC!), racially divisive subject matter and fueled by politics!??

And, lastly, do you agree Brian Suits sucks as a talk show host with his winey, non-listener friendly voice and boring tune-out content!?? And you continually wonder how credible his background is to talk about milataristic subject matter, and how on earth he gets to be a guest on other KFI shows (that's known as cross-pollination in radio parlance), and even as a fill-in host for Jon & Ken!?? (7/5)

I rest my case.

Hey Bug, have you ever met von nupkins? Just wondering...

 

[Bug on the rug]

No, your honor.

 

[RD Board Rep]

MOVED: TIO: KFI dropped the ball big time on the Zimmerman verdict coverage

Some posts have been moved to Take It Outside.

[iurl=http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=237615.0]http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=237615.0[/iurl]

 

[Thomps2525]

The juror identified as "B37"---which sounds like a number on a Bingo card---told CNN's Anderson Cooper that she believes "101%" that they reached the correct verdict. I don't know about the verdict...but she certainly doesn't understand the concept of 100%!