| We had a major weather event this week -- more than a foot of wet snow on Tuesday that closed everything and knocked out power to tens of thousands.
I didn't lose power, but for those who did, and the rest of us wondering what's happening, WGY, especially Roney's live show, was the station to turn to.
Aside from weather updates, Roney performed the public service that WGY has done for decades -- coordinating live reports from WGY news staff and callers with expert guests who help listeners get through the ordeal.
Major tip, repeated many times -- make sure your emergency generator is outside, NOT in the garage, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
WGY is an historic radio station, created by General Electric in the 1920s, and broadcasting at 50,000 watts "which covers much of the Northeast by day and much of the eastern United States by night."
Until relatively recently, WGY offered mostly local programming. But since it was bought by Clear Channel in 1999, it became a lot more national, and wingnut -- aside from a local, nonpolitical, old-fart morning show, the rest of the Monday-Friday lineup is now Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Levin and Coast-to Coast weirdness overnight.
Three and a half local hours, out of 24.
Radio is a business, and syndicated programming is a lot cheaper than local programming. And Beck will probably do as well or better in the ratings than Roney, without any payroll taxes or benefits.
Beck became available when the third-rated talk station in the market gave up and switched formats. Local teabaggers wanted to save their local-teabagger-loving morning show, and organized a mini-protest about that, and they also wanted to save Beck.
Now they have Beck, but they have lost one of their few local radio simapaticos.
Roney emceed (and relentlessly promoted) the local teabaggers' inaugural event on Tax Day last year. He also emceed, with his trademark "Freedom" shout, the teabagger "March on Albany" in June, which attracted just a few hundred, compared to the few thousand on April 15.
Local teabaggers are not happy about Roney being fired in favor of Beck.
In part because he's local, and Beck's not (each graf is a separate commenter):
WGY lost me, I want to know what is going on localy. You gave up Al for Glenn, how could you? He IS the best local guy around, kept us abreast of everything going on in OUR area. Glenn Beck doesn't give a fig about what is going on in Albany.
I'm sick over this, Al had a great show and one hell of a guy too. That leaves WGY with no local talent, what a sin. I'm sorry Al!
I AM FURIOUS! I love Al! What a fresh, and great LOCAL spin on what is happening around the Capital District! I do like Glen Beck - and have been listening to him for a long time. BUT - I LOVE AL!
This could have been handled much better. They should have dumped that annoying Don Weeks (the local, nonpolitical, old-fart morning host) and moved Al into his time slot.
Al Roney should be receiving awards for service to our community - not being canned by WGY! He's the only voice that I listen to regarding national, NYS and local issues AND no-one anywhere else handles information during local weather emergencies as Al does - he's irreplacable and nothing against Glenn Beck, but his radio program is no where near the level of professional competency as Al's is. How can we keep Al - who wants to start a new radio station in the Capital District???? I do!
Dump Don Weeks! We want Roney during "prime-time" drive time!
I have to say I agree with the teabaggers here.
Roney is more moderate than most media types jumping on the teabagger bandwagon.
He's populist, but not far-right wingnut about it.
And he does deal with local and state issues, of which there are many that we all can agree about.
But, for WGY, he was a $50K or so expense.
Beck was cheaper than that, and that's all Clear Channel cares about.
And Beck will only discuss NY and/or Albany-area issues if Van Jones is involved. |
