Posted on 06/06/2006 7:23:15 PM PDT by editor-surveyor
Friends,
Last night I updated you on the decision by KFBK 1530 AM/Clear Channel to move away from their "conservative" reputation, including the firing of a pro-troop/pro-military talk show host, a man who has been a hero to our cause - Mark Williams.
We have several updates for you that you need to hear about.
1) KFBK has now posted online the biography of the man who has been hired to replace Mark Williams. His name is Mr. Bruce Maiman and he announced on the airwaves that he is a "liberal" who is also anti-war. He is also apparently a relative of one of the sales executives at KFBK, which might explain how he got his job.
You MUST read the biography KFBK has posted on this Mr. Maiman. It is insulting to see the kind of crass approach they have taken in their efforts to rebrand their station and shed their long-established conservative pedigree. This was the station that launched the "Rush Limbaugh Show," and now they dump a pro-troop advocate for a man with this as his bio:
http://www.kfbk.com/pages/maiman.html
2) The news media has begun covering the growing backlash as outraged listeners and sponsors have bombarded the station with phone calls and emails of protest. Read this report from the Sacramento Bee:
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Mark Williams fallout: The decision by KFBK (1530 AM) to oust conservative talk-show host Mark Williams in favor of moderate [sic] Bruce Maiman has angered many of Williams' fans.
Griffin & Reed Eye Care, which pays for on-air media endorsements (including Williams') for its lasik eye surgery, has pulled all advertisements from KFBK.
"Our relationship with the personalities that help us with our advertising is something we take very seriously,"
writes Brad Mitchell, Griffin & Reed's chief operating officer, in an e-mail.
"... I'm sure the absence of our money on KFBK won't be felt too much, but hopefully the position will."
And a Granite Bay organization called Marine Moms & Military Families, which has held many events supporting the troops in Iraq and protesting Cindy Sheehan's opposition to the war, is banning KFBK from covering future events.
"We take (Williams' firing) as a personal attack and lack of support against our military men and women and their families," reads a letter sent to KFBK boss Jeff Holden by the group's leaders, Michelle Souza and Deborah Johns.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/14264297p-15077028c
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It's time for those of us who appreciated Mark Williams' unwavering commitment to our troops and their fight against terrorism to take action. We must speak out and let KFBK/Clear Channel know how much they've let us all down.
1) FIRST: Send an email to these people and let them know you are saddened by the news that Mark Williams has been fired and replaced with an anti-war liberal. I've also included the email addresses for 2 reporters covering this issue - include them on the same emails. We need them to hear our voices!
jeffholden@clearchannel.com
markpmays@clearchannel.com
apeterson@radioandrecords.com
smcmanis@sacbee.com
2) SECOND: Place a telephone call to Jeff Holden, the KFBK Program Director who FIRED Mark Williams, and politely and calmly state that you are calling to have your name added to those who are disappointed with the decision by KFBK to fire pro-military talk show host, Mark Williams.
The number to call: (916) 576-2223
We need for them to be besieged with phone calls. So, please, if the line is busy when you call, try back a few minutes later.
3) THIRD: Please also send a FAX and let the management at KFBK know how thoroughly displeased you are to see this station switch from being a proud sponsor of our troops and their mission, and becoming a mouthpiece for an anti-war, left-wing agenda.
The FAX number is: (916) 921-5555
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*Please forward this to 5 other people you know who support our troops and their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every night the Mark Williams Show was broadcast over the Internet to units in Iraq and Afghanistan - where Mark had a lot of admirers. Many nights, Mark would sign off for the evening by sending out a message of support - complete with music and voices of Americans expressing their love for our troops - as a morale boost to all those who were listening over the Internet and serving in the war for freedom.
These troops have now lost their voice in Sacramento, and they've lost a radio program that they could count on to be there for them when the other media outlets had them feeling so down and discouraged.
If you have a pro-troop email list or website - could you please pass on this information?
Thank you!
Melanie Morgan
Chairman, Move America Forward
http://www.MoveAmericaForward.org
Is the station in Rio Linda, CA, by any chance?
It doesn't sound to me that much of anyone will be listening in six months. Stations can lose money for only so long before they go broke. Meanwhile, radio personalities can go broke quite quickly with no income. Promise your attention elsewhere and then encourage advertisers to put their ads on there. One or two periods being beaten by the guy you fired means the end of many a manager.
I use to listen to Rush on KNBR (I think that's what it was then) In any case, they would interrupt his show for Baseball and I'd have to get up and find another station. Annoyed at this, I called the advertiser who was on the pre-game show and talked to the general manager. Told him now way was I gonna buy his stinkin' product cause he (Yes, him personally) was interrupting Rush. I was nice. The guy listened and thanked me.
5 min later my phone rang and it was some sales nerd at KNBR trying to explain how they had a contract with baseball and how it wasn't the advertiser's fault, yadda, yadda.
It's actually fairly easy to talk to advertisers!
Don't they still have Rush in the line-up twice a day?
I was the one that lived in Granite Bay. We moved to San Diego (DH's job).
Oddly enough, that's kinda the goal of advertising. :)
Smart town. It must b e a sister city to "El Granada."
When liberals name a town, grammar goes out the window, else they would be Rio Lindo and La Granada.
Respectfully, I do not agree. Tom is not as conservative as some (me for example) but he is right thinking on most issues. He also does a pretty good job when he fills in for Rush.
Having come to Sullivan's defense, I confess that if my radio is on in the afternoon, it's usually tuned to Medved instead of T.S.
Re KFBK going lib, that's a big shame. I remember listening to Rush in 1985 on that station!
Oh well, we still have KTKZ and KSFO (if you can handle a little static.)
You can defend Tom Sillyvan all you want, but it rings hollow with me. I've listened to much of his babble for over 20 years, and can name hundreds of issues where he is pure liberal, or just plain ignorant.
IMO, Tom Sullivan is a pussy on almost every issue. He never takes a strong stand on anything and tries to play both sides of every issue. I've turned Tom Sullivan off and listen to Sean Hannity who is on at the same time. The firing of Mark Williams is an insult to all Conservatives in the Sacramento-area. I will no longer listen to KFBK except for Rush's show.
I have e-mailed twice to KFBK, received one response, where I was asked to give Maiman a chance, ok, I did. So I e-mailed again asking they take the boring fellow off.
IMO, Tom Sullivan is a pussy on almost every issue. He never takes a strong stand on anything and tries to play both sides of every issue. I've turned Tom Sullivan off and listen to Sean Hannity who is on at the same time. The firing of Mark Williams is an insult to all Conservatives in the Sacramento-area. I will no longer listen to KFBK except for Rush's show.
This will back-fire for them. Liberals don't like talk radio, because it requires them to think; if they wanted to think, they would be conservatives within a month.
There's always KTKZ 1380 AM. Or, for even beter reception, 105.5 FM
Eric Hogue, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, Laura Ingraham. Powerful lineup.
Give the people the benefit of the doubt on that one; they were never told the truth on stem cells by the media. It was a fear campaign.
I can only get KTKZ on a high-tech ham portable here. Most radios just draw a bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz on their freek.
How about 105.5 FM? That's KTKZ FM freq.
Mark is a good guy, but I always found his show a bit boring. I almost never listen to KFBK except occasionally Rush. I find the programing on KTKZ and KSTE much more entertaining and thoughtful. Also since KSTE is the same managment and has Hannity, Savage and Armstrong and Getty, it's not like the Clear Chanel is purging the airwaves of conservative hosts. It's probably about ratings and the cost of keeping Mark. Broadcasting is first and foremost a business (well, except for Air America and PBS maybe). They are probably paying this new guy a lot less, and if his ratings aren't good he'll be gone soon enough.
I had hoped that Kirk Uhler who has filled in for Tom Sullivan several times would be chosen if Mark ever moved on... but no such luck. Kirk used to be on KSTE and on KAHI in Auburn. He's quite good IMO!!!
Clear Channel is a Cecil Rhodes endowed propaganda machine, and they are just now showing their true colors. Watch for more of this. Rupert Murdoch is another one to watch. Fox will soon be taking us down the garden path.
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