Something To Watch For

You know the routine: whenever Beacon Hill and City Hall Democrats are in meltdown mode (with no better example than this), we inevitably begin to see media grumbling over Howie Carr’s job having become “too easy”. Watch for that this week and report back here with your findings, please.

What’s stopping other local hosts from picking this low-hanging fruit, however? Other than The Felon, who will defend these creeps until the end, this corruption fiasco should be great for all of them.

My favorite bit so far: Chuck Turner complaining that he was being mistreated by “Channel 27″, which is actually the local Univision outlet.

WRKO’s Total Equipment Meltdown

What in the world is going on at WKRO today? Thanks to a complete equipment meltdown, Howie Carr has been forced to do an on-air filibuster today, the kind Republicans in Congress will only be able to dream of come January.

Following the breakdown, he’s been unable to take spot breaks of any kind and at one point it seemed that he couldn’t even cut away for a Metro news/traffic break.

Instead, he took calls, while pausing briefly so that affiliates in other markets could insert spots.

Yes, “Entercom Happens”, as Howie likes to say. What can one expect from a company almost everyone expects will file for bankruptcy in the near future? Just keeping the lights on is now a major challenge.

Voters Want More Corruption, Dems Happy To Oblige

Given our current, sorry circumstances, why is anyone surprised to see Beacon Hill Corruptocrats getting away with stuffing bras full of ca$h and groping random women on the street?

Think about it:

– Unhinged Senate President Therese Murray (D-Smashmouth) knows she can cover for Prius Perv Jim Marzilli (D-Fondlington) and Dianne Wilkerson (D-Bribebury) until they disappear into political oblivion.

Under Obama, the feds are not likely to push embarrassing investigations into the conduct of other Democrats, so this means waiting just a few short months for it all to go away.

– Crooked Dem senators who enjoy full protection may be a lot less likely to rat out the other criminals in the chamber, especially Murray herself, who seems awfully nervous regarding the FBI’s investigation. Just to get out of Boston, she’s actually willing to do public events in her district these days.

– Instead of punishing Beacon Hill Democrats for creating a disgusting atmosphere of corruption, voters rewarded them with even more seats. All it took was shifting the blame to Bush and it was the few remaining Republicans who took the hit, not the perps themselves.

– The sorry state of local talk radio means one of the primary checks on their power has been neutered. WRKO, for example, is down to just Howie Carr and The Felon, who actually SUPPORTS corruption on Beacon Hill.

And WTKK isn’t much better, with syndication in the morning, sandwich/burrito talk from noon-3pm and Pinstripes in the late evenings. Jay Severin can’t be bothered to spend much time on local issues, so the listener’s only hope is Michael Graham or the night gal who suddenly seems to have returned to the Herald.

With the Obama-Patrick tag-team now in full control, we’re going to see a lot more of this kind of behavior, not less.

And unless Murray can be nailed for whatever role she might have in the bribery scandal before Bush leaves office, she’s got nothing to worry about. In her own district, Republicans aren’t even organized enough to give her an opponent, despite a still quite respectable GOP voting base in the area.

More Sore Winners

Unhinged Obama cultists still unable to find a reason to be happy are still lashing out against those who dare to challenge or question their Dear Leader.

From today’s Herald, here are two fresh examples:

Carr a spoilsport

By Babs Beaulieu

Friday, November 7, 2008

It’s a shame that Howie Carr had to write such a negative column after such an historic day (“It’s a moonbat nation Рbut I’m no citizen,” Nov. 5). It is not just “moonbats” who voted for Barack Obama Рit was 52 percent of the population, which includes all genders, races, economic status, education levels and political affiliations. Obama will be everyone’s president including yours, Howie.

Even Elizabeth Hasselbeck had to admit she will support Obama because America has spoken.

Babs Beaulieu, Lynnfield

If only this were true, Babs: Obama’s made it clear his administration will be about serving his thug friends from Chicago, with Raum Emmanuel overseeing this process. You were tricked.

Here’s the other guy, he’s using WTKK to call for censorship of talk radio:

What a turnoff

By Alan Vervaeke

Friday, November 7, 2008 -

Is the radio as a medium no longer fit for the listening of children to political commentary (Nov. 6)? My daughters are far better off listening to Don Imus than to either Michael Graham or Jay Severin.

