Seattle times black wednesday piece leaves out plenty

In a Times piece today, Florangela Davila mentions a racial aspect that may not be an aspect at all, but makes a point we've made many times before.

Talk radio is white male-dominated even in intensely multi-racial (and delightfully multi-gendered) Seattle. It serves a demographic that's always been mostly white males.

Gone are liberal talker/blogger David Goldstein; self-dubbed centrist [snort!] radio newstalker Bryan Styble; and Carl Jeffers, increasingly appearing on national airwaves as a political commentator and the only local radio broadcaster of color with his own show. Jeffers, 48, is African American.

Besides that Jeffers does his Seattle show from Los Angeles, there's a herd of pachyderms roamin' the gloamin' invisible to Seattle Times readers if all they read is Florangela's tidy who/what/where/when.

The new changes spell the end of the KIRO's tradition of fostering and training new radio talent. They always did it on weekends, letting outsiders try (Pam Roach, Tim Eyman, David Postman, Mark Sidron, f'rinstance) or giving the board ops and other station low-life a chance to step up.

KIRO is the last station in town to discontinue this on-the-job training. It's a big deal.

What happens when Dave Ross retires or goes to CBS to replace Charles Osgood? There's nobody in the chute. As we all know, bringing in someone from outside the market into the major dayparts has a bad history around here. (think Allan Prell, Lee Rodgers, Charles Jaco, Fred Ebert).

Then all we'll have left is Dori the Monsoon ("Dori" is a girl's name, btw) and eventually, it'll all end up syndicated. The mature talent came up through this old system, now the system's gone.

That's short term thinking by our lights, unless, of course, the idea is to kill off radio.

In the last year or so, they've cut it out live radio from 10p weeknights to 5a. Weekends are all syndicated or re-runs except for Phil the Junkie Show which was obviously saved for internal political reasons. He won't last either.

KIRO was the last bastion of live & local talk radio in Seattle -- and proudly so.

With this injection of syndicated programming, KIRO's killing their brand for short term money. AM radio has thrived on live & local; it's collective ass has been saved more than once over the decades by its ability to communicate locally.

But these aging bean counters with their media consolidation looks-good-for-this-quarter efficiencies haven't gotten the message: (new) media's going the other way: bottom upward, local.

Bonneville's been better than most about getting that, but these moves are in the opposite direction.

This stuff means the end of KIRO as we know it. (KVI, KTTH, too) It's a major step in the mall-ification of radio. Soon in this town will have to choose between the radio equivalents of Cheesecake Factory and Appleby's. It's short sighted.

For those listeners -- and we hear from  you-- who aren't into local issues and politics, and want to hear the national stuff you get from the syndicated hosts, we must say: local radio isn't necessarily local topics only. It does mean the presence of one or preferably more hosts who are accessible and accountable locally. (You should be able to rent him or her for parties, even.) We love the syndicated hosts like Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes and Thom Hartmann, but we believe our radio stations should keep at least one foot in our town.

KIRO's new changes are a significant move away from issues programming and a heavy investment in "talk lite." (TBTL, Ron & Don). They're driving off their traditional white male demographic in the process. It's baby/bathwater situation, here -- we Boomers ain't dead yet; we still listen to the radio have lots of money to spend.

It's all part of a larger media consolidation trend; KIRO's brand was different, that's changed; Seattle loses.

We're sad.

Comments

[lowlife]

"Board ops and other station low life...."

Nice.

Since most of your fictional--er, your RELIABLE "sources" are board ops and low life, you certainly know how to treat 'em.

[blathering michael]

If you read this blog, you know that was made with the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm I'm known for. I've stuck up for those grossly underpaid ($8ph at KIRO!) unappreciated workers for years. I hear from them, true, but I get my best stuff from the news dep't, middle management and my wire taps, of course.

[Sclub]

How come no mention anywhere of Jeffers living in L.A., not Seattle?

[blathering michael]

done and done, thanks Sclub

[sparky]

I will admit that one of the reasons I dont listen to KIRO anymore is because I do have KOMO to fall back on for weather emergencies or other breaking Puget Sound news. I used to listen to KIRO all the time when I lived in the north Sound, and Im sorry this is happening.

[wutitiz]

Mr. Blather is right here. Long ago KVI had people like Nona Brazier & Kirby on nights. They got away from that, and now their programming has gone to hell in a handbasket, with no new people being developed. Now KIRO is going the same route.

Also, I have wondered, just what is Ron & Don's demographic? Nobody here ever comments about them because probably nobody listens.

[KS]

"They got away from that (KVI), and now their programming has gone to hell in a handbasket, with no new people being developed. Now KIRO is going the same route."

