We Were Too Nice
by Brian Maloney, December 4th, 2007 at 02:47pm
Private feedback sent to this site alternates between accusations that we are too nasty and much too nice. Few seem to think we have the balance just about right. What can we do?
In the case of Michele McPhee, however, we were clearly far too kind and actually did her a disservice as a result. I’ll consider this a lesson learned.
McPhee is about to walk away from a career where she is bursting with talent for a field she has no business anywhere near.
Did Michele’s friends and co-workers try to reason with her? What kind of programmer could possibly see her as suitable for talk radio? Why didn’t we caution her earlier?
To the manager that pushed for this (I’m not sure which one), you really should consider getting out of talk radio programming, as that is one tin ear you must have. Perhaps this site hasn’t been tough enough with you, either.
All I can say for myself is that she seems like a nice person and that I assumed McPhee knew her place was in print journalism, so I saw little reason to go after her. Obviously, that was wrong, a bit of tough love earlier in the game might have done some good, were she willing to listen.
What a mess.
Entry Filed under: WTKK
8 Comments
1. raccoonradio | December 4th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Boston mag. has confirmed that McPhee will do
7-10 pm weeknights starting Jan 7. Who will
get O’Reilly? WRKO tape delayed? WTTT?
2. joy | December 4th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Too nice?
WTF?
huh?
Where’s the tylenol?
3. Chris | December 4th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
The landscape is littered with newspaper writers and columnists who send themselves, often uninvited, over to their electronic brethren…either radio or TV…for a bit of career security. They all know that the newspaper business is dying, so what we have here is someone jumping from a ship named ‘Titanic’ to one named ‘Lusitania.’
4. The Real Not an RKO Employee | December 4th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
There is no question that there is a dirth of talent in Boston especially amoung female talk hosts.
McPhee brings little to the table. I am sick of her stories about what it is like in New York City. I lived in NYC and if I wanted to hear about it every five minutes I would have stayed there.
I wish TTK would have given Adam Rielly and David Bernstein from the Phoenix a try.
And, god is Dan Rea dull. He actually did two hours of people calling in with stories about falls they have taken over the years.
He sounds pathetic when someone calls from out of state and begs them to keep listening on the internet.
After having to listen to Morgan White and his corny triva during a recent BZ overnight shift who does Rea have on the next night for an hour or two, Morgan White and more lame trivia.
Got a chance to listen to nut job Gregg Jackson Sunday night. Someone may want to tell him that banging on about how great the weather is in LA where he now broadcasts from, may not go over well with Boston listeners.
His show is so sad that had so few callers that “Bruce from Quincy” called in during the first hour with a comment on religion and then called back in the third hour with a comment for Mad Dad David Parker.
I think Bruce was the only caller the entire show.
5. Dave | December 4th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
rr, O’Reilly announced a few months back that he’s giving up his radio show to concentrate on “the TV side”.
6. Brian Maloney | December 4th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Actually, he later changed his mind and renewed for an extra year.
7. Hugh Jass | December 5th, 2007 at 6:59 am
Brian,
I genuinely like Michele, and think her talented on-air. Plus, she can continue to write books during the day (something else she has had success with).
In a worst case scenario (she fails on talk radio) she just returns to NYC or Boston as a columnist (is my bet) since she will have more experience and will have gained more perspective.
I just don’t see the downside that you do. Thoughts? I agree with you on most things.
8. The Professor | December 8th, 2007 at 5:27 am
I listened to Michael Graham before Imus came back. As soon as I heard McPhee’s voice,… click.
I still listen to Graham. If I hear Mcphee’s voice, again,….click.