BlatherWatch

OPEN THREAD: How can you not have confidence...

... in the crackerjack team that brought you Operation Iraqi Freedom, which foundered and led to Operation Together Forward, which stumbled and led to Operation Together Forward II, which collapsed and was replaced by The New Way Forward, the Surge now being launched even though nobody’s together and everything’s going backward? ~~ Maureen Dowd

VOTE IN OUR POLL! Who's next to be fired?

With the changes we suspect are coming in local radio- especially KIRO and KTTH in the next few

UPDATED: Ellsberg, Sen. Rosa Franklin on weekend's horse's ass radio

Daniel Ellsberg, the most famous leaker since the Titanic will appear on the David Goldstein Show (KIRO Saturdays, Sundays, 7-10p) on Saturday night at 8p. The Vietnam hero will discuss the patriot, Lt. Ehren Watada, civil disobedience and the Iraq War with Goldy and callers.

He's here to speak at the Citizens’ Hearing on the Legality of U.S. Actions in Iraq, Saturday and Sunday in Tacoma.

At 7p, the unfortunately named Al Runte, political activist and 2005 Seattle mayoral candidate will come into the studio to talk about the eastside rail-to-trail proposal.

State Sen. Rosa Franklin (D-Tacoma) will join David on Sunday night to talk about her proposed income tax bill in the 2007 Legislature.

Joy tempered by trepidation: KIRO staff greets new ownership

The morning's announcement at the 8:30 meeting took everyone by surprise.

"I don't know of anyone who expected it, "says a Radio Land denizen who always has his ear to the ground. An ex-KIRO-ite told us, "I'm just floored that nothing about this leaked! People are so bad at keeping secrets in radio- I made a few calls to my inside people and NONE of them knew about this."

Sharkansky to run with the strippers

Stefan Sharkansky at Sound Politics, the official state Republican blog, has always called our reading of the not-so-sub subtext that he's mulling a run for public office willfully erroroneous, if not, downright lies.

BREAKING: Entercom dumps KIRO, KTTH, KBSG

Entercom CEO David Field's trip to Seattle yesterday was to say goodbye.

Entercom announced today the signing of an agreement exchanging four stations in Cincinnati, OH and three of its seven radio stations in Seattle for three FM radio stations in San Francisco owned by Bonneville International.  

Talkers KIRO, KTTH, and oldies music KBSG will be acquired by the Mormon-owned company who owned KIRO before selling it to A.H.Belo Corp in 1995, who sold it to Entercom in 1997.

What's ahead for KIRO and KTTH? Stay tuned for background on Bonneville International, KIRO staffer's reactions to this big change.

FM wisdom: these guys make sean hannity sound smart

Here are 4 minutes of a telescoped aircheck from KDND “The END”, Sacramento, including cut-ins with Jennifer Strange, the water drinking contestant, who subsequently died.
Hat tip to Jaynie!

Justice delayed, Part IIX; mike webb trial reset

Justice delayed will not be justice denied if Mike Webb's re-trial for felony insurance fraud takes place as planned. (Which, if you've been with this as long as we have, upon this you shouldn't make book).

New proceedings have been scheduled for Friday, Feb.2 at 8:30a, in Judge Julie Spector's courtroom in Room E-733 at Seattle's King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave.

Webb is the former talk host fired a year ago from his long perch on the KIRO talk radio schedule after being arrested for attempting to defraud Geico Insurance after he and his Lexus were in a fender bender as Webb sneaked away from his show during breaks to go to a convenience store for snacks. 

Webb was tried for the charges in September but a mistrial was called after he was seen by jurors being handcuffed and placed in a police car after a skuffle in front of the courthouse during a lunch break.

We've covered this story ad nausem, and you can count on us to stay with this until it's grubby end. 

Read the whole dismal soap opera here.

KIRO doubles horse's ass airtime!

Starting this week, “The David Goldstein Show” will be heard from 7 to 10p not only on Sundays, but on Saturday nights as well.

David Field, the dapper boho Entercom CEO was in town today and we've heard that Goldy's name was on everyone's lips and that the quirky Bala Cynwyd radio baron insisted that the audacious liberal blogger be granted the shift formerly place-held by the perennial Frank Shiers.

(Maybe that Goldy grew up in Bala Cynwyd, had something to do with it; or maybe that David Field had heard about Frank Shiers' smug insincerity; or maybe he was just feeling January ennui or dyspepsia).

KOMO wacks KIRO, NPR when misty-moisty was the weather

KOMO radio does a monthly audience poll by calling people and asking two questions: "What's your favorite radio station?" and "what station do you listen to for news and traffic?"

It's a format tracking poll in which KOMO measures to see if they're kicking as much KIRO' ass in news and traffic as they were hoping.