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How to Lose Your Job in Talk Radio: Clear Channel gags an antiwar conservative Charles Goyette
amconmag.com ^ | February 2, 2004 issue | Charles Goyette

Posted on 01/10/2004 4:49:11 PM PST by Destro

February 2, 2004 issue

Copyright © 2004 The American Conservative

How to Lose Your Job in Talk Radio

Clear Channel gags an antiwar conservative.

By Charles Goyette

“Imagine these startling headlines with the nation at war in the Pacific six months after Dec. 7, 1941: “No Signs of Japanese Involvement in Pearl Harbor Attack! Faulty Intelligence Cited; Wolfowitz: Mistakes Were Made.”

Or how about an equally disconcerting World War II headline from the European theater: “German Army Not Found in France, Poland, Admits President; Rumsfeld: ‘Oops!’, Powell Silent; ‘Bring ’Em On,’ Says Defiant FDR.”

It seems to me that when there is reason to go to war, it should be self-evident. The Secretary of State should not need to convince a skeptical world with satellite photos of a couple of Toyota pickups and a dumpster. And faced with a legitimate casus belli, it should not be hard to muster an actual constitutional declaration of war. Now in the absence of a meaningful Iraqi role in the 9/11 attack and the mysterious disappearance of those fearsome Weapons of Mass Destruction, there might be some psychic satisfaction to be had in saying, “I told you so!” But it sure isn’t doing my career as a talk-show host any good.

The criterion of self-evidence was only one of dozens of objections I raised before the elective war in Iraq on my afternoon drive-time talk show on KFYI in Phoenix. Many of the other arguments are familiar to readers of The American Conservative.

But the case for war was a shape-shifter, skillfully morphing into a new rationale as quickly as the old one failed to withstand scrutiny. For a year before the war, I scrambled to keep up with the latest incarnations of the neocon case. Most were pitifully transparent and readily exposed. (Besides the aluminum tubes and the trailers that had Bush saying, “Gotcha,” does anyone remember those death-dealing drones? Never have third-world, wind-up, rubber-band, balsa-wood airplanes instilled so much fear in so many people.) Still, my management didn’t like my being out of step with the president’s parade of national hysteria, and the war-fevered spectators didn’t care to be told they were suffering illusions. So after three years, I was replaced on my primetime talk show by the Frick and Frack of Bushophiles, two giggling guys who think everything our tongue-tied president does is “Most excellent, dude!” I have been relegated to the later 7–10 p.m. slot, when most people, even in a congested commuting market like Phoenix, are already home watching TV.

Why did this happen? Why only a couple of months after my company picked up the option on my contract for another year in the fifth-largest city in the United States, did it suddenly decide to relegate me to radio Outer Darkness? The answer lies hidden in the oil-and-water incompatibility of these two seemingly disconnected phrases: “Criticizing Bush” and “Clear Channel.”

Criticizing Bush? Well then, must I be some sort of rug-chewing liberal? Not even close. As a boy, I stood on the grass in a small Arizona town square when Barry Goldwater officially began his 1964 presidential run. And I was there for the last official event of the Goldwater campaign. My job was to recruit and manage my fellow junior-high and high-school conservatives in a phone bank operation, calling supporters to fill up as many buses as possible to help pack the stadium—a show of strength for the nation’s television viewers. Of course that’s an insignificant role to play in a presidential campaign, but it was pretty heady stuff for a 14-year-old kid from Flagstaff.

I broke with Goldwater in 1976 over his decision to back Gerald Ford instead of Ronald Reagan for the Republican presidential nomination. Ford was a perfectly decent, if ordinary, Republican (who could have taught the big-spending W. Bush a thing or two about the use of the veto!). But I took my conservatism seriously. Reagan was clearly the champion of the conservative cause.

Perhaps I’m just anti-military? No. I am proud of my honorable service and of the Army Commendation Medal I was awarded. I also spent a good deal of time in the 1980s as a member of the Speakers Bureau of High Frontier, promoting Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, a defense policy unlike today’s in that it was actually designed to defend the American people.

I have been a Republican precinct committeeman; my county Republican Party elected me its “Man of the Year” in 1988; I have written speeches for conservative candidates and office holders; and I have been employed by statewide and national political organizations and campaigns, including the National Conservative Political Action Committee. Despite my disappointment in Goldwater for not supporting Reagan, I was there when a small band of the faithful—no more than four or five of us—gathered for a potluck dinner to support the creation of a brand-new public-policy think tank named after “Mr. Conservative.” The enterprise blossomed, and I was honored several months ago to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Goldwater Institute’s 15th Anniversary Gala.

