RE: WRKO - [EDIT]

[Casablance]

RE: WRKO - [EDIT]

Ever wonder why there are not any people of color or women behind the talk show mic at WRKO? Seems the only qualification is that you must be White Male and Republican.
Has anyone ever challenge Entercon's operation? Is this evident in the other stations it owns?

 

[racconradio]

>K lan

David Duke: Democrat
Onetime Klan member Robert Byrd: Democrat

Female talk hosts have been on before (Marge Clapprood, Two Chicks...even Stephanie Miller at one point) but not now, except maybe when Nancy "Sandy" Shack does the very occasional fill in for Howie....lf not for the fact that she's on WTKK, I'm sure they'd consider running Laura Ingraham....I've heard Tammy Bruce, who comes from different sides depending on the issues, doing a syndie show--not bad when she
filled in for Laura. (Oh, that reminds me, another "Laura" used to be on WRKO before her show was taken away in favor of VB. Now go take on the day!)

Howie is actually a registered Democrat or maybe Independent. He's not a registered Republican despite what one may think. (Some, like Peter Weissbach who was filling in for Savage last night, say that just because they're conservative that doesn't make them Republican..and more than a few conservatives
aren't too fond of Republicans lately. Both...parties...suck...)

As for talk hosts of color, maybe they could run Larry Elder (conservative black). Hire Morgan White Jr.
away from his occasional fill-ins on WBZ...give Listo Fisher a show.

LARRY ELDER: "A "firebrand libertarian" according to "Daily Variety," best-selling author and radio talk-show host Larry Elder has a take-no-prisoners style, using such old-fashioned things as evidence and logic. "

TAMMY BRUCE: "Tammy Bruce is an openly gay, pro-choice, gun owning, pro-death penalty, voted-for-President Bush progressive feminist. (Was elected president of the LA Chapter of NOW)
Flagshipped at KABC Radio and nationally syndicated with 153 affiliates, The "Tammy Bruce Show" premiered in 1993 in Los Angeles."

 

[Varulven]

Casablance (is that near Casablanca?) - there are so many potentially great talk radio hosts in New England,
it is sad that this force-fed dreck is considered "talk radio" in this blue state. They have their niche and their sticking with it - the fact that Severino gave Howie a good run for his money and that WBUR has chipped away at a huge segment of the audience means nothing to the powers that be.

It's business as usual and a horrible sounding station.

This is like The Titanic sinking by inches, torturously slow, and to those of us who once enjoyed RKO General's
Top 40, it is really pitiful to see this happen. Ya think WBCN's fall from grace would be a wake up call to
R-Ko, but nope, like George W., they "stay the course", and keep bumping into walls in their self-created radio maze.

 

[takanotees]

yeah so about that.. half of the news team are women. one black guy. new show just started saturdays with a woman co-hosting. behind the scenes there are women and minorities. yeah. really racist stuff going on.

take your conspiracy theories elsewhere.

 

[racconradio]

hey, good point--half the news/team being women and I forgot about Eileen O'Brien. Boston Radio Watch says her Sat show with Ted Wayman is getting a 5 or 6 wk tryout.

 

[Casablance]

You mean to tell me that the only place for a woman talk host locally at WRKO is on the weekend wasteland?
Conservative or liberal you have to have a better answer than that at Entercon.

Listo Fisher is Panamanian but he would be an outstanding talk host as he is a newsman. Has he ever been offered a talk show slot?

 

[Nik2.0]

>K lan

David Duke: Democrat
Onetime Klan member Robert Byrd: Democrat

UHHHHHHHH if memory serves David Duke ran for office in Louisiana as a REPUBLICAN, and even they tried to distacne themselves from him, not out of any sort of conscience but they knew the reality that not even the average right winger can say "Oh that's all in the past, he's had plastic surgery and an image makeover, he's changed" with a straight face. Dont worry though there's always Strom Thurman (the late) Jesse Helms, George Wallace who were all known republican nut jobs.. Yet if you want a list of republican right wing nut jobs we could be here all day............

Female talk hosts have been on before (Marge Clapprood, Two Chicks...even Stephanie Miller at one point) but not now, except maybe when Nancy "Sandy" Shack does the very occasional fill in for Howie....lf not for the fact that she's on WTKK, I'm sure they'd consider running Laura Ingraham....I've heard Tammy Bruce, who comes from different sides depending on the issues, doing a syndie show--not bad when she
filled in for Laura. (Oh, that reminds me, another "Laura" used to be on WRKO before her show was taken away in favor of VB. Now go take on the day!)

Howie is actually a registered Democrat or maybe Independent. He's not a registered Republican despite what one may think. (Some, like Peter Weissbach who was filling in for Savage last night, say that just because they're conservative that doesn't make them Republican..and more than a few conservatives
aren't too fond of Republicans lately. Both...parties...suck...)

As for talk hosts of color, maybe they could run Larry Elder (conservative black). Hire Morgan White Jr.
away from his occasional fill-ins on WBZ...give Listo Fisher a show.

