Jaco denies 'gross misconduct' allegation (Radio Talk Show Host Gets the BOOT!)

St. Louis Post-Disgrace ^ | 11/21/02 | Diane Toroian

[Recovering_Democrat]

Axed radio personality Charles Jaco is fighting back against his former employer, KMOX-AM 1120.

In a statement, Jaco insisted he never committed an act of "gross misconduct" as the station claims. Rather, he believes he was fired Monday because he demanded union representation at a disciplinary meeting. Jaco was in hot water for his rude responses to listener emails. He told one listener to "piss off" and another to "ask for time off work for Hitler's birthday so you can celebrate."

[Recovering_Democrat]

Sounds like Jaco thinks he owns his show. Guess not--he's no Rush Limbaugh.

Seriously, emailing back a listener with words like he allegedly used? If I was the boss, I'd fire him, too.

[Ben Hecks]

Check this out. Should we send flowers?

[martin_fierro]

[KriegerGeist]

Replace this guy's timeslot with a good, conservative talk show host and the station's ratings and income will go up.
Wonder is they already have Boortz, Rush & Hannity?

[L.N. Smithee]

I need to know more before making a judgment. "Gross misconduct" in the radio world is a tough standard to reach. Is saying "piss off" as egregious as this?

[Recovering_Democrat]

Not as bad, but different stations and employers have the right to decide what is best for their own business. :)

[Ulysses]

This Jaco is a lib, right? (I don't know...I just vaguely remember him reporting from Gulf War I.

Anyway, I'm offended by his shrill rhetoric and the foment that it causes. You know, the people who hear him do stuff like this aren't satisfied just to listen. They get involved passionately, and they pose a threat...blah, blah, blah!

Funny...I haven't heard TeenyWeenyTommy blast this guy! Have you?!?!?

[KriegerGeist]

I just checked KMOX 1120AM programming schedule and they only carry Rush for two hours and no Boortz and no Hannity.
Oh, "Dear Mr. Station Manager, How would you like to put your radio station over the top in ratings and revenue? Hmmmmmmmm?

[Dog]

CR.....look at this....:-)

[A Citizen Reporter]

And the hits, they just keep coming!

[VOA]

I just checked KMOX 1120AM programming schedule and they only carry Rush for two hours
and no Boortz and no Hannity.

When I was in graduate school in Oklahoma, I'd pick up some distant AM stations
while I was in working late night in the lab.
KMOX had, by far, the most boring programming that I could pick up (in terms of
a "talk radio" format station.

It would just about put me to sleep in 30 seconds.
KMOX (at that time) was an ABSOLUTE PROGRAMMING DISASTER compared to KOA from Denver,
WWL in New Orleans and KRLD in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

[let freedom sing]

Daddy Dearest

[VOA]

Jaco, 52, earned $122,500 a year.

Jaco was a so-so reporter for CNN, as I recall.
He was overcompensated at KMOX, in my humble opinion...and lucky to be on the air.

[ottothedog]

The whole thing rulez! I am the guy who he sent the commment to (the exchange is posted on Freerepublic) after I complained about his performance in the Talent/Carnahan debate. I subsequently found his website where he calls Republicans nazis in general. I sent an email to KMOX asking whether they thought this was "fair" journalism...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/774137/posts

[Common Tator]

Not as bad, but different stations and employers have the right to decide what is best for their own busine

I am sure that KMOX has code of conduct manual for people who are on the air. Every FCC attorney and the NAB realy tries to get ever station to use them. Bet the farm that KMOX is using one. It is 10,000 to 1 that he violated that code. His contract most certlainly says that he must abide by the code and that in disputes managements interpreation of the code is final.

He would have been sent a warning perhaps several listing the violations and the stations interpretation of the code.

What Jaco is doing is what a lot of guys have done in the past. They are not going to be renewed so they do something to get fired then sue. They think the station will settle for big bucks to avoid the bad publicity. That used to work. But that was then .. way back then... this is now. There is no such thing as bad pubicity. There is only good puclicity and the more he sues the better.

Jaco was not doing all that well in the ratings. This will be a ton of publicity to cause people to tune in to try his replacements show.

Jaco will run out of money long before this case gets settled. No attorney who had played this game would take it on anthing but an hour fee paid up front. If a less knowledgable attorney took the case, he will soon figure out that he should put the Jaco file in the back of his file and foreget it.

[rface]

I have better things to do w/my money...

[Charles Henrickson]

I just checked KMOX 1120AM programming schedule and they only carry Rush for two hours. . . .

Are you sure? This is news to me. KMOX has carried all three hours, 11:00-2:00, for many years. If that has changed, it must be very recent.

[Charles Henrickson]

Jaco is very sharp, very knowledgeable, but he also is a liberal, a bit arrogant, anti-Christian, etc. He puts up a front of being this impartial journalist, but it's easy to see through.

Jaco had the post-Rush afternoon time slot for a number of years, until a few months ago, when he switched (or was switched?) to evenings. Cardinals baseball often pre-empted his program. Jaco was/is pursuing a doctorate in international politics, so the lighter workload of the evening slot was the reason given.

That he would go over the edge in insulting and being rude to his callers/e-mailers does not shock me.

[ottothedog]

Actually the guy is an idiot. Take a look at the email exchange and note that he could not pick up on the sarcasm about 'Hitler being a big proponent of the death penalty'. I am sick of hearing the STL media talking about what a great journalist he is (and in the next breath bashing Limbaugh). He is just another liberal who thinks he is smarter than he actually is.

[KriegerGeist]

"Are you sure? This is news to me. KMOX has carried all three hours, 11:00-2:00, for many years. If that has changed, it must be very recent."

You are correct and I am wrong. I must have read it incorrectly.

Link to KMOX 1120AM schedule