Maybe the very reason that some in Congress speak of curtailing talk radio has to do with the venomous rants of others like these two and the clear and present harm they continue to inflict on America as an institution. Normally I would lash out at anyone who expressed an interest in limiting public discourse, but in the case of these two “gentlemen” I might just make an exception.

Alan Vervaeke, Fitchburg

This is more than just being unhappy about the election, these people are pushing to crush dissenting voices before they have a chance to effectively cast doubt upon Obama’s thugocracy.

Sore Winner Attacks Carr

Since yesterday, I’ve been tracking the sore winners out there, Obama supporters who still can’t find reasons to be happy despite their victory.

Here’s another example of an unhinged Obama fan who would rather lash out at Howie Carr than celebrate:

Exile for Carr

Yesterday morning, Howie Carr was just another tired, cranky, bitter old man (“It’s moonbat nation Рbut I’m no citizen,” Nov. 5). Oh wait, that was John McCain. Howie is living in his usual delusional place if he continues to blame just the Democrats for the economy tanking. McCain and all his fellow Republicans were gleefully shuffling up to the trough throughout the whole process. I understand Howie is upset because his grandfather lost, but let’s be real.

By the way, has Howie Carr, in his delusional state, ever met Sarah Palin, who lives in her delusional state (Russia/foreign policy)?

- Bruce McPhee, Yarmouth

Rush Limbaugh had a great point yesterday, that Obama’s “progressive” left will be forced to find new outlets for their eternal rage and anger. With Bush gone, what will they do?

Clearly, as Bruce McPhee indicates, attacking those who dare to criticize their cult leader / messiah will provide one avenue for rage release.

Memo To Howie: They Were Wrong In 2004

Is there a bigger downer on the air today than Howie Carr?

Perhaps he’s right about the outcome, but jeez, Howie, those exit polls were dead wrong four years ago.

Why do you believe them now?

BTW: I wrote in Carr’s name to prevent having to vote for tyrant-coddling scumbag Bill Delahunt. Luckily, I didn’t run into Hugo Chavez’s buddy at the polling place.

A Risky Proposition

It’s one thing to keep Reese Hopkins on the air because WRKO management is unwilling to admit they’ve made a grave error, but quite another to send him out in public.

After the Fenway incident, why haven’t they learned their lesson?

From the Gloucester Daily Times:

Reese holding ‘Town Hall meeting’ at George’s on Monday morning

By All Hands

One of Boston’s leading talk radio show hosts will be talking, and listening, to residents in Gloucester Monday morning.

“Reese on the Radio,” the 10 a.m.-to-noon show featuring host Reese Hopkins on WRKO AM-680, will broadcast its entire program Monday from George’s coffee shop at the corner of Washington Street and Centennial Avenue, with the show serving as a “real Town Hall meeting” on teen pregnancy from Gloucester High to other areas of New England and beyond.

The remote show is designed to “allow listeners and local members of the community to visit Reese at the coffee shop to talk about the teen pregnancy issue,” said WRKO marketing coordinator Christina Anders.

George’s proprietor Dean Salah said he was contacted by WRKO and agreed to host the broadcast once coordinators noted that the show is meant to generate positive and open discussion about teen pregnancy, not negative talk about Gloucester and its teens.

Host Hopkins has dedicated parts of several programs to the Gloucester teen pregnancy issue and teen pregnancy in general since the local story broke. He has talked on the air about his own family’s ties to the issue ‚Äî he has a sister who was a teen mom ‚Äî and has said he believes this is one issue on which talk radio can make a difference through open discussion.

The Reese on the Radio midday show regularly includes guests in the studio and on the phone, as well as phone calls from listeners. The show runs Mondays through Fridays in WRKO’s 10-12 time slot, sandwiched between the likes of former State House Speaker Tom Finneran, Rush Limbaugh and Howie Carr.

The Battle Vs The War

With Tom Finneran’s hiring, Julie Kahn’s reign of terror may have won a battle, but she’s sure to lose the war.

