"Radio consolidation has
contributed to a 34% decline in the number of owners, a 90% rise in
the cost of advertising rates, [and] a rise in indecent
broadcasts. If ever there were a cautionary tale, this is
it."
Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings D-
South Carolina
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John |
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Read excerpts
from the forthcoming book, "Passing Thru"
Reader
- SOUND OFF In 1971,
Superjock Larry Lujack described John Rook as "the greatest
program director of our time or any other time." In a
2001 R&R article, former ABC executive Bob Henabery is
quoted as saying that "Rook understood the importance of
doing everything right. He was a masterful Top 40
programmer." Republicans Are Adding
Weight to Reversal of F.C.C. Media Rule The FCC,
that agency intended to promote widespread local
ownership of broadcasting facilities and equal-time
opportunities on the nation's airwaves, has caved in
completely to a handful of wealthy monopolists. What
gives? And
when is the public going to say "Enough!"? by
Jim Wright, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Localism's
Last Stand
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Rook's Daily
Clicks Radio Daily News Radio Ink LA Radio Radio & Records MusicBiz.com |
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John's Archives of Commentaries ... Payola illegal, except for FCC chairman Michael Powell (read)
This (FCC) chairman, known for his inability to work with and/or get along with others, continues to blame everyone else for his own shortcomings. His apple falls far from the tree of his seemly diplomatic father. Powell 2 is a lightweight who could never have been considered for a big paying government job at the Department of Justice or the Federal Communications Commission were it not for affirmative action. He has no appreciation of those who don't march to the beat of his drum. Damn! They were right! (read) Ted Turner jumps ship, warns against FCC deregulation (read) Former President Bill Clinton: The FCC also opened the door to local TV-newspaper mergers in many places, so you'll be getting your news and information from the same company regardless of whether you're turning on the TV or opening the newspaper. Why is this bad? (read) John Nichols and Josh Silver: The Federal Communications Commission voted 3 to 2 to meet the demands of big communications corporations. Rigorously opposed by consumer, religious, labor, community and public interest groups across the country, FCC Chairman Michael Powell warped the decision-making process to deliver a result allowing conglomerates to buy up hundreds of newspapers, television and radio stations in communities across the United States. Competition, diversity and local content will be undermined in local markets and nationally. The FCC's decision was the product of a corrupt process that was awash in special-interest money, and that saw industries that are supposed to be regulated telling the regulators how to proceed (read)
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LOUD
AND CLEAR
My late good friend Bill Gavin was a
man of great ethics not given to retreat when faced with opposition.
Recognizing my own steps of going against the flow, he
cautioned me to be prepared for a chorus of dissention, but that time
usually proves one�s point.
So more than ten years ago when I
became outspoken on the pitfalls of radio�s deregulation, my
thoughts returned to Gavin�s wisdom, without which I could not have
continued the battle. His
words, �Time will prove you
right� kept echoing each time I felt like the lone ranger on a
horse going nowhere.
The arrogance of the broadcast bigwigs
stuck in my crawl. When I threatened going to the Department of
Justice and the Federal Communications Commission I was actually
taunted with, �there is no FCC, there is no DOJ, you idiot�.
It was especially difficult when I discovered they were
correct. Both the
Department of Justice and the FCC excused my complaints and volumes of
evidence advising me I was going against the flow.
Deregulation was in vogue and anyone unable to march in lock
step, was dismissed as a trouble maker by both the chieftains of the
industry, the NAB and the very agencies in charge of guarding against
such abuses. Gone was the blood of true broadcasters, replaced instead
by those who valued dollars over common sense.
It became obvious to me more than ever our society must have laws and regulations with teeth or the greed of man would prevail over ethics and decency. Imagine the highways without guidelines for motorists and no police to enforce them.
Ken Palmer - Janet Gavin -
John Rook - Bill Gavin
(Las Vegas Gavin convention,
1968)
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My own elected officials, senators and
congressmen, who previously hung out in my station's lobby, begging
for free air time, disappeared, intimidated by the power of the new
media monopolies. Most trade publications refused to question the
damage being done for fear of being blackballed by a flood of
subscription cancellations from the very companies enjoying their lack
of attention.
Only in recent weeks have the words of
Bill Gavin returned to remind me the importance of what time delivers.
While the media giants hoped the public would sleep through their grab
of even more power, almost overnight they have realized their payoffs
to public officials have met their matches.
The public is speaking and those in our
nation�s capital are listening.
Let�s hope the White House hears the thunder of dissent to
their desire of further deregulating the media.
Thank you Bill, for those words of long ago. I hear them � LOUD AND CLEAR!
Reader - SOUND-OFF
God Bless Bill & Janet
Gavin would contribute an important perspective of the media monopolies of today.
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The
FCC chairman Michael Powell was given his throne by Bill Clinton. It
shouldn't be that hard for President Bush to sweep his ilk from office.
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You say in your KABC chapter that Morton Downey Jr. was the first of the
"shock jocks?" Don't tell me his outrageous TV fiasco was on
radio first?
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After forty years in broadcasting, I retired last year. No room for
anyone except sales people anymore. And what do they have to sell?
Howard Stern, Opey & Anthony and an animal named Savage. Good
luck!
Mr. Rook:
You are such a gem! I love reading your
recollections and, I hope you know, I've always had the utmost respect
for your contributions. I thought it was kind of an interesting
juxtaposition on your work at WABC during the strike many years ago
(helping the corporation) and your pronounced position now against
massive consolidation that is considered by today's executives to be
anti-company. Do you think it's because the business of
broadcasters has fewer real broadcasters and that 30+ years ago the
landscape in radio was somewhat different? I guess it's the difference
between being a member of a collective rather than hoarding everything
for yourself. The absolutely amazing thing is that 3/5ths of the
guardians of the public trust at the FCC don't know what "public
trust" means. Or maybe they just don't care. I'm glad you do.
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I am 35 years into the Radio biz, and follow your brilliant comments on the state of radio with relish. Keep hammering these crooks that run Clear Channel and Viacom - because you speak for the hearts and minds of not just US radio people, but broadcasters around the globe. I am VERY concerned that the American public seems to have been lulled to sleep on the consolidation issue and the blatant corruption at the F.C.C. Bad news - it is not much better in Canada, Mr. Rook. Politicos get the "donations", and surprise, the same backers get to play fast and loose with their pack of stations....granted by the rubber stamp CRTC. In our country, FM'ers are averaging 24 % year over year profit- and screwing staff and public alike. Keep the faith.
I had the displeasure of working with him briefly in 1976,he was full of shit then and
is now, but on a grander scale.
It's hard for me to believe Rush, would even say something like this. Everybody who was in the music radio business in those days, knew that Top 40 was a "bottoms up" clear for music. Hell, the biggest complaint was that listening to those 2 huge signals at night, was that all you were playing was music we'd already dropped in the medium markets, because we had added them so far in front of LS and ABC. At any rate, maybe this wasn't something Rush knew in Mckeesport.
in radio as a sophomore in high school in 1969 and had already spent several years
as a loyal Art Roberts listener in Iowa. I was glad but not surprised to read
your opinion of him as a person and a talent because it so exactly matches
what I've always thought. I've always remembered that Art spoke one-on-one
with listeners. Also that he made a commercial a pleasant, helpful, even newsy