Jack and Ron in the Morning: 98.9

For those in the OKC area, or within range of 98.9, I'd like to give props where they are due. Oklahoma radio is so awash with RW garbage that even the mild efforts of this pair come across as refreshing.

Certainly the pair do not make a point of their politics in most cases, although they have in the past been quite outspoken on certain issues, particularly the lottery and casino gambling. I'm actually not even certain of their political leanings overall, just that the do tend to stand behind the same issues I support in most cases. But, this morning, I heard something I thought I'd never hear on an OKC radio program.

They made fun of Cheney.

They didn't just make fun of him, they told the truth about him, and Ron used the word "lie." This was all in reference to the debate.

I won't draw this out, but I wanted to mention it. OKC radio isn't a complete wasteland.

they'll be out the door soon.

They're owned by Citadel. The CEO is Farid Suleman. I don't know anything about him except that he resigned from Viacomm in 2002 and took a job with CBC.

Edwards was very smart just to let this play out in the media...

They'd be getting calls from some guy saying, "How big a boy are ya? How 'bout I just come on down thar and KICK yer ass!"

Glad to see your day had a bright spot, Biv!
FSC

I'm actually surprised that doesn't happen more often. They do seem to try to keep that kind of thing to a minimum whereas other stations invite it, just so they can make fun of the person who called in or use it to start a stream of liberal bashing. They take a pretty low-key approach to things like this, usually talking more about the issues in a common sense, personal way rather than directly relating them to specific party positions.

For example, they took on the issue of Right to Work, a union buster, back when it was being thrown around. They put it down with humor, talking about what it would do for, or rather to, the average worker, how it would affect the lives of people who worked in Union companies. When it passed, they didn't let up, and they kept asking about where all these new jobs we were supposed to be getting were, and when a large factory actually closed, they brought it up again. "Sure glad that right to work passed. Now maybe we'll be able to attract a couple dozen more Wal-Marts to employ the people laid off from the factory that closed that used to make things for ... ummm ... Wal-Mart. Now what's up with THAT!?" or something along those lines.

And when they do get a caller like that, the way the handle it is priceless. They deal with it on-air, pretty much letting whoever it is prove their idiocy by drawing him or her through a series of relevant questions the caller can't answer. It's not an in-your-face "you're an idiot" thing, rather a "now let's talk about this" attitude. Pulls the rug out from under these people.

Their approach works. They've been rated the #1 morning show in OKC for about five years in a row now.

Smart guys. I've always liked them, and now I'm an actual fan.

...They aren't nearly as cool as they are on the radio. In fact, Ron is total ass, and they are both pervs.
Duckie

I kinda got that impression, especially when I went to their website.