LARRY ELDER: "A "firebrand libertarian" according to "Daily Variety," best-selling author and radio talk-show host Larry Elder has a take-no-prisoners style, using such old-fashioned things as evidence and logic. "

TAMMY BRUCE: "Tammy Bruce is an openly gay, pro-choice, gun owning, pro-death penalty, voted-for-President Bush progressive feminist. (Was elected president of the LA Chapter of NOW)
Flagshipped at KABC Radio and nationally syndicated with 153 affiliates, The "Tammy Bruce Show" premiered in 1993 in Los Angeles."

YOUve got to remember that all of the women that you mention were there before RKO was such a well pronounced right wing conservative talk station. Two chicks dishing was basically mindless fluff talk, Jeff Katz was trying to do hipster or what is traditional fm talk then (unlike tkk talk on fm which is different than "fm talk") , that was also not long after the Leykis era so the station was pretty much lifestyle talk then not the partisan machine that it is now. As for Larry Elder being a "Libertarian" that's a crock of crap, I dont care what anyone says "Libertarian" is just a semi conservative republican in sheep's clothing: see Jay severin.

 

[INTERcom99]

Name a female host or a black host that's a sure fire ratings winner

 

[Blackrock]

I have no problem with the station exactly the way it is, presumably the way they want it. That being said I have no memory of turning on WRKO and if I was offered a bag stuffed with $20 bills if I could mention even one program topic, I couldn't win the cash.

 

[infrequency]

There is no question that they have a lack of diversity in terms of the on-air show hosts, and it would not be a concern were it not for the incessant denigration of anyone in any shade of brown - black, Hispanic, Brazilian, etc. etc.

Once Bush's numbers tanked, they switched to 24/7 illegal immigration talk, as if this was a border state. Most of the shows I've heard become a forum for bashing all immigrants, without respect to status.

While the target varies, the strategy remains the same: divide and conquer. They consistently try to froth up the right into believing that some other group (dems, blacks, Mexicans, to name but a few) are the cause of all of our problems. So they busy the right into attacking that group, instead of attacking our actual problems, like the mess in Iraq, the huge deficit, the uncontrolled spending and the boob in the White House.

 

[Casablance]

Name a female host or a black host that's a sure fire ratings winner

John DePetro

 

[weee]

It really isn't just 'RKO, it's most of Entercomm...a lot of their hosts/jocks are white male, replublican heterosexual homophobes...I thinks it's a quality Entercomm must like.

 

[Infidel]

Do you forget that this is a free country, and WRKO is a private company? They can hire anyone they choose.

Here's an idea ...

Buy your own radio station, and hire a perfect "diverse" staff of on-air personalities. Then everyone will come on here ten times a day with posts about how wonderful your station and its programs are.

Until then, WRKO will probably stay exactly the way it is. This must drive you crazy, so your best bet is to go home and crawl right back under the rock. If you prefer something else, like NPR or AAR, just go listen to that.

 

[racconradio]

>>Two chicks dishing was basically mindless fluff talk

as was the recent Waste of Boston...

Successful female host? Laura Ingraham is in the top 5 I believe, or at least the top 10 if Talkers is to
be believed.

 

[Casablance]

That's EXACTLY the philosophy that Major League Baseball until Jackie Robinson was hired. It took nearly 20 years for that [EDIT] Tom Yawkey and his wife to hire the first Black baseball player for the Red Sox, Pumpsy Green.

[EDIT=inflamatory]

Do you forget that this is a free country, and WRKO is a private company? They can hire anyone they choose.

Here's an idea ...

Buy your own radio station, and hire a perfect "diverse" staff of on-air personalities. Then everyone will come on here ten times a day with posts about how wonderful your station and its programs are.

Until then, WRKO will probably stay exactly the way it is. This must drive you crazy, so your best bet is to go home and crawl right back under the rock. If you prefer something else, like NPR or AAR, just go listen to that.

 

[Varulven]

Casablance, you are trying to reason with irrational people. It's kind of like attempting to have a coherent conversation with a drug addict or an alcoholic. Like the Bush White House that they emulate, RKO is drunk with power. They got the "public airwaves" and are a "private company" so it's "too bad, tough luck" for all of us, they are going to force feed the elocution-challenged Howie Carr over the afternoon drive until Nancy Shack sticks the knife in his back the way Howie got rid of Jerry Williams. Shack is, no doubt, a clever girl, and if she does have the problem with calories people on this board have noted, she could have enough anger stored up to throw Howie overboard. Without a life preserver. Oh unseal those divorce records in Acton, thou hypocrite!
Rush O'Reilly and Bill Limbaugh have spoken - with both feet in mouth!

"Infidel" is some Pro-RKO person who is supposed to neutralize the deserved criticism that the people with a clue on this board level at that [EDIT], self-absorbed "tunnel vision" excuse for a radio station.

And that's about the nicest thing I have to say about "the talk station"

[EDIT=inflamatory]

 

[kalimba]

I know it's an old fashioned idea, but the airwaves are public, and, in concept, the frequencies are leased to private companies by our gov't with the understanding that they will provide programming that serves in the public interest.

