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A phenomenally comprehensive illustration on how we’ve ruined our media business

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A free press is a sacred trust. We must protect its integrity instead of baking in bias and pretending to be objective. Diversity is good. Group think is not.

Policing. Defunding. Equality. Security. Many voices, many issues, one community

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Following the police shootings of Breonna Taylor and David McAtee, Louisville has been reeling from passionate street protests against police brutality. Riots and looting sprang forth on the edges of the peaceful protests so law enforcement added National Guard troops by order of Governor Andy Beshear.

The move only heightened tensions.

Here are some of the most poignant leadership, legal, and prominent voices who shared a radio microphone with me to talk about solving Louisville’s issues of inequality and cracked security.

As for rioting and looting connected to otherwise peaceful protests:

“America’s most-watched network” CBS slashes news staff…again

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With the coronavirus pandemic pressuring all media companies to tighten belts over lost advertising revenue, CBS News has applied another layer of job cuts. There have been multiple cuts at CBS for months, much of it tied to the network’s merger with Viacom. The pandemic adds another layer of withered finances.

The best guess is that about 10% of the news department was snipped. Other departments including sports, entertainment, and production are also affected. Between 300 and 400 jobs are being slashed.

CBS new staff meeting prior to the coronavirus pandemic social distancing protocols

CBS News president Susan Zirinsky released hazy details during an electronic meeting with employees.

Susan Zirinsky, CBS News president

Although CBS claims to be America’s #1 rated network, it’s a reference to prime time programs. The flagship CBS Evening News and breakfast show CBS This Morning are both perennial third place shows behind NBC and ABC shows in the same time slots.

Zirinsky moved Norah O’Donnell from CBS This Morning to anchor the CBS Evening News but the show has slipped to an even more distant last place position.

Zirinsky is a rough-and-tumble leader who does not mince words in staff meetings or when speaking on the record with other media outlets.

Here’s a sample via The Hollywood Reporter:

via The Hollywood Reporter

In other CBS News, former WHAS news director William J. Small has passed at age 93. Small was pulled up to the big leagues by CBS from affiliate station WHAS where he transformed the look of the network. Small hired women reporters like Louisville’s Diane Sawyer, Leslie Stahl, Connie Chung, and made huge strides in adding African American reporters.

iHeart Radio snatches alt radio crown in Los Angeles, iHeart’s Breakfast Club butts heads with Joe Biden

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Variety.com

iHeart Radio grabbed two pieces of interesting media attention recently. It appears that the radio company’s strategy to pounce on the failings of legendary Los Angeles alternative rocker KROQ are paying off. iHeart rebranded its ALT 98.7 frequency and played the exact music as Entercom’s KROQ, which has been firing long-loved air personalities. Now the iHeart station has nearly doubled the ratings over the once-dominant KROQ using a former KROQ programmer. The slipping KROQ is now lead by a programmer that was by iHeart.

Variety tells the switcheroo story in a long read but radio fans will love reading about the inside maneuvering.

KROQ’s now deposed morning crew of Kevin, Allie, and Jensen

There’s lots of accurate reporting on radio management decisions based on demographics vs. sales, and the issue of whether to let programming age with one generation or to keep spinning back toward younger listeners (now in less abundance). Great radio insights.

And now to a little political drama. iHeart Radio’s popular “The Breakfast Club” co-host Charlamagne Tha God pressed presidential hopeful Joe Biden on issues pertaining to helping African Americans. Biden threw some snark claiming that if an African American didn’t know for sure whether they were voting for Biden, “then you ain’t black.”

Of course that didn’t sit well. A Biden staffer tried to give the former VP the wrap-up cue but Charlamagne
wasn’t having it. Details here from trade sheet ALL ACCESS:

from ALL ACCESS

A tsunami of complaints followed Biden’s dismissive comments.

Now Charlamagne’s opinions are sought in many media sectors. He is demanding that Biden choose an African American woman as his running mate. Charlamagne contends that a white female running mate would create “voter depression.”

The Biden “you’re not black” gaffe spotlights a longtime criticism of white Liberals: they automatically expect to get African American votes by default so there’s no need to woo them.

Here’s the complete Biden interview with Charlamagne, which, in Biden’s defense, was an incredibly generous 17 minutes in length. If an interviewer can’t get to his/her pressing questions within that timeframe, their strategies need tweaking.

Meet my sons Max and Simon Meiners. They’re pretty awesome.

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My sons are clever, creative, and passionate about societal issues. I love when they visit me on the radio or TV. They came by for an extended interview this week. The tweet above links just the Meet the Meiners family segment.

