Posts tagged talk radio
KCOL Fails Fort Collins during High Park Fire
Jun 20th
I expected to hear Ft Collins news talk radio station 600 KCOL to be pumping out information about the High Park Fire: You know the stuff we residents need right now during a raging wild fire. The latest evacuations, escape routes, where is the Red Cross located? Where can I eat? Where can I sleep?. Is there a medical team , my aunt is having a hard time breathing? Where are are some clean clothes? What roads are open.? Is my house still standing.? Little things like that.
Instead I got the idiot team of Al Malmberg and Sue Sutton acting as though they were on vacation in Disneyland. Worse they were having endless banal jokes about duct tape, her husband, their weight as though the city was not on fire at all. Their insensitivity and and complete lack of broadcast news professionalism is the reason for this column.
This radio station failed so completely to be there for Ft Collins in its greatest time of need, the entire morning show should be fired. The GM should be fired. And Clear channel the corporate vampire should absolutely lose it license to operate this radio station.
When I called Sue and Al, they were insulted that I dare question their programming decisions. They absolutely did not understand why they should suspend all programming and help the community while it burned. That is the chief criteria for an FCC license: Be good stewards of the airwaves we entrust in you. They could have taken calls, brought in volunteers, gotten out information, listened to the fire scanners. Did they do any of that? Hell no. They twiddle twaddled each other. These two are the worst kind of incredibly stupid broadcasters. So thoughtless.
Sue Sutton told duct tape jokes instead of Evacuation routesWhen I talked to the Managing director of the FCC in Washington, he launched an immediate investigation of Al, Sue and KCOL. Nicky Shears the special agent in charge of Colorado called me. She was incensed by the morning show. ” I have been listening and they are not doing much on the fire. I understand your concerns and the concerns of the city. Frankly we are concerned. Every 15 minutes they give very brief update” she said. “We are taking the KCOL situation very seriously and it will not end here, I assure you.” she said.
What could the FCC do. ?? Suspend the KCOL license, yank the million dollar investment from Clear Channel and hand it to a real community minded person for $1.00. They could do that.
Since KCOL radio in Fort Collins Colorado has clearly violated the spirit of broadcasting, the FCC will likely enact some law that will force the local radio station to go on the air and help with the disaster.
To make matters even worse KCOL pumped out Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and other haters all day and night and never addressed the fire at all.
Jann Scott
Jann Scott’s Journal
I never actually met David Letterman, but …
Feb 1st
Before I got into broadcasting , as a guy in his late 20’s I once drove a truck long distance to all 48 states. Letterman had a morning talk show on NBC that was absolutely crazy. So all across america in Truck stop lounge areas, at 10 am weekdays, there would be big burly truckers watching Dave along with Americas housewives. nuff said.
When I started in talk radio in 1987, I hosted a serious programs called Addiction Free Radio but I could not help copying Letterman’s quips. My audience sometimes felt insulted. A new audience found it funny. And thus began my transition from a serious broadcaster to , well what I am now. Jann Scott Live.
Interesting about Letterman is that he was in news broadcasting where he to was fired for being a wise ass weather man. Oh horrors. I have been fired plenty of times for over the top antics.
In 1994 when Vicky our video editor was visting NYC she went to Lettermans show and video taped a piece out side the Ed sullivan Theater as Frann, Janns sister. She actally looked like me in the piece.
Clay, my son went to his show in 1993 and brought me a T-shirt and a post card and door magnet which I still have.
My brother Joe built David Lettermans pool in Connecticut.
I have a signed autograph of David Letterman on my wall. He signed it and sent it to me with a letter written by Lori Diamond thanking me for doing Addiction Free Radio. Letterman is also in recovery. But I have more more time than he does. neener neener neener.
In the late 80s I used to call his office with prank calls. Like, once I told them “we had Daves new Honda ready.” Lori diamond came on the phone, “Dave doesn’t have a new Honda.. she laughed and said Nice try though” I could never get through.
I used to write bits and send them in on his website. They never used any.
A fourteen year old kid I worked with selling coupons actually got his letter read on Letterman.
Finally, in desperation I gave up and decided to just be the best Dave I could be right here in Boulder…
Oh Christ! this was supposed to be about David Lettermans 30th anniversary and some how, again, I made it all about me.
Now I am happy
Jann Scott
Boulder