It’s amazing that S.P. Romney (with his voice) and his giggly, monologue-ing program has been designated by City Weekly as the Best Late-Night Talk Radio [“Best of Utah 2011,” March 31, City Weekly].
Regardless, S.P., it is a honor to be so recognized. Congratulations!
After being a talk-radio junkie for almost 50 years, since KSXX was on State Street, I now seldom listen or participate in its offspring station KTKK. The programming is atrocious. One woman’s opinion.
1. The station manager/program director, Dickie Shannon, clearly tells many people that they are not welcome when he says on-air “KTKK, where conservatives come to cheer, and progressives run in fear.” How clear is that message for potential listeners and advertisers?
2. A professional radio station knows the importance of sound, tone and the voice of those behind the microphone, regardless of the format. Many KTKK hosts have horrible radio voices; one host literally screams at listeners. S.P. Romney drones on as he talks over callers, and as City Weekly notes, does his monologue-ing or history reports. At least his hours are not as repetitious and predictable as other programs.
3. Some frequent one-issue guests are scheduled for one or two hours and lose listeners immediately. For instance, the NRA guy. Many hear his voice, the subject, and “turn the dial.” Guests should be unpredictable, infrequent and brief.
4. The constant name calling by several hosts is adolescent silliness at best, at worst, completely inappropriate.
5. I can’t think of a host on KTKK who has the ability to intelligently interview a guest or a caller. When a guest is invited, or a caller is on the line, the focus should be on getting the most information and/or entertainment possible from the person.
6. If one wants to hear a lecture, one can find such at universities or on the Web, right? If one wants a book read to them, there are libraries, audio books, bookstores and the Web. Hours of such on radio cannot be considered good talk radio.
KTKK’s program director and owners should take the words of City Weekly seriously. KTKK is definitely not entertaining, or gaining listeners or advertisers by welcoming and addressing only conservatives. The station does not actually attract real conservatives—it attracts the ultra-right, tea party, conspiracy nuts and weirdos within its limited area.
Please, KTKK, it has not always been this way. At one time, KSXX was gaining listeners while entertaining and welcoming all points of view. It was a great place where opinions and ideas of all citizens could be shared, and it grew in ratings. Please, KTKK, the End of Days is not yet. Come out of your bunker, drop your guns, cease your name calling, and welcome us pesky, opinionated progressives, and others.
Hopefully, this station will someday become the profitable, inclusive, educational and interesting format it could be, and once was.
Joan Thomas
Holladay
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