Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > July > 25 > Entry
7/25: Autism flap costs Michael Savage sponsors including Home Depot
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New York syndicated radio host Michael Savage, heard locally at night on WSB-AM, has been losing sponsors and affiliates after comments about autism caught the ear of activisits. Atlanta-based Home Depot is one of the sponsors who dropped him, according to Newsday. The New York Times noted that Columbus-based Aflac has ditched him, too.
The irascible conservative Savage was on for a couple of years in the evenings in Atlanta on WSB but was bumped earlier this year to late night since his ratings were pretty bad. Herman Cain now has his slot here.
One of his more damaging quotes:
“I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases it’sa brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out.
Here’s a bit from the New York Times story:
On his Web site, Michaelsavage.com, the host posted a letter on Monday in which he iterated the central point he said he had been trying to make on his July 16 program: that autism is too often misdiagnosed in the cases of children, or falsely diagnosed, at least partly as a means of wringing resources. “Let the truly autistic be treated,” he wrote. “Let the falsely diagnosed be free.” On July 16, Mr. Savage, above, referred to autism as “a fraud, a racket,” and asserted that what “99 percent” of children with autism most needed was a parent willing to tell them things like, “Don’t act like a moron.”
Dan Kearney, general manager at WSB-AM, said he’s been inundated with emails complaining about Savage but most are coming from outside activist groups, not Atlanta listeners. He said he is meeting with a local autism group next week to talk about the Savage controversy.
And on another note, Kearney told me when Hannity’s contract is up: 2012. So he will indeed be contractually obligated to WSB for quite a long time coming.
-I wrote a story for the print edition today about Mark Kanov, who worked at Star 94 for 40 years, starting on July 26, 1968 and retiring today on July 25, 2008. He was the first full-time sales guy at the FM station WQXI in 1968, moved up the ranks to eventually run the shop the last 15 years.
He ran a great station, a station with fiercely loyal employees, a consistent and advertiser-friendly brand and an amazing sales team that helped prop up revenues this decade even as ratings dropped.
By dumping Steve & Vikki last year, he’s taken a huge gamble just as he’s walking out the door by bringing in the relatively inexperienced Morning Mess team from Indianapolis. Unfortunately, for the Mess, Kanov was one of the trio’s biggest supporters. Will his replacement prop them up if they don’t quickly build an audience to replace that of Steve & Vikki, now at B98.5? That’s the big question for them.
Spring ratings, which are considered more important than winter, come out next week. We’ll get a better handle on how all the morning shows are doing then.
Comments
By rhonda
July 27, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this
Sponsors of The Mike Savage show better beware. We have a failing economy and it will make it much easier for me to shop crossing any of your companies of my list. I am boycotting ALL your products.
By Doofy
July 28, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
I suppose that 2 of the 3 that Kanov hired for Star 94’s morning screw-up had better start looking for new gigs. The fat one should be dead from a coronary before the end of the year.
By Thrash
July 29, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
Rhonda,
Your threats are idle and useless. Savage is right, autism is a crock.
By argh
July 30, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
Give me a break, Kanov was a tool. He kissed b-t all the way up and tore down a once great station. Dont make him out to be a great guy unless you worked for him.
By tnecvolfan2001
August 4, 2008 3:47 AM | Link to this
it is NOT true that savage was bumped to 10 PM because his ratings were “pretty bad.” He has been Number 1 here in Atlanta for quite some time now. nice try, tho.
By Morgana
August 4, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
I gave the Morning Mess a fair try. I’m sorry but its just too much like listneing to a bunch of college students with the pranks and other things.
I gave up on them. They are indeed the Morning “Mess:.
I’m glad Steve and Vicke are coming back.
By War EAGLE
August 5, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this
Doctors are misdiagnosing ADD, fibromyalgia and autism. they are drug prescribers. Why can’t the government diagnose why little illegal Pedro cannot speak English? Because he has Illegal Alienism! A form of Autism! He canot speak English. These activists are so full of themselves. They probably have no jobs or kids of their own and protest like Sharpton and jackson at the drop of a hat if someone “offends” them. Where were they in the 70’s? The nation has turned into pill poppers! As for Steve and Viki? EWWWW! It is like imaginign your grandparents doing it. yuck! STar 94 i son it’s way out. Z 93’s only star is Mara. Face it-Atlanta radio sucks and the music else here is Crap wrap or hip hop junk by rap sheet artists that get arrested every year. Maybe we should have Rap Artist season instead of Deer season?
By ifcdt ldtcpxen
November 19, 2008 2:49 AM | Link to this
rbmxsokvl eklj pkhvmubj ftvarc akyqxp ompg ibzdlaye
By ifcdt ldtcpxen
November 19, 2008 2:49 AM | Link to this
rbmxsokvl eklj pkhvmubj ftvarc akyqxp ompg ibzdlaye
By ifcdt ldtcpxen
November 19, 2008 2:50 AM | Link to this
rbmxsokvl eklj pkhvmubj ftvarc akyqxp ompg ibzdlaye
By trxg jzupeat
November 19, 2008 3:19 AM | Link to this
mahoutcn retduxk jsaoy gbyafd hvgrzxbc gjencaxb prfvzbm
By trxg jzupeat
November 19, 2008 3:20 AM | Link to this
mahoutcn retduxk jsaoy gbyafd hvgrzxbc gjencaxb prfvzbm