Clear Channel Fires Local Radio Talk Show Host

by Alex Caldwell on August 25, 2008 · View Comments

in Media

I’m going to repost what I just put up on the Thom Hartmann forum in regards to Clear Channel firing Nicole Sandler, a local radio talk show host here in South Florida.

Thom’s show is broadcast on a local affiliate here in South Florida called “940 Winz”. It’s supposedly a progressive channel, with various of the people from Air America being broadcast there in addition to Thom’s show. Actually I believe that the host interviewed Thom just a few weeks ago.


This morning on my way home (yes home, i work nights) from work, to my great surprise I don’t hear Nicole’s voice, I hear some weird male voice and then country music. I thought I was being warped into a different dimension or something. I kept checking the “dial” (who actually still has one?) but the display confirmed that I was on the right station. So I called up the station as I tend to do from time to time and I ask the call screener where the freaking show went, morover Nicole Sandler. I was told that they no longer “carry the nicole sandler show” – there’s nothing to carry man. It’s a local show, talking about local issues, only shows such as Thom’s get “carried” to different places.

I found a one line post on a broward county blog where Nicole states the following:

QUOTE:
Hi Ron,

If you look at the WINZ website, you’ll find I’m no longer on the homepage, and there’s a big box in the middle saying that Imus will now be heard from 5-9am weekday mornings.

I was let go when I got off the air this morning.

Nicole
——————–

Contact Program Director
kencharles@clearchannel.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

I know many people probably couldn’t care less about a tiny radio show in South Florida but people have to understand that although there are a boatload of people here, I don’t think there’s any other show that informs people of local issues. There’s an NPR affiliate, but it doesn’t quite compare since they are of course also in some way syndicated and use some content from the npr site.

Nicole Sandler fought the fight that nobody seems to want to fight down here, although the education system and many other things down here are more comparable the old days of the Wild West than a modern society.

I hope that somebody reads this and at least either writes to the program director and calls their show. I’m posting this information on as many sites as I can, and hopefully something will come from this.

Thanks People

Nicole’s Website: www.nicolesandler.com

This article was written by Alex - Author's Website
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Clear Channel Fires Local Radio Talk Show Host

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  • So true. I actually remember a professor in college years ago pointing out what implications the Telecommunications Act would have that Bill Clinton signed and here we are 10 years later looking at the consequences.
  • HERB
    Clear Channel has destroyed local Radio across the USA. Radio degregulation has killed local radio and is responsible for the success of Satellite Radio and Internet Radio. If the NAB was true to it's cause they would have fought deregulation, instead they choose to spend thousands of dollars fighting the Sirius/XM merger. F the NAB. Local Radio is dead and will NEVER recover because it costs money to pay local talent. Regardless it is too late as the audience has gone elsewhere. Only the cheap, poor and old people still listen to free radio and that audience will never come back. HD Radio will fail because the folks like Clear Channel could not see that sitting on this technology would cost them not only in dollars, but listenners. Traditional Radio should have jumped on HD prior to the launch of Satellite. You get what you deserve!
  • James
    Nicole Sandler is on 850 WFTL till Nov4th!!!!!!!!!!!
  • howard - I actually contacted Nicole, told her about my efforts and I really didn't get the impression that she wanted to do anything other than to move on. Not that I need her blessing to stage something, but I would have thought she would have said something about it. It seems she's planning for her next moves, which include going in the direction of podcasting.
  • booksnmore4you
    I don't want to be entertained. I want to be informed about LOCAL issues, as well as some national ones. It is OUTRAGEOUS that the sole source of progressive locally-oriented talk was replaced with Dom Imus.

