Posted on 04/14/2007 9:16:41 AM PDT by raccoonradio
While sources say theres a 99 percent chance WTKK will replace disgraced blowhard Don Imus with local talent, industry insiders say his firing over on-air racial remarks wont be the end of shock jock radio.
Itll cast a shadow on this form of radio for a while, but the competition is fierce out there, said former radio host and Boston College professor Michael Keith.
Are things going to change significantly, the tone and tenor of these programs? Keith asked. Theyve been around for 20 years and theyre successful and they bring in the listeners and the ratings.
Kevin Barenblat, a Harvard graduate and co-founder of SpotDJ, a San Francisco-based audio blog, said, The shock jock has been around for decades. I dont think its the end of the shock jock. People like the shock, they like the controversy.
At WTKK (96.9) - the Boston FM station where the Imus scandal hit close to home - radio yakkers werent available for interviews but expressed fears on their shows about a chilling effect on the airwaves.
WEEI-AM (850) host and Herald columnist Gerry Callahan doesnt believe the Imus firing will change the nature of talk radio. He got in trouble because he attacked or maligned a specific group, a group that happened to be very sympathic figures, Callahan said.
Anybody whos a conservative talk show host who doesnt realize that theyre always under the gun is crazy, said WRKO-AM (680) host Howie Carr, also a Herald columnist. I watch very carefully what I say and I will continue to watch.
Westwood One, which syndicated the Imus show, has axed plans to offer radio affiliates WTKKs Mike Barnicle, who was set to fill in for Imus during his initial two-week suspension. The Herald reported earlier this week that Barnicle was forced to apologize in 2004 for referring to an interracial couple as mandingo on his show.
Westwood said in a memo obtained by the Herald that it will instead offer the New York sports radio show Mike and the Mad Dog next week. Barnicle will, however, fill in on WTKK.
Several industry insiders say WTKK executives could be eyeing their own talent to take over the lucrative morning-drive slot, including Jay Severin, Margery Eagan and Jim Braude. Severin, the afternoon-drive host, is their highest-rated host. Eagan, a Boston Herald columnist, and Braude, a NECN host, recently got their mid-afternoon show expanded by two hours.
During the last ratings book in the fall, the Imus show on WTKK ranked 11th among adults 25 to 54, a key demographic. Phil Redo, vice president of Greater Media Boston, owner of WTKK, didnt return calls for comment on Imus replacement.
George Tobia, a Boston media attorney, questioned whether theres a show CBS Radio and Westwood One, which syndicated Imus, could offer affiliates. I think it might be that all the affiliates, including Boston, may look locally and look inward, Tobia said.
(among many other incidents)
Barnicle! if he doesn't bore you to death, he'll offend...
Here's the "baby-faced assassin", Howie Carr:
Message to WTKK: no more Braude, I beg you!
B.S., wait till the justice bros start flexing their newfound power.
Howie Carr-related ping; he was able to get a whole week
out of it!
Missed Howie’s 5 pm hour yesterday? For a limited time hear it at http://www.putfile.com/raccoonradio/media
“Howie Carr WRKO—April 13 (07) 5 pm hr featuring Chumpline and Police Blotter Fax”
Time to clean up URBAN radio and all the other crap out there.
who the heck can they put on in the morning—Grahamcrackers?
Meagre & Lousy (Eagan and Braude)? Well at least some of
us have been contacting WTKK hoping they can pick up Dennis
Miller (10 am)...
Good that W1 decided not to bore the entire country with Barnicle (plus word about some incidents in Barnicle’s past
have come out and it would have exploded in W1’s face). But WTKKK will still have him. If you thought Finneran was bad...
Barnicle is dreadful. Just dreadful. I like Michael Graham.
I suggested to WTKK that they put Graham in the morning slot and pick up Dennis Miller. (Demand your Dennis! Go to http://www.wtkk.com and click Contact; there is a form there
where you can contact prog dir. Paula O’Connor with your
suggestions. Paula used to produce Jerry Williams’ show
years ago.)
Mike Barnicle is aptly named. He will bomb bigtime.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Done!
They are done. All their power came from the liberal media. They created these monsters by giving them credibility and a national platform. Now that liberal media itself is their target, they way they get covered will change. They will be exposed, marginalized and ignored.
Jackson already put MSNBC on notice that they are too white during in interview with Gregory (guest hosting on Hardball). That, coupled with Imus, will cause the MSM to change the way they deal with Sharpton, Jackson and the rest of the race baiters.
Look at how many negative stories have already been put out about the Justice brothers in just the last few days. They have to destroy the monsters they created now.
Riiiiiight.
That's why that DJ who had a simple contest, having callers call in and say "Nappy-Headed Ho" ALSO lost his job.
This whole thing is out of control.
Don't underestimate the impact here, folks.
Riiiiiight.
That's why that DJ who had a simple contest, having callers call in and say "Nappy-Headed Ho" ALSO lost his job.
This whole thing is out of control.
Don't underestimate the impact here, folks.
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