Savage Vs. Disney

IMDB.com ^ | 6-18-03

[Paul Atreides]

Conservative talk show host Michael Savage, whose addition to cable channel MSNBC's lineup in March touched off a firestorm by gay rights and antiwar activists, is now doing battle with the Disney-owned stations in San Francisco and New York that carry his radio show. San Francisco station KSFO, one of two stations owned by Disney in the Bay city (the other is KGO), yanked Savage two weeks ago. In a message posted on his website, Savage charged that the station wanted "to pressure me into signing a contract extension." On Monday, he was pulled from New York station WABC as well. (The program is syndicated nationally by Oregon-based Talk Radio Network.) In an interview with today's (Wednesday) New York Post, Savage commented: "This is out of bounds - in plain English, they took me off the air in New York to pressure me to sign below market value in my home market, San Francisco. ... It's astounding a corporation can act this way in this day and age. 'The Mouse' is trying to intimidate me. It's bullying of the worst kind." WABC program director Phil Boyce appeared to acknowledge that the decision to yank Savage was a corporate one. "I'm the guy who put Michael on the air [here] and he's performed well for me -- it's very painful to take him off the air," he said. The issue appears certain to draw new attention to the issue of conglomerate media ownership and to forge further bonds between Democratic and a growing number of Republican legislators who are seeking to nullify the FCC's new rules.

[dennisw]

Crudely put, the Jews of Disney are trying to rob their fellow Jew, Michael Savage. I despise Disney for the same reasons most Freepers do.

[drypowder]

Thanks for the post, I was wondering what had happened to Michael Savage's SF show. Well since Savage is now gone from KSFO, so am I.

[roadcat]

"Well since Savage is now gone from KSFO, so am I."

Very sad news indeed. Savage is the life of the party on KSFO; I always looked forward to listening to him while commuting home after work. Without him, boring!

[Carry_Okie]

Very sad news indeed. Savage is the life of the party on KSFO;

He's a loudmouthed amateur compared to Lee Rodgers and does as much to alienate potential converts as anything else.

[ml/nj]

I haven't listened to Savage for months now. All the shows sounded the same to me, and I sort of got tired of him telling me how smart he is and how stupid his callers were. (Compare Rush for example.) But I did go to www.wabcradio.com and found this not about the absence of Savage here:

Due to unresolved contractual issues between Michael Savage and our sister station KSFO in San Francisco, WABC regrets that we have made a decision to remove the program from the air on a temporary basis. We hope those issues can be resolved quickly, and that Michael can again return to the air on WABC in New York City. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. In the meantime, WABC will air Mark Levin as a substitute host in the evening from 7-9pm.

As soon as I found out The Great One was on, I tuned in.

ML/NJ

[Jonez712]

I really liked hearing Savage on KSFO, but the other day I found him on 1340 KOMY, which is a 10,000-watt station out of Watsonville that I get perfect here in northern Santa Cruz county.

Savage was the heart and soul of KSFO, but there are still a lot of local shows there that I'll still listen to. Lee Rodgers, David Gold, Brian Wilson, Brian Susman, Mark Davis (although not local), and Ken Hamblin (although he's also not local).


Ociffer Vic is cool too. I got an email from him today:

Yikes...no thanks! Hey...thanks for listening!

Cheers,

ov/tb

That was in response to:

> OV, >

> Run for governor after Red Davis is recalled!!

But yeah I'm listening to Savage on 1340 right now. And besides, Savage will be back on in San Francisco as of July 1.

[RhoTheta]

KSFO is airing reruns of Sean Hannity during the 4-7p spot once held by Savage. I like him much better. I could only take about 45ms of Savage before his abusive approach caused me to change stations. Occasionally, curiosity would get the better of me, and I would tune in to see if he had mellowed out. Never happened. I agree with Carry Oakie, he beats up on those that share his views, and attacks the character (not the arguments) of callers with differing opinions.

The problem with KSFO is that they really have no local call-in shows anymore since dumping Jeff Metcalf. Lee and Melanie (and their producer, Sherry) just won't take serious callers -- it is no longer their format.

I personnaly miss "The Black Avenger, Ken Hamlin."

[RhoTheta]

Oops...

personnaly=personally

[montag813]

Well since Savage is now gone from KSFO, so am I.

I have been gone from WABC for months now, since they started interrupting Savage almost every night with stupid hockey and basketball coverage, while leaving on the awful Richard Bey and empty-head Monica Crowley. Since I no longer have time for Rush, and the moron Sean Hannity is impossible to listen to, that leaves only WOR, and Bob Grant and Tom Marr--truly the finest men on talk radio. I am hopeful that WOR will sign Mike Savage ASAP!

[montag813]

As soon as I found out The Great One was on, I tuned in.

Marc Levin the "GREAT ONE"? HAHAHAHA!!! What a lightweight.

[rambo316]

Here you go my fellow Freepers. Here is the link to WABC radio in NY. Tell them and Disney what you think of them for pulling Savage. Savage is huge those commies over at Disney are trying to destroy him. Go Savage! Here is the link and again, tell them what you think. http://www.wabcradio.com/

[pointsal]

This is a major corporate FUBAR. I hope I am selected for the jury....Savage will whoop-ass.

[ml/nj]

Marc Levin the "GREAT ONE"? HAHAHAHA!!! What a lightweight.

Let call names. What lift-wing fun!

I'm not sure whom you think is a lightweight, but maybe you could back it up with a couple of quotes next time, huh?

ML/NJ

[Captainpaintball]

thanks to the incompetence of WOR, Tom Marr is already gone. He is replaced by "money guy" Jim Cramer. They did the same thing WABC did to savage, except they did it with Nets and St. John's Bsketball. Add to that exactly NO promotion, is it any wonder his show didn't make it? Marr is a great talker, and it would be cool if HE could fill in for Savage on WABC.

[Petronski]

BOYCOTT DISNEY: a vortex of seductive evil™

[oceanview]

Monica is not a bimbo, I like her show, conservatives need more women "out front" on shows like this.

[montag813]

thanks to the incompetence of WOR, Tom Marr is already gone. He is replaced by "money guy" Jim Cramer.

?Having just returned from vacation, I am devastated by this news. Cramer is a crook, who manipulated stocks and got away with it. Tom Marr is a gem. And what the hell is with all these stupid SPORTS programs on Talk Radio?? St. John's? Does this crap really have an audience?

[montag813]

Every time I hear Levin, it is like preaching to the choir...nothing new, no revelations, no flashes of brilliance. Not as bad as Hannity, who merely parrots (poorly) what others say, and is a lousy debater. Levin is no idiot. But to call him "The Great One" is a bit silly.

[Squat]

SAVAGE is on again in the greater Bay Area ..KNEW 910 AM Radio.