Interesting blog about Randy Michaels, Big Ed's boss, and WLIB radio.

[madfloridian]

I have not an idea if this is true or not, but there was a lot of talk about AAR and WLIB. The discussion today about Big Ed reminded me of this.

This is from May of this year:
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/05/air_america_vs_.html

I am not familiar with this website, and I had no idea Michaels was grabbing on to WLIB? Is this true or rumor or what? I don't want to post excerpts since I don't know the blog.

Here is something about Clear Channel's father in sensationalism, buying out Big Eddie. Randy made Rush famous through sensationalism. I hope that is not what happens to Ed.

http://billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/format/talk/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000952450

Democracy Sells Stake In Ed Schultz Show To Randy Michaels
June 08, 2005
By Ken Tucker

Democracy Radio is selling its stake in the “The Ed Schultz Show” to radio veteran and former Clear Channel Radio CEO Randy Michaels and his company P1 (Product First), a division of Radioactive LLC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The show, which is distributed by Jones Radio Networks, is currently on 95 stations and 8 of the top 10 markets, according to Democracy.

“Democracy Radio has accomplished its first mission,” CEO Tom Athans said in a statement. “Now we will return to our core mission, to incubate and launch new progressive voices on America’s airwaves.”

I get uncomfortable when a radio host who is supposed to be for our side often is not. I started looking for stuff. Randy Michaels stunts are easy to find on a search.

[GregD]

1. who is supposed to be for our side often is not...

You have heard Guy James' rant on Schultz, right? If you haven't, it's a saga about how Ed mouthed off in the presence of Guy/Randi/Malloy about "I don't give a rip about progressives" and so on (paraphrasing.) Pretty damning. I don't listen to Schultz any longer.

[madfloridian]

2. I missed that.

Good for Guy.

[AJ9000]

4. I'm not sure if he's trustworthy either. n/t

[GregD]

5. what makes you say that?

[madfloridian]

3. Salon writes about radio bullies,...Clear Channel and Randy Michaels

http://archive.salon.com/ent/feature/2001/04/30/clear_channel/index.html

"Indeed, that same night at Spago, Clear Channel's radio chief, Randy Michaels, just happened to be holding court along with half a dozen minions of his own. A true radio original, Michaels had achieved legendary status inside the business as a shock jock (before there was a Howard Stern), and an effective but often tasteless programmer. Michaels moved into management in the 1990s. Today, as Clear Channel's guardian of the airwaves, the bombastic exec is among the most powerful, not to mention colorful, men running the music business.

"Everything's a food fight with him," says one radio executive, who says Michaels is still a morning man at heart. "He's paranoid, disingenuous, pathological. That's what makes him so lovable."

Radio companies used to be severely constrained from owning what from the government's perspective was too many stations. Companies could own only two in any one market and no more than 28 nationwide. Government policy enforced the notion that radio was broadcast on the public airwaves and had an accompanying public trust. Local stations were supposed to be assets to local communities. The ownership rules were designed to keep ownership as diverse as possible and keep the stations' focus as local as possible.

ll that changed in the 1990s. Five years ago, President Clinton, pressured by a GOP-controlled Congress, signed into law the Telecommunications Act, which essentially did away with ownership restrictions on radio. Now, just a handful of companies control radio in the 100 largest American markets. "

The article is from 2001, but it describes personalities well.