Print
Email
Two weeks ago, the departure of longtime announcer Ken Vincent from public KUOW-FM (94.9) in Seattle triggered complaints by him and others of compromises in station programming, inadequate compensation, creeping commercialization, and, perhaps most notable, needless meddling in how announcers speak.
In short, they said, our beloved KUOW was headed downhill.
Oddly in our age of instant communications, General Manager Wayne Roth and Program Director Jeff Hansen did not respond. A station spokesperson said the two were out of town and were unavailable for comment.
Back in the office, both spoke with Crosscut and expressed puzzlement and dismay over the complaints. Roth, the executive in charge of KUOW, said he was saddened by the departure of Vincent, whom he has known for 22 years and whom he called a friend. He compared Vincent's departure to Bob Edwards' resignation from National Public Radio in 2004. "I guess there's a lot of similarities," said Roth. "That's about all I can say."
But Roth did dismiss some claims that surrounded Vincent's departure. He said no changes are under way at the NPR member station that would compromise quality, commitment to news, or authenticity of any broadcaster. In fact, the station is expanding programming by developing content for distribution through a sister station, Tacoma-based KXOT-FM (91.7), and on the Web and on high-definition radio. A Glasgow-based BBC producer, Dominic Black, has been hired to lead new staff for that effort.
Roth also said most station employees got pay increases this year following a nationwide study of public-radio compensation. "I think our salaries are competitive," he said.
Hansen, whose responsibilities include supervision of announcers and news staff, was especially insistent that there was zero basis for reports that management was telling announcers to speak in a more stataco, abbreviated style, to name one complaint by staffers. He said there was no such directive, orally or in writing, and he had specifically told staff that no such change was desired. "Authenticity is the most prized element of any announcer's style," Hansen said. "Anything that would impinge on that, I would discourage. Why in God's name would I want a clipped, robotic style?"
On the subject of syndicated shows carried by KUOW, Fresh Air was not dropped but moved to KXOT, Open Source lost its funding, and The Writer's Almanac was moved to a different time slot, not cancelled.
A so-called shift to listener call-ins from longer, reported pieces was nothing new and "not a single change in six or seven years," Hansen said. Also untrue was a cutback in arts programming. An arts reporter was shifted to general news, but that happened two years ago, "and we didn't hear a single peep when that happened," said Hansen.
Hansen said much of the criticism about KUOW was just wrong. "There haven't been any major changes for quite a while," he said. "No major changes are planned."
Major or not, there is change planned for one show, The Beat, which is being re-named Sound Focus and more tightly focused on Seattle-area topics. As part of the change, it's less likely that viewers will hear interviews with authors visiting Seattle on book tours. Instead, it might be a feature on horseback-mounted police, a skipper taking a ship through the Ballard Locks, or folk tales inspired by Interstate 90, said Hansen. The goal is to focus on what's unique about the Puget Sound region. The shift won't seem dramatic. "Average viewers won't even notice the difference," said Hansen.
Told of Hansen's response, Vincent said people can make up their own minds by just listening at 19 minutes past the hour any morning. They'll hear that new clipped style, he said.
Like what you just read? Support high quality local journalism by becoming a member of Crosscut.com today!
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feeds
Comments:
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 9:09 a.m. Inappropriate
Management Spin: I listen to KUOW from my home in Greece and I can tell you that it has changed to that clipped staccato style -- coincidence; I don't think so.
Did management talk about their reserves and what their plans are on how to spend them? As someone who gives less money now during the pledge drives (I don't live in Seattle most of the year and no longer have an employer with a 3:1 match), I was appalled to learn that they have this large pot of money they seem to be sitting on.
Many of my favorite shows are gone - Science Friday, Talk of the Nation to name a couple. Instead I have to listen to that insipid Day to Day (actually, we turn to WAMU and listen to Fresh Air followed by To the Point).
Personally, I'm more interested in hearing from touring authors rather than about mounted police, so I'm not looking forward to the change in The Beat. I'm not likely to buy a horse but I am very interested in books and their authors.
