Longtime conservative talk show host Kirby Wilbur got canned by KVI yesterday, and as much as we disagreed on almost every issue, you might be surprised to learn that I’m sad to see him go.
Back when I first stumbled into activism, my talk radio skills were mostly honed on KVI, where I became a liberal mascot of sorts for John Carlson, Bryan Suits and particularly Kirby, who was happy to engage me on any number of issues, regardless of my lowly stature as a political crackpot/blogger, or even my lack of particular expertise. Kirby was always fair and friendly to me on the air, and generous and supportive off. It was Kirby who first suggested that I should get my own radio show, and he even went so far as to write me a letter of recommendation.
So despite the fact that he could be a right-wing wacko whose anti-government politics threatened our quality of life, I have a personal fondness for the man.
I also have a fondness for live, local programming, something Seattle listeners just lost another twenty hours a week of.
John has moved over to KOMO-1000, Bryan to bigger and better things at bigger and better KFI, and now with Kirby’s departure, KVI has been handed over entirely to syndication. I know the folks at Fisher know that ultra-local is the future of terrestrial radio if it wants to compete with satellite, podcasts and internet streaming, but for now at least, it looks like management has chosen the path of least resistance.
So best of luck Kirby, and rest assured that your cancelation is no reflection on you. 16 years behind the mic is something to be proud of, even if your bat-shit crazy politics is not.
Any speculations or comments on Lou Dobbs’ ..uhm…departure from CNN?
Maybe Lou will pop up on KVI.
{shudder}
Left or Right, we need MORE local radio, not less. Or at least more local podcasting… when is “Podcasting Liberally” coming back?
Lou Dobbs and Fox News both denied that they had any discussions about him moving to their network. But Lou Dobbs was spotted having dinner with Roger Ailes the week before his resignation from CNN.
I guess they were just talking about the quality of the food?
Radio has been on the decline for decades. First they killed FM by reducing music to the most ‘generic’ middle of the road seemingly ratings friendly programming, to the point no one listens anymore (talking national not so much just Seattle, which still has a few unusually good stations like King FM, KEXP, Mountain). Next AM went from being news/classical to just screaming right wing nutballs. That worked very well for awhile, it let all the unemployed or retired crackpots that could listen to 6 hours of talk radio a day turn in and nod at their radio. But that at least used to be local crackpots, now like FM, it’s being dumbed down to a few national ratings friendly syndicated shows. Oh well.
If I want local information, I go to the web anymore. I’ve found out much more about what’s going on in West Seattle and my neighborhood politics, business and crime from the West Seattle Blog than I ever get from anything like the Seattle Times or any radio station.
I doubt it. Neither has any taste.
Bummer. Wish the best of luck to him. I can totally understand why KIRO shit-canned whiney Goldy, but not this guy.
@5
But…But…But…media consolidation gave us MORE choice right? (And I certainly wouldn’t put “The Mountain” out as a good alternative. There is a “music for aging gen Xers longing for the “alternative top 40″ of their high school/college years” station in just about every market.)
Emerging technology is killing radio now but thats really just like pulling the plug on Teri Schiavo. It’s basically a breathing corpse that started with what you describe.
With the exception of a few markets with a true independent or good college radio station there is only the corporate approved playlist. It’s why you can fly from Seattle (The End) and hop in a rental car in San Francisco (Live 105) and drive to L.A. (KROQ) and never realize you’ve changed radio stations. You can do the same all over the country.
rhp @ 4
Joe Conason speculates that Lou Dobbs will run for president [salon.com]. As an ‘independent’.
I’d love to see a tea bagger split the right wing vote.
My favorite Kirby Wilbur recollection…
I don’t know the guy, but one of my best frioends went to Queen Anne High School with him, where he they were both apparently Young Republicans together (or whatever equivalent there was in high school in 1970). BTW, my friend has since seen the error of those ways. He reported to me that on one or more occasions during elections Kirby would go out at night and collect and destroy the campaign signs of Democratic candidates.
Sure it’s a so-called “youthful indiscretion,” but it presages what we now know all too much about the character of the mainstays of the Republican Party.
#5 The Mountain is corporate radio to Entercomm. They fired Marty Reimer and Jodi Brothers – local folks and brought in some boring dufous whose schtick is “tell me about Seattle.”
I’m with Goldy. Despite our differences I’m sad to see Kirby go. He was great to me when I was on the air with him (which was somewhat regularly a few years ago), and a very nice guy off the air. I wish him well, and mourn the loss of another local radio station.
I used to listen to Kirby’s show often. He’s the only conservative who I could respect, and from time-to-time agree with.
He genuinely respected others point of view and invited honest debate.
Today’s conservative loud mouths could learn a lot from Kirby.
Goldy, if Kirby lands on another radio station I hope you let us know which one it is. I for one would listen to him again.
Good luck, Kirby.
I had the pleasure of being interviewed by him in 1993 after a small group of us started a campaign to boycott KVI advertisers. Though I agreed with little or nothing he said, and quite honestly, as a novice–he did a number on me in the debating, I found him to be a gracious host while I was there. His listeners who called in, OTOH, where the rudest, most condecending, and pedantic people I had ever come across–and did not live to see such attitudes expressed until the so called Tea Bagger people. So Kirby, if you’re reading this: Citizens for Responsibility in Broadcast says congrats on your retirement–if that is where things end up–or, hope you find another gig.
Kirby got lazy, repeating too many completely baseless claims.
I always hated his voice, too. He and Dori get under my skin with tha aww-shucks Midwest tone. Annoying.
What I really miss is the late night and early a.m. local hosts. Drake Collier, anyone? Lou Pate, Mike Webb, the early days of Bryan Suits were all great to listen to. They were right down the street, more or less, talking about shit that was going on right here. Heck, even Mike “I-can’t-believe-no-one-is-outraged-enough-to-call-me-and-I-have-ten-lines-open” Siegel could be a hoot! Is he still on the air?
like Nixon going to china, great to see a rare lefty who can say something nice about a conservative. thank you
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