Albans/News
Curtis Sliwa (above) leaves WABC on Monday and will be replaced by John Batchelor seven days a week.
Posted on 11/30/2009 5:02:13 PM PST by neverdem
Albans/News
Curtis Sliwa (above) leaves WABC on Monday and will be replaced by John Batchelor seven days a week.
Whether you think Curtis Sliwa is a street-smart good guy or one of local media's all-time great self-promoters, WABC (770 AM) won't sound quite the same without him.
John Batchelor, who moves into Sliwa's old 9 p.m.-1 a.m. slot starting Monday night, likes to have fun and play music. But he also takes a methodical, scholarly approach to international geopolitics, often with an emphasis on the Middle East. Compared to Sliwa, he sounds downright professorial.
Having Batchelor in the late-evening shift also gives WABC a full national lineup, both in focus and in sound, since Sliwa was the last weekday regular who talked like New York.
That's clearly the strategy favored by WABC's parent, Citadel, which is struggling financially. But WABC program director Laurie Cantillo notes that the station does feature several local hosts on weekends.
As for why Sliwa is leaving WABC, he says only that "it became clear we weren't going to agree on a new contract, so we mutually decided it was time to split up."
"I can't go into details, obviously," said Cantillo. "But it became clear Curtis really wanted a prime-time shift and we just don't have any of those available."
Rumors are already swirling that Sliwa will become the morning host at WNYM (970 AM). "The Apple" has a solid syndicated lineup, including New York veterans Dr. Laura Schlesinger and Mike Gallagher, but it has yet to make much of a ripple here, and Sliwa could give the station a local marquee name.
Doing mornings there would also give him a rematch with Imus. When Sliwa and Ron Kuby co-hosted mornings on WABC and Imus was on WFAN, Curtis and Kuby had more listeners. Unfortunately for them, as Imus has pointed out, Imus drew a lot more ad dollars.
In any case, Sliwa says "nothing is signed" yet for his next gig. Cantillo says Sliwa will do two more weeks of shows from WABC for his syndicated affiliates.
After that, she says, WABC will offer those affiliates the Batchelor show, in which she says "we've already gotten a lot of interest."
Batchelor will start off doing seven nights a week, though Cantillo says he eventually will cut down to six.
While Cantillo declined to characterize Sliwa's departure as the "end of an era" for WABC, she said, "Curtis has made great contributions here. He has an opportunity now and we wish him well."
He's been "very professional" through the separation process, she added. "It was amicable on both sides."
"WABC has been a big part of my life and mine of WABC's," said Sliwa. "To be part of the No. 1 news-talk station in the country has been like playing for the Yankees for 18 years."
“Getting shot five times by a Mafia hit-man has unavoidably pissed him off with the underworld.”
I like the way he referred to high-living mafiosi as “Mobsters choking on their lobsters,” and other “Sliwa-isms.”
I suspect that his friendship with Ron Kuby probably saved his life more than once. Kuby actually defended John Gotte (sp).
Welcome to FRee Republic.
Keep ‘your dirt’ to yourself, newbie.
> There isn’t much balance on the website you are currently on, but that doesn’t make it wrong.
It’s an unfair comparison: The FRee Republic is a credible Conservative website.
Whereas I hadn’t heard of “The Right Perspective” before, and what I saw of it lacked credibility. In fact, it comes across as a parody site, the sort of thing the Left’s highbrows might maintain to poke fun at Conservatives.
So no, its lack of balance doesn’t make it “wrong”, but it does make it look silly.
> I guess you don’t consider lying to the police(and other people) a serious matter.
You do not know me well enough to speculate on what I consider to be a serious matter. And you have some nerve trying to put words into my mouth.
You have said that “Sliwa is a phony”. If he’s a “phony” then you must be “the real thing”. So I wonder how much you have done to the betterment of mankind, both in America and worldwide.
I know how much Curtis Sliwa has done. I know that he has touched thousands of lives around the world, and I know that he gives unselfishly of his time and money in order that ordinary people can feel safe.
How about you? How about we judge you by your own standard?
What have you achieved that allows you to call Curtis Sliwa a “phony”?
> I do.
Frankly I do not care what you think because, as an anonymous N0ob (September 11, 2009) with a negligible posting history you have not earned any credibility with me.
But perhaps that will change once you’ve told us why you’re “the real thing” and Curtis Sliwa isn’t.
Good riddance to Curtis. He had a prime radio slot and blew it. He was way too obama-friendly and his mob talk about Gotti was really getting old. He’s also a Sarah Palin basher.
> NewsGuy2012
> Since Dec 2, 2009
Welcome to the FRee Republic.
You signed up today, and used your first-and-only-post to bad-mouth Curtis Sliwa? Amazing.
In all the venom you spouted at people who have dared to criticize a beret-wearing illiterate, Curtis Sliwa, you have not addressed his serial lying - which he admitted in court - and filing false reports with the police.
Balanced readers of this website will notice this and draw the appropriate conclusions.
> In all the venom you spouted at people who have dared to criticize a beret-wearing illiterate, Curtis Sliwa, you have not addressed his serial lying - which he admitted in court - and filing false reports with the police.
The only vituperative in our discussion so far has come from you.
It is not my place to apologize for or explain Curtis Sliwa’s youthful indiscretions. He has already done that, and paid the price for it.
But it is my place to hold you accountable for your indiscretions in our discussion. You have been silent upon being challenged to put-up-or-shut-up.
I take it, then, that you decline my challenge to you to demonstrate what you have done for the betterment of Mankind that allows you to call Curtis Sliwa a “phony”.
In default of a proper answer from you, I conclude that you have done nothing, and that you are all talk and no walk.
There’s only one fair response to that, mate: “It takes a phony to know a phony.”
You have just shredded what little credibility you might have had in this discussion.
Perhaps instead you might like to answer a question, because I am curious: what on earth did Curtis Sliwa ever do to you to make you treat him so disrespectfully?
Did he catch you misbehaving once-upon-a-time and arrest you? Wouldn’t the Guardian Angels let you join? What is it that makes you so bitter-and-twisted about Curtis Sliwa?
Your lack of balance appears so extreme I’ve got to suspect there’s more to it than meets the eye. So please do tell. Enquiring minds want to know..
> Balanced readers of this website will notice this and draw the appropriate conclusions.
Yes, on this we can agree. I am sure they will, and indeed I am sure they have.
word has it Sliwa starts doing mornings on WNYM 970 in NYC area starting Jan 11
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