2 FEB 09: Up and Down the Dial
As I write this, I have no idea who won Sunday's Super Bowl. Yes, