speaking of radio

[MrJones]

For all of the whining about the content of Beckman's show, no one has brought forth a compelling reason why I, and all the other taxpayers, should pay for your free health care.
Nobody is denying health care to anyone. It's there for everyone to purchase for their own families, or for the insurance coverage. Unless you are short-sighted and foolish, you've provided for your own.
I wish everyone who didn't want to get up and go to work tomorrow could sign up for a million dollar grant from Washington. If that were the case, you wouldn't be able to buy a loaf of bread for a million dollars.
Life is a struggle. Let's go.

[Mikeg]

WJR pretty much died when J.P. died if J.P. was still alive and doing his morning show it would still be a valued station. After they lost their sports coverage of the Tigers, Wings and Michigan football that went down the drain as well. ........WJR was a strong station but they failed.........

And I remember my aunt complaining when J.P. stopped playing music during his morning show so he could do more interviews and take more calls. Who cares? If you don't like their programming changes, then stop listening!

In case you don't understand what has happened at WJR, re-read your own post. They no longer offer a programming mix of JP, Mike Whorf, Karl Haas and sports - their station has gone to a talk format and their Arbitron ratings show that they own that format here in Detroit.

So perhaps your opinion could be more accurately expressed as "WJR is still a strong station but they failed me when they changed their format".

[ferntruth]

For all of the whining about the content of Beckman's show, no one has brought forth a compelling reason why I, and all the other taxpayers, should pay for your free health care.
Nobody is denying health care to anyone. It's there for everyone to purchase for their own families, or for the insurance coverage. Unless you are short-sighted and foolish, you've provided for your own.
I wish everyone who didn't want to get up and go to work tomorrow could sign up for a million dollar grant from Washington. If that were the case, you wouldn't be able to buy a loaf of bread for a million dollars.
Life is a struggle. Let's go.

That's right. They aren't sick, they are short-sighted and foolish.
It's there for everyone to purchase? That will come as great comfort to those who cannot put food on the table or a roof over their heads, yet alone pay ridiculously high premiums for minimum healthcare coverage

Your comments sound like they come from someone who has never faced a major medical crisis, or bankruptcy due to a medical illness.

And by the way, creating an environment where health care is out of reach for so many is a de facto denial of health care. But hey, you got yours, so all is good, right?

[[excuse the thread jacking everyone)

[Goose]

Left wing radio was tried and it FAILED.... stop whining....

Liberals complain they don't have a voice on radio but when it was available they didn't support it... as usual they want the government to force "fairness" at the sacrifice of the hardworking tax payers wallet....

at what point do the contributors into the "system" say enough is enough and stop paying..... what happens to all your entitlements at that point? what happens next? people don't have enough food, people are living on the streets, people don't have access to cable TV........ why not governmentalize it all.....

[Brian1979]

And I remember my aunt complaining when J.P. stopped playing music during his morning show so he could do more interviews and take more calls. Who cares? If you don't like their programming changes, then stop listening!

In case you don't understand what has happened at WJR, re-read your own post. They no longer offer a programming mix of JP, Mike Whorf, Karl Haas and sports - their station has gone to a talk format and their Arbitron ratings show that they own that format here in Detroit.

So perhaps your opinion could be more accurately expressed as "WJR is still a strong station but they failed me when they changed their format".

Well J.P. was the world's greatest interviewer so I don't think too many people were complaining, the thing about J.P. was he talked about things that people cared about and let listener's call into the show. WJR is a news/talk station so of course they are going to have more talk shows on there and the only local guy on there is Frank Beckmann from what I can recall but yes the format change made me stop listening to WJR. I don't even listen to the same kind of station when I'm in Detroit anymore, I usually listen to WRIF.

[drjeff]

I remember back in the late 1980s I was living in Baltimore and could pull in Tigers games on WJR at night. Now you lose the signal by Toledo.

The current programming is due to the consolidation of broadcasting [[i.e. eliminating limits on ownership of multiple media outlets) that was put into place by republicans in the last 15 year or so. So it's no wonder they broadcast right wing blather all the time.

[Brian1979]

I remember back in the late 1980s I was living in Baltimore and could pull in Tigers games on WJR at night. Now you lose the signal by Toledo.

The current programming is due to the consolidation of broadcasting [[i.e. eliminating limits on ownership of multiple media outlets) that was put into place by republicans in the last 15 year or so. So it's no wonder they broadcast right wing blather all the time.

Actually the signal is just as strong as it's always been, the only time that you can really pick up one of these stations over a long distance is at night, during the day I can still pick up WJR's signal in Saginaw and north.

[luckycar]

Although he was also on WXYZ,David Newman was the man on WJR.A voice of reason before Rush and the other blowhards.We miss him dearly and hope he recovers from his stroke to where he could be heard from again.

[drjeff]

Actually the signal is just as strong as it's always been, the only time that you can really pick up one of these stations over a long distance is at night, during the day I can still pick up WJR's signal in Saginaw and north.

Sorry, the way I wrote that wasn't clear. WJR is still as strong as ever, but the WXYT signal that currently carries the Tigers games is very weak. It has improved in the last few years; the first year they took over from WJR I couldn't even get a signal in Ann Arbor or parts of downtown Detroit.

[ordinary]

I walked home from school for lunch everyday and my mom always had Mike Wharf's Kaleidoscope tuned in. An interesting show where a person could actually learn something. I know a lot of people liked JP but I always felt he was pompous and grew weary of him. Beckmann was a jerk even when he was just a sportscaster.

I credit WRCJ with saving my life. I come to work feeling relaxed and I believe my blood pressure is down a few notches. I know classical music isn't for everyone but it works for me. No yelling, no screaming.

I still listen to WDET a bit but it just makes me feel too guilty.

I happened to be in my car years ago listening at the very moment that WQRS went off the air. There was no announcement. There was some nice music playing and then it stopped and there was a little time lapse and then this song started playing with lyrics that went something like this, "I'm going to berate you ...I'm going to violate you..." It was nasty. I think it was Nine Inch Nails. Right then I thought, "Goodness gracious, what the hell has happened to radio in Detroit?

[Mikeg]

Well J.P. was the world's greatest interviewer so I don't think too many people were complaining, the thing about J.P. was he talked about things that people cared about and let listener's call into the show. WJR is a news/talk station so of course they are going to have more talk shows on there and the only local guy on there is Frank Beckmann from what I can recall but yes the format change made me stop listening to WJR. I don't even listen to the same kind of station when I'm in Detroit anymore, I usually listen to WRIF.

To summarize, Brian1979 admits that he doesn't currently listen to WJR [[and not just because he lives elsewhere), he confirms that his recollection is poor [[hint: WJR has more than one "local guy" - click here and here to get a clue) and yet he somehow feels qualified to opine that WJR is a failed radio station!

[East Detroit]

To summarize, Brian1979 admits that he doesn't currently listen to WJR [[and not just because he lives elsewhere), he confirms that his recollection is poor [[hint: WJR has more than one "local guy" - click here and here to get a clue) and yet he somehow feels qualified to opine that WJR is a failed radio station!

And? Brian admits, confirms and feels...

Your comments about a poster don't prove or disprove anything about WJR.

[douglasm]

I remember the news blocks, 15 minutes of local news at the top of the hour during JP's show, the same during Jimmy Lantz's [[sp?) afternoon drive. A full 30 minute block at 6pm [[15 of news, 15 of sports), and on prep sports nights, every score from every high school in Michigan after the 11pm news.

Is there anything on the dial that even comes close to being a full service station nowadays?

[dtowncitylover]

I think we wish it was something like WGN/720 out of Chicago. All local, sports, news, traffic/weather. Something to be proud of. I would listen to WJR if it weren't for the conservative slant and cranky old guys. I would love WJR to be apolitical or at least bipartisan. I only listen to Mitch Albom, and even that's once or twice a week tops.

Hey like, WGN, even have an all-local TV station.

[ja!mz]

I miss Mark Scott

[Goose]

I miss Mark Scott

excelsior!!!!!!!!!!

[English]

I think we wish it was something like WGN/720 out of Chicago. All local, sports, news, traffic/weather. Something to be proud of. I would listen to WJR if it weren't for the conservative slant and cranky old guys. I would love WJR to be apolitical or at least bipartisan. I only listen to Mitch Albom, and even that's once or twice a week tops.

I agree. I was a WJR junkie throughout my 20s -- I was one of those liberal listeners who loved to get my pressure up over Rush or Hannity or Glenn Beck [[who was a minor league wingnut back then). In grad school, I listened to 91.7, Michigan Radio, so that I could adapt to Ann Arbor's culture. It worked and it was always great for small talk around campus.

Right now, I'm commuting to the sounds of 90.9, the Detroit Public Schools station. Absolutely love it. Given all the recent developments against public media, I plan to become a pledged member.

[Kathleen]

I remember the news blocks, 15 minutes of local news at the top of the hour during JP's show, the same during Jimmy Lantz's [[sp?) afternoon drive.

That would be Jimmy Launce.

I'm sure somewhere in this thread is mention of JP's Focus show, which aired at 12 noon, I believe. I remember going to the WJR studio D to sit and watch the radio show live!! JP was the best interviewer!!

My dad was a huge fan, and we grew up listening to WJR morning, noon, and night. I remember listening on the way to school each morning; one of the sponsors was for batteries!!

My parents left Detroit in 1989 to live in Tucson. It was one difficult phone call in August 1995 to share the news of JP's death.

I still listen to Paul W. Smith and Mitch Albom every so often on the ride to and from work each day, when there's nothing of interest on NPR or my music stations. Radio in general has changed a lot, so I'm not a loyal listener of any show, although I still have my preferences.

[milesdriven]

It really pisses me off, especially because I drive 80,000 miles/year and WJR can be heard hundreds of miles away from Detroit. I'd much rather hear the Tigers play than Rush and Hannity bashing the UAW.

[Hypestyles]

with the pending new owners, maybe they will change formats, try to go younger.. hmm...

[douglasm]

Kathleen.....
......Thank you for correcting my spelling.

I had the honor to be interviewed by JP on Focus in 1968. WJR had helped set up the carrier current radio station at Northwood Institute, and my roomate and I were down there giving a status update of the station.....and a pitch for a donation. JP's producer got wind that we were there, and thought we'd be good interview subjects, a "...couple of young broadcasters who are the future of our industry."

We were the hit of our respective neighbourhoods for the next week.

I know this is not the mid 60's anymore, but I really wish radio nowadays had even a hint of the type of "community involvement" that it did back in the day. The term "serve the city of license" has gone the way of the joy buzzer and dribble glass.....

[Jimaz]

Commercial radio is one field where Detroit beats Phoenix hands down.

I've unpleasant memories of desperately searching the Phoenix dial for something other than pop or right-wing hate talk or worn classical music vinyl skipping like an neglected dripping faucet.

Imagine my delight at discovering a local rebellious 5-watt pirate radio station there simply reading Orwell's 1984! That gave me hope for humanity. I listened faithfully until signoff. One lone ray of hope shining against a manipulative monopoly of bland conformity.

The Phoenix commercial RF spectrum is porous, full of holes. Detroit's is wall-to-wall filled [[last I checked). That's culture.

I've fond memories of a "Radio Mystery Theater" played regularly in Detroit in the 70s. Is that still playing anywhere?

It's playing here: http://tinyurl.com/2vm7yc complete with nostalgic 70s commercials.

[ordinary]

"Right now, I'm commuting to the sounds of 90.9, the Detroit Public Schools station. Absolutely love it. Given all the recent developments against public media, I plan to become a pledged member."

You should pledge. It's a great station. I give them a few dollars every year and my employer matches. Then I can listen guilt free.

[Brian1979]

Sorry, the way I wrote that wasn't clear. WJR is still as strong as ever, but the WXYT signal that currently carries the Tigers games is very weak. It has improved in the last few years; the first year they took over from WJR I couldn't even get a signal in Ann Arbor or parts of downtown Detroit.

I had the same problems with the 1270 signal, I'm not sure about the 97.1 signal but that's FM and wouldn't carry as far as an AM signal anyways. It's sad that WJR abandoned sports, that was one thing they had going for them.

[Brian1979]

To summarize, Brian1979 admits that he doesn't currently listen to WJR [[and not just because he lives elsewhere), he confirms that his recollection is poor [[hint: WJR has more than one "local guy" - click here and here to get a clue) and yet he somehow feels qualified to opine that WJR is a failed radio station!

Just because I live elsewhere isn't the reason I don't listen to WJR, WJR's signal is strong where I live so I don't really live elsewhere, I live in Saginaw which is only 90 miles as the crow flies to Detroit. I didn't say that WJR has no local guys, I guess I didn't make myself clear, what I meant is that the presence of local guys on WJR is a lot lower than what it use to be. Also I never opined that WJR is a failed radio station and no my recollection isn't poor, look at the old WJR with J.P., Jimmy Launce, Mike Wharf and others. Give me a good reason why Jimmy Launce was let go, he had been at the station as long as J.P. and had the highest rated radio show in Michigan during his timeslot but they let him go about a year after J.P. died.