Some of you may be familiar with liberal talker Randi Rhodes. She has a huge national following. Her show has been an afternoon fixture on local liberal station KKEE 1230 AM. She has been
absent from the air for days and days. Nova M radio network, which syndicates the show claims that its a technical problem. Sources tell me that "technical" has many meanings and it would be incorrect to assume it involves an equipment problem. Randi has sent me emails saying that in spite of her daily concerns over this she has done all she can to correct the problem.
My industry sources tell me that she is preparing to take a job with a Clear Channel station in Palm Beach and even though Clear Channel owns the Premiere radio Network (home for Rush Limbaugh) it is unlikely the new Randi Rhodes Show will be nationally syndicated.
Rhoads first rose to national attention with the advent of Air America. She stuck with that company through its first failure and on into what the network termed Air America 2.0 when that network was purchased by a couple of guys who made their money in real estate. Rhoads was suspended from the network after she insulted a former first lady during a stand-up comedy appearance. Ticked off, Randi found another home at Nova M radio network which had been started up by her longtime mentor John Manzo. Late last year Manzo lost his position with Nova M. Now Randi is apparently on the road again.
The thing I find very unprofessional about all this is the way the Nova M network just throws anybody on the air and makes no mention that it's not Randi doing the show. They still use all the Randi Rhodes intro announcements and bumpers coming out of commercial breaks but the host only mentions who she is very briefly and very quickly. There was no courtesy announcement for listeners about fill in hosts.
The network made no effort to contact affiliates until this had been going on for several days.
I have to tell you that, as a radio station programmer, I have never had these kind of experiences when working with Rush, or Lars, or Laura. Bruce Williams has changed satellite providers several times in the years we have carried his show but he calls me personally if there is going to be a change.
These liberal talk networks are absolute flakes. I hope my sources are wrong about what is actually going on here and we can get her back on the air at some point.
OK, but who cares? Surely, no one in their right mind considers any of the information on so called liberal or conservative talk shows as anything but entertainment and a way for the "hosts" to make money. In this area, in particular, we are innundated by talk shows and so we must have learned by now that talk show "hosts" all make a great deal of money spewing stuff they think will rally fans and upset other people. Of course, they also get to show off their egos by spending much of their air time stating their "beliefs" on the issue du jour, and the remainder of the time talking over callers who disagree and making those who agree look stupid. But facts? Objectivity? Truth? Honesty? An educated and informed source? No way, talk shows are all about money. This is not to say that talk shows are of no value. They are, partly as entertainment, partly as exercise (because they can get our juices flowing) and partly because they keep the AK47s out of McDonalds and behind the front door a little longer.
ReplyDeleteMight this be a nudge toward letting us have our sports station back? Please? :P
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