The end of the short lived radio news era. Posted on March 25, 2026 at 05:29:37 PM by audio historian
No dickhead. I had kids to put through college and radio was dumping news because it was too costly and Reagan's licensing regulations no longer cared about public service commitments at renewal time.
When I got in, most stations had a news commitment, when I got out almost none did. I formally left when KSN was required to spin off its FM radio business and I was invited to stay and join the TV news operation, simply by going upstairs. I jumped at the chance.
YOu keep making shit up, Jim, I keep correcting you but you are one of those sales guys who never lets the facts get in the way of what they're telling people.
I think I just touched on it today, but you apparently didn't understand that radio just quit doing news all over the country after FCC deregulation under Republican Reagan.
I thought you passed yourself off as an expert in radio trends. Maybe you spend too much time at your dining room table taking orders for your clients who probably numbered less than the fingers on your left hand! We're talkin 1980 under the new Reagan FCC policy changes. heh heh. Moreover you may understand the workings of radio's spot sales as a buyer, but didnt' get involved in radio's relationship at license renewal time. DUmping the FCC committment to news and public affairs saved a lot of money because news gathering was always labor intensive. Then sad for radio workers, they also started automatic voicing by restricting what they allowed jocks to say. Doesn't take a humanoid to run tight music selections or utter the call letters after every song. Just to let you know, board ops dont get paid enough to put kids through college! I think pretty much all of us moved to TV or bailed out when radio eliminated news departments as well as abandoning the AM band for FM stereo. I presume you weren't actually IN radio at the time!