WJR 760 AM Detroit - "The Hate Voice of the Great Lakes"

[Lefty48197]

I used to love this radio station. Countless summer nights were spent listening to the Detroit Tiger broadcasts on WJR. We loved Ernie Harwell, and we even learned to love the new guy, Paul Carey.
When I came home from school in the afternoons, mom was always playing WJR in the background. Warren Pierce, or some other afternoon, "light" host had a show that was always pleasing to listen to.
In the morning? Oh geez, how I miss my mornings with WJR. J.P. McCarthy was truly one of the greatest radio voices of all time. He was the most professional of the professionals. We were blessed to have him. I always suspected that J.P. might be a mild Republican, but you never ever were given a clue to his political leanings. The man could interview any politician, Republican or Democrat, and he could give them all the respect due their professions. He could interview Jim Blanchard or John Engler, and you would never know which of them he had voted for. That's the mark of a true professional journalist.
Too bad journalism has died in America.
Contrast J.P.'s show with the recent morning show. The current host is Paul W. "Dubyah" Smith, a reliable voice for the right wing. Not a day goes by that Paul Dubyah doesn't work to sell the right wing agenda. Like many others, he is quite adept at spinning the issues and putting the right wing stamp on every story.
Listeners have no opportunity to call the station and question Paul Dubyah, or anybody else on their propoganda.
Back in the days of J.P. McCarthy callers were given a forum to call in and put in their two cents worth during Jack's "What's bugging you?" segment. Paul Dubyah gives listeners no such forum to challenge the right wing rhetoric.
Back in J.P.'s day, WJR had truly earned their motto, "The Great Voice of the Great Lakes".
Today, they have jumped aboard the right wing radio bandwagon, and are helping their national counter-parts spew the vile voice of right wing hate.
Joining Paul Dubyah in his daily barrage of right wing propoganda, is his background commentator, David Streeter. David makes it clear that owning guns is the most important thing in his life, and therefore groups like the NRA, and the Republican Party are his chosen 'targets' of praise.
When a lying economic voice is needed, Comerica Bank V. P. David Littman is always at the ready to continue the right wing drone on WJR. David pretends to be an economic expert that is interested in helping the American consumer. The truth is that he is nothing more, or less, than another dedicated screeching voice that will say anything to help get Republicans elected.
What about the rest of the broadcast day?
Rush Limbaugh - Daily.
Sean Hannity - Daily.
"Dr." Laura - Daily.
Matt Drudge - only on weekends (whew!)
(Mitch Albom's nationally syndicated show does originate from WJR. It's the only breath of fresh air on that vile airwave)
Clearly, WJR is now one of the nation's leading voices for the Republican Party. No opportunity is lost in attempting to slander the Democratic party, and it's members.
Because of all their vile hateful rhetoric, and their strict adherence to all things right wing, I hereby declare that WJR's new motto MUST be: WJR - The HATE Voice of the Great Lakes.

[Windy]

1. I TOTALLY AGREE

You should mail your post in the form of an email to the administrators/program director at WJR. I can't even listen to that program in the morning anymore. I get angry and have to turn it off.

[Lefty48197]

5. Great minds think alike!

I emailed them via their "contact us" link.
http://www.wjr.com/contactus.asp
Go ahead. Let em know how you feel.

[Bullshot]

2. Lefty,

You and I must have grown up in a similar lifestyle. I remember the same personalities and growing up following the Tigers on WJR. Mitch Albom is the only show I'll consider listening to on that station now.

This must be a sign of Detroit's shrinking autoworker/blue collar influence. If there was ever a city that would back progressive political views, it would be Detroit. It's hard for me to believe that the UAW types would stand such a steady diet of Limbaugh, Dr. Laura and Sean Hannity. And now, Frank Beckman has his own show and he spews a lot of right wing nonsense. He should stick to calling Michigan football games. Paul W. Smith acts like he likes to hear himself talk. He was the same way in Toledo.

What a waste of air space! You can pick up that station in at least 20 states!

[pretzel4gore]

3. they're using public airwaves; can't anybody complain?

remember wkpr in cincinatti, someone blew up their transmitters?
lol...

[Faygo Kid]

6. WKRP

It would have been funnier if you had gotten it right.