KIRO has been there since Fred Ebert left. He was knowledgeable and talked down at callers some, but he had an impressive resume and is superior compared to the empty suits and dresses that have paraded through there since then. Frank Shiers was not a good fit along with the rest of the also-rans. KVI has also slipped with Kirby morphing into Kirby & Company - why ? and the Commentators, which was decent once upon a time, but has become increasingly petty - it seems and no more Bryan Suits. KTTH may be holding its own - not a Glenn Beck fan/he makes sense at times, then 5 minutes later - he typically says something that makes me want to switch stations. Dave Boze is improving and the rest are syndicated.

[AuthenticAndrew]

There aiming for me and missing. TBTL is aiming for me and hitting, although last night was like estrogen hour, the producer was having annoying girl talk with unnamed women in the studio and that was unlistenable.

Ron and Don seem to feign interest in the subjects they cover, and the feign disagreements with eachother, and then they ask "are you giving us all three?". The whole package reaks of desperation and dishonesty. It's just not comfortable to listen to. I'd rather listen to David Bose misrepresent my politics.

[PugetSound]

If you want local talk it will have to move to web based media.

Okay, I thought I had seen it all. But here is Ann Freakin Coulter endorsing Hillary.
It actually gets funny about minute 2....

Duff's Nightmere

/

[2cents]

With all the loss of local talent, Blatherwatch might have to become Doriwatch.

[Duffman]

Incredible Puts...and you know what I don't think she'll be a lone soul within the conservative ranks. :)

[PugetSound]

I just have this mental image of both Ann Coulter and Joanie meeting up at Westlake Center for a 'You Go Girl' Hillary Clinton Rally.

Truth can be stranger than fiction.

Welcome back Joanie, the water is warm so come on in. Glad to see you back. Hope the timeout served you well.

[Tommy00]

Goldy should be replaced by local talent as well as Jeffers. I've already beaten up on both, so I won't repeat my putdowns. Phil Hendrie is great, you hear news tidbits as well as the high-larious comedy shtick. the other day he revealed that Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Homer Simpson, has donated 10 million dollars to the Church of Scientology. This was the most depressing thing I've heard in years. Someone who's the star of a supposedly hip show giving away their money to a fascist cult. Horrible. More proof that performing talent and critical thinking skills are often not simultaneously present in a person.

[Duffman]

why do i think the above post was not from 'our' T008 ?
Tommy, was it you?

[Tommy008]

that was me.

[Duffman]

sorry Tommy...was a bit skeptical, thanks :)

[KS]

Ron and Don seem to be alot about buzzwords sports lingo in all of their topics - too many examples to reel off. Might as well listen to KJR about sports. It reeks of superficiality. Enough vacuous minds tune in so that there are enough listeners to keep them from getting axed for the time being.

T008 - you raise a good point about the lack or absence of critical thinking and performing talent simultaneously.

[Tacoma]

There is quite a bit of local talk during the day on KUOW-FM, the Seattle NPR station. KIRO is the elephant in the room, but there are other options.

[DT]

Tacoma, you don't understand the Blatherwatch crowd. They enjoy this. They enjoy listening to hosts they dislike, then bitching on here about how much they suck. This may sound insane, but they honestly do not want to listen to the kind of hosts they claim they want to listen to. Those kinds of hosts are out there locally, but they don't want to listen to them. It's boring. They want to be entertained, but won't admit it. They want to go on an emotional roller coaster ride. They want get angry. They want to cry, bitch, and complain.

[Bill]

And nobody is more of an expert on crying, bitching and complaining than DT, so take him at his word, Tacoma.

[joanie]

You nailed it, Bill. Thanks. Still laughing.

[DT]

Hi-larious! Yet, I notice nobody is saying I'm not correct.

Case closed.

[sparky]

I'll say it, DT. You're not correct. I rarely listen to radio shows i don't like...life is too short to deliberately seek out stuff to raise my blood pressure. (I have listened to Bryan Styble via streaming the infamous night he talked about how lucky the blacks were to be slaves because life in Africa would have been worse. )

I get enough of the opposing views from people I work with and relatives, other poster's accounts of what they hear on those shows, and most of the news on TV....why go out of my way to spend leisure time listening to crap?
So, put away your broad brush and start using the words "some" and "a few".

[KS]

That case is closed - someone made a point. A fresh item: Lack of critical thinking on the air & on-line - this points up that we choose to live in the age of stupidity (if you don't think so, ask yourself if things are more stupid than 10, 15 and 20 years ago, in spite of the technological advances since then ?)

[DT]

So now I'm supposed to start every sentence with "In my opinion," and avoid absolutes by using qualifiers such as "some" and "a few?"

No. That's ridiculous. Nobody talks like that, including yourself.

[chucks]

Sparky
In fairness to DT, you have use of a fully functional brain, combined with mature common since and the ability to reason or think through most situations.
Many of those who share this blog with us are not so blessed.

[DT]

Ok, I'll give Sparky's way a try....

Most kids, and by most, I mean more than 50%, like toys. However, this is just my opinion, as I do not currently have any statistical proof to back up this assertion.

or ..

Kids like toys.

Yeah, no, sorry Sparky, I think I'll stick with my way of speaking.