I can assure you then that my criticism of Bush has been on the basis of long-held conservative principles. It begins with respect for the wisdom of the Founders and the Constitution’s division of power and delegation of authority, and extends to an adherence to the principles of governmental restraint and fiscal prudence. It proved to be a message that was more than a little inconvenient for my employer.

Clear Channel Communications, the 800-pound gorilla of the radio business, owns an astonishing 1,200 stations in 50 states, including Newstalk 550 KFYI in Phoenix, where I do the afternoon program … or did until last summer. The principals of Clear Channel, a Texas-based company, have been substantial contributors to George W. Bush’s fortunes since before he became president. In fact, Texas billionaire Tom Hicks can be said to be the man who made Bush a millionaire when he purchased the future president’s baseball team, the Texas Rangers. Tom Hicks is now vice chairman of Clear Channel. Clear Channel stations were unusually visible during the war with what corporate flacks now call “pro-troop rallies.” In tone and substance, they were virtually indistinguishable from pro-Bush rallies. I’m sure the administration, which faced a host of regulatory issues affecting Clear Channel, was not displeased.

Criticism of Bush and his ever-shifting pretext for a first-strike war (what exactly was it we were pre-empting anyway?) has proved so serious a violation of Clear Channel’s cultural taboo that only a good contract has kept me from being fired outright. Roxanne Cordonier, a radio personality at Clear Channel’s WMYI 102.5 in Greenville, S.C., didn’t have it as good. Cordonier, who worked under the name Roxanne Walker, was the South Carolina Broadcasters Association’s 2002 Radio Personality of the Year. That apparently wasn’t enough for Clear Channel. Her lawsuit against the company alleges that she was belittled on the air and reprimanded by her station for opposing the invasion of Iraq. Then she was fired.

They couldn’t really fire me, at least without paying me a substantial sum of money, but I was certainly belittled on the air for opposing the war. The other KFYI talk-show hosts—so bloodthirsty that they made Bush apologists and superhawks Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity sound moderate—vilified me almost daily. As a former radio-station owner myself, it was a little hard to believe management would allow one of their key hosts to be trashed day in and day out on their own airwaves. After all, we sell radio time on the basis of its ability to influence people’s behavior. A wiser programming approach would have been to showcase me as an object of curiosity, with a challenge to listeners to see if they could discover where I had gone wrong or how I was missing the imminent threat Iraq posed to the American people. No doubt the constant vilification I received and my heterodoxy on the war cost me audience during the interlude. It was certainly enough to get pictures of me morphing into those of the French president posted on the Free Republic Web site during the “freedom fries” silliness. A banner there read, “Boycott Charles Chirac Goyette at KFYI radio Phoenix, AZ! Protest against the Charles Goyette Show from 4-7pm at KFYI for his leftist subervsive [sic] Bush-bashing rants. Turn off KFYI radio for the Charles Goyette Show! No liberal scum talk shows on KFYI!” Radio does provoke people, doesn’t it?

One Clear Channel executive had me take an unexpected day off for the sin of reporting the breaking news on March 27, 2003, that neocon hawk Richard Perle, of the Defense Policy Board, had relinquished his chairmanship under scrutiny of his business dealings and for blaspheming that Donald Rumsfeld was the worst Secretary of Defense since Robert McNamara. So great were these transgressions that the radio gods themselves must have been aghast at my impiety. I explained in conference-room confrontations that both positions were completely respectable points of view. The comparison with McNamara had been made repeatedly in subsequent days in the mainstream media. I specifically cited “The McLaughlin Group” the following Friday and the New York Times the following Monday, and in describing the Perle resignation, I relied upon details from both Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker and from syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington. “Well, then,” they explained, the problem was “the emotionalism” of my remarks. Imagine that, emotionalism in talk radio? I reminded them that for years we had run promotions identifying KFYI as “the Place with More Passion,” where the Charles Goyette Show was positioned as “Fearless Talk Radio!”

Clear Channel made it clear—“With you, I feel like I’m managing the Dixie Chicks,” said my program director—that they would have liked to fire me anyway. While a well-drafted contract made that difficult, it did not prevent them from tucking me away outside prime time.

So I’m a talk-show war casualty. My contract expires in a few more months and—my iconoclasm being noted—it is not likely it will be renewed. Among the survivors at my station: one host who wanted to nuke Afghanistan (he bills himself as “your voice of reason and moderation”) and another who upon learning that 23-year-old Mideast peace activist Rachel Corrie had been run over by an Israeli bulldozer shouted, “Back up and run over her again!” As he doesn’t quite get some of the important distinctions in these debates, such as that Iranians should not be called Arabs, we would hope that he’s not taken too seriously. Likewise my replacements in the afternoon drive slot, brought in for glamorizing the war and billed as “The Comedy Channel meets Talk Radio.” If you remember the “Saturday Night Live” skit “Superfans” with Mike Myers and Chris Farley—“Who’s stronger, God or da Bulls?” “Da Bulls!”—then you get the idea. Only instead of “da Bulls,” it’s three hours every afternoon of “da Bush!” Expect to hear more insightful topics like “So Who’s Tougher: Michael Jordan or Donald Rumsfeld?”

