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by Mark Schnyder-—

Tai unplugged : As noted here in previous update, a Boston radio vet Tom “Tai” Irwin who had worked at WFNX 101.7FM, WRKO AM 680, WZLX 100.7FM and WROR 105.7FM over two decades, wrote an opinion piece on his Boston Herald blog called “Tai-Rade” openly criticizing the newspaper’s longtime columnist and WRKO AM 680’s talk show host Howie Carr. Irwin even offered to be Carr’s replacement…for free.

With the Herald’s circulation falling fast and WRKO’s ratings declining even faster, there is probably very little doubt as to who won the battle of profits vs. free speech in this case. Yesterday(4/28), The Herald shut down his blog on its site which he wrote over the past four years. Irwin distributed the following e-mail to Boston media earlier tonight:

“I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who contributed to and read my blog The Tai-rade on the Boston Herald’s website for the last four + years. It was taken offline yesterday (Soviet style) after I continued to focus on the challenges facing media companies who refuse to deal with the present, and are afraid of the future.

“I chose to launch into a Tai-rade against Howie Carr because he is a symptom of the disease - big name talent in a game of shrinking revenues. Along the way I talked layoffs and tough decisions that have to be made when drastic troubles hit the economic landscape. I was warned not to keep picking at the scab of lowered circulation and such, but as the contrarian I am, went ahead and they pulled the plug. The focus of my energy was confronting new media reality, but as it was contained on the Herald website, they thought it was a kick in the eye. Perhaps the fact is that I now must take the Tai-rade out on my own, and make sure it remains independent. Let me be clear about this: the Herald remains a favorite of mine, and I believe an essential force in Boston media. I’ve always loved reading it daily. My admiration for Pat Purcell is as strong as ever, and if in his position - I would have censored the blog as well. Just human nature to try to stamp out unpleasantness if you can. Still won’t change the reality of the decline of the American newspaper. The Tai-rade will be back.”