Dear John: Talk Radio

Dear talk radio,

 It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter to you. I am afraid the magic is gone from our relationship. It started out innocently enough, 15 years ago. I had burned out of normal music- based radio and longed for something different. I had heard of Howard Stern before, but he was a TV show where I lived, not radio. Tapes were too bulky, CDs to easily scratched. I needed something to get me through my nights stocking shelves. And like a hero on a white stallion, you rode up to save me.

 It started out by finding out Loveline, which I had watched on MTV, was a daily radio show that was even more bizarre than the television show. So I started listening, laughing at Dr. Drew and Adam Corolla’s information given with pure snark. I was hooked. I needed more. I then found out that a local radio station replayed Tom Leykis’ show from midnight to 4 am. Also crude, crass, and cutting as all get out, he was a blast to listen to. My nights were productive and informative.

 Around the 2000 presidential race, I started to realize that Tom was just not doing it for me anymore. He had fallen into routine, and it quickly became stale for me. I decided to take a chance and listen to the local news station, 710 KIRO. There I was introduced to Bryan Suits, a very witty man who not only was incredibly knowledgeable, but also a man who was in the military, so he had views that I could relate too. I quickly became a fan. Local talk radio had the one thing missing from national shows: intimacy. I felt like a part of the show since I knew the issues affected the area I lived. From him I branched out to the overnight KIRO host, Lou Pate; a VERY snarky New Yorker living in the Northwest who knew exactly how to push the native’s buttons- even my own. I listened to other local shows, each with its own unique flavor to add to the time I was working: Mike Webb, Erin Hart, Brian Maloney, Dave Ross and Dori Monson. There were others, be they liberal, conservative, or anywhere in between. Music radio was a thing of the past. We were content… no, we were living in bliss.

 But dark clouds were forming…

 Throughout the aftermath of 9/11 I stayed. Throughout the Afghanistan war, I stayed. But as I stayed and things heated up with Iraq, I began to waver. The pure diversity was delightful, but soon sides were being chosen and I found both sides becoming shrill voices of their parties’ affiliations. I understand the need for debate in those times, but when one side blamed everything that went wrong up to erectile dysfunction on President Bush and the other wanted to deport anyone who dared criticize what was going on, I started to rethink things. Fortunately I still had Bryan Suits and Lou Pate to keep me entertained in, at least most of the time, non-partisan ways. But even that was doomed.

 Bryan Suits left KIRO in 2002 to go work with KVI, an all-conservative station. I followed him and tried listening to them, but only one viewpoint does not a good relation make. His unit was soon called to active duty and he left for a tour in Iraq. Lou Pate left KIRO soon afterwards and I had to start listening to music radio for some of the time. Mike Webb and Erin Hart became more and more extreme in their views and it became painful and sad to listen. Sure, ‘Blame Bush’ fired up the faithful, but he was not the sole reasons for our woes. And when Mike Webb started believing the 9/11 conspiracies, I knew it was time to cut back. KIRO at this time was also cutting down their local shows to a mere handful. I still stayed through the years as this happened, as I still felt love for you, but my choices were growing fewer and fewer. I tried Air America, but found the lack of local content off-putting, as well as the same near zealotry I saw in Webb and Hart. I tried again with KVI, but between the lack of quality in their dwindling local shows and the horrendous treatment they gave to Bryan Suits when he came back from active duty was a disgrace. Come to think of it, it was Suit’s treatment at KVI that really got me open my eyes to the reality of our relationship. Add to this Adam Corolla leaving Loveline and it became even more apparent… although I still hung on, out of familiarity more than anything else.

 I think the last straw finally came when the few local talk shows left stopped taking phone calls. That was one of the reasons I loved local talk radio, I could be a part of it if I chose too. No longer was it debate, it was sermons. Why be challenged on your beliefs and ideals if you didn’t have too. Why they stopped, I have no idea. Was it to play it safe? Budget reasons? I don’t know. I even tried to see if Loveline could stop the relationship’s disintegration, but alas, I can not even find it on my dial.

So talk radio, I tried to ignore it, tried to resist it, but it has become inevitable: I no longer care for you and really don’t like what you have become. I would like to say we could still be friends, but we moved past that point long ago. Now I must make do with my iPod filled with my entire music library for those days and nights on the road or cleaning or what have you. I may think of you some time, but understand, I can never go back.

 Sincerely, for the last time,



Mike in West Seattle