By Walter Sterling
Talk Show Host

NEW YORK — Several years ago I attended the NAB EUROPE conference in Athens, Greece with my partner Dan Mason.  At lunch I was seated next to the general manager of the #1 station in Athens.  The #1 station in Athens is a news/talk station. Their hosts often attack government policy and present pretty bawdy content.
I asked their GM about that, wondering if they were ever censored by the government.  She looked at me as though I was insane and said, “We put the government into power.  They wouldnt’ touch us.”  She owned that fact, was proud of it, and viewed that their power with the public protected her business.

And what about here?  Oh, radio put the current government into power.

Do we name it and claim it?  Do we demand concessions regarding content, power allocations, the end to silly rules and regs?  Not that I can see.

One host saying one dumb thing can send an entire legal team into faux fear of FCC complaints.  Meanwhile “we” put that FCC into office.

Right now, radio companies are firing people. Why?  Isn’t radio eligible for the bailout?  Every radio company expense line could easily fit into a two trillion dollar package.  Isn’t that bailout for media as well as other industries?

What my computer store owner told me.  I asked him if business was down.  He said it’s never been better.  People are working at home and need their laptops.
There are business upsides to the current situation.  Clorox stock is soaring.  Has every group looked hard at the retailers that are doing better because of the quarantine?

And one more thought.  When is a reporter going to ask a governor if he/she has shut down the tolls on the tollroads?  Those booths, tickets, cash are
germ machines.

Walter Sterling hosts “Sterling on Sunday” heard live 10:00 pm to 1:00 am ET on stations such as KMOX, St Louis; KDKA, Pittsburgh; KFBK, Sacramento; KMBZ-FM, Kansas City; and is based at WPHT, Philadelphia.  Walter says, “Always use good softener.”  www.waltermsterling.com and email waltermsterling@gmail.com

Tags: FCC, NAB Europe, news/talk station, Walter Sterling

Category: Advice