September 29, 2004, 07:00 AM
Is KPRC the “rino” of radio stations ?
I was amused by the decision of KPRC's Ken Charles to take Rather off of the air. Even though ChronicallyBiased.com is affiliated with KSEV, we surely don't hide from mentioning our competition, good or bad. We have also given the Houston Chronicle praise in the few rare times it was deserved. However, in this case, Charles deserves no credit. He is simply grandstanding, once again pretending to be a conservative. Along the way he destroyed another once great news radio station, KTRH. It was his brilliant idea to downgrade their news for liberals like Sam Donaldson. That was a disaster.
It was the same Ken Charles who took over KPRC in 2000 and declared that his station would no longer cover conservative politics or discuss God on the air, as he took his station in a liberal direction. It was only after his station sank in the ratings that he made an about face and suddenly re-programmed his station back to a conservative format. Now, the same station that told conservative callers to take a hike back in 2000, when they complained about the liberal direction of KPRC under Charles, has become a born again conservative station waving the republican flag.
This is the same Ken Charles who misled many national conservative hosts back in 2000 by promising to air their shows live. He either didn't air the shows at all or put the shows on late at night. The prime examples of his misdirection were in keeping Laura Ingraham off of the air in Houston for almost a year with his false promises; he also buried Sean Hannity late at night, after promising Sean a live clear. Sean called me in frustration at Charles' dealings, but was afraid to move to us in fear of retaliation at the hands of Clear Channel. (CC carried his show in other markets.) Charles did these things because he did not want any conservatives on the air back in 2000 and 2001. He didn't want their shows and he made sure no one else could get them. He had no choice with Rush.
He wanted a “hot talk” format that bordered on trash talk and liberal ideas. When that format flopped he suddenly became a fan of national conservative hosts. I'm glad he passed on Laura. She is doing very well for us. However, I hear that he plans to cancel Sean Hannity from his live spot in 2005. We will find room for Sean if Charles doesn't want him.
He has been obsessed with beating KSEV in the ratings. I'm not sure why. We are a lone independent station without the clout of Clear Channel. He has done well since he made an about face in his format. However, in the latest spring ratings, KSEV won the morning battle. Without Rush, Charles would be in deep trouble. Any station that has Rush as their mainstay can't lose in the ratings. I know, I built my radio business around Rush.
The truth is, while ratings are important to us, I am more concerned about making a difference in our community. Where is KPRC when it comes to supporting our cause for property tax relief? Missing in action. Where was KPRC when we needed help to over turn the rain tax? Missing in action. (Thank goodness we got it done with the help of Norman Adams) And when I wrote my book about God and donated all of the profits to charity, Charles went on the air and mocked me and the Word of God. Yet, when KPRC held patriotic rallies downtown for the last two years, we gave them free on air plugs and praised their efforts.
We have come to know a “rino” as being a republican politician in name only. Ken Charles is a radio “rino.”
One last note on his grandstanding by canceling Rather. When I ran KPRC I cancelled Rather back in 1996 when we signed our agreement with CBS. It didn't take me very long to determine Rather's views did not mesh with mine or our listeners. The fact that Charles put Rather back on in 2000 and kept him on, until a few weeks ago, says all that needs to be said on what Charles really thinks of Rather. Before “Rathergate,” Dan was Ken's kind of guy.
Less anyone think this is sour grapes, this is not the case. I have more freedom than ever on air and God has richly blessed me and KSEV. I left Clear Channel on very good terms and the Chairman of the Board, Lowry Mays and the President of the company, Mark Mays, continue to be close friends.
There is room enough in this city for two good conservative talk stations. I congratulate KPRC for their about face turn. I'm still a Rush admirer. I owe him a lot. They also have some fine talent. I just don't like phonies who pretend they are one of us and pretend to be supportive of the conservative Christian cause when they are not; whether they be in Washington, Austin or down the radio dial. If KPRC would quit fighting us and instead join us to help promote conservative, Christian causes in our community and state, we could be a more powerful force for the principles in which we believe. Charles has done his grandstanding, now let's see if he's a rino or not. It is time for him to have KPRC work with CLOUT and KSEV to reduce property taxes and bring better government to Texas.
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