Varulven said:
Actually, Neanderpaul, that's my criticism of Dan Shaughnessy - if you haven't played with the Red Sox how can you critique them so often (and so incorrectly). Also, if you work for the company that owns The Red Sox - that being the New York Times, the criticism is certainly suspect.
I agree. I think some sports radio hosts use their pulpit as an opportunity to vent their frustration at never having made it. Which I'm sure there're quite few examples of that'd be legit. Perhaps this is why sports radio tends to hire ex-athletes. As a way to legitimize their format. Not that it needs it...but just as I'm saying, there are those who'll always parrot "who are you to rip on Roger Clemens? You've never thrown a pitch in your life." I don't know for sure. But, I'm willing to cop to that. The fact that I don't know what their line of thinking was when they put the show together. That's what critics miss most of the time. They take potshots at hosts,and programs with no real knowledge of what the goals of the show are.
If you don't know. You don't know. And therefore any critique needs to be viewed as suspect. Until you've a full understanding of what the methodology is, you cannot effectively, or accurately assess. It's so simple. And yet it's overthought every day in columns in free newspapers every week. There are a multitude of hacks, who'll tear in to a talk show host, or program, with no knowledge.
And guess what? This behavior is no different than that of those they're critiquing. You cannot rip <insert host here> for not knowing the issues, when in fact, you don't know what angle that host has chosen to exploit.
Talk radio's ONLY purpose; to get the phones ringing. Whatever that takes. So, of course you're going to be irritated by the host. As long as you're listening, they couldn't care less that you're angry. Just that you remember who it was that ticked you off.
Varulven said:
As a listener, I don't need the credentials to know the difference between towing the company line (Howie Carr, Dan Shaughnessy, Rush Limbaugh, D & C, etc. etc.) and playing from the heart (the original Howard Stern, Charles Laquidara, etc.); having credentials gives great weight to my opinion, no matter how much some people would like to swift boat it.
Maybe not as a listener. But, as an alleged professional, you should have some working knowledge of what's being done. You've been completely taken. Because Charles, and Howard never did anything that wasn't prescribed and planned. Howard works very hard creating the illusion of rebellion. The man is a clever, calculated, professional, actor. Which is what radio is...an act. Not reality. It's show business. Just as Arnold never shot anyone in Terminator, Howard never did 99.999% of what he's claimed.
The fact that you buy the schtick, speaks only to the proficiency of the performance.
Varulven said:
I credit you for putting your real name here, as I do (or a handle that is part of our respective names/gigs).
I respectfully disagree with your opinion and note that you work for Entercom, thus, you - like Dan Shaughnessy - have a bit of a conflict when attempting to mitigate the criticism. That also chips away at your credibility in this discussion. I started the topic and this is staying on-topic as you brought these elements into the chat.
My place of employment has no bearing upon my opinion. Contrary to your assertion, my employer doesn't mandate our speech. It's certainly not my place to speak upon their business practices. I am an employee. I am hired to do a job. Everything outside of my individual job responsibilities is none of my affair. I do not care what others do. It's not for me to worry about. These are two different issues. You'd like to connect them. But, there's no conspiracy. Not every issue is attributable to corporate politics.
Varulven said:
That so many people are in agreement with me seems to indicate that Boston radio needs a healthy shuffle.
Maybe. But that's not your decision to make. Apparently the owners of the multiple properties programming talk radio in Boston, believe they know their product better than you do. They're privvy to the plan, and know the strategy. You do not. And, not having ever done it, you have no frame of reference to even hypothesize.
All you can do, much like the aforementioned sports guys who've never played the game, is express an opinion. The validity, and credibility, (as always) is subject to the reader's discretion.
I may not like Howie's show. But, he's great at his gig. Were he not, he'd have been gone long ago.
MA is a great state to live in. I'm not even going to bother countering each specific statement you made which is so obviously not grounded in any sort of reality.
