KRMG Loses All Credibility

[Glenn Quagmire]

http://krmg.com/features/teapartytulsa.html

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=62867554108
Wait, who's that on facebook?  Oh it's Joe Kelley, host of the KRMG Morning News, inviting you to come to the Tea Party.

How do KRMG and KFAQ come away from April 15 as having any credibility with anyone besides the tea party crowd?

[Matt Bradley]

Where's the conflict? Joe is the host of the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelly just as Neil Boortz is the host of the Neil Boortz show. Joe does not read the news. He is separate from the news team. It is not the KRMG News "from" Joe Kelly, it's "with" Joe Kelly. The news team takes care of the news through Dan, Glen, Nicole etc. Joe offers his opinion on the news of the day the same way you hear Boortz & Rush. KRMG's P1's are conservatives and this event is something that helps KRMG connect with those listeners. The bond is strengthened between listener and radio station through these events.

[Glenn Quagmire]

Matt,
1.) So if Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams or Katie Couric of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric were leading a pro-Obama or pro-McCain rally via their blog would you have a problem with it? But yourself in the listener's shoes, not a PD's shoes.
If Joe wants to host the KRMG's morning show, that's fine.  Call it the Joe Kelley show, or Joe Kelley, or JK in the morning, but the "KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley" is deceiving to the listener.
2.) I don't know how old you are Matt, how long you've worked for Cox Radio, or how long you've lived in Tulsa. Never in my life has KRMG engaged in a political organizing event.  They've held raft races, held community events (Kennel of Care, Al the can-can man, etc...), covered sports, news, weather, you name it. NEVER has KRMG resorted to organizing a conservative political event.
3.) The bond is strengthened?  How?  By sacrificing credibility to connect with a few hundred people at a park? Seriously?
When I click on KRMG's homepage to find everything from marching orders to merchandising, Joe, Rick Couri and everyone else who I've heard on the air this week attempt to describe these as grassroots events is lying.
4.) How can a station have credibility with its listeners if its lying to its listeners? How can I believe a word Joe or Rick say when they're blatanly lying to their listeners?
5.) Why is KRMG/Cox Radio going in this direction? And by this direction I mean embracing this radical/fringe element of the Republican Party?

[Matt Bradley]

Matt,
1.) So if Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams or Katie Couric of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric were leading a pro-Obama or pro-McCain rally via their blog would you have a problem with it? Put yourself in the listener's shoes, not a PD's shoes. If Joe wants to host the KRMG's morning show, that's fine.  Call it the Joe Kelley show, or Joe Kelley, or JK in the morning, but the "KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley" is deceiving to the listener.

It's not the same situation. Joe is not a news anchor or a news reporter. He is a show host. He does not report the news. This is where the confusion comes in. It's not the KRMG Morning News from Joe Kelley. Just like when you tune into Bill O'Reilly, you are getting commentary with news at the top and bottom of the hour.

2.) I don't know how old you are Matt, how long you've worked for Cox Radio, or how long you've lived in Tulsa. Never in my life has KRMG engaged in a political organizing event.  They've held raft races, held community events (Kennel of Care, Al the can-can man, etc...), covered sports, news, weather, you name it. NEVER has KRMG resorted to organizing a conservative political event.

I understand where you are coming from. KRMG is now the voice of the conservative movement and it's shows hosts are all conservative Republicans. It's news is separate from that.

3.) The bond is strengthened?  How?  By sacrificing credibility to connect with a few hundred people at a park? Seriously?
When I click on KRMG's homepage to find everything from marching orders to merchandising, Joe, Rick Couri and everyone else who I've heard on the air this week attempt to describe these as grassroots events is lying.

I believe the number was closer to 3,000 throughout the day. (That was the guess of the number of people talked about in the hallways.)

If you click on the news page you won't find any of those things listed above: http://krmg.com/news/index.html

4.) How can a station have credibility with its listeners if its lying to its listeners? How can I believe a word Joe or Rick say when they're blatantly lying to their listeners?

What did they say that is a lie?

5.) Why is KRMG/Cox Radio going in this direction? And by this direction I mean embracing this radical/fringe element of the Republican Party?

Are you just mad that there were tea parties in general? This tea party represents the mood of those who mostly vote Republican right now. This gives the KRMG  P1's a chance to not only gather and vent but a chance to hear their representatives and give them a piece of their mind as well. The core audience that listens to KRMG was at work and even though several people did not have the chance to attend they heard their favorite radio station step up and give them a voice.

[JournalGuy]

Matt, it looks like both KFAQ and KRMG are being attacked by Glenn.  Not sure which group he has worked for in the past, but he is not a happy FORMER employee. 

Glenn, is anybody doing a good job in this market?  I am not attacking you, just curious.  Did you like Michael DelGiorno, John Erling, Chris Medlock or anyone else from the past?

[NightAire]

JournalGuy,

In the "take it outside" thread he said he liked John Erling.

Hope that helps.

[stan]

Perhaps Quagmire would be happy if Chuck Adams came back to radio at KRMG, since he predated Erhling.