    http://digg.com/politics/Clear_Channel_Fires_Only_Local_Source_of_Progressive_Views
  • James
    Nicole Sandler was let go as a direct result of a political move. We need to ensure as a South Florida society that the 2 little Diaz Balart brothers and Ileana Ros Leitenin don't get reelected in November 2008. Please vote them out and this will be a small victory for Nicole. Also PLEASE vote NO on all the Amendments, you will be doing everyone justice!
  • howard
    We need to collect all the respondents to this site and all others that are singularly protesting in order to put together an organized effort with many acting together rather than seperately. Someone with organizational experienced is needed this to herd this group of cats so that our impact will be more potent. Count me in.
  • I'm going to start a new post and list the advertisers so we can start contacting them.
  • I am very upset at all this for all th right reasons as you are aware. We must continue the good fight. Support the Democratic challengers and vote these Republicians out of office. We start with the Diaz brothers. We must continue to hound the station to have Nicole reinstated. This was poor judgement on the part of the Winz. We can mobilze and force them to listen to our demands. The best way to a business attention is by pulling on the purse strings. Complain to advertisers to pull there ads. There could not have chosen a more controversial host then Ipus. I too was shocked and began to panick. But the truth is we are in control. We just need to take it back.
  • Howard
    If there is enough interest someone should step forward to lead an action to get Nicole back on the air. It seems from what has been written, an organized effort to inform advertisers of bouycotting them would be the most effect approach. It is suggested to take action while the iron is hot. I'm ready - how about you? Is there an organizer ready and willing?
  • Ooops.. I meant to post her website here of course... http://www.radioornot.com/
  • ....in case anyone wants to know - I also wrote to "Ken Charles" and yes he's sending out the same response to everyone. I have in the meanwhile contacted Nicole via email and offered my services and I might be assisting her with future endeavors. She says that she was given a good severance package so she doesn't have any immediate reason to panic, but is of course actively pursuing new opportunities.
  • Lon
    I was mortified when i turned on my radio on monday morning and heard the voice of Imus. I was hoping it was just a temporary mishap but sadly it seems that is not the case. I find it incredulous on the part of WINZ to rid us of such a great, informative show. What are we to do about local issues? Where are we to get informed on local politics and politicians? I for one will never give Imus a try. NEVER!


  • Very well said. I'm glad I'm not the only one with my opinion but that doesn't do Nicole much good today does it?
  • Dolores
    Stephen I couldn't agree with you more. Did you actually write Mr. Charles? I'm wondering if he's sending the same message to everyone....
  • Stephen
    I am a Bahamian listener who views with extreme sadness Nicole's departure from WINZ. Forgive me for saying so but, speaking personally for only myself, I find Mr. Charles' explanation to be completely unacceptable. What was required of him was a little vision. Instead, he has completely capitulated to the hard right which, in the short term, was doubtless capable of bringing subtle economic pressure to bear on the only Progressive radio outlet which stands as a symbol of hope and inspiration for Progressives in a S. Fla. and, quite frankly, in the immediate Region. In the longer term Nicole will no doubt have flourished and done the Station proud. I am mortified that at so crucial a juncture in your Nation's attempt (so far as I am concerned) to reclaim its soul--mere months in fact away from, arguably, the most important general electionin your Nation's history-- Mr. Charles has been so devoid of vision that he has assisted in silencing on his station the voice of a local talk show host who alone was 'holding the fort' with Progressive local programming. I hate to sound apocalyptic, but with the timing of this latest development I sense a gathering of the forces of Evil. It seems to me self-evident, whether or not Mr. Charles is consciously aware of it, that the forces of good are being assailed in order to promote a sinister agenda. I know this because Mr. Charles' incomprehensible reference to having to provide an 'alternative' makes absolutely no sense, as it is uttered at a time when up and down the am dial the stations are, fairly without exception, either religious right or political right. I am not a religious person, but I do feel strangely compelled to say: May God Now Have Mercy On Us All.

    Stephen.
  • Dolores Reese
    I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT NICOLE SANDLER NO LONGER IS AT YOUR STATION! How can you justify replacing her with Imus who has had a boatload of problems with his outrageous rants? It's really unfair that you took off a local talent who dealt fairly with local issues that nobody in South Florida cares about. Its a shame cause I will never listen to Imus. He's a bumbling bigot idiot who should be in a looney bin instead of on the air. I know you will never respond to this email cause you're ashamed of what your station has done.



    I’m not sure I can to you but I will try. The station is a difficult station to operate. The progressive format has not translated to revenues like other formats have. So we are in the position where we have to evaluate its ability to generate dollars as we are a business. Plus, the morning ratings were the lowest on the station.



    That said, especially in this important election year we are dedicated to the format, to choice and to providing an alternative to the other side of talk radio. Don Imus is a big name who does entertaining radio. He is some one familiar, sometimes for the wrong reasons to many people. Some of that is very unfair. Regardless he is a name we hope will bring needed attention and revenues to WINZ. And he has access to guests no other host on WINZ has.



    Have you ever actually listened to his show? Please give it a try. You might find him more entertaining then you think. Change is always hard. Trust me, this one was very hard. However I hope you will give Imus a try and also stay with WINZ for the many programs you do enjoy.



    Thanks for caring enough to write.

    Ken Charles

    Director of AM Programming

    Clear Channel Miami




    kc











    ________________________

    Ken Charles

    Director of AM Programming

    Clear Channel Miami





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