KLBJ-AM becoming Alex Jones/Phil Hendry?

[1st of 5]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the topics and ensuing "discussions/opinions" during the morning shows have lately taken a less than serious tone and have wandered out into the ridiculous and silly? Monday's topic concerned the gunfight at that Denny's in Houston between some crooks and a CHL'er, SGT Sam's unprofessional and absurd redneck cop opinions against the sissy liberal anti-gun crybaby callers. It sounded very much like the Phil Hendry show. Today it was about free school lunches for entire families regardless of their income, then the looney caller making $40K a year on food stamps became the show. The caller described his financial struggles with 6 kids and a non-working wife, the failures of various forms of birth control attempted which resulted in the 6 kids and welfare and how the megabanks and their policies are to blame, his student loan debt, how his van broke down, and on and on and on. It sounded so scripted and ridiculous, but maybe its a programming gimmick to enrage working taxpayers to call into the show, thus increasing ratings? I don't recall KLBJ-AM's morning shows being like this about a month ago. Do you?

 

[mmnassour]

Oh, yea, I do.

For some months now Cox has simply been knee-jerking all of his opinions, mailing it in. Mark and/or Ed will bring up a topic and I can tell you exactly what Cox will reply before he does so. I genuinely believe they are seeing just how far to the nutcase side of the right he can go before someone shows up at the station with a firearm.

It's truly embarrassing what this former news program has morphed into. They've completely gone away from news into so-called "hot topics". It's now just a clone of any other talker, and has nothing whatsoever to do with Austin as a whole.

This means that Austin has lost the only two morning shows that cared what was going down on the streets outside the station....first Cole/Allred and now KLBJ-AM. But it's OK...the fiasco at KLBJ led me to discover that my phone streams whatever I want on the way in.

I guess you could say I'm a long-time listener......last time caller.

 

[bobke]

I tune into KLBJ AM for 10-15 minutes each morning about 5:30. The last few weeks I have also noticed Cox and his shoot from the hip opinions have become even more absurd and irrelevant. Maybe its time for him to be put out to pasture.

 

[Krash Kelly]

For the record - KLBJ AM was one of only 50 stations nominated this year for the 2011 Crystal Radio Awards competition for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. And in the October Arbitron monthly, the morning show was #1 overall 12+ and #2 English language 25-54.

 

[mmnassour]

Yes indeed. They do a fine job in many areas. But that doesn't mean the morning show hasn't become stale beyond belief.

 

[bobke]

For the record - KLBJ AM was one of only 50 stations nominated this year for the 2011 Crystal Radio Awards competition for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. And in the October Arbitron monthly, the morning show was #1 overall 12+ and #2 English language 25-54.

The morning show still stinks.

 

[bobke]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the topics and ensuing "discussions/opinions" during the morning shows have lately taken a less than serious tone and have wandered out into the ridiculous and silly? Monday's topic concerned the gunfight at that Denny's in Houston between some crooks and a CHL'er, SGT Sam's unprofessional and absurd redneck cop opinions against the sissy liberal anti-gun crybaby callers. It sounded very much like the Phil Hendry show. Today it was about free school lunches for entire families regardless of their income, then the looney caller making $40K a year on food stamps became the show. The caller described his financial struggles with 6 kids and a non-working wife, the failures of various forms of birth control attempted which resulted in the 6 kids and welfare and how the megabanks and their policies are to blame, his student loan debt, how his van broke down, and on and on and on. It sounded so scripted and ridiculous, but maybe its a programming gimmick to enrage working taxpayers to call into the show, thus increasing ratings? I don't recall KLBJ-AM's morning shows being like this about a month ago. Do you?

I have never been able to take anything serious from wind bag Sam. I can listen to him for 30 seconds and tell he is a former cop frustrated with his position in life.

 

[yeahIwasinradio]

I think it's all staged. His hillbilly "I'll tell you what" schtick brings in the people that they want to attract in the morning. If it didn't work, they wouldn't keep doing it. They have become predictable. So has Kenny Romier on Sunday nights. That's what they do. I literally listen at the top and bottom of every hour for news, then switch to WOAI out of San Antonio so I can get news. I don't give a crap what Sam Kaiser Cox thinks.

Jeff Ward, on the other hand, is awesome. So is the Todd and Don show.

