Re: Howie Carr

[ASchinella@aol.com]

Really great points Steve and quite valid when you look at WRKO's plummeting
numbers and nose-dive ad revs. It is funny when you look at what they used to
do, with Jerry Williams on and what they do now with Dr. Loudmouth on tape-
delay (is it true that she isn't a Doctor? I never heard that...) 
You are also correct in what you were saying about Jerry Williams and the seat
belt repeal. I know that Jerry's old cohort, Barbara Anderson, of CLT&G, was
really frustrated by the lack of coverage their "Promise to Keep: 5%" petition
drive received from talk radio this year and last. BTW, after the challenges
from various interest groups they failed to get on the ballot by less than 50
signatures. That would've NEVER happened a few years ago. 
Also, if anyone remembers, look at the coverage the 1996 elections received on
talk radio compared to 1992. It was awful in 1996. And it was almost like the
WRKO staff didn't want to go to NH to cover the primary! Unheard of in the
past.
I am also in WRKO's targeted demographic (18-54) and even as a fan of the talk
format, I find it really hard to listen lately. The new morning show is awful:
Jeff Katz spouting lame wisecracks and Darlene McCarthy, in perfect dip-mode,
giggling endlessly. Putrid. They make Stern look intelligent. 
As for Howie Carr, I can tolerate him, although I don't last long listening to
it. It is funny because he has always said that "The Chump Line" was his idea
when he actually stole the idea from Alan Colmes who had his "Graffiti Phone"
line for years before Howie was even on the air! The funny thing about the
chump line is that it allows the callers who can't get through, to leave
messages, often at the cost of the host. So it does have some redeeming
qualities. 
Here's hoping the old days of talk, if not on WRKO, some other station with
the guts not to talk down to people, returns sometime soon. 

Tony
   

In a message dated 6/7/98 4:28:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time, steve5@tiac.net
writes:

<< ????? What kind of jibberish is this?  The folks we're referring to
 (Jerry Williams, etc.) aren't "water cooler" topic hosts.  When they
 were on prime time, they were talking about the most serious "meat &
 potatoes issues.  Does anyone on this list remember when Jerry Williams
 started a drive on his afternoon show back in the late 80s to get the
 seat belt law repealed?  ONE RADIO STATION, not a network, did this with
 one host beating up one issue.  If I recall correctly, the set belt law
 was repealled due to this attention.  No, sorry sir, the hosts of old on
 WRKO before this shock talk radio format took over NEVER did
 "supermarket gripes".  Boston, more than any other city is a town
 seething in politics. It was due, I feel, primarilly to Gene Burns &
 Jerry Williams that the real truth about Mike Dukakis bankrupting this
 state and abandoning it during his 1988 bid for President got out and
 Bill Weld was elected in 1990.   These issues are NOT covered like that
 now on any station in Boston, especially WRKO.  Seems to me that the
 host who covers issues the most thoroughly  works at the supposed
 "everyday" station.  And he's a liberal.
 
 If CBS keeps 680 and insists on insult radio it really would be a
 shame.  They better get used to dwindling numbers.  Perhaps WRKO would
 have more success with a "rewind" 60s music format.  Would be more
 interesting than Howie, Not-A-Dr. Laura and Two mouths flapping.  I'd
 actually listen to a good top 40 with oldies format on AM.  (Course,
 since they insist on second rate talk hosts, they'd probably use high
 school kids for dj's - or worse yet - a computer or satellite!)
 
 BTW, I'm 34.  Not exactly in the "ancient" demographic which some have
 said issues talk belongs with.
 
 Steve Sawyer. >>

------------------------------