Ignored at this point, of course, but it's still fun to lament about it. Our airwaves are certainly being misused, and hatemongering for entertainment over the public airwaves should never be okay.


<Do you forget that this is a free country, and WRKO is a private company? They can hire anyone they <choose.

 

[johnwas5]

But what would be proper use of the airwaves if not entertainment that people tune in for and stations can attract advertisers to? You could argue that since Air America can't find an audience that Clear Channel isn't serving the public interest by running them, and there was a much larger audience when they played big band, but what's the difference between conservative talk wrko, elite talk WBUR, or KISS108? Their "nobility" lies only in that they are commercially viable entertainment that people tune into.

 

[Nik2.0]

Well here it is, in a nutshell:

Diversity: It's a great concept but remember for the most part people are attracted to those most like them, overall. Whether it be socially, intellectually, or even in the context of radio. IF WRKO is trying to attract a mostly white, male, 25-54 male audience then they will employ those who will best attract that demo, and that would be other white male hosts between the ages of 25-54. I really have no problem with that, the problem that those who are speaking up have is that the hosts that are playing to said audience offer ONE perspective and it's a very skewed one most of the time. This station appeals to the lowest common denominator, white, blue collar, Boston slobs, period we know this. It is reflected in their callers, angry white suburban males who have little contact with anyone not of their tribe, they tune in an hear the perspective of other angry white suburban male callers which is stoked by hosts who are trying to pander to that demo, so it's cyclicle. The problem with talk radio is a reflection or a by product of a larger problem which 20/20 focused on Friday night, complete political polarization of this country unlike any other time in history. WRKO/WTKK on one side, Air America on the other and there is nothing in between, and the vast majority of thinking people are right in between, yet if you listen to either extreme you could be convinced that "everyone thinks like the listeners of rko" or "everyone who is listening to Air America thinks like Franken et al" and they're probably are right on both counts but the vast majority of people are not extreme cases.

AS a professional, finanically secure BLACK male I dont listen to RKO because I know that they offer me nothing, more over Im probably going to become annoyed if I listen to the ravings of these insulated people who call in and bitch about "affirmative action" and how they didnt get the job they wanted even though they barely have a high school education, etc. OR how the "liberals" are destroying the war in Iraq with mis information, Cindy Sheehan is a disgrace etc, it couldnt be that the policy of the govt was completely inept etc. Whatever. As an educated person who actually reads and is better informed than the average person who gets their news from talk radio thinking it's "news" I know that all im hearing is "info-tainment" and the conservatives thrive on it as gospel and not exactly what it is, "info-tainment" and by saying that Im immediately thought of as "some liberal" a term that neither describes me accurately or most "conservatives" can even define, they use it all the time yet dont really know what it means except that it is a bad thing. It's amazing to me the amount of anger that is swirling around talk radio, it truly is the playground of the angry suburban white male the one guy who probably has less to be angry about than anyone else on the planet!. SO in short if you're not happy with the product dont use it. The wrinkle is that people who quote about the public airwaves etc are lost. The airwaves have not been public forever, it's so simple; they are a commodity like anything else and the corproate interests control them and will long after we're all gone.

Then again remember: It's a BUSINESS! They're not there to make society a better place they're there to make money, period. SO the utopian idea that they have some responsibility to the community is unrealistic. They're billing well and I honestly believe that if someone's research said that they could get ratings and huge revenue by broadcasting Hitler speeches we would all be here commenting on "the all new Sieg Heil 107!" . It's business and very rarely is business not dirty on some level.

 

[Varulven]

Nik, 2 for 2; I'm proud of you - [EDIT]. Agree with most of it except the last paragraph.

NIK WRITES:
This station appeals to the lowest common denominator, white, blue collar, Boston slobs, period we know this. It is reflected in their callers, angry white suburban males who have little contact with anyone not of their tribe, they tune in an hear the perspective of other angry white suburban male callers which is stoked by hosts who are trying to pander to that demo, so it's cyclicle.

Varulven Writes:

If WRKO was a true "talk station", there would be opposing point of views put on the air, not just the screened calls. Howie, 'bless him, has allowed yours truly to rant on the chump line for years - and even used his response to my Patricia Smith "poetry reading corner" parody as a station promo - BUT - there's hardly enough from "the other side", and keeping opposing views pretty much limited to the "whiner line" of the talk radio station is not very helpful.

The Jones Radio Network with Ed Schultz and Randi on Air America DO let "conservatives" speak without
screening them. So I disagree with Nik on that end of the spectrum - though I do wish that Air America would give Al Franken some executive position and take him the f... off the air. Enough already - they pay him too much and he has great points of view but NO delivery. Nik Carter has a better stage presence on radio than
Al Franken. I would vote to put Nik on WRKO in a heartbeat - and we all know how I feel about NC on rock
radio. Nik would probably do very well as the "progressive voice" of WRKO, and with Listo we'd actually have
two minority men on the air.

[EDIT=inflamtory]