CHARLES JACO, novelist, former CNN war correspondent of note, columnist, and talk radio host, made lots of Seattle friends and fans trying out or KIRO's 7-10p spot for a month or so back in 2003.
KIRO's market stature was high then and he says, at the time, he was disappointed when a family situation prevented him from taking the job permanently.
Now, he's not so sure his inability to relocate wasn't a blessing considering all of KIRO's problems...
He's back in St. Louis as a reporter/war correspondent for Fox News TV affiliate, KTVI. We were delighted to hear from Jaco last week and here's his letter- which is more to Seattle talk audiences as it is to us.
Mr. Hood:
I've been keeping up with KIRO and radio in Seattle
through conversations with friends, message boards, and your web site.
Since I had the distinct privilege of hosting shows on KIRO for a few
months, I'd like to add some thoughts to the mix.
I got as much or more satisfaction from my time on KIRO as from anything I've done professionally, for several reasons:
a) the Seattle audience. The people who listen tend to be informed, intelligent, and insightful.
b)
KIRO itself. KIRO, at the time, seemed to me to be a radio station that
"got it"--that is, understood that a high-quality mix of talk and news
was something that was owed to the Seattle audience.
c) the people with whom I worked. Tina Nole could make even me sound good.
d)
the ability to look at local, national, and world events from a
"progressive" perspective without being called a %$#@! or a &*(%$
or, worst of all, a *&^%$#!!!.
The recent events at
KIRO---Allan Prell's hiring and departure, Mike Webb's dismissal, the
de-certification of AFTRA, ad naus---leave me shaking my head and
wondering where the adult supervision is in all of this. I was unable
to accept KIRO's offer of a full-time position because our adoption of
our grandaughter not not yet been finalized, and we were unable to move
to another state until the paperwork was all completed. By the time all
that was completed, the window of opportunity at KIRO had closed. In
retrospect, maybe that was all for the best, since it seems KIRO now
bears little resemblance to the KIRO of a couple of years ago.
Best regards,
Charles Jaco
KTVI-TV
St. Louis, MO.
Jaco fails to point out he just happened work at kiro until the day his non compete in St. Louis expired. He never had any intention of coming to Seattle. He used kiro until he could go work crosstown in St. Louis. He pulled the wool over Ken Berry's eyes. Then again, that was not hard to do, berry was an idiot. Come on Chuck, drop the holier then though act.
Posted by: it | January 13, 2006 at 04:06 AM
And you know this, how........?
Posted by: sparky | January 13, 2006 at 07:52 AM
"...shaking my head and wondering where the adult supervision is in all of this."
I laughed out loud at this. Oh, the visual that comes to mind...
I enjoyed and respected Jaco the few times I heard him. His well thought through and congenial post brings it all back. I think Charles' comments about KIRO bearing little resemblance to the KIRO of a couple of years ago are right on. I have to wonder if KIRO hasn't developed such a negative reputation that that the station will be hard pressed to find top quality progressive hosts now.
Posted by: Cyn | January 13, 2006 at 10:07 AM
...if they WANT progressive hosts, that is. Maybe they think Seattle can support yet another conservative station???
Posted by: sparky | January 13, 2006 at 11:17 AM
KIRO used to have a prettier face: news/Dave Ross/ pre 9-11 rational Dori Monson/ more news / Fred Ebert.
Then I'm sorry to say when they brought in Prell it made the station seem like a joke because Prell was such a goof off and without a Dave Ross lead in Dori Monson seems more extreme and annoying. Dave Ross seems like a calm contemplative person but having to interupt the grown up talk so they can do traffic on the 3's makes the whole thing seem like a SNL joke. You're in the middle of deep thought when suddenly they play that doot-doot-doot-doot-doot music bit, suddenly theres fast talk about traffic accidence here there and everywhere and your train of thought is ruined.
And if I'm to believe the rumors, and rumors are always true, then this is largely Dori Monson's fault.
Posted by: Andrew | January 13, 2006 at 01:04 PM
Hey IT -- if that is your real name..
What radio/TV personality WOULDN'T do what Jaco did? St. Louis media probably wanted him sooner, but couldn't do anything because of the no-compete. So, what's a personality to do? Ah, yes. GO WORK IN ANOTHER MARKET UNTIL THE NO-COMPETE IS UP. He may have "used" them, but so what? You would do the same.
He probably figured out what a clusterf*ck KIRO really is and ran like hell.