I’ve seen how war fever infects a people. And I was in a no-win situation, with an audience pre-screened by virtue of 11 hours a day of screaming war frenzy—unlistenable for the uninfected—that surrounded my time slot. So I knew there would be a personal price for opposing the war, and I was prepared to pay it. But as a lover of the rough and tumble of public debate and the contest of ideas, I am disappointed at what is happening in my industry. At least at Clear Channel, there’s only one word for the belief that talk radio is still a fair and fearless search for the truth: “Un-Bull-ieveable!”

____________________________________

Charles Goyette was named “Best Talk Show Host of 2003” by the Phoenix New Times.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antiwarright; clearchannel; sourgrapes; talkradio
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To: OldFriend
I was pretty disgusted when I met him...
141 posted on 01/10/2004 6:49:35 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick (Kaddafi is such a whack job that he never promoted himself past Colonel!)
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To: Destro
Not this stuff again!
142 posted on 01/10/2004 6:51:01 PM PST by verity
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To: azcap
You think Jacobs is a Libertarian? Did you listen to his first week? He came out spouting liberal viewpoints, crowed that he didn't know much about politics or history, or that ever read the newspaper, and the callers slaughtered him. Then he toed the line and started saying what the bosses wanted him to say. The guy is an intellectual flyweight. As for Liddy and Hill, it is cotton candy, all fluff and no structure. There really is little thought provoking stuff on the radio. What Goyette did to expose the crooks behind the stadium was magnificent. I've lived in PHX all my life and have had some dealings with these folks, there is so much corruption in this town, its like being in Chicago. Clear Channel horror stories are rife, there have been any number of first hand accounts on the radio talk boards. When KFYI was an independent radio station run by Fred Webber, it was a great thing. Brash, opinionated and intelligent talk, nowadays, its rubbish.
143 posted on 01/10/2004 6:55:59 PM PST by Central Scrutiniser (Never, ever, ever trust a Tax Freedom grifter that wants your money...)
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To: cyborg
Nah, no way was anyone getting fired over the VERY BEST HOUR ON RADIO.......EVER EVER EVER!

I suspect the callers were in on the scam.....I thought I would die laughing when Jackson began to complain that his shoulder got dislocated from being on hold for so long!

And when Brian slipped into slick willie voice........OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH STILL LAUGHING

144 posted on 01/10/2004 6:56:23 PM PST by OldFriend (Always understand, even if you remain among the few)
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To: Central Scrutiniser
Good point on Ingraham. My other issue with Laura is that she is against all celebs for speaking on politics, unless the celebs agree with her. A little intellectual consistency please!

I guess I'm just not up for Jacobs' yelling and gaffes first thing in the morning. A few months ago he was interviewing Phyllis Schlafly about women judges and obviously had no idea what her background was. The silence after Bruce cracked a joke about "lesbos" was painful :-)
145 posted on 01/10/2004 6:57:01 PM PST by inkling
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To: inkling
One of Ingraham's favorite words in inanity......and it fits her to a T......she whines for the first half of the show, repeats herself for another 15 minutes, manages little jabs at Ann Coulter now and then......and generally grosses me out with her whiny voice.
146 posted on 01/10/2004 6:58:58 PM PST by OldFriend (Always understand, even if you remain among the few)
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To: Az Joe
Biased is what makes debate palatable. Wars are never sought as the first resort. It is true that the evidence to justify deposing the Ba'athist regime in Iraq was flimsy and ethereal. However, ya gotta start somewhere. Iraq was just unfortunate enough to be tops on the list. There are better candidates for "renewal". Saudi being one, Syria being another. Not to mention Iran, Yemen, "Palestinian" occupied Israel, Red China, Mexico, France and Pakistan. Just as Liberals and NeoCons are needed to remind Conservatives of why they hold to certain political, economic, cultural and social beliefs we need the Goyette's of the world to help define the parameters of debate.
147 posted on 01/10/2004 7:01:10 PM PST by Thumper1960
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To: Central Scrutiniser
Amen, brother.
148 posted on 01/10/2004 7:03:31 PM PST by Nanodik (Libertarian, Ex-Canadian)
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To: inkling
Ever listen to Phil Hendrie? Best national talk show there is. He is on 910 in PHX at 10 pm, or you can pick his show up from LA on 640 am (very very very strong signal) starting at 8 pm. His show turns radio on its ear, it is pure theater. He does the voices of his guests (men, women, black, hispanic, gay, old, young) and sets up an improbable point of view, usually with something absurd. Then the callers, who don't know the joke, call in to debate, and he just makes the callers look like complete idiots. And it is brilliantly funny stuff. He also does real talk for an hour or so, he used to be very liberal, but, much like Dennis Miller, he has become pretty conservative/libertarian in his views. Great theatre and funny as hell.
149 posted on 01/10/2004 7:04:40 PM PST by Central Scrutiniser (Never, ever, ever trust a Tax Freedom grifter that wants your money...)
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To: inkling
I once heard Jacobs comment about a Ukranian story, and he actually said that he had never heard of the country of "Ukrania".

