Wednesday, February 15, 2006

The Blogging of Joe Finan

When you think of a new phenomenon such as blogging on the Internet, perhaps newly-minted WARF/1350 "Radio Free Ohio" midday host Joe Finan isn't the first name that pops into your head. Though Joe's had and used E-Mail for a while now, you don't expect him to direct his thoughts onto a blog.

But sure enough, Joe Finan has joined the blogosphere. And in true blogging tradition, we link you to his blog on the "Radio Free Ohio" website.

In it, Finan notes that Clear Channel Akron/Canton approached him in "mid-2005" about joining WARF, but he wasn't able to talk with them until the expiration of his contract with his long-time home, WNIR/100.1.

He also repeats what he's said on the air a few times in the past few days, lauding Clear Channel for its professionalism...compared to what he called on his first few shows "that tin can I used to work for": "After spending time with the professionals in all their departments, Programming, Sales, management and chatting with folks from other responsibilities. The whole group is young and talented, competitive and focused on winning. We will."

But that's not nearly as interesting as Finan's take on his former employer during the first hour of his Tuesday show. We've taken the liberty of transcribing it for you from our recording.

It's clear that Finan is no fan of WNIR station manager Bill Klaus, or his brother, sales manager Bob Klaus: "They're doofuses...and they have been very lucky. The two young men who run the station are very lucky they had a very nice father, and Dick was, and the parents are really great people...and how these two ying-yangs have been successful... they'd better thank God they had their father for a father...because they couldn't have done it by themselves."

Ouch.

However long Joe lasts at WARF, he is in a unique position...he's in his 70's, and unlike younger people without his storied radio history, he doesn't have to worry about burning bridges. Or in this case, bombing them...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If Media-Com and WNIR were so bad, why did that clown stay around for nearly 20 years? Too bad he did not invest that payola money he received in the 1950's. He could have retired comfortably instead of pushing 80 years old and must still work. Howie Chizek will always reign in Akron. You can't spell AKRON without hOwARd chizeK and wNir....

Anonymous said...

...and then there was the day he left his mike open and said (*%$#)about the morning show woman?

Anonymous said...

Finan, the astrologist" on WHK. I remember him back in the early '70's on WHK's country station. Ron Brown was the producer. Gary Dee was in the mornings, followed by Joe Finan, Ron Brown, then "Diamond" Jim Brady. Finan would have callers calling in and he'd ask them their birthdate and he'd go off with funny antics about that particular caller....I REMEMBER IT QUITE WELL!!