THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 14, 1994 TAG: 9407140077
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUE SMALLWOOD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
LAST WEEK your humble columnist opined on the growing trend toward tastelessness on the local radio airwaves. I cited several examples of crass shtick that has given me pause in the last few weeks: the making light of death-penalty executions on a WNIS talk-show, WROX morning personality Perry Stone's demeaning, derogatory comments to and about women, WNOR's live broadcast of a vasectomy.
Seems I'm not the only one who's grown weary of all the mean-spirited blather and insipid, low-brow humor. Among those who called the Soundcheck talkbox - 640-5555, category 3277 - to voice their views, more than half were put off by the shock jocks.
Chuck from Virginia Beach chalked off the rise of contentious programming to a general decline in civility. ``I used to like WNOR,'' he said, ``but when they got into this tacky tastelessness, I turned to a station that has music or a legitimate talk-show. It's just a matter of class. . . .''
``My husband and I are fans of alternative rock 'n' roll and we were excited when 96X (WROX) came on the air,'' Carol from Norfolk said, ``but . . radio station anymore because of them.''
Chris, also from Virginia Beach, would simply like to do away with bit-happy morning shows. ``When I get up and put on the radio I want to hear good tunes,'' he said. ``I don't want to hear two idiots who do not even make you laugh blubber and blunder for three hours. We want to hear good music.''
Not surprisingly, women - often the target of radio's more outrageous banter - had the most difficulty with the shock spiel. (Is anyone aware of a female shock jock, by the way?)
An anonymous female caller complained about Stone's and his sidekick Pasquale's treatment of women. ``I've been raped and I was also molested as a child,'' she said, ``and some of the things that they say, not even pertaining to that, (are) very demeaning to women.''
Stephanie of Norfolk holds the top brass responsible for puerile patter: ``(It) boggles my mind . . . that the station managers of radio stations like 96X allow these immature and insecure men to be ugly, abusive and hateful not only to women but to anybody who might have a different opinion. Don't they know that there's enough horror in the world without having to listen to brainless hatemongers on my local radio station?''
Stone, who also hosts an afternoon call-in show on WNIS, has his supporters among Soundcheck readers, though. Most conceded that he occasionally gets out of hand, but emphasized that he shouldn't be taken too thoughtfully.
``Perry Stone and his group does get out of control sometimes, but you gotta listen to them for a couple months because they are hilarious,'' said Linda from Norfolk. ``Some of the stuff they say you just have to take in light and not take it all so seriously.''
``When (Stone) first came on the air,'' said Marcia of Chesapeake, ``he didn't offend me. I thought he was stupid. But the more I listen, I can't stand my drive home without listening to him.''
WNOR's morning jocks - Tommy Griffiths, who underwent the on-air vasectomy, and Henry ``The Bull'' Del Toro - had their fair share of supportive calls as well.
``When Tommy and the Bull had their vasectomy on the radio I thought it was great and a wonderful learning experience,'' said Ruth of Norfolk, ``and they managed to throw a little humor in it too. Sometimes I think they say what all of us really want to say but just can't express it.''
Several callers pointed out the charitable activities of some radio stations, especially WNOR.
``Yeah, some of their stuff is tasteless, but that's humor,'' Dave of Virginia Beach said of the WNOR morning team. ``A lot of the stuff that they do with their time and money and their power that they have in radio is going to a good cause.''
So charitable work excuses buffoonery? Or - more likely - is charity fund-raising just a reproach-proof excuse to engage in blatantly self-glorifying, ratings-grabbing antics?
``I used to think Tommy and the Bull were great for all of the charity that they did, but do they have to stoop to such nastiness to get ratings?'' Joyce from Chesapeake said about the vasectomy broadcast. ``I think it's gross when you start publicizing private things.''
June from Virginia Beach follows through on her dislike of shock radio by boycotting the stations' advertisers. ``They may have ratings in the number of listeners,'' she said, ``but they're not selling their products to me.''
My sincere thanks to everyone who called in. For all of the varied opinions on the state of local radio, on one thing all of us seem to agree. If you don't like what you hear, just turn it off. by CNB