Having an opposing viewpoint is fine, but being willfully ignorant is a crime.

150 posted on 01/10/2004 7:07:51 PM PST by Central Scrutiniser (Never, ever, ever trust a Tax Freedom grifter that wants your money...)
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To: Central Scrutiniser
I didn't know Hendrie was on in Phoenix anymore! That guy had me in tears more than once. Thanks for letting me know!
151 posted on 01/10/2004 7:12:49 PM PST by inkling
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To: McGavin999
1) the surrender agreement he signed in 1990 to keep us from going to Baghdad) and 2) because he broke 17 UN resolutions, including the one that said there would be serious consequences if he did not comply

These are reasons, true enough. They do justify the action. However, as I said before, there were reasons out there and that was not the question. The question was, were those reasons enough to justify full scale war? The two you present here I would argue would not be enough to motivate the American public to get behind the action. When the UN failed to enforce its own resolutions, my reaction was "good, the UN is irrelevant and we should just get the heck out of it". As for failure to comply, we could have just initiated a bombing campaign on any site we suspected of having WMDs. After a while, there would either be no sites left or the inspectors would have been called in. I think most people were behind the war because of the post 9/11 reaction. We wanted those bastards (fill in the blank as to who those bastards might be) to pay.

152 posted on 01/10/2004 7:12:55 PM PST by Nanodik (Libertarian, Ex-Canadian)
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To: Central Scrutiniser
Exactly, Jacobs is about as libertarian as he is Catholic. Ditto about when KFYI was an indy - back then it was a station to behold.
153 posted on 01/10/2004 7:16:03 PM PST by Nanodik (Libertarian, Ex-Canadian)
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To: inkling
I still listen to him from 640 am, now that the sun sets early, I can usually get it pretty well when I am driving. Hendrie is a genius, I love Ted Bell and RC Collins.
154 posted on 01/10/2004 7:18:09 PM PST by Central Scrutiniser (Never, ever, ever trust a Tax Freedom grifter that wants your money...)
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To: NYC GOP Chick
He was on all the cable networks in those days saying that stuff.
155 posted on 01/10/2004 7:22:33 PM PST by Senator Pardek
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To: Nanodik
Actually, I think there are reasons that we went to war that even we won't know about until it's over. It's not like the president can say "hey folks, I'll tell you something but you've got to promise not to tell the terrorists. We'll just keep it between us."

My own reasons for backing the war are:

1. Saddam knew the rules and he broke them. He was warned of the consequences and could have stopped it at any time.
2. If we are going to prosecute a war on terror, Iraq is the perfect place to establish a foothold. Right next to Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Sort of like a safe spot in the hornets nest.
3. I have been reading of the atrocities in Iraq for years. From the chemical bombings in Halabja to the draining of the Marshes and the near irradication of the Marsh Arabs, and most of the horror in between. We could accomplish something good for those people while protecting our people.

Now those are MY opinions. I personally know the price of going to war, and I would not back a war that was frivolous and didn't have multiple benefits, the first being to the USA.

156 posted on 01/10/2004 7:24:15 PM PST by McGavin999 (Don't be a Freeploader-Have you donated yet?)
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To: BMC1
I agree with you 100%, I too started switching to Hugh Hewitt at that time. Now that Liddy and Hill are on I flip back and forth trying to listen to both.

Charles became more than I could take.
157 posted on 01/10/2004 7:26:01 PM PST by ShuShu
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To: Destro
Goyette's rating's are in the tank and that is the only reason he is in trouble. He is more of a whiner than anything else...

A conservative talk radio host? Naa, I don't think so. He is Libertarian through and through.
158 posted on 01/10/2004 7:36:25 PM PST by hope
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To: ShuShu
Barry Young needs to go national. That man is definately a talented host. He can certainly shore up the left and deliver them their A$$e$ on a silver platter.
159 posted on 01/10/2004 7:40:21 PM PST by hope
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To: Central Scrutiniser
You're right, Charles did do a great job on the Stadium and all the behind door shenanigans going on. He sure knows where all the hanky-panky is going on in this town.
160 posted on 01/10/2004 7:45:10 PM PST by ShuShu
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