Winter Fatigue

Have you had it? We may have had colder and snowier winters, but this winter really stands out for so few breaks from cold and storms. We need a break! Now forecasts are calling for a messy Monday as March prepares to come in like a lion. That means more storm cancellations and delays. I deal with the cold better than many, but enough is enough. The treacherous drives into a job where lateness doesn't go over well have been too numerous. We'll be there with the information you need on Soft Rock 106.5. Rebecca may wish her vacation lasted one more day!

A Broadcasting Legend

Whether or not you were among the millions who made ABC Radio commentator Paul Harvey a part of your day, there is no doubt that this man represented the best this business has ever offered. Harvey died at age 90 in Phoenix. His one-of-a-kind delivery combined with a unique ability to blend news with commentary. He was also one of the most effective advertising pitchmen in hstory. Through all the changes in formats and personnel broadcasting is famous for, consistency is really what wins. Paul Harvey delivered that like few others.

A Comedy Classic

Even though I've seen Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" a dozen times, it seemed only right to see it again on this, the 35th anniversary of the movie's release. The groundbreaking - well, windbreaking - comedy classic is fittingly my brother's favorite movie. Even with the passage of time (and yeah, wind) and the deletion of some now politically incorrect lines, this movie is still fresh. Some people may see it as low brow humor, but my advice is to lighten up. Heddy ("that's Hedley") Lamar actually sued Brooks over the use of her name in it. It may also be a "guy thing." "Airplane" from 1980 still tops my list of funny movies, but "Blazing Saddles" is up there.

Score One for Local Station Owners

John Fuller's Red Wolf Broadcasting - the company I work for at WBMW - made some big waves in the radio industry last week with a deal to purchase Hartford's 50,000 watt alternative rocker WURH. SEE THE STORY HERE. "fm104one" covers most of Connecticut and can be heard loud and clear into western Massachusetts. A radio station sale is historically nothing unusual, but broadcasting is anything but business as usual these days. With so many independent owners having sold out to the big conglomerates - and the big media companies now under serious mountains of debt - the story of John Fuller's deal is exceptional. In an era of declining advertising revenues and massive layoffs nationwide, the Red Wolf acquisition is a step in the other direction. If you remain in decent financial shape, this can be a time of opportunity. John understands this and is not afraid to take an informed chance. How will this new 800-pound gorilla in the room (in the next market over, anyway) affect our Ledyard, CT operation? John told me it will be exciting, to which I responded that working for him has always been that. He has a real pro with VP/programming Brian Ram, and one of the best staffs I've ever worked with. Will I end up back in Hartford radio? I'm comfortable with my spot on the Soft Rock 106.5 Wakeup Club, but who knows what change will bring?

Time to End Casino Smoking?

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is leading another effort to phase out smoking at the state's casinos. While there are legitimate issues of tribal sovereignty involved in this issue, I hope the Mohegans and Mashantucket Pequots will step up to the plate and institute their own ban on smoking. It is a public health issue, especially for casino workers exposed to the dangers of second-hand smoke for prolonged periods. They don't have a choice now. I remember when Dunkin' Donuts started a chainwide ban on smoking. People who came to Dunkin' for a caffeine/sugar/nicoteine combo somehow managed to cope without the latter, and business is as brisk as ever. Who would have thought bars could survive smoke-free? Most bars survived, even with the unfair loophole allowing private clubs to let their clientele light up. Will Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun take a hit at a tough time in the economy? Perhaps, but it is the right thing to do. It will not affect business very much in the long term if the examples of other public places prove valid.

UPDATE: Attorney General Blumenthal called in to the Wakeup Club this week (2/25) to discuss his stand against casino smoking. He agreed with my contention that the tribes should take the initiative in banning smoking, but elaborated on his plans to pursue legal action.

Super Bowl One Week - Steroid Scandal The Next

Alex Rodriguez - perhaps the greatest player in baseball today - is the latest player to be tarnished by performance enhancing drugs. Unfortunately, with 103 other players on the list, that doesn't make A-Rod unique. Nor is it fair to have his name leaked just because of his $250 million salary while others stay anonymous. The issue here isn't even the use of steroids between 2001-2003 and the message it sends to the youth of America. Baseball players shouldn't automatically qualify as role models. It has everything to do with telling the truth. That's what athletes, actors, politicians, CEOs and others who find themselves under public scrutiny too often fail to realize until it's too late. They owe us that much. Spare us the denials. Take a cue from President Obama when he took blame for a nominee not working out, saying, "I screwed up." That was refreshing, and Americans get that. On the other hand, if we are looking for heroes at a sporting event we need look no further than the Super Bowl and presence of the crew of the "Miracle on the Hudson" who crash-landed Flight 1549 and the leader of our troops in Iraq, General David Petraeus. Let's hope A-Rod makes up in a big way for his lack of candor. Americans are a forgiving bunch.

Do Something!

The entire workforce of Circuit City is getting pink slips. That's close to 40,000 people - the size of a small city like New London or Norwich. This shock to the economy reverberates well beyond that to thousands of others who dealt with the bankrupt electronics retailer. With stories like this out there for all to see, you still have to wonder whether our representatives in Washington get it. The President is trying to reach across the aisle to get bipartisan cooperation on a stimulus package. While not perfect, most economists say drastic action is needed. Not one Republican voted for the package. In all fairness, there were a lot of items in the stimulus that had nothing to do with emergency measures, and Republicans had every right to point that out. $50 million in arts funding is pork barrel spending, at least when it's attached to this emergency funding. People who are hurting are not going to stand for inability by Congress to work together or the tacking on of special interest pork, and I hope this President won't either.