[Glenn Quagmire]

KRMG is lying by: Joe and Rick describing tea parties as a grass roots effort when in fact they are heavily promoted and organized by conservative media outlets like KRMG. In fact I'm sure this web page, http://krmg.com/features/teapartytulsa.html, was put together by Joe and/or Rick themselves. Why are they telling people these are grass roots efforts when they are SUGGESTING to their listeners what to write on their freakin' protest signs. Slogans such as the following I found on KRMG's website: Obama has a Crisis of Competence
Why Should I Pay for YOUR Bad Decisions, Restore the Republic, Revolt Against Socialism, Sleep? I'll Sleep When Conservatives Run Congress

Matt, Cox Radio and KRMG are crossing a fine line by broadcasting programs with conservative viewpoints to engaging in political protests. This is the kind of behavior that could get something like the Fairness Doctrine reinstated or a broadcast license revoked by the FCC. I dare you to find me a broadcast station (outside of maybe San Francisco) that is rallying its listeners to join in political causes.

I know the radio business is hurting. If you work at Journal you know this by your lighter paycheck this month. 

But is the radio business so desperate, it will sacrifice its integrity just to keep listeners? I feel like the guy in 2004/2005 saying something's not right with all these sub-prime mortgages.  Many of you who work in radio in this market are rolling your eyes or thinking I'm saying this b/c I'm politically opposed to tea parties.

I'm not against tea parties or any political protests, I'll say it again, it's your God given right as an American. What I'm AGAINST is newscasters promoting political protests (see Brian Gann/KFAQ thread) and stations KRMG and KFAQ included, organizing political protests and then trying to tell people these protests are your idea not theirs when they (KRMG radio) is telling you what to put on your protest sign.

For God's sake Joe Kelley was having people RSVP to the damn thing from his facebook page!

Does the FCC have to come in and start pulling licenses or reinstating fairness doctrines for you all to wake up and smell the coffee? I would be just as militant about this if East or West Coast "Liberal" stations were organizing Obama rallies or anti-Bush rallies.  It's one thing for hosts to do this, but for a station to get involved is wrong. And for an opinionmaker (Joe Kelley or Rick Couri) to tell people these things are grass roots and to be having people RSVP through you and telling people what to put on your protest sign is lying to your listener.

You (Tulsa news radio stations) are losing massive amounts of credibility with people over this. May or may not show up in a diary, but
many people I know think this week's event crossed an ethical line.

And for Journalguy who brought up who do I like or dislike from the Tulsa radio market. I think the vast majority of people both past and present are extremely talented, regardless of political philosophy or off-air behavior.

[radioman148]

KRMG is lying by: Joe and Rick describing tea parties as a grass roots effort when in fact they are heavily promoted and organized by conservative media outlets like KRMG. In fact I'm sure this web page, http://krmg.com/features/teapartytulsa.html, was put together by Joe and/or Rick themselves. Why are they telling people these are grass roots efforts when they are SUGGESTING to their listeners what to write on their freakin' protest signs. Slogans such as the following I found on KRMG's website: Obama has a Crisis of Competence
Why Should I Pay for YOUR Bad Decisions, Restore the Republic, Revolt Against Socialism, Sleep? I'll Sleep When Conservatives Run Congress

Matt, Cox Radio and KRMG are crossing a fine line by broadcasting programs with conservative viewpoints to engaging in political protests. This is the kind of behavior that could get something like the Fairness Doctrine reinstated or a broadcast license revoked by the FCC. I dare you to find me a broadcast station (outside of maybe San Francisco) that is rallying its listeners to join in political causes.

I know the radio business is hurting. If you work at Journal you know this by your lighter paycheck this month. 

But is the radio business so desperate, it will sacrifice its integrity just to keep listeners? I feel like the guy in 2004/2005 saying something's not right with all these sub-prime mortgages.  Many of you who work in radio in this market are rolling your eyes or thinking I'm saying this b/c I'm politically opposed to tea parties.

I'm not against tea parties or any political protests, I'll say it again, it's your God given right as an American. What I'm AGAINST is newscasters promoting political protests (see Brian Gann/KFAQ thread) and stations KRMG and KFAQ included, organizing political protests and then trying to tell people these protests are your idea not theirs when they (KRMG radio) is telling you what to put on your protest sign.

For God's sake Joe Kelley was having people RSVP to the damn thing from his facebook page!

Does the FCC have to come in and start pulling licenses or reinstating fairness doctrines for you all to wake up and smell the coffee? I would be just as militant about this if East or West Coast "Liberal" stations were organizing Obama rallies or anti-Bush rallies.  It's one thing for hosts to do this, but for a station to get involved is wrong. And for an opinionmaker (Joe Kelley or Rick Couri) to tell people these things are grass roots and to be having people RSVP through you and telling people what to put on your protest sign is lying to your listener.

You (Tulsa news radio stations) are losing massive amounts of credibility with people over this. May or may not show up in a diary, but
many people I know think this week's event crossed an ethical line.

And for Journalguy who brought up who do I like or dislike from the Tulsa radio market. I think the vast majority of people both past and present are extremely talented, regardless of political philosophy or off-air behavior.

Quit crying already. If you don't like it, don't listen.

[Matt Bradley]

Joe & Rick did not lie. The event would have happened with or without them.

http://okfortea.com/

Glen, I'm not going to keep arguing about this. I am just too busy since plans are underway for the next TEA Party! Make plans to join us on July 4th!

giggity