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Radio Eq.: Julie Kahn a Liberal?

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

Hope for libtalk after all, folks! Brian Maloney's Radio Eq. Blog:

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2007/01/tom-finneran-felony-conviction-wrko.html

>>Beyond the sleazy Finneran deal, Kahn has been busy rearranging WRKO's schedule to fit her own liberal political beliefs , rather than maintaining the conservative programming that has served the station very well for years. That's despite the utter failure of libtalk in the Boston market

Maloney says that Howie Carr has done quite well "skewering" the likes of Finneran on the air for years,
while Finneran has no radio experience (note: I think he may have done fill ins for WRKO or WBZ) at all
yet might wind up making more $$ than Carr. He also mentions (but will not name; what is this,
"Tales Of the Naked City" from Inside Track? :) ) an 'RKO host who "saved his job...for now" by
doing a 180 on Gov. Patrick. Maloney alleges that Kahn is programming 'RKO "to suit her old personal tastes"
(though I'd think attention is being paid to what will get ratings...who's running the prog. dept at
RKO, Kahn or Wolfe btw?)
 
Brian Maloney has little credibility in this market, thus his use of "liberal" next to the name Julie Kahn has little meaning when he calls the Governor a "moonbat". Fine for a blogger, but not for a "genuine" news person.

That being said, I agree that the Finneran move is TERRIBLE, but feel Julie's motives are more evil.
Maloney bashes Air America with glee, expected from a Fox employee, but fails to connect the dots.

a little story that might help...

When the late Jimmy Miller & I went to A & R meetings in NY and the A & R guys asked for Willie Alexander tapes, always prefacing it with "we're not going to sign him, but we love him" (FOUR separate A & R guys - Elektra, CBS, Capitol and a fourth fellow), Jimmy walked out shaking his head "At Island I used to sign what I liked." The business had changed from thinking what you like will sell to signing only what will sell.

Mr. Miller (at the suggestion of Dave Mason) signed Doug Feiger to RCA - who eventually formed THE KNACK.
Jimmy got the record deal, signing what he liked. Doug Feiger (brother of Geoffrey Feiger, Dr. Kevorkian's attorney) is a brilliant guitarist and his band SKY put out two great discs. MY SHARONA followed after that big break.

IF Julie Kahn is, indeed, a liberal, then she is like those A & R men, who never came close to the fame of
producer Jimmy Miller. You have to go with your instincts, especially in a BLUE state.

FINNERAN would be the WRONG move for Liberal talk. He is tainted. This smacks of the Rich Carberry / Jay Diamond fiasco where Jay was a good host and Rich Carberry failed to give him any promotion, pre-empted him, was just done to pacify people. Any RIGHT LEANING radio station hiring a tainted Democrat is not doing us any favors.
 
>>the late Jimmy Miller

name dropper! :) We decided to have a soda. My favorite flavor, cherry red. And I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy...

>>You have to go with your instincts

Who knows. The Red Sox have gone with their instincts and paid well over $100 million to a pitcher who hasn't
thrown a pitch yet in the major leagues....

>>Any RIGHT LEANING radio station hiring a tainted Democrat is not doing us any favors.

We'll have to see. By the way right now I'm taping some WMWM to my hard drive and will soon upload it
to http://www.wmwmsalem.com: we have a Saturday night show that rotates. One week it'll be vintage
R&B with Doug Edwards, Sat Night Rent Party (that's what's on tonight). The other week it's Heart of
Saturday Night, "music based on a central theme", with Mike Silverstein.

Ooh! Sounds like Doug is about to play some early James Brown. For those interested, give me an hour or so
for the show to air and it'll upload to http://www.wmwmsalem.com
 
I think this discussion is based on a false premise that radio programmer's personal tastes override format. If Julie is a lover of classical, should she put it on AAF?

Any instincts she should use in influencing programming on her stations should be applied around who would best serve the format. You don't put classical on a rock station, so why would you try to force a liberal voice onto a conservative talk station? Anyway, if "no Baloney" has any idea what he's talking about, where is the evidence of these things occuring on the air? Finneran isn't a liberal, which is part of why they probably think he's a good idea. No one else on the station appears to have saved their jobs, as Howie is the only star.

The other false premise is that there is something wrong with there being conservative talk radio. To argue this, you have to be prepared to say that AA is wrong, that NPR is wrong, and that Dennis and Callahan should be talking chess.

