Re: Opie & Anthony prank

[Steve & Barb Sawyer <steve5@tiac.net>]

Has anyone tried to look at this from the supposed audience's point of view?
WAAF management must believe that: 1. their listeners thought that prank was
funny, and 2. those who don't approve will make plenty of noise, or they wouldn't
have pulled a prank like this.

Outside the mayor's office, has anyone heard any actual public outcry, aside from
those of us in this group?  I haven't.

Here's an off the wall observation of some of WAAF's listeners:
Last year about this time, the afternoon guys were doing a sort of Russian
Roulette--- listeners spun an imaginary wheel (carted), and when it stopped,
they'd pull the trigger of a gun (carted).  If the gun went off, the listener
would win a prize...(I forgot what).  I remember making a comment to a co-worker
at the temp place I was working at, who was younger than I, as to how horrified
that suck a thing as Russian Roulette could be promoted on a station which was
geared towards young people who are already prone to violence with weapons.  The
person I told this to told me to lighten up, besides WAAF is the "Coolest station
anywhere".   Of course, IMHO, playing a game of Russian Roulette on a teen
station is the same as placing Marlboro commercials in the local high school
cafeteria, but that's a different discussion...

Dib9 wrote:

> I don't approve of the prank at all.  It was clearly tasteless and
> inappropriate, but I have to point out that even untruthful statements are
> protected by the First Amendment.  (The President can even lie under oath and
> get away with it.)  I don't think any FCC action is appropriate and a lawsuit
> would be a waste of time because Mayor Menino is a public figure and would
> have a very hard time proving damages.  We shouldn't be so quick to look to
> the government to redress all grievances.

The only thing media moguls understand is $$$$$.  Were a large enough lawsuit
directed at WAAF, or better, ARS, and drawn out long enough, station managements
everywhere would take notice.

Sadly, gags like WAAF's prank, and even the smallest enforcement actions seem to
only serve as another reason for small and medium markets to automate and further
satellite feed, which puts folks like me out of a job.

Steve Sawyer

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