Who was behind cancellation of talk radio show?
By Seth Grossman, Political Columnist
(Reprinted from the September 16, 2009 Current Newspapers of Atlantic County.)
Last July, I got tired of hosting a two-way talk program every weekday afternoon on an Ocean City radio station. So I started a new one-hour program Saturday mornings on 92.1 FM WVLT in Vineland. Then I set up a second one-hour program for Friday afternoons on an Atlantic County station.
I agreed to pay the full market rate, and signed up more than enough sponsors. Both I and the station made public announcements, and I even appeared twice as a guest host in advance.
But on Friday, August 28 at 3PM, I did not go on the air. Instead, the station played an old tape from another program. It was a very Soviet moment. I simply disappeared – just like one of Stalin?s generals in the 1930?s. What happened?
I was told my program was cancelled because the owners had received “numerous complaints” that raised concerns about “loss of revenue.” What were they, and who made them?
Since the days of Cicero in ancient Rome, the first step of investigation is to ask “Cui bono?” Latin for “Who benefits?” Who benefits by kicking me off the air?
If you read this column, you know the answer. On the radio, I talk about the same stuff I write about here every week.
At first, you might think of more suspects than an Agatha Christie murder mystery. My message of liberty threatens Republicans, Democrats, and every person and group that misuses government power to gain at the expense of others.
But I can?t think of any liberals, Democrats, or NJEA type union officials who would bother with my radio program. Very few voters (about 5%) listen to talk radio. Most of them are conservatives and Republicans. That?s why most radio talk show hosts are conservative, and why programs hosted by liberal Democrats usually fail.
But talk radio is very important to local Republican politicians like Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo and Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.
Both of them are very popular, and have no trouble getting re-elected. Privately, they both do deals to get money and support from the bullies who run the big spending Democrat labor unions?and big business interests who want special favors. Publicly, they use radio to talk the talk to conservative Republicans.
My daily radio program messed things up for both of them. I told the details of how LoBiondo voted to blackmail President Bush into using union contractors for Katrina-relief home repairs, end secret ballots for union elections, and waste billions around the country to get beach erosion money down here. I told how LoBiondo was one of only 8 Republicans who voted for big new taxes on coal, gas, and oil ? while banning offshore drilling for cheap oil.
I also talked of Dennis Levinson?s Boscov?s bailout, putting Democrat union leader Roy Foster in charge of the County Improvement Authority, etc. … I corrected Levinson when he blamed Democrats for New Jersey?s $32 billion debt, when Christie Todd Whitman Republicans created roughly half of it.
Many of my listeners then multiplied the effects of my comments by calling these facts in to other talk radio programs.
In last June?s Republican primary, LoBiondo and Levinson strongly supported ?moderate? candidate for Governor Chris Christie. I backed conservative Steve Lonegan. Lonegan got 47% of the Atlantic County vote. If a strong conservative runs against Lobondo next June, would LoBiondo want me broadcasting from both Vineland and Atlantic County?
We answered ?Cui bono?? But did the suspects have the means to do it?
Did you notice how many radio ads are paid for with tax dollars? In one paid ad, Dennis Levinson reminds us to drive carefully, now that schools are open. Another ad from some government agency to help small business thanks Frank LoBiondo for his support. Did you hear the recent ad from the NJ Broadcasters Association thanking Congressman Frank LoBiondo for opposing a federal law that would charge stations a new ?performance tax? for all songs played on the air?
Weeks later, while discussing my theory with friends, I learned that LoBiondo is now saying that this is personal, because I attacked or insulted his wife on the air. But I didn?t, and anyone who says I did is either lying or mistaken. If you know any details, please contact me so I can try to figure out what Frank is talking about, look for the tape, and get to the bottom of this. Thanks.
For more information, visit www.libertyandprosperity.org or contact Somers Point attorney Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or 609-927-7333, or listen to 92.1 FM every Saturday from 8AM to 9AM. Breakfast discussion groups are held Saturdays after the show from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at two locations: Athena Diner, New Road, Northfield, and Pegasus Diner, Routes 40 & 47, Malaga.