That being said, Joe's story carries great meaning for radio, I think. The reason those A/R guys wouldn't sign what they knew was good was because they reside in a corporate world in which doing something smart but risky isn't reinforced. Doing what's safe is rewarded. Radio is filled with unimaginative progam directors imitating what the others have done just as the music industry is. Joe is one of the heroes of the music industry - someone fighting to break the hold that the tight fist of big business has over creativity. It isn't just that they put out crap - they also stop other people from putting out quality!

Just look at the furor that accompanied the Jack format last year. Someone got rich off the idea of not having such painfully small playlists. That has been obvious to all of us working in music radio, for years, that we have weaned all of the flavor out of radio (which Jack, BTW, does little to correct), in an attempt to super-satisfy our ability to attack a particular demographic.

Which is why I take issue with the attacks on Julie and WRKO as if they are unique. They live in a world filled with people doing the same thing they're doing. I have a feeling though that Jason Wolfe is not cut from the same cloth and we may be surprised by what he creates. Let's wait and see.
 
>>why would you try to force a liberal voice onto a conservative talk station?

I was of the opinion before that mixing conservative and liberal voices on the same station wouldn't work,
though people did point out to me that in some places it does work. But these days I'm saying maybe it's
worth a try--partially because it may at least prove that libtalk might not work. "Oh, these AAR/PT stations
have such weak signals, which is why they failed". OK, then put a Schultz/Miller/Hartmann on a WRKO or
WTKK (mixed with conservative talkers) and if their shows tank in the ratings, on a more powerful station,
THAT theory would be proved. (Sure, there should be a place for libtalk on the radio but realize that
in the free marketplace of ideas, it must be done well to succeed...some Jones shows may be showing
promise while even some liberals have turned up their noses at the likes of Franken or Rhodes. And some
don't like Miller or Schultz, but do like Al or Randi, etc...have seen that on some of the libtalk boards)

WTKK in a sense does mix both idealogies: E&B are said to both be liberal (or maybe Margery is at least a
social liberal; I don't really listen so I don't know for sure). Maybe Barnicle is a centrist at least but I never
got into his show. Imus--conservative? Not really sure. I can only see the 12 + ratings and they have done
half decently; in the past Severin has beaten Howie in that time slot, though in the past few periods I believe
'RKO has done better.

Should there be both libtalk and conservatalk? Yes, but realize that if libtalk doesn't succeed--put on a station with a half-decent signal and decent promotion--then it's just that people simply aren't interested in it.
They may prefer NPR, or music stations, or they may turn more to TV or newspapers for left-of-center
views.

Some on the Left claim that there is no overwhelming liberal media bias out there--on TV networks, etc.
But you have to admit that the more recent success of Fox News and conservative talk radio is partly
due to it being a response to the "mainstream media"'s views.

Can liberal talk shows attract listeners across the board idealogically? Who knows. Not everyone who listens to conservatalk is a right-winger. Some on the left or in the middle might get enraged by what a Rush or a Carr
says, but they find it entertaining. This is what AAR/PT needs to do. Give me a reason to listen--for
entertainment value, etc.--even if I find I may disagree with the host.

And also realize not everyone is straight across the board Left or Right. They may hold different opinions on
certain issues. I have heard that Savage and Doyle are painting themselves as "Independent Conservatives".
Maybe Severin too; they don't always go with the GOP party line on issues. Don't automatically assume
that a conservative agrees with Bush on every issue. Some may differ on immigration or how the war is
being handled. And I would think there are also "independent liberals" who don't always tow the Democratic
party line.
 
Raccoon asks:

"Can liberal talk shows attract listeners across the board idealogically? Who knows."

Bob Bittner made it very clear - and he's someone who would know - it takes a Bill Maher type to compete with
the big personalities. Al Franken didn't have it. That was the "political hire" stuff I keep yapping about.

Stephanie Miller wears thin. Ed Schultz is the real deal, but he sounds like Rush - probably intentionally.

There are some great "liberal" progressive talk show hosts out there but those gaining a foothold, Franken,
Stephanie, don't do us any favors. Steph would be great if she could balance her show but some of her jokes
are truly funny while a majority fall flat. So you put less then Bill Maher quality personalities on tiny stations with bad commercials and no promotion and...do the math.

NPR will win against that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JohnWas5 hit it when he noticed my comparison of the record industry - where Ahmet Ertegun and Jimmy
Miller and Clive Davis (who came to a high school in Newton to put his ear up to the speaker to hear an
early Jonathan Richman/Modern Lovers concert) would sign what they love because they had INSTINCTS.

RADIO AS A & R:
We were at Atlantic Records with A & R man Toby Emmerich (I think he produces movies now) and a band
that I had 5 A & R guys interested in when Mr. Miller heard it was Paul from the West Coast A & R on the
phone (we knew him too). Miller was incensed at something Paul had said so he blurts out "Hasn't been a
creative bone in this building since Ahmet built it..." (Complimenting Ahmet but dissing ALL the A & R guys).
The band freaked, but it was pretty courageous and funny. Toby Emmerich, by the way, loved my
production work but wanted a "name" producer if he got the project. I then said "We have a name producer, his name is Jimmy Miller"...as it turned out the mother of the band imploded the project by setting up a showcase behind my back so I told all A & R men concerned I was dropping the artist. No one wants a
McCauley Culkin situation and that was the end of that. Sound like "radio games", it's just an extension of the same industry.

Little or no imagination. They want in-house producers doing new acts when they can because it keeps the budget down, so they'll insult the man who did the heavy lifting. Julie Kahn - if she's a liberal - is like
Toby....well, Neggy sounds great but he's not a "name", and Raccoon's been stuck on college for 25 years, maybe we'll let him produce Todd Feinburg...

As far as Virgin Boy unloading Howie, it'll never happen. He won't be a TV star after the Gene Lavanchy show, so he'd better pray that lasts; he doesn't have the skills as a writer that Howie once had, or the platform of the diminished Herald that Howie still enjoys. Howie was the perfect snake to overthrow Jerry Williams - much like Oedipus did to Maxanne Sartori and to Charles. Notice how the new paradigm isn't to have talent, it is to stab someone in the back to claw your way up. I could go on and on but discretion is the better part of valor...
 
huge liberal. Watch out Howie. She cares for nobody except Julie...
sad days for the big 680
 
the host that switched was scott allen miller. It was in the track that Julie bragged she got him to "fall in line" with her way of thinking.
beyond sad..
 
>>Raccoon's been stuck on college for 25 years

But only college radio will put on cool stuff like our jazz, blues, doo wop (etc) shows though WBOS does
run blues. and public stations like WGBH have some jazz. I'm in it for the music not the money and I'd
rather be a big fish in a small pond anyway. And I'm nice enough to do WMWM's website for free. (btw
slight chance War might stop by WMWM today before 3 pm but no guarantee; our Henri Bellows
was at their show last night and since they're due to dine on the North Shore they may drop by;
he invited them.
Blues guy Mitch Kashmar playing harp for them these days)

how about having a talk host like Tai who could put on music/comedy, etc. acts...hmm?

VB can be a lookalike for ESPN's John "I Am Not a" Kruk (nickname courtesy of Chris Berman)
http://espn.go.com/i/columnists/kruk_john_m.jpg
 
Talk radio is always a reflection of someone's agenda. To scream conspiracy, she's secretly a liberal trying to reshape the station to reflect her views, that would be different than the conservative agenda that has powered talk radio for the past twenty years how exactly?. Point being that someone's conservative agenda hired most of the superstars of talk radio today. I doubt Entercom would allow Julie or anyone to screw with the RKO formula.

Then again "conservatives" see "liberal" conspiracy anytime they look somewhere and dont like the view.

::)
 
entercom is a joke. Davey Field was given the company by his father., and young Davey's first job in radio was GM!
This is the type of person who would promote a Julie Kahn. No serious broadcaster would have her running the operation.
 
Have heard he's a social liberal; as for fiscal, Howie Carr calls him Tommy Taxes if that means anything.

Globe had cartoon in today's edition: Finneran is seen as a talk show host on "WROK"--he's portrayed
as a convict (as in Bill Weld's "re-introducing convicts to the joys of breaking rock").
"Hello, Tommy, I'm a first time caller."
"Why, hello, caller, I'm a first time felon"
 
Sonic Al let us be clear: no one is FOR/PRO abortion...lol......the right to choose? yes. But I have yet to ever see a pro abortion rally.
 
SonicAl said:
raccoonradio said:
Have heard he's a social liberal; as for fiscal, Howie Carr calls him Tommy Taxes if that means anything.
Click to expand...

Finneran is against gay marriage and abortion... those aren't liberal positions...
Click to expand...

- good point Towerbuzz re abortion

- and I agree Sonic, that Finneran isn't that liberal. But I thought Raccoon was talking about Davey Field, inheritor of WRKO, not Finneran.
 
SonicAl said:
TowerBuzz said:
Sonic Al let us be clear: no one is FOR/PRO abortion...lol......the right to choose? yes. But I have yet to ever see a pro abortion rally.
Click to expand...

actually.... nah... never mind... I don't want to upset people who have kids. ::)
Click to expand...

LOl

To quote the late Rodney Dangerfield:

"Oh now I understand why tigers eat their young"

;D
 
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