Posted by Yacko on December 18, 2009 at 19:29:50:
In the newest media blog by Robert Feder on Vocalo.org & RobertFeder.com, he looks at a Facebook page for frustrated fans of Kathy & Judy, who were relived of their microphones from WGN-AM many months back. A not-so-jolly yuletide poem about WGN was sent out to the over 600 supporters of that Facebook page. It is reprinted on Robert's blog. Robert also looks at a few other meatier media matters including Dave Santrella's promotion, some new ABC7 News special programs, a new honor for Chicago's Weigel Broadcasting, and more.
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Angry Kathy & Judy fans get in the holiday spirit
Jonathon Brandmeier isn’t the only would-be poet out there when it comes to delivering angry diatribes against clueless radio bosses. Just as his deliciously wicked comic/rap music video (titled “Johnny B. The Unemployed Radio Mo Fo”) was getting nationwide attention Wednesday, supporters of two other former Chicago radio stars were on a rampage of their own.
Fans of Kathy O’Malley and Judy Markey still haven’t gotten over the midday duo’s firing last May after an extraordinary 20-year run at Tribune Co.-owned news/talk WGN-AM (720). Although they had little in common demographically with Brandmeier’s target audience, Kathy and Judy’s loyal legion of “girlfriends” was every bit as put out by the ham-fisted way WGN dispensed with them. It was a shameful example of station management’s ongoing disrespect and disregard for listeners.
One of the faithful, Laura Keene Hohm, not only established a Facebook page called “Petition to Keep Kathy and Judy on WGN,” but composed a parody poem in the spirit of the holidays. (The Tom Langmyer to whom she refers is the vice president and general manager of WGN. For the record, I emphatically do not believe that he is a “dim-witted louse.” But it does make for a nice rhyme.)
Here is “A Poem for All Girlfriends”:
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Tom Langmyer was stirring, that dim-witted louse.
He read Arbitron ratings, with nausea and fear,
Now knowing ’GN was too low to appear.
“What happened?!” he screamed, “We used to be first!
Then we fired the best, and hired the worst.
With Kathy and Judy, our ad sales were stronger.
But the fans that we had, they listen no longer.”
Now it’s been seven months, and things aren’t the same,
We’ve lost our close gal pals, it’s simply a shame.
We won’t soon forget, that dark day in May
When our two best girlfriends, they took them away.
No Speak Your Piece Wednesdays, no Sex Talk Thursday.
No Hanukkah stories from Judy, “Oy vey!”
And John Williams, we love you, please don’t get us wrong,
But the nine to noon time slot now seems so darn long!
So it’s Christmas and Santa is checking his list,
And he knows gosh-darned well that the listeners are pissed.
So though they were naughty, please treat them with class.
Give Corporate a pink slip and a kick in the ass!
Happy Holidays to all girlfriends!
Elsewhere on the media beat:
* “Heart & Soul,” a new series of quarterly specials on the culture of Chicago’s African-American community, will debut at 6 p.m. Saturday on ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7. It will be rerun at noon Sunday and streamed on demand at abc7chicago.com. Hosting the first episode will be Cheryl Burton and Hosea Sanders. Alternating hosts and contributors include Jim Rose, Karen Jordan, Charles Thomas, Leah Hope and Evelyn Holmes. Producer is Rubye Wilson.
* Dave Santrella, general manager of Salem Communications’ news/talk WIND-AM (560) and Christian talk WYLL-AM (1160) and operational vice president of the company’s stations in Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Denver and Colorado Springs, has been promoted to president of Salem’s radio division. The move confirms a tip here Nov. 10. Santrella joined Salem in 2001 from CBS Radio all-news WBBM-AM (780), where he was general sales manager.
* Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, parent company of WCIU-Channel 26 (among other local outlets), has been named 2009 Multiplatform Broadcaster of the Year by Broadcasting & Cable magazine. It’s a new award given to the broadcaster “doing the best job of connecting with its audience via the multiple media platforms.”
* How fast, affordable and open should the Internet be? A Federal Communications Commission hearing on how broadband technology can help small businesses spur growth and reach new markets will be held Monday in Chicago. One in a series of hearings on development of a National Broadband Plan, it will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the University of Chicago’s Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive.