Official: Graham has WTKK (Boston) drivetime slot (Severin in limbo)

It's official: New WTKK afternoon/ drivetime guy is Michael Graham. (More below)

Jay Severin? Still in limbo. Apparently WTKK's owner, Greater Media, has exclusive rights to _negotiate with him_ in the hope of carrying his new show, Jay Severin has Issues; this "window" runs till the end of the year, and Jay's new show starts nationwide in Jan. Could be on WTKK, WBZ, who knows.

Michael Graham As previously tipped on ALL ACCESS, former WMAL-A/WASHINGTON midday host MICHAEL GRAHAM is taking over afternoons on GREATER MEDIA Talk WTKK (96.9 FM TALK)/BOSTON, effective TODAY (11/14).

GRAHAM has been filling in on WTKK for the past several weeks; he replaces JAY SEVERIN, who is launching a talk show for WESTWOOD ONE in JANUARY and whose BOSTON affiliate is yet to be determined. ALL ACCESS hears that GREATER MEDIA has an exclusive window of negotiation for SEVERIN in the BOSTON market through the end of DECEMBER, and would carry his national show in evenings if a deal is reached.

--- From the 96.9 site: Michael Graham Takes Over Afternoon Drive on 96.9 FM Talk

Greater Media, Inc. is pleased to announce today that Michael Graham, nationally known talk show host, columnist and political consultant, will officially take over as the afternoon drive host on 96.9 FM/ WTKK beginning on Monday, November 14, 2005 from 3PM to 7PM. --- The line up page lists Graham, then lists Severin but "without a time slot".

Well I'll prob. keep listening to Howie Carr anyway. But...

From http://www.michaelgraham.com:

HELLO, BOSTON!

Starting today, the Michael Graham Experience officially arrives at 96.9 FM WTKK in Boston, MA. All I can say is, somebody better buy Ted Kennedy a drink. Quick.

It is a new day, not just for my family and my career, but I believe it is an important day for talk radio and free speech, too.

It's been three months since the Council of American-Islamic Relations demanded my removal from the airwaves and ABC Radio capitulated to their demands. In those three months, many things could have happened: If ABC had had their way, I would have been falsely labeled a bigot. Even worse, I could have given into their pressure and issued a false apology, abandoning my principles for the sake of a job (a very tempting idea whenever the rent payment came due). I could have been banished from the talk radio industry, deemed "unhireable" by the industry--which is what several radio muckity-mucks assured me would happen.

Instead, the talk radio industry rallied. KFI in Los Angeles led the way, putting me on the air the very week I was fired, a statement more about their values than my broadcasting abilities. I have had more than half a dozen job offers from excellent radio stations across the nation. Not one station--NOT ONE--demonstrated any reluctance at all to work with me due to fear of pressure from CAIR or because of ABC's decision to fire me.

So I'm off to Boston to a better job at one of the most successful FM talkers in the country and I'm returning to afternoon drive, my favorite time slot. My family is excited about the move, Boston is a great city and I can't wait to get started.

In the darkest days of this anti-free-speech fiasco, the Washington Post's Marc Fisher wrote a piece that started out something like "Getting fired by ABC Radio may not be the best thing that's happened to Michael Graham's career, but it's close."

Actually, Marc, it IS the best thing that's happened to my career, and it's not even close.

FINAL SCORE: Free Speech 1; Angry Islamic Radicals and the Radio Management Weasels Who Cater To Them, 0.

WHAT'S THIS STATION AGAIN? It's WTKK in Boston, 96.9 FM TALK. Their website is linked (right), but unfortunately they won't start streaming for a few more weeks. But as soon as they do, you'll be able to log on and listen here.

THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Graham Takes Over Afternoon Drive Duties on 96.9 FM Talk/WTKK in Boston

Boston, MA: Greater Media, Inc. announced today that Michael Graham, nationally known talk show host, columnist and political consultant, will officially take over as the afternoon drive host on 96.9 FM/ WTKK beginning on Monday, November 14, 2005 from 3PM to 7PM.

Graham has been filling in as a special guest host on WTKK over the past several weeks to enthusiastic listener response. Graham had previously worked at WMAL in Washington, DC, WRVA in Richmond, Virginia and WSCC in Charleston, South Carolina.

"Michael is a compelling communicator with a keen intellect who has his finger on the pulse of the local and national political scene. I
believe he will be a welcome addition to the Boston community," said
Greater Media President and CEO Peter Smyth.

"Hosting an afternoon drive talk show in Boston is a dream come true," said Graham. "The fact that it's on WTKK, one of the most successful FM talk stations in America, just makes it that much better."

Greater Media/Boston Vice President and General Manager Matt Mills added that "Michael has an edge to him that is going to captivate the Boston community like no one else. I'm really looking forward to having him on 96.9 FM TALK."

WTKK Program Director Paula O'Connor agreed, saying "Michael Graham is a solid addition to our strong 96.9 FM TALK line up. Michael provides an engaging, compelling forum for our smart listeners."

Graham has enjoyed successful careers as both a stand-up comedian and as a GOP political consultant. His career as a stand up comic took him to more than 40 states, where he appeared with performers including Robin Williams and Jerry Seinfeld.

As a political consultant, Graham worked on 50 federal, state and local campaigns ranging from Chicago to New York to Charleston, SC. In addition, he served as a South Carolina Statewide Coordinator for
presidential hopeful Pat Buchanan in 1992.

Graham is frequently seen on MSNBC and CNBC, and has been a featured guest on NBC's The Today Show. His unique background has given him a fresh and insightful perspective on American politics and current events. He is also in frequent demand as a guest for many national TV and radio programs, including The O'Reilly Factor (FOX), Crossfire (CNN), Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) and Hardball (MSNBC).

The South Carolina native is also the author of three books, including
his most recent Redneck Nation: How the South Really Won the War. He has written for a variety of national publications, including the
National Review and The Jewish World Review. He also writes The Usual Suspects, a syndicated column of political humor.

96.9 FM TALK (WTKK) is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Greater Media, Inc., the parent company of 19 AM and FM stations located in the Boston, Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a modern printing plant and a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey as well as several telecommunications towers located throughout the United States.

via Boston Radio Watch:

"WTKK/FM Talk 96.9FM has found a replacement for afternoon host Jay Severin. According to WTKK's parent company Greater Media's press release, Michael Graham formerly of WMAL AM 630 in Washington DC, will take over the 3 pm to 7 pm shift at the talk station. As previously noted in this space, Graham, whose political views are way to the right of center, has been trying out for the afternoon slot for the past few weeks.(BRW 10/24) .

"Severin who was station's original afternoon drive host since the FM format launched on 96.9 in September 1999, was benched by WTKK's management in mid-September when he signed a national syndication deal with Infinity which starts January 3rd. By keeping Severin's off air, Greater Media wanted to insure that his new syndicated evening show would debut on WTKK while Greater Media and Infinity were negotiating. By silencing Severin early, part of WTKK's own political strategy was take away any potential momentum from Severin's new program in case he would land on another competing signal in the market, possibly Infinity's WBZ-AM 1030."

Yes, no comparison/mention of Randi Rhodes...

the Herald article:
A Virginia talk-show host who was fired from his last full-time radio gig for calling Islam a “terrorist organization” was tapped yesterday to replace bad-boy Jay Severin as host of WTKK (96.9-FM)’s coveted afternoon drive-time show.

Michael Graham, who was canned this summer by WMAL in Washington, D.C. for repeatedly making the anti-Muslim remarks and refusing to apologize for them, said yesterday he believes his controversial comments reflected reality – and still do in the wake of recent terrorist bombings in Jordan.

“I stand by it,” said Graham, 42, a former stand-up comedian and GOP political consultant who officially took over Severin’s afternoon slot yesterday on the all-talk WTKK.

Islamic groups said they’re disappointed with the decision by Greater Media, owner of WTKK and other Hub radio stations, to hire Graham.

“When you describe one-fifth of the world’s population to be a member of a terrorist organization, that amounts to bigotry,” said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hooper’s group was the first to demand that WMAL punish Graham this past summer after he made the inflammatory on-air remarks about Islam.

Hooper said his group will be closely monitoring Graham’s show to see if he makes similar controversial comments in Boston.

Zainab Al-Suwaij, executive director of the American Islamic Congress in Boston, said Graham “totally doesn’t understand Islam,” noting that the vast majority of Muslim citizens in Jordan were outraged by last week’s lethal terror bombings.

She said that Graham’s description of Islam as a “terrorist organization” is a form of “hate speech.” Peter Smyth, chief executive of Greater Media, said he thinks Graham learned his lesson in Washington and will “not be demeaning” to groups on WTKK.

“I think he’s a very bright guy,” said Smyth, adding the audience reaction to Graham’s recent two-week tryout to replace Severin was “incredibly positive.”

Graham, a native of South Carolina, said he was “very excited” about hosting a show in Boston and wants to focus on local and national issues.

In July, Graham called Islam a “terrorist organization” nearly two dozen times on-air after the London terror bombings, arguing that not enough Muslims were condemning the attacks, proving there was something wrong at the core of the religion.

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