Posted by: Frank Shiers' #1 fan EVAH EVAH | January 13, 2006 at 02:03 PM
i don't really care at all what tood Jaco away. I think he was one of the few intelligent, interesting and knowledgable hosts KIRO has had. Much like Dave, he was calm and incisive. Couldn't ask for more if you're a centrist or to the left. It is so immature to second guess people when none of us really knows what is in the head of another person.
I miss KIRO but I sure don't listen to it anymore.
Michael, I think you like Ryder's bedroom voice. I don't, thank you very much! Just like a man!
Having said that, I do wish Erin would learn to have a more controlled and even delivery. But her intellect is sound and her passion at least closer to Mike's than anybody else. We need that.
One more thing, I totally agree with Andrew that the traffic interruptions and commercials drive Dave's show into nervous fits and starts. I'm surprised he can even get guests to join him. Of course, we and his guests put up with it because he's so good.
Posted by: joanie | January 13, 2006 at 04:32 PM
I sure did enjoy that old KIRO line-up with Dave in the mornings and Fred Ebert in the 6 - 9 slot. I still miss Fred. I even enjoyed Dori (gasp!) in the pre-911 days. These days, he is just insufferable.
Yes, it is very frustrating to settle into a serious and thoughtful interview conducted by Dave only to have it interrupted for traffic, weather or some alleged breaking news. As professional as he is, I swear I can hear the frustration in Dave's voice, too.
Someone in another thread sometime back mentioned Dori as the advertising whore and talked about eschewing any product or service Dori advertises for. I don't think I could ever buy anything Dori shills for. I just don't find him trustworthy or credible. Now - even when it isn't "high noon" to 3 - we hear Dori's voice all the time. He and his old pal Tony are now pushing a mortgage company. Thanks, but no thanks.
I see Dori's footprints all over the deck of this sinking ship.
Posted by: Cyn | January 13, 2006 at 05:07 PM
I laughed out loud to see him on TV shilling for a place called " Stupid Prices".... sort of apropo..
Posted by: sparky | January 13, 2006 at 06:11 PM
I don't know if anyone else heard this, but Dori is going to be tasered by law enforcement on his show next week. Not sure what day. He's doing it to show his support for the Seattle law enforcement.
Am I missing something with that logic? I support our Seattle fire department, too, but I'm not going to let them set me on fire!
What's up with this guy? Or could it be KIRO is just trying to win back the listeners they've lost?
Just plain stOOpid! :)
Posted by: Critter | January 13, 2006 at 07:06 PM
Dori was tasered today. They say a normal dose lasts five seconds but he only received one second's worth of taser per his quivering, cowardly request. His nervousness leading up to that one second must have been more painfull than the tasing itself - and I relished in it. When they finaly tasered him he just made some funny gurgly noises and then complained his back hurt and that was that.
He thinks he has to prove his manliness because his name is Dori and he has some sort of speach impediment, but his efforts are always cancelled out by his gay dance intro music. I like the gay dance intro intro music but I wouldn't want my name spoken over it either.
Posted by: Andrew | January 13, 2006 at 07:23 PM
What's tasering? Now that I'm listening to Thom Hartmann in the AM, I don't know what's going on with Dori. Do I miss him? What do you think?
Posted by: joanie | January 13, 2006 at 07:54 PM
lol I spewed all over the keyboard..thanks a lot andrew lolololololololol
Posted by: sparky | January 13, 2006 at 08:12 PM
who is this girl dori?
Posted by: gabe | January 13, 2006 at 09:58 PM
joanie:
Taser: A taser gun delivers a high-voltage, low-amperage charge that mimics the body's electrical signals, temporarily paralyzing the target from a range of 15-20 feet.
Posted by: Critter | January 14, 2006 at 10:34 AM
If I were less civilized, I'd suggedst tasering Dori daily between the hours of 12 and 3. Thanks, Critter.
Posted by: joanie | January 14, 2006 at 11:21 AM
Andrew sez, "He thinks he has to prove his manliness because his name is Dori and he has some sort of speach impediment, but his efforts are always cancelled out by his gay dance intro music. I like the gay dance intro intro music but I wouldn't want my name spoken over it either."
Andrew, you're such a hateful little prick. Whine, snivel, snivel all the time. If he was a liberal, you'd be licking his shoes.
Posted by: Lump | January 14, 2006 at 07:06 PM
D. Monson aka Whoring Moron!
Posted by: John | January 16, 2006 at 07:43 PM
is this the same Charles Jaco?
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=TM89N5TsGVI
Posted by: japangrl | November 18, 2008 at 01:52 PM