Already, foolish attempts at reasoning are being made by WRKO’s managers, including a sad misconception about the value of media attention. Sources say that Howie Carr is actually being encouraged to rip Finneran to shreds, with the idea that any publicity is good publicity.

Because of their lack of experience, what they don’t realize is not only is it not good for WRKO, it will actually speed up Finneran’s demise, as Carr is positioning his forces for an all-out offensive against the convicted felon.

Tommy Taxes doesn’t have a chance.

Meanwhile, Finneran is said to believe that the intense opposition to his hiring will quickly subside, within a week or so, which will allow him to do the show without serious challenges from callers.

Yes, the callers could very well drop off after an initial week or two, but that doesn’t mean anyone is listening.

In his arrogance, Finneran believes he understands the world of talk radio as well as the legislature. But he’s about to learn a very tough lesson, as he realizes he’s working for a station whose audience simply doesn’t want him, in an industry where he doesn’t belong.

This is why Kahn is all but sure to lose the war: she thought she could force her will onto the listening public. When this goes bad, as it most certainly will, Kahn will go right down with him.

Welcome To SaveWRKO.com

For over 25 years, Boston’s WRKO has been a national news-talk trendsetter, providing for New England a rare dissenting voice against Boston’s entrenched media and political establishment.

From the legendary voice of the late Jerry Williams, to Howie Carr and others heard today, it continues to provide a rare check on the excesses of Beacon Hill’s powerful elite.

In turn, WRKO’s fiercely loyal listeners have rewarded the station with consistently high ratings and substantial revenues.

And now, with Massachusetts facing single-party rule and few opportunities for speaking out against the tax-and-spend agendas of Governor Deval Patrick and his legislative partisans, WRKO is needed now more than ever before.

Without any apparent business-related reason, however, WRKO as we know it is now facing sudden extinction. In recent months, we’ve seen multi-sided debates between callers and hosts disappear, while fluffy, non-controversial programming takes its place.

We’ve seen WRKO’s entire newsroom shown the door, including award-winning anchors and reporters, for reasons that still remain baffling.

And we’ve also noticed an obvious clampdown on conservative opinions, in addition to an apparent edict against criticism of Governor Patrick outside of Carr’s program.

In its place, there are news reports that the ultimate Beacon Hill Democrat Party insider, convicted felon Tom Finneran, will soon be handed the all-important morning drive slot, despite his incompatibility with the station’s audience and lack of full-time talk radio experience.

Next, we wonder how long it will take before industry leaders Rush Limbaugh and Howie Carr are also removed from the station’s lineup.

Beyond that, WRKO is for the first time ever run by local managers without any experience programming talk radio. With their flawed decision-making, that lack of format expertise shows. In addition, it appears that one local executive is attempting to impose her own tastes on an unwilling audience.

While we understand that airing Red Sox games will likely boost evening ratings, there is simply no justification for throwing away the rest of the station’s schedule, especially when there’s no evidence that planned changes could improve the station’s ratings and revenue.

Watching the wholly unnecessary implosion of a great heritage talk radio station is sad, but hopefully preventable. Now, WRKO’s many listeners must make their voices heard, before it is too late.

Sleazy Talk Deal Means Felon Avoids Punishment

Despite the new felony conviction of a sleazy, unpopular former Democrat Party legislator, a key WRKO / Boston manager continues to dig in her heels on a dubious programming move, seemingly without regard for the damage it will do to the station.

Meanwhile, disgust over former Massachusetts House Speaker Tom Finneran’s felony conviction yesterday continued to generate anger today, particularly over the light “punishment” received for his guilty plea on perjury charges.

Here’s a newspaper editorial (and another here) that sums up the situation perfectly:

Somewhere in the definition of arrogance lies a propensity for saying things even the speaker knows aren’t true, a tendency to intentionally overreach, even when it’s not necessary, to remind everyone else that you can get away with anything.

That may be the best explanation for why Tom Finneran lied on the witness stand in a civil suit challenging a legislative redistricting passed by the House in 2001. Even in a town that has produced such paragons of arrogance as Billy Bulger and John Silber, Finneran’s arrogance can be breathtaking.