[Carni]

4. I hear you - Paul W SUCKS

Mitch Albom is OK and that is IT for that station...everything else is just right winged blather.

[Faygo Kid]

7. You have a point. I know more than I care to say here.

JP was smooth, bright, and the very best. (Not their fault he died, but Paul W. can't hold a candle to him). David Newman. Voice of the Tigers. They make more money now no doubt than ever, but except for Mitch, they have lost their way. WJR was IT - THE station in Detroit for news and commentary, and the voice of Detroit and southeast Michigan. I miss the station, too.

[bif]

8. I only listen to WDET and CBC.

I haven't been able to stomach WJR for years.

[pollock]

22. WDET is unlistenable.

always interupting programming to tell you what a great public service they are, and to tell you that their commercials are not real commercials.

[5thGenDemocrat]

9. A personal insight from your ol' Michigan sportswriter buddy here

Frank Beckman is a prick. Joe Falls is a prick too. Mitch Albom is very nice.
I miss JP McCarthy. He was a Republican (read his biography "Just Don't Tell "Em Where I Am"), but you'd NEVER have known it from the grace and style with which he conducted his interviews. The man was, simply, the best I ever heard. He was truly interested in what people had to say and could make the most mundane topics fascinating. He was a giant of broadcasting and his type won't be heard again.
I haven't tuned into WJR since Tiger baseball went to 1270 (and that's a topic for another day). Doesn't sound like I've missed anything.
John
It is now 44 days, 22 hours and 44 minutes to FUNDAY. Are you guys coming or what?

[Mr_Tom_Paine]

36. I was once friends with the producer of the Frank Beckman show

I was once friends with the person who produces the Frank Beckman show. Believe me when I say the ultra right wing outlet that the radio has devolved into is not something foisted top-down from corporate ownership. This person is on the lunatic fringe of christian fundamentalism. I could no longer be friends with this person after the became increasingly self-righteous and obstinate. It was sad seeing this nice person become more like the right wing hate radio shows he was producing with its underling meanness and intolerance for anything perceived as being liberal (liberal here defined here as pretty much anything not to his liking). Being a longtime friend I could tolerate the lectures on morality and try to get past them. The last straw broke though when this moron convinced himself that Bill Clinton was an agent of satan sent here to test his faith.

And it doesn't stop there. I have gotten the feeling that the once great WJR goes out of its way to hire religious conservatives to trumpet a format dominated by conservative dogma. There is of course Mitch Albom but have just worked WJR out of my listening schedule and only think to tune it in when there is nothing on my usual venues. I also find www.mitchalbom.com very convenient.

[gasperc]

10. Tom Hartman-1480am(12-2pm) Ed Shultz-1600am(3-6pm)

both signals are unfortunately weak out of Ann Arbor, but its something. Hopefully, their ratings will continue to strengthen and they can switch to bigger stations or the stations they are at can boost their signal!!!

I've been writing to Air America to get a station locally signed up to the network!!!!

[Lefty48197]

11. Since WJR abandoned me, I have listened to WWJ 950 AM in Detroit

It's the local CBS news "traffic and weather on the eights" channel. They're a pretty entertaining group, especially our old buddy Joe "The hits just keep on coming" Donovan from the old CKLW.
WWJ is usually void of the right wing blather heard on WJR, although WWJ does have right wing mouth-piece David Littman of Comerica Bank on as an "expert" to testify on all things economic. BTW, How the hell does one become the "expert" of choice for TWO major radio networks in Detroit? Doesn't anybody else around here know anything about economics? Maybe we should start writing to WWJ and suggest that they hire a truly independent economic expert. Littman does tone down his right wing rhetoric on WWJ (compared to WJR), but his true colors are hard to hide. When WWJ was asking him about the skyrocketing gas prices recently, Littman took no less than two opportunities to tell us how FORTUNATE we were to have had the Bush tax cuts to help offset the rise in gas prices. Littman is a real ass.

[Az]

12. Never get out of public radio

Yeah NPR has some problems of late. But compared to the rest of the mess WDET is the only station with anything approaching descency. Don't get me started on what they did to WQRS. Cripe, I got started. Gonna start a new thread.

[1gobluedem]

13. Thanks!

As one who works in public radio, I like seeing that. I don't work at WDET, though, although I have many friends there. My station is about 50 miles west of there.

