WHo is this Robert Saviola?

[Steven21]

I stumbled across his show on WBEN this morning around 5:30 and was absolutely stunned by what I was hearing.

Ideologies aside, this guy was spouting the most reckless and inaccurate nonsense I have ever heard on a legitimate radio station! This is way beyond the usual fact distortion you might hear on some agenda-driven talk show.

This individual was going on and on and on in this rambling half-hour monologue with complete untruths and misrepresentations of fact. Startlingly so. Limbaugh and Hannity look like Edward R. Murrow in comparison. If you thought Kathy from Williamsville was irresponsible, wait until you hear THIS guy!

Honestly, I have never heard such outright disregard for fact on the air like this. Wow! Does 'BEN management even know this guy is on?

On top of the blatant inaccuracies, he also sounded like he has no more than a 2nd grade education, mispronouncing some very elementary words.
Please tell me this guy buys his air time. Not that that makes it okay, mind you, but at leastr I could then chalk it up to the paid-programming standards.

 

[AndrewLawson]

A Google search generates the following: http://radiotime.com/ProgramDetails.aspx?ProgramId=57080&StationId=27403 Very likely, WBEN is happy to sell the air time in the early Saturday morning hours when only radio sleuths are listening and the remainder of Buffalo is a rest.

 

[SirRoxalot]

You're Getting Sleepy...

Hey, here's a link to his bio...

Here are some of his credentials:

Bachelors Degree in Metaphysical Science (school not noted)

Currently a student at the University of Metaphysics working towards his doctorate in the science of metaphysics

Since it's hard to find a definition of "Metaphysical Science", how about a definition of metaphysics?

metaphysics: 1 a (1): a division of philosophy that is concerned with the fundamental nature of reality and being and that includes ontology, cosmology, and often epistemology (2): ontology 2 b: abstract philosophical studies : a study of what is outside objective experience

In other words, the guy thinks he's Foxx Mulder - without the advanced degrees in recognized science, or Scully the Skeptic.

If you just can't wait for his words of wisdom, you can download his radio show here.

Have a ball...

 

[Radknowski]

As John Valby would croon, "...metaphysical bulls*it..." After reading the dude's bio, I'm feeling sleepy, sleeeeeeepeee, sleeeeee....peeee...

 

[Steven21]

Paid programming or not, he reflects poorly upon the entire station. They should run a disclaimer every 30 seconds reminding people that HE PAYS THEM to be on, just in case some listener flipping around the dial actually thinks Entercom would sponsor/bolster this kind of irresponsible content.

And even if it is paid programming, the station really does have a duty to monitor this freak.

 

[cee]

I had to download one of his shows and listened briefly. Boring.

At least Rush and Sean have on-air talent. This guy sucks - as bad as, or maybe worse than - that Sinclair dude(forgot his name) who used to give the nightly commentaries on First News at 10. A wanabee.

Factual errors - public schools in Buffalo can't hand out aspirin to students, but can hand out birth control pills?? Source, please.

This is what I've heard referred to as Political Pornography. I really don't know how people spew this garbage can live with themselves.

I'm totally against bringing back the fairness doctrine - stations have a right to air whatever programming they like. I am also totally against airing factually incorrect garbage. In that case, I believe private citizens or activist/non profit groups should be able to request an on-air rebuttal statement on the station airing the specific crap statement...and in the most listened to time of the day. If that were the case, WHAM and WBEN would be giving rebuttals every morning during their drive time shows.

 

[Element9]

Paid Programming Pox

Colon blow redux.

There are some good points being made about paid programming, especially on news-talk radio stations whose listeners may take as gospel-news the products and theories advanced on these shows. When I chance upon these programs, my first inclination isn't to turn them off, but to listen for at least a few seconds or minutes to hear what's being shilled and how it's being packaged.

The colon blow guys have the production down to a science, most often using a male who poses as a talk show host who interviews the "expert," usually a doctor or scientist who represents or created the product (after years of research.) There's always a set-up, an interview and at least one caller that inquires about the product and another that testifies on behalf of the product. The host is always amazed by the effectiveness of the product, as if scientists and engineers have created a car that runs on water. It's a tag team act that would make the hucksters at the WWF envious.

The truly sad thing is, there are listeners who buy this act, usually those who are desperate for a cure; the sick, the suffering, the hopeless, the vain, the greedy and the aged. The vain and greedy get what they deserve. The sick, suffering and infirm deserve better. There's an adage most parents tell their kids, "You don't get something for nothing and if somebody tells you something that sounds too good to be true, it usually is." The argument can be made that people have nobody to blame but themselves for foolish actions and decisions to spend their money. But in many cases, the hucksters use misery and hopelessness to draw money from the desperate.

Radio companies that sell time to these quacks and poseurs should have more than one or two disclaimers that air before and after the show ("we disavow association with the product and claims, but that doesn't mean we won't take their money to broadcast this [EDIT]"), they should provide phone numbers to the Attorney General's office and the Consumer Product Safety Commission as well.

It's a sad and telling commentary to see and hear once great radio stations like WABC, WJR, KDKA, WBEN, WGY and WHAM opening their airwaves to anybody who has a few grand to buy 30 to 60 minutes of block programming which is used to sell political and religious smarm and snake oil products that do more harm than good.

Historians will no doubt note the hucksters and pitch-men have always had their colorful places in radio as far back as the crystal and cat-whisker days, but this doesn't excuse what's going on now. Yes, radio's a mess and companies large and small are feeling the heat, but operators must have a conscience when it comes to paid programming, especially on news-talk stations.

I'm sure that last paragraph has left a lot of you laughing. Glad I could brighten your day.

-9-


[EDIT-vulgar content]

 

[umtrr-author]

It's a sad and telling commentary to see and hear once great radio stations like WABC, WJR, KDKA, WBEN, WGY and WHAM opening their airwaves to anybody who has a few grand to buy 30 to 60 minutes of block programming which is used to sell political and religious smarm and snake oil products that do more harm than good.

Ain't it the truth.

I even have to explain some of the 30 and 60 second spots to my kids these days. No, you can not "Lose 30 Pounds In 10 Minutes" (to quote the late Jean Shepherd).

 

[SirRoxalot]

But....

His claims MUST be true. I found them on the Internet![/sarcasm off]

 

[Philip_Airtime]

The same holds true for the "Money" guys on Saturday afternoons on WBEN. IMO, they're qualified to give financial advice, not pontificate on politics. I guess in today's radio marketplace, you can say whatever you want as long as you're paying for the time. But after a cheap shot at Hillary -- and a poorly informed one at that -- a few weeks back, I swore at the radio and turned it off. And it wasn't the first time I heard a smarmy comment from these bozos who appear to be to the right of Rush. You'd think they would want to be careful of alienating potential clients. I'll never do business with them!