[PugetSound]

sparky

i can see from what you wrote you have found people that you respect with different perspectives.
i would suspect that it isn't so much the differing message as it is the messenger that makes your blood roil at times.
obviously, there is no need for that.

when i saw the clip i posted of ann coulter endorsing hillary over mccain -and watched the look on alan colmes face- i knew i was witnessing the apocalypse.

[Seattlenerd]

What Mr. Hood has noted here and in earlier posts is history repeating itself.

Two decades ago or more, local stations started dramatically cutting back their news commitment, coverage and staffs. This financial shift (made possible by regulatory changes) had an unintended consequence: few fringe time slots, like weekends and overnights, for green reporters and anchors to season. And smaller markets, the farm teams, were cutting back as well.

Sounds like local talk radio now is in the same boat local news coverage was then.

Despite all the outcry here, none of those let go were in a major revenue radio daypart (Mon-Fri, 5am-7pm). Weekends traditionally has been where stations have put mostly special-interest programming in the hopes of attracting any listeners. Looks like KIRO is going back to that 1980s-era model, too.

But losing the fringe times to develop talent blows.

[ǝɹǝɥʍǝɯos ǝuoǝɯos]

Intensely muti-racial Seattle? You gotta be kidding me. Seattle is about the least diverse big city around.

[Duffman]

someone somewhere: how'd you do that???

[PugetSound]

duff it is easy, just pick up your computer and turn it upside down...

[Duffman]

I tried that... :)

[PugetSound]

you could ask joanie, i am sure she would have a suggestion as to what you could do....

[Duffman]

Actually, she might really know?...but alas she would probably ask why I wanted to know, since I was already backwards and upside down. Ah yes, joanie - jewel of the blog.

[PugetSound]

well, you could ask Merci. i KNOW he would have a suggestion or two...

[Duffman]

Naaa...he's probably too busy keeping his MTS blog current. Say, did you know that Thompson withdrew from the Presidential race.

[shadow]

that suggestion is not physically possible

[Duffman]

..you serious Clark?

[PugetSound]

yer right, i forgot about those onerous duties that tie up Merci.

well, it's back to joanie. tell her that you're in tight with chucks. she'll do anything for him. as you know, ''joanie loves chuckie'

[Duffman]

...and don't forget Wes Clark (could be a VP candidate???) :)

[sparky]

Yes chucks, you're right. I forgot who I was speaking with...

Puts, I about drove off the road laughing when I heard the clip of Anne Coulter re; Hillary on the Stephanie Miller show Friday morning.

and DT...I do happen to know a couple of kids who could care less about toys, and prefer to play outside, read, and color. If you want to continue to make those big leaps to conclusions, I hope you wear a helmet!

[PugetSound]

the sound clip is good, but do yourself a favor and see the actual facial reaction of colmes and hannity on the video clip.
its almost like hannity half agrees with coulter and poor alan colmes is looking on as if his whole world view has been given a 180. just damn funny.

[ǝɹǝɥʍǝɯos ǝuoǝɯos]

¿ʇɐɥʍ op ı pıp ʍoɥ

[Tommy008]

I agree with KS that things are stupider now than ever before. We've just witnesses a new show pt on KIRO where both hosts constantly misuse the word "like", for maeaningless, stupid and obnoxious filles in teir sentences. This is what happens when Dumbass Teen Nation is allowed to creep and slouch it's way from the high school hallways up into the vocabulary patterns of thirty somethings who are supposed radio professionals. I'm sure I'm not the only person who finds this "turd in the coffee" ruins whatever artistc and intellectal aspects they are trying to imbue the new show with. It's a shame that thye didn't have the selfawareness to see that they should have grown up a little more and ditched the teen and collegespeak crap before they attempted to do a quaity show. I'd like to see a new concept show on KIRO, but one that's done by grownups. Jen also ruins the show simply with strange, extremely repressed, tightassed sounding voice. Take the stick out, Jen. You'll feel a lot better.

[mark]

...eniL etaD l'tnI eht fo edis rehto eht no si eh

[mark]

...ɹǝpun uʍop ǝʌı1 ɹo

[sparky]

I thought he was typing from Australia

[Hairy Buddah]

Whine, whine, whine. Life is a cycle. Consolidation and syndication are all in vogue now. Somebody somewhere will make a ton of money as an innovator with local programming and hosts, and the pendulum will swing again. It could happen as a result of the new digital bandwidth coming available. You watch, stations will have national and local sub channels. There's what, 20 or 30 channels in the Seattle market now? Wait until there's room for 200 or 300. The cream will rise. The skilled will develop followings. And this blog will probably whine about the good old days before fragmentation ruined radio.

Hairy

[joanie]

Hairy, I'd like to think you're right. But, just like the elites want to control the internet, what's to stop them from trying to find ways to control it all?

I love fragmentation. The more the better. Spreads the money thinner and people will be in it for love rather than profit - maybe?

That's when quality will return to broadcasting.