Posted on 01/11/2011 4:55:18 PM PST by freespirited
State officials in Rhode Island will soon be ordered to stay off the airways, provided the interviewer happens to be a talk show host.
A spokesman for Gov. Lincoln Chafee tells the Providence Journal that talk radio is essentially “ratings-driven, for-profit programming,” and “we don’t think it is appropriate to use taxpayer resources” to have state employees use work time to “support for-profit, ratings-driven programming.”
Chafee intends to stay off the air, too, reversing something of a trend. His predecessor, Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri, was a frequent talk radio guest, as are many current and former governors and big city mayors across the country.
A former mayor of Providence, who happens to be one of the biggest talk show hosts in the state, sharply disagrees with the governor’s stance.
“Chafee is – I don’t want to be critical – but he’s not exactly Demosthenes,” says Buddy Cianci, who hosts the afternoon drive program on WPRO-AM. “The fact is that he’s got some issues that he maybe doesn’t have the answer to [on the air].”
“But how do I take it? I take it as a total slap in the face to the public of the state of Rhode Island. There are thousands of people who listen to our radio shows. For him to ban all these people from coming on talk radio is certainly an affront to open government, and certainly is an affront to transparency,” Cianci tells ABC News.
The governor’s office has issued a clarification, saying the policy will not apply in “emergency situations,” like impending snow storms. Nor will the rule apply to interviews with news reporters or on the local NPR station, Christian Vareika, a Chafee spokesman said.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
Don’t tell me. He’s also going to make them all wear brown shirts with hammer and sickle armbands. Knee Jerk Chafee. What a moron.
The TRUTH is the bane of the criminal, radical left.
Rhode Island Isolates Islanders
Unconstitutional
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
>> Chafee intends to stay off the air, too, reversing something of a trend.
Every cloud has a silver lining.
But for any talk radio host who absolutely, positively HAS to have Chaffee, here’s a suggestion. Trot down to Wal-Mart, buy a cheap douchebag, and interview *that*. Same difference.
Rhode Island Throws Chaff on Radio Waves
I cannot believe that it would take more than 3.2 seconds to file for a Writ of Mandamus to stop this.
Are not all news broadcasts for-profit and ratings driven (NPR is propaganda, not news)? Does Chaffee now advise all state employees that appearing on any news program is also off-limits?
Of course! As we all know, Chafee has never been the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
Besides, I dont believe him that this is the reason for the ban.
What about interviews with newspapers? They are for profit.
Reminds me of some Banana Republics where the radio stations are forbidden from broadcasting news. The only news outlets allowed are the Govt stations..NPR. New People Radio.
Public officials who refuse to appear on the public airways, except for media of their choice, should be ridiculed right out of office. Mock them, dare them, annoy them every single day for the cowards, blowhards, and petty tyrants that they are. Lincoln’s little scheme will not last.
I would not be the least bit interested in listening to some public servant. I think his idea is great!
“Mock them, dare them, annoy them every single day for the cowards, blowhards, and petty tyrants that they are. Lincoln’s little scheme will not last.”
For most that may have some effect but you’re dealing with Lancelot Linc, posterboy for the absolutely clueless.
Over Target. Taking Flack. Open Bay Doors.
It won't work for any of them unless the ridicule and mocking results in their defeat in the next election. As soon as that happens for just one or two, the rest will get religion really quickly.
I don't want him back in the GOP in any way, shape or form. I don't care if it means we lose control of the senate or not. As long as it's people like Chafee, Snowe, Collins et. al. we won't HAVE control of the Senate since they'll vote against us pretty much every time anyway.
Enough RINOS!
Godspeed
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