AFL-CIO, DeFazio, and Multnomah Democrats endorse Save KPOJ campaign
Kari Chisholm
Lots of big news for the Save KPOJ campaign - as it's picking up steam, rather than slowing down. It's up to 8395 signers on the petition now, and just shy of 3000 fans on the Save KPOJ Facebook page.
Not only that, but three formal endorsements have come in, from the Oregon AFL-CIO, Congressman Peter DeFazio, and the Multnomah County Democrats.
Congressman Peter DeFazio:
Over the years, I've appeared many times on progressive talk radio station KPOJ. Now, the station's progressive talk format has been silenced and in its place Portland will have another sports only radio station. I'm a sports fan, but KPOJ made an invaluable contribution to our community by offering compelling progressive discourse. Referencing Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, don't distract the masses! Please join me in signing the Save KPOJ petition.
The AFL-CIO's Tom Chamberlain:
Our community relies on KPOJ, and on Carl’s local morning show. Our board passed a resolution calling on our organization to do whatever we can to bring back progressive talk radio to Portland, starting with sending a letter to local and national Clear Channel executives. I’d encourage every organization whose members listened to KPOJ to do the same, and work with us to bring back this valuable community asset.
And the Multnomah County Democrats:
The Multnomah County Democrats are shocked and dismayed at the disappearance of progressive radio, KPOJ AM 620 from the Portland market. For more than 8 years, KPOJ has provided the lone 24/7 progressive political voice in a market composed primarily of Democratic and progressive constituents.
The loss of the progressive format creates a void that no other existing Portland radio programming fills. Additionally, KPOJ provided direct community service via frequent PSAs, ads and guest spots that provided valuable, usable information to the progressive listener. We strongly support the return of progressive radio format to Portland.
We urge ALL interested individual, businesses and organizations to sign the petition as a first step in bringing progressive radio back to Portland and NW Oregon.
Meanwhile, Mike Papantonio - host of the Ring of Fire show, once heard on KPOJ - said on the Ed Schultz Show yesterday that there may be cause for legal action. He brings particular credibility, since he's the president of the National Trial Lawyers Association. Watch the video for his reasoning. I'm no lawyer, and I'm generally skeptical, but he makes a plausible argument.
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11:14 a.m.
Nov 15, '12
Can you believe this guy?
http://bojack.org/2012/11/portland_radio_and_the_big_ble.html#comments
4:35 p.m.
Nov 15, '12
Oh, yeah. I can believe that guy.
2:19 p.m.
Nov 15, '12
BoJack radio - ugh. but he may be correct about one thing. While the effort is coined "Save KPOJ" right now, the likelihood is that progressive radio would return on another frequency. In other markets where progressive radio has left, then returned, it's either been on a different place on the dial, or specific syndicated programs have moved into certain timeslots.
Nonetheless, the loss of progressive radio in Portland is significant to a decent sized portion of the community, and writing this off as a business propositon glosses over 2 points.
ONE. Clear Channel orchestrated the effort to devalue KPOJ over a significant time period. Like ANY product, a radio brand needs marketing. When Clear Channel canned KPOJ Mgr. Mike Dirx 2 years ago, they plopped all the promotional details into the lap of one fellow that sees after ALL Portland Clear Channel stations. KPOJ got short shrift, and this was the writing on the wall. Do not think for a moment that the powers that be at CC threw up their hands one morning and said "Oh MY, progressive radio doesn't make money!" They simply ensured that KPOJ would never rise above its respectable, but mid-range ratings in AM radio.
-Part of the coup is the slick shifting of Blazer broadcasts from KEX 1190 to KPOJ. This move will ensure that KPOJ doesn't drop off a cliff in the Arbitrons. Blazer listeners will keep KPOJ as a preset, even though its the 3rd all-sports station in a weak metro sports market.
-This latter fact plays into the aspects OF the "business decision" mantra. A true boast to ratings on 620 could have been assimilating Blazer bradcasts AND retaining progressive format. New listeners could have been attracted from both listening audiences.
TWO. The 4th Estate has crumbled to the point of condemnation and demolition. Media deregulation and the unresticted fattening of the Big 5 media giants have created an American market in which spitting bullies like Limbaugh and offensive racists like Coulter can spew their bile and be heard fom the deepest valley to the loneliest mountaintop w/o interuption, and usually with repitition.
The call of this as a "business decision" is a pale utterance when we examine what the 4th Estate was meant to be - an uninhibited forum by which a range of ideas and news could be shred, fully informing and educating the citizenry.
90% of the political prattle on the air is right wing flem, but despite the massive effort to silence opposing, liberal viewpoints, the right is still unable to convince the American majority that the rightie way is the right way.
But, hey, they figure a little more corporate censorship couldn't hurt..