Everyone knew Finneran’s fingerprints were all over the redistricting map; that’s how the redistricting process works. But, when called to testify about the action, he said he had no role whatsoever in designing the map in question.

That part of Finneran’s testimony was so unbelievable that the judge questioned it in a footnote in the opinion ruling the new districts violated the civil rights of minority voters in some Boston neighborhoods. That footnote inspired an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office and an indictment of the then-house speaker for perjury. The case was closed yesterday, with Finneran pleading guilty to obstruction of justice.

If not for WRKO’s interest, however, Finneran really would take a hit, as he is losing his pension, right to vote, carry a weapon or run for office. In addition, his plum job overseeing the state’s biotech council is now said to be on shaky ground.

As a result, it’s really WRKO’s Julie Kahn who is determined to ensure that Finneran escape punishment, as she’s standing at the ready with a pot of gold to reward a notorious Beacon Hill crony.

This is despite Finneran’s lack of talk radio experience, in fact, he’s yet to do a single show on the increasingly- troubled station. Nobody knows if Finneran could last a month without realizing just how difficult it is to host a daily drivetime talk show, much less be entertaining or compelling. Most former politicians fail in talk radio for this very reason.

As an insider with many fellow crooks to protect on Beacon Hill, Finneran is the opposite of what one would consider a potentially successful host to be. Instead of taking on corruption, he’ll be there to defend it, as a convicted felon himself.

For an example of what does work, look to WRKO’s Howie Carr, (seen in this photo) who has spent decades skewering the very people Finneran protects, with the ratings to back up his rhetoric. He spent most of yesterday’s show lambasting Finneran, with callers in full support of Carr’s position.

That’s why this deal, which would pay Finneran many times more than even experienced hosts could ever expect to make, appears dirty more than anything else. At the salary level on the table now, even the best potential ratings and revenue could never hope to make up for his high cost. Finneran may very well end up making more than Carr, which smacks of shady dealing in itself.

In addition, in a concession to his clear lack of attributes for hosting a daily morning drive show in a large market, Finneran will likely be paired with a co- host. That brings the overall cost into the stratosphere, up to Air America levels.

Beyond the sleazy Finneran deal, Kahn has been busy rearranging WRKO’s schedule to fit her own liberal political beliefs, rather than maintaining the conservative programming that has served the station very well for years. That’s despite the utter failure of libtalk in the Boston market.

One WRKO host even switched his previous on- air opposition to moonbat Governor Deval Patrick to a supportive stance, which probably saved his job, at least for the short run. However, the moment his views conflict with Kahn’s, even by accident, expect him to go as well.

Clearly, at no point is there any consideration of what would build an audience or an advertising base, it’s simply one of the nation’s worst radio managers forcing her own will upon a listenership that is already scrambling for alternatives.

Due to her clear lack of programming expertise, Kahn has yet to learn what will be a painful future lesson: you can’t force an audience to listen to what are your own personal tastes.

Julie, if you have any questions about this, simply contact the many former Air America executives who are now busy clogging unemployment lines in New York City.

UPDATE: Boston Globe now reports Finneran will likely lose the biotech position:

Thomas M. Finneran, the former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who pleaded guilty yesterday to obstruction of justice, will likely lose his $416,000 a year job as president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council after its board of directors meets Monday to decide his future, according to a person familiar with the board’s discussions.

Finneran is hoping to keep his post as the state’s top biotechnology lobbyist despite pleading guilty to a felony, said another source who is close to him. Allies and legislators have been calling board members to express their support for Finneran.

But the guilty plea makes Finneran too much of a liability to keep as spokesman for an industry dealing with important regulatory and public-relations issues, said the source familiar with the board’s discussions. The 20-member panel, which includes executives from biotechnology and drug companies with offices in Massachusetts, is ultimately expected to ask Finneran to resign.

Finneran is in discussions with the radio station WRKO to host a talk show, a job he was hoping to take while keeping his biotech post, said a person close to the former speaker.

AMAZING: Finneran hopes to “phone in” the radio job while keeping the biotech position! Apparently he has no concept of prep time or what it might take to pull off an entertaining daily show. This is already shaping up to be a major disaster.