 

[mmnassour]

Yes sir, let me sign up on board with you there. The entire morning thing is just a stage show, and the people calling in, I'm convinced, don't get it. But that's OK, it makes money and that's why they're there. I used to get annoyed with Cox's rantings, but the last time I listened for a few minutes some weeks back, they were simply absurd.

Jeff Ward...I'm on that train as well. Not really a fan of Todd and Don, but they're vastly superior to anything KLBJ would pick off satellite, if only because they're local.

 

[willdav713]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the topics and ensuing "discussions/opinions" during the morning shows have lately taken a less than serious tone and have wandered out into the ridiculous and silly? Monday's topic concerned the gunfight at that Denny's in Houston between some crooks and a CHL'er, SGT Sam's unprofessional and absurd redneck cop opinions against the sissy liberal anti-gun crybaby callers. It sounded very much like the Phil Hendry show. Today it was about free school lunches for entire families regardless of their income, then the looney caller making $40K a year on food stamps became the show. The caller described his financial struggles with 6 kids and a non-working wife, the failures of various forms of birth control attempted which resulted in the 6 kids and welfare and how the megabanks and their policies are to blame, his student loan debt, how his van broke down, and on and on and on. It sounded so scripted and ridiculous, but maybe its a programming gimmick to enrage working taxpayers to call into the show, thus increasing ratings? I don't recall KLBJ-AM's morning shows being like this about a month ago. Do you?

I listened to it, and I get excactly what he was talking about. If I had cell phone minutes I would have called in and told him that we ought to tape record the phone call to our local elected officals post them up on you tube and demand food stamp reform with child limits!!!

The caller Shayla had her head on correctly as her and her husband waitied until they could financially afford their only child.

You are talking about that show right?

 

[1st of 5]

That's the one. A "hot topic" that would guarantee callers and ratings. Since that show has gone completely Phil Hendry, I have nothing to listen to during the morning drive. I can't stomach KTSA's Trey Ware and his personalized cut and paste repeats of yesterdays national cable news channel topic of the day. Is he trying to land a syndication gig somewhere? He hardly ever covers LOCAL topics, other than those that have an impact on 'those people in those parts of town'. WOAI is almost as bad. Listening to them is like reading a supermarket tabloid. Getting back to the KLBJ-AM slop, I'm surprised that no Austin station has aired China Radio International, since the Chicom's are attempting to shove it down everyone's throat and offering to pay good $$$ too. That Chicom simple minded infotainment and propaganda crap would be perfect for that liberal nut gallery.

 

[MisterRadio]

I don't care for the show either, but the truth is they get the ratings. We have long past the days of high minded public service. They would play kazoos all day if it would get ratings.

 

[bobke]

I think it's all staged. His hillbilly "I'll tell you what" schtick brings in the people that they want to attract in the morning. If it didn't work, they wouldn't keep doing it. They have become predictable. So has Kenny Romier on Sunday nights. That's what they do. I literally listen at the top and bottom of every hour for news, then switch to WOAI out of San Antonio so I can get news. I don't give a crap what Sam Kaiser Cox thinks.

Jeff Ward, on the other hand, is awesome. So is the Todd and Don show.

I have long suspected that Sgt Sams on air character is mostly staged.

 

[mmnassour]

I have long suspected that Sgt Sams on air character is mostly staged.

Hopefully, the entire SHOW is.

 

[MisterRadio]

[/quote]

I have long suspected that Sgt Sams on air character is mostly staged.
[/quote]

I actually know Sam from a long time ago. I genuinely believe that he is a really good guy whom I would be honored to call my friend. I think the "hillbilly" schtick for lack of a better term is about 50 percent put on. He's definitely a conservative with opinions created from many years as a cop and he's definitely "country" but I also think he is very smart and sees the role that he needs to play for that show to be a success.

 

[fredcantu]

I feel the same way about Sammy Allred. He is smart, a talented voice actor and fast on his feet. A lot of the more outrageous stuff he did while at KVET was for the show. Sometimes he crossed the line and it got him in trouble. But he worked under the philosophy, "If you're gonna make an omelet, you're going to break a few eggs."

 

[mmnassour]

Yea, but there's a big difference between Sammy and today's KLBJ. Between Sam and Bob, you never knew what was coming next. KLBJ's current morning show is 100% predictable.