So, I guess we'll just have to wait and see. And as for the Bob Edwards comparison -- I can't say that Morning Edition is better without him. Will I say the same for KUOW's Morning Edition? Probably. I certainly miss Ken's eclectic music choices already.
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 11:23 a.m. Inappropriate
The changes are there: In spite of what Misters Roth and Hansen say, there has been a lvery obvious lowering in the quatity of KUOW's programming. Evenings now are repeats, repeats, and more repeats.
Maybe the air time for call-in programs is the same, I find that the topics have only become more and more trivial and stupid. And that is what people are noticing. The quality drop has become glaring.
Some of the local news items increasing contain errors in fact and education. I would still like to know what an area of 12 is.
While I am glad that "Open Source" is no longer with us (the host always seemed to be unprepared, shot in error too many times from his ignorant hip, and would never let a guest finish a complex thought), the time is now filled with locally produced daytime drivel.
Better to put "Fresh Air" aor other programs of real quality on at 9PM than what is there now.
Or move the 10PM stuff to that time slot.
Or Dianne Reims.
Or is that too expensive because managemtent is actually trying to save money to upgrade KXOT's signal so all of Seattle can hear it.
I suspect that Misters Roth and Hansen is following NPR's lead of fixing things that are not broken--Bob Edwards being a prime example.
I think that KUOWs raiting are about to take a hit. I will try to find a station on the Internet that is smart, intelligent, and accurate--those qualities that KUOW seems to be sheding.
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 12:23 p.m. Inappropriate
KUOW - The good and the dreadful.: Happy to hear that KUOW's reported axing of Writer's Almanac was a false alarm. A public radio station that can't find five minutes a day for a couple of well-written literary anecdotes and a poem should lose its franchise.
And before piling on, let's acknowledge Weekday's continuing excellence, including its commitment to giving the mayor, county executive and governor a regular forum. An important public service whether or not you agree with their politics. Best of all is Steve Scher's engaging weekly conversations with Vaughn Palmer. Coupled with the nightly As It Happens, an all too rare nod to Canada by any U.S. media outlet.
Still, there's lots more work to be done in the KUOW programming shed. When's the last time you heard anything new on Day to Day? It's repetitive and uninspired; an apparent excuse to justify the millions spent by NPR on a West Coast studio. Inserting the much-missed Talk of the Nation in this time slot would be an instant improvement.
As the grandson of a Seattle mounted policeman, I was happy to hear Dave Beck's recent story of the city's cops on horseback. But at the expense of the modest amount of regular airtime given to the local arts community on the old version of The Beat? That's too high a price to pay. You've got 24 hours to play with. Surely there's room for both poets and horses.
But the No. 1 item on KUOW's To Do list has to be exorcising the annoying Ross Reynolds, especially his supercilious habit of addressing program guests by their first names. Is Mr. Reynolds really on a first-name basis with all these people? If so, then disclosure to listeners is in order. If not, then it smacks of "Hi, I'm Ross, and I'll be your waiter." No, thank you.
The best that can be said for this discourteous practice is that it offers an immediate excuse to tune out KUOW and switch to KBCS and the engaging midday "Lunch with Folks." A local radio program eminently worth supporting, fellow listeners.
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 2:54 p.m. Inappropriate
Try WPR: Just a suggestion: Take a look at Wisconsin Public Radio. It has two different networks that blanket the state, one for music, one for ideas. The ideas network is absolutely wonderful and has much of what is gone from our area. I listen to WHWC and love both the national programs and the superb local talk programming. They even have regular shows on gardening, birds, computer problems, etc. Life in Wisconsin, of course.
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 10:42 p.m. Inappropriate
Wayne Roth is at it again!: You would be a fool to be taken in by the duplicity of Wayne Roth. He has a history of dirty dealing at the helm of publicly-owned community radio at the UW. This guy is always talking out the side of his mouth, and his artifice in running the airwaves over at the University has a long track record.
Check on the controversy that continues to dog the formerly UW student-run station KCMU, that in a management power grab became KEXP. Roth's mitts were all over that Saturday Night Massacre. Lots of drama and skullduggery, volunteer DJs who criticized the station's policies were fired, although a lawsuit from resulted in that policy being struck down by a United States District Court.
linked text
KEXP also attempted to run and purchase KXOT, but huge losses and inept management led to failure and the eventual bailout by KUOW. Skip and Dave's old rag "The Weekly" ran a very controversial feature on mismanagement and inflated salaries for a few players at KEXP. After the word got out about the salaries, there was a lot of grumbling about the low pay at KUOW, and that is what led to pay increases. KUOW staffers were severely dismayed to find out how much their salaries were being eclipsed by those at UW-owned pop-station KEXP.Bold
Posted Tue, Sep 11, 10:54 p.m. Inappropriate
Wayne Roth is at it again! pt. 2: You would be a fool to be taken in by the duplicity of Wayne Roth. He has a history of dirty dealing at the helm of publicly-owned community radio at the UW. This guy is always talking out the side of his mouth, and his artifice in ruining the airwaves over at the University has a long track record.
Check on the controversy that continues to dog the formerly UW student-run station KCMU, that in a management power grab became KEXP. Roth's mitts were all over that Saturday Night Massacre. Lots of drama and skullduggery, volunteer DJs who criticized the station's policies were fired, although a lawsuit from resulted in that policy being struck down by a United States District Court.
KCMU- Wiki entry
KEXP also attempted to run and purchase KXOT, but huge losses and inept management led to failure and the eventual bailout by KUOW and the UW. Skip and Dave's old rag "The Weekly" ran a very controversial feature on mismanagement and inflated salaries for a few players at KEXP. After the word got out about the salaries, there was a lot of grumbling about the low pay at KUOW, and that is what led to pay increases. KUOW staffers were severely dismayed to find out how much their salaries were being eclipsed by those at UW-owned poprock station KEXP.
The Expensive Expansion of KEXP
The controversy has been well documented by "The Stranger" and lives on in a well read community forum:
(400 posts, 40,000 views) posted on the Stranger's "SLOG" community forums.
KEXP Boycott-Fire thieving CEO!!
Nobody has really looked into the nefarious dealings with state-run University and public pledge dollars at either KUOW or KEXP for a while, it's a barrel of Vikings, are you up to it Casey?
Posted Wed, Sep 12, 6:59 a.m. Inappropriate
KUOW Management -- wrong: Roth and Hansen manage the place from closed little offices. They have no connection with the programming staff. They are not trusted, nor respected. They are AVOIDED. Hansen's program philosophy leads to more stupid call-in programs. He is indeed urging the clipped style mentioned by Ken Vincent.
You cannot believe them.
Posted Fri, Sep 14, 8:56 a.m. Inappropriate
The rest of the Story....Not: About the finances & why there were no questions…
1. Brewster & Roth are good friends.
2. Roth tried to delay the full raises saying there wasn't enough money- This while the station had record profits.
3. After attending aboard meeting and learning about the station's financial success a member of the programming staff sent a full page email regarding the issue, it was leaked to the board and ta da the raise process started.
Posted Fri, Sep 14, 10:22 a.m. Inappropriate
Anybody notice?: Anybody notice changes on air at KUOW? Where is Ross? Conversation has a new producer? Jeannie Yandel on The Beat, sounding like a giggling child in interviews. The clipped style..... the silence from the old pros... must be an uncomfortable place to be. Can't wait for the eruption to go public.
But maybe, in KUOW style, it will be a whimper.
Posted Fri, Sep 14, 4:31 p.m. Inappropriate
Casey Corr agreed to write about the KUOW affair as someone who didn't have a conflict of interest. Knute Berger, for example, is a weekly guest on the station. Brewster had no input on the actual content of this story or its slant, although he participated in discussions about the topic generally during our weekly news meetings.