• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Question about Michael Graham

What?

was smothered to death by political and social pressure

That's right. The "political/social" people pressured Dr. Brudnoy --a closeted HIV+conservative -- right off the air. He had no career. Neither did Avi Nelson, Bob Raleigh, Janet, et al.

The few (of the many) that have got into trouble, made their own bed. When you are untruthful about your marital status, education and the like, you get what you get.

Michael wasn't mistreated. He just needs to feel that way.
 
Believe Graham Cracker is a graduate of Bob Jones University. Need I say more....!

I think you meant to say Oral Roberts University, but I can see why the two might be confused.

FWIW, I don't think Michael is really all that "in" to fundamentalist Christianity and snake handling, even though he could produce snakes "on short notice". Further, the woman to whom he was first married is Catholic, and his new Mrs is of the Jewish faith.

I find him humorous but he can be serious when need be.
 
No

Conservative political talk smothered to death by political and social pressure

Did David Brudnoy say this? Maybe it was Avi Nelson?
The truth is the more contemporary Con's need to feel this way as it's part of the schtick.
 
No Michael

To the OP: Michael wasn't bashed in Boston. No conservative is. Until they start having problems with the truth like Severin.

Other than the traffic fiasco which had it's beginnings in Va he wasn't put upon at all. He needs to feel under siege. You will probably find that out too. Good luck.
 
Michael Graham as in "Crackers" just let his ego get way ahead of his talent. The CEO of Greater Media, Peter Smyth, former radio time salesman who had no background in programming, is an arch conservative. Still pissed off that Jime Braude and Margery Egan have landed on their collective feet on WGBH 89.7 FM "Boston Public Radio" Noon -2 PM. Maybe "Cracker" will survive in Cracker country. White sheet county.
Michael himself had this to say in one of his farewell posts on his website:



You can read the rest here: http://michaelgraham.com/a-personal-message-from-michael-graham/
 
Tried to hear a webcast of Graham but the station wasn't streaming, even if they were supposed to be.

My liberal sister, when I told her about Eagan & Braude gaining an extra hour (at the expense of Imus) on WTKK:
"Jim and Margery? I LOVE them!"
Maybe they may seem a bit too, er, centrist for an NPR station...imagine if they got Howie or Kuhner if 680 became
ESPN Deportes or something... :)

KKK btw created by southern Democrats, and esteemed WV sen. Robert Byrd was a member.* The Dem party was
pro-slavery.
1800s poster: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QICIsTzi-.../bnFaj0F3F6w/s1600/racist_democrat_poster.jpg

*--Wikipedia: "Late in his life, Byrd explicitly renounced his earlier views favoring racial segregation. Byrd said that he regretted filibustering and voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and would change it if he had the opportunity. He said joining the KKK was "the greatest mistake I ever made." Byrd also said that his views changed dramatically after his teenage grandson was killed in a 1982 traffic accident, which put him in a deep emotional valley. "The death of my grandson caused me to stop and think," said Byrd, adding he came to realize that African-Americans love their children as much as he does his"
 
Last edited:
Michael Graham as in "Crackers" just let his ego get way ahead of his talent. The CEO of Greater Media, Peter Smyth, former radio time salesman who had no background in programming, is an arch conservative. Still pissed off that Jime Braude and Margery Egan have landed on their collective feet on WGBH 89.7 FM "Boston Public Radio" Noon -2 PM. Maybe "Cracker" will survive in Cracker country. White sheet county.

No one is "pissed off" that Jim and Marjorie are working.

Most CEO's have no background in programming.

Go ahead, you're anonymous!

Go ahead and post more things that are not true!~

Stand bold. Stand tall!
 
Last edited:
Already standing tall at 6' 4". One thing you are right about - most CEO's have no background in programming. That says everything you need to know about what's wrong with radio today.
No one is "pissed off" that Jim and Marjorie are working.

Most CEO's have no background in programming.

Go ahead, you're anonymous!

Go ahead and post more things that are not true!~

Stand bold. Stand tall!
 
One thing you are right about - most CEO's have no background in programming. That says everything you need to know about what's wrong with radio today.

Today? Hasn't that always been the case?

It's always been rare when a programming person goes onto a GM position or higher.

I can't remember a time when it was different.
 
Last edited:
Folks, let's not rewrite history. It may help Graham's ego or narrative to say it was something other than ratings that brought down WTKK, an FM Conservative Talk station. But that's what it was. When Greater Media first put Talk on 96.9, it was a modest success. But now the Talk format is hurting in larger East Coast and West Coast cities.

Two things happened in Boston over the last few years. FM Sports Talk exploded, first with WBZ-FM and then WEEI-FM. And WGBH-FM joined WBUR as the second NPR News/Talk station in Boston. Boston went from SIX commercial Talk stations, 96.9, 680, 980, 1090 (Black Talk), 1200, 1510 (Progressive Talk), to only one, WRKO. (Yes WBZ is Talk at night and WCRN Worcester gets into some Boston neighborhoods. But there's only one full time Talk station licensed to Boston.)

As stated above, Urban AC WBQT is doing much better in the 18-34 and 25-54 demos than WTKK did in its last years. And Conservative Talk is just not popular in Boston. Even though WRKO has the format all to itself now, it still can't do better than #16 in the last ratings.

The oddity is that Graham now finds himself on yet another rare big market FM Talk station. When he was first talking with Cumulus about going to 106.7 in Atlanta, the station was still All-News in most dayparts. But his hiring triggered a domino effect, with Cumulus now putting their own syndicated Talk shows nights and overnights on WYAY, ending a two-year attempt at establishing an All-News radio station in Atlanta. And that makes Atlanta the largest market, #9, with no All-News station. (Dallas, and of course Boston, have CBS stations that are All-News mornings, middays and afternoons, although nights and overnights are Talk.)
 
Last edited:
Very true..sports hub got listeners from music or political talk stations, and what you were saying otherwise is true. Greater (96.9) and CBS (Amp) going after younger listeners with music.
 
Michael Graham is coming to Atlanta on WYAY-FM (All News 106.7) as a new talk show host starting Monday, May 12 at 9 a.m. I'm a media reporter and want to interview him...

Funny, I did a quick search through Atlanta newspapers looking for an article about
Michael Graham's "arrival" and couldn't find anything.

Anyone else see where this media reporters article could have shown up?
 
Graham

Michael wasn't hounded away. His traffic incident and separation probably caused him some grief but no where like what Severin went through.
 
Graham

Graham may have distrusted a writer's motivation. While a MV violation and divorce aren't the worst things maybe he just didn't want to deal with them in an interview? So he blames his politics.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom