BY JOHN KIESEWETTER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Was it just talk radio, or economic sabotage of Channel 9's sweeps month ratings?
WLW-AM (700) - owned by Jacor Communications, which owns Channel 12 - has spent much of November criticizing Channel 9's investigative "I-Team" reports about Hamilton County's lack of minority contractors on the stadium project and an allegation of police brutality.
The verbal assault was led by Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Fangman, who hosts Cop Talk 10 a.m.-noon Saturday on WLW. It should be called 'CPO Talk, after his attacks on news director Stuart Zanger and I-Team reporters Laure Quinlivan and Stephen Hill.
"He has his show, and he's entitled to his opinion," said Mr. Cunningham, the WLW operations manager and weeknight talk host.
The trouble is Mr. Fangman's attacks weren't limited to Saturday mornings. In one week, he spoke on WLW shows hosted by Mike McConnell, John Phillips and Mr. Cunningham.
It sounded like a concerted campaign to trash Channel 9 during November sweeps, the four-week period which determine stations' advertising rates. And the biggest beneficiary would be Jacor's Channel 12, which was second to Channel 9 in the May sweeps. Both stations were tied in the 11 p.m. news ratings going into Monday. (Sweeps end tonight.)
Talk jocks gang up
Hamilton County Commissioner Bob Bedinghaus also has been on WLW frequently to rip Channel 9 stories about commissioners' failure to meet their stated 1995 goal of minorities and women doing 15 percent of the stadium work.
As the WLW attacks escalated, Jacor talk hosts would cite opinions of their co-workers:
- "Mike McConnell has called for Channel 9 to issue a retraction, and that's pretty significant," Mr. Fangman told listeners on Nov. 14.
- "Nothing was promised to anyone. Bob Bedinghaus was on with Bill Cunningham the other night," said Al Beasley, a part-time Sunday talk host and a full-time Hamilton County Probation Department employee.
- Once Mr. Fangman declared: "Talk shows across the city are talking about this!"
What other talk shows? Except for Lincoln Ware's low-rated WCIN-AM (1480) show, all other news talk shows are on Jacor's WLW or WKRC-AM (550).
Bad sign of the times
That brings up another problem: Talk radio competition has been killed by the nationwide consolidation of broadcasting ownership.
A decade ago, when broadcasters were restricted to owning two stations per city, Channel 9 could have fought back on other talk stations. Those alternative voices are disappearing, as the government lets companies like Jacor own 200-plus stations.
The I-Team finally was invited to discuss stadium contractors on Mr. Cunningham's show late last week. They were on for two hours, and may return soon to discuss the police case, Mr. Zanger says. Would WLW have done the same thing to Channel 12 if the sister station was critical of Cincinnati police? Probably not.
"If it was Channel 12," said Mr. Cunningham, "we'd probably have a meeting of the minds to see what we would do, if anything."
But Jacor gleefully ripped Channel 9. As WLW boasts in an on-air promotion: "We're owned by a corporate giant. Don't screw with us!"
So when you hear WLW blasting a media rival, ask yourself: Is it just talk radio or economic warfare?
John Kiesewetter is Enquirer TV/ radio critic. His column appears Sunday, Monday and Thursday. Write him at 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202; fax: 768-8330.