[bif]

14. You must be at WEMU? Best jazz station on the planet.

Or WUOM.

[1gobluedem]

15. Bingo!

WEMU. Now broadcasting in digital high definition.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

17. Another WEMU person here...

It's a shame that WJR has become such a right-wing voice. I miss JP!

[bif]

18. Unfortunately I can't get WEMU

Because of the WPHS (Warren Public High School) station. I'm on the east side of Detroit and it's on the same frequency.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

19. You can listen to WEMU on the web...

Go to www.wemu.org

Playlists are available on the website too.

[bif]

20. I'll have to start doing that. Thanks.

[1gobluedem]

21. Thanks, Ann Arbor Dem!

You're doing my job! Recommend WEMU to everyone you meet :-)

[Ann Arbor Dem]

24. You're welcome!

:-)

[pollock]

23. WDET?

Their music is all boring jazz. I listen to a real non-commercial station from Canada at night. Makes WDET the bore it is.

[1gobluedem]

26. WDET is all over the map musically

They are jazz-only at night; weeknights with Ed Love, Saturdays with Gene Elzy. Judy Adams and Martin Bandyke play everything from classical to country. Matt Watroba has folk Saturday afternoons followed by bluegrass and 'Mountain Stage.'

WEMU's music format is all jazz and blues with a little Cuban and Brazilian on Monday nights.

[pollock]

31. Why doesn't the "jazz show" play rock music?

the 10pm to 12 slot plays some jazz(the whole show is too boring to care what style it is, sounds like dentist office stuff).
Midnight to 5am still plays jazz--not exclusively, but rather frequently.

[bif]

27. Really? The only jazz they play is from 7-10 pm.

So I don't know what you're talking about.

[1gobluedem]

28. People get public radio stations confused all the time

Especially since there are so many in this area. Maybe he/she is listening to WEMU and thinks it's WDET. We get a lot of comments here at WEMU referring to programs we don't carry like Prairie Home Companion, Talk of the Nation, and Ed Love for instance. Heck, we even get checks made out to other stations sometimes that are mailed in WEMU envelopes!

[pollock]

30. Know what I'm talking about.

On CBC-around 89.9-broadcast from Windsor they have a great show, Brave New Waves. Patti Schmidt is host from midnight to 4am.
This is real non-commercial programming, not phony kind from NPR.
Could be called "post-rock" but the music is basically contemporary, somewhat experimental, passionate music.

[pollock]

29. then listen from 10pm to early morning.

[Snotcicles]

16. YOU Smacked that nail right on the head

I too use to love WJR but since it turned into Were Just Republicans and they got paul w smith spewing, Now it's NPR all day for me, Mitch once in awhile.

[MikeH]

25. I Used To Like WJR

I lived with my parents in Jackson, Michigan from 1968 to 1970 (at least when I was home from college), and WJR was the station I listened to.

I remember J. P. McCarthy being on in the morning. And I remember a number of other interesting programs on WJR.

I particularly remember first hearing Karl Haas' program Adventures in Good Music on WJR during that time; his show was on WJR from 10 to 11 AM. His show has since been syndicated, and I have enjoyed listening to his show in San Diego, CA (where I am now) and any place else over the years (i.e. until about 2 years ago, when the stations in San Diego carrying his program changed their format).

I feel sad about a beloved station like WJR (along with many other stations) now becoming a purveyor of hate and right wing sleaze.

[ScubaJeep]

32. Just curious?

If they are leaning to the right, how does that turn them into a hate group?

[Lefty48197]

33. Leaning?

Sorry sir, but they're not LEANING to the right, they are LEADING the right wing. It's obvious, and it's a symptom of what the right wingers have done to try and dominate the discussion in America, and thereby silence opposing voices. I can't say that I blame "them", because if I was on the losing end of every single argument, then I would probably try to silence my opponents too.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LisaM]

35. LOL, have you ever LISTENED to Dr. Laura?

What does she like, anything?

[PassingFair]

37. Ever since they gave her time slot to the windbag known as...

Rush, her ratings have slid into the pooper. You can get a 30 sec. spot on Dr. Bora for only $25.00!

[Snotcicles]

38. WJR

We'er
Just
Republicans