The complete interview segment is here.

Max, Terry, and Simon Meiners (April 21, 2020)

Max Meiners directing a show at WHAS11

Media vs Trump jumps new shark, Orange Man assumes he is King of USA

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Braveheart

Oh look! Time for another presidential press conference!

At his daily combative press briefing to address COVID-19 issues, President Donald Trump played video clips highlighting media voices that affirm his coronavirus response timeline claims.

It was an unusual pushback against the daily hostility media and Trump sling at each other.

Fascinating theater. As expected, the media was not pleased. CNN called Trump’s truth reel propaganda even though it contained their own product.

Headlines dabbled in hysteria.

dailymail.com

It was a brilliant move to thwart a nearly constant media drumbeat claiming Trump administration incompetence in handling the pandemic.

However, Trump’s ubiquitous critics are able to post their own video in response.

A day earlier, media went crazy over a Trump re-tweet the included a #FireFauci hashtag. Dr. Anthony Fauci was on a Sunday morning political show where he referenced “pushback” among experts and Trump administration officials managing the COVID-19 strategies.

Fauci clarified his use of “pushback” and was irked that a media follow up questioned his independence.

The same battle plays out in virtually every Trump press conference. Aggressive questioning – often blurted in the middle of a Trump response – escalates tensions unlike anything witnessed during previous presidential administrations.

Imagine a media person shouting down Barack Obama. Heresy! Try to find critical reporting of Barack Obama the man, not the Obama administration, but Obama personally. It’s rare earth.

2009 White House Correspondents Dinner: “I am Barack Obama. Most of you covered me. All of you voted for me.” (uproarious laughter and applause)

With Trump, the dominant media culture plays the same song in every newscast. What is Trump for? Whatever it is…I’m against it!

Trump bulldozes through media “accountability” questions that were never asked of his predecessor. That says that there is a predetermined narrative in the dominant media culture. Want proof? Tell a media person that they sound pro-Trump on the air (or in print) and watch them lose their mind as they disabuse that notion.

The New York Times

Trump also claimed, incorrectly, that he has the ultimate power to determine when individual states can re-open for regular business. The United States Constitution begs to differ. Governors have final say on matters affecting their particular state, commonwealth, or territory.

NBC News

Note how many times you’ve seen media reports highlighting contradictions in safety claims made by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Crickets.

Eating one’s words is not a delicacy for Trump, Pelosi, or self-proclaimed impartial media egos. The problem is that digital recordings last forever.

Did Earl Schieb do my makeup? That’s a nasty question!

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And that’s a summary of America’s messaging during COVID-19.

But wait! Where’s Fauci! Where is he? Trump had him killed for second guessing him! Trump is a monster! Trump is a dictator! Trump is….oh wait…never mind, America. But thanks for the clicks on our websites! That raises advertising revenue!

Conservative website newsbusters.org is busy running a stopwatch on news narratives.

newsbusters.org

We’ll be back with more partisan hysteria tomorrow! Keep clicking our fair and impartial news stories so we can generate more ad revenue!

YOU MAD BRO? — radio listener swore off my show but accidentally tuned in again only to swear it off again

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Matt Jones on “Burnt Hair” radio, Mitch, poverty, and Kentucky culture

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Kentucky Sports Radio founder Matt Jones popped by my radio studio today to talk about his upcoming book MITCH, PLEASE. It was more than comedy gold, Jerry! It was a great piece of broadcasting about Kentucky, politics, poverty, and promise.

Matt and I trust each other enough to go deep on lots of subjects that would make other broadcasters squirm. Regardless of school rivalry silliness, I want it stated for the record (again) that I think Matt Jones is one of the smartest, most effective media personalities I’ve ever experienced.

Great media material is always a treat. Enjoy.

LISTEN to our 840WHAS chat with Matt and his co-author Chris Tomlin here.

Chris Tomlin, Terry Meiners, and Matt Jones at WHAS studios, January 2, 2020

Communication Breakdown – media mayhem

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Communication is life. Communication creates peace, understanding, and domestic tranquility.

What if someone tried to prevent communication over a cheap little postal stamp?

Exactly.

FRIDAY THE 13TH FINAL
Quite an ecclesiastical roller coaster ride on today’s front page of The Courier Journal 🔥 “Rot in Hell!” 🔥 goes above the fold as 🙏🏽 Jesus Christ Superstar 📸 rides caboose. #loumedia

Friday the 13th of December 2019

And now back to my latest invention. The art of electronics understanding hillbonics.