Mike and Jon gone from WHMI

[Mike]

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook - they're not in broadcasting, instead the post was due to the politics.

Jon points the finger at Livingston County Republican Party chair (and current candidate for the county's Board of Commissioners) Meghan Reckling and advertiser Steve Gronow of Chestnut Development: https://thelivingstonpost.com/king-name ... from-whmi/

[Musicrewired]

The statement from WHMI was a poorly-written and vague attempt to deflect the controversy away from themselves by denying a couple of the theories being presented. Their "We wish the two of them all the best!" line especially comes off as a limp wave-off to their time at the station.

It's not surprising that some individuals in the community voiced their issues with the coverage as it was mentioned. That's how things are now. It is surprising that the station thought it was best to try and redirect the news coverage so those complaining would be appeased.

WHMI doesn't really deserve to call what they present "news" if they feel the direction should be dictated by outside forces. The station should just sell air-time to these people and let them make their statements directly, and stay out of reporting if it's not something they care to stand behind.

[Mega Hertz]

Saying "Livingston County Republican" is like saying "water fish" or "sky bird".

[whitebalance]

Maybe Steve needs a buy his own station or learn to change the channel.

[ZenithCKLW]

Audio interview and article posted by Michigan Radio: https://www.michiganradio.org/show/stat ... io-station

[Mega Hertz]

You have to realize where we are, also. The studios are a quarter mile from where there were still Trump rallies...last summer. This is a VERY deep red area. It was only a matter of time before something like this went down.

On another note, I used to be able to pull the lever for the R candidate. In my life, I've seen the Republican party go from the party that used to wanna use less water to put out the burning house, to the party who just stood and said "no" when asked to help put out the burning house to where we are now... The party who throws more gas on the burning house while talking shit about the residents.

My parents always told me "If you don't like the behavior the school reports to us, then give them something better to report to us".

[ChrisWL1980]

I live in Whitmore Lake (albeit on the Washtenaw side, but Livingston County is literally a stone's throw away) and my area seemed to be about 50/50 Trump/Biden during the 2020 election. On East Shore Drive one could see a Trump flag-flying house and a Black Lives Matter flag-flying house side by side. That said, the Trump supporters tend to be more vocal in their support.
Not a good look considering Livingston's past as a KKK stronghold, but old habits die hard.

[audiophile]

Statement of Krol Communications: https://www.whmi.com/news/article/41200

Something about that statement completely stinks and completely suspicious. Seems as these 2 leaving, and their subsequent statements of why, have blown up on WHMI. Statement seems like it’s more of the station trying to cover their butts….

I worked for Krol in Lansing, many many years ago. I also worked with Jon King, in Detroit, quite a number of years after that. From my own experience, and without going into specifics, I would believe Krol. I don't even have to think about it.

That's good to know.

It sounds like the news guy had trouble following the management's instructions.

The fact he was quoted in the article stating "Please stop reporting things that are going to make our advertisers mad..."

That say's I all I need to know. That's exactly the rub!

Both sides are more or saying the argument was over that, and the news guy is in wrong here if he can't follow that. It's not hard to do that, if you know how to write.

[Musicrewired]

If the news department has to run the gauntlet of advertisers' likes, dislikes and impetuous phone calls to the radio station, then it's not really news reporting any longer.

They can call it news and play that game, but the facts then take a backseat to not offending advertisers. Who's really in charge when that happens?

[Mega Hertz]

If the news department has to run the gauntlet of advertisers' likes, dislikes and impetuous phone calls to the radio station, then it's not really news reporting any longer.

They can call it news and play that game, but the facts then take a backseat to not offending advertisers. Who's really in charge when that happens?

Bingo.

[Mega Hertz]

If the news department has to run the gauntlet of advertisers' likes, dislikes and impetuous phone calls to the radio station, then it's not really news reporting any longer.

They can call it news and play that game, but the facts then take a backseat to not offending advertisers. Who's really in charge when that happens?

This from the "fake news" and "MSDNCABCBS" crowd. I thought they wanted straight, unfiltered FACTS?

[Plate Cap]

Statement of Krol Communications: https://www.whmi.com/news/article/41200

And, Maria Stewart's response.

https://thelivingstonpost.com/award-win ... -king-out/

Krol *hit the bed on this one.

That said, this is just another lesson in bias in news reporting. If news items regularly become editorials, even just a little, this sort of thing will continue to happen, and simply become a war of attrition. The net effect is polarization and overall distrust of 'news' sources.

A nod to TC on his post.....terrestrial radio is a 45+ source, and those listeners are not up for these sorts of games. They will look elsewhere, and stay elsewhere. 'HMI will take a permanent hit on this one.....they better hope Gronow spends a LOT of money on his home construction spots.

[audiophile]

If the news department has to run the gauntlet of advertisers' likes, dislikes and impetuous phone calls to the radio station, then it's not really news reporting any longer.

They can call it news and play that game, but the facts then take a backseat to not offending advertisers. Who's really in charge when that happens?

No, you are WAY overthinking this. I did work for a station owner that would call of the satellite feed and say "what you just did is costing me money!"

It wasn't anything about a local advertiser, just that the "click" of radios was being heard by all the nonsense.

From the linked article below you see it wasn't just about specific advertiser:

"WHMI () covered some recent controversial stories in the community, from COVID and vaccinations and misinformation to Drag Queen Bingo to President Joe Biden’s visit to Howell."

Drag Queen Bingo is news story? Not! I see why Krol would have conversation with this guy about those radios going "click". Besides, gambling on the air can be a serious FCC issue. Krol has owned the station for 6 years and it might have been getting old. The view from your cheap seat must be pretty good, LOL. Seriously, I can't walk in Krol's shoes, and you can't either.

[Matt]

If the news department has to run the gauntlet of advertisers' likes, dislikes and impetuous phone calls to the radio station, then it's not really news reporting any longer.

They can call it news and play that game, but the facts then take a backseat to not offending advertisers. Who's really in charge when that happens?

No, you are WAY overthinking this. I did work for a station owner that would call of the satellite feed and say "what you just did is costing me money!"

It wasn't anything about a local advertiser, just that the "click" of radios was being heard by all the nonsense.

From the linked article below you see it wasn't just about specific advertiser:

"WHMI () covered some recent controversial stories in the community, from COVID and vaccinations and misinformation to Drag Queen Bingo to President Joe Biden’s visit to Howell."

Drag Queen Bingo is news story? Not! I see why Krol would have conversation with this guy about those radios going "click". Besides, gambling on the air can be a serious FCC issue. Krol has owned the station for 6 years and it might have been getting old. The view from your cheap seat must be pretty good, LOL. Seriously, I can't walk in Krol's shoes, and you can't either.

You're the arbiter of what is news and what isn't? Why don't you just stick to anti-vax and "save me jebus" propaganda?

[Mega Hertz]

"Gambling on the air can be a serious FCC issue"

Have you listened to any stations to the right of 92.1? That's all you hear all day is Bet Rivers this and Sports Book that. That's not the issue. The issue is they didn't jump on the air and say "JOE BIDEN CAUSES 93% OF ALL CANCERS"! Five dollars and my right nut says that would have been a-okay.