Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Mark this: Williamson to WNIR?

What's that?  Former Akron  mayoral assistant Mark Williamson is a candidate as a WNIR talk show host to replace the late Howie Chizek?  The right-wing station is reporting that Williamson's on-air turn will come soon.  I usually don't pay that much attention to the local broadcast media, scanty as it is.  But in this instance, the idea of Williamson possibly joining a broadcaster that has dedicated itself to trashing Mayor Don Plusquellic is sort of newsworthy, don't you think?

Williamson had been the news director at  Akron's  Channel 23, which has since morphed beyond recognition in recent years. He spent 15 years at City Hall as the mayor's spokesman, but it wasn't a well-kept  secret that he and the mayor became estranged to a breaking point.  He resigned in January.

Perhaps it was Williamson's broken ties with Plusquellic that led to his interest in the opening at WNIR, a station that might best be described as a poor man's Fox News. A very poor man.   Or maybe there's simply a lousy job market for guys with his background.

As the newspaper editorialists often say, this bears watching.   Particularly by the mayor's office.

2 comments:

JLM said...

Thank you for calling out WNIR for what it is, "a poor man's Fox News".

In the words of the late Mr. Chizek, I don't want to be a bad person, but I'm sure whoever is chosen to fill his time slot will have the same political bent as Football Boy Golic and Space Boy/Bigfoot Hunter Erikson, both so far right it's not funny.

JLM said...

While listening to Mr.Williamson on WNIR this afternoon, a crusty sounding caller asked him his opinion on:
Gun Control
Obamacare
Abortion
Gay Marriage

Mr. Williamson's replies sounded more like the late Joe Finan than any current WNIR host.

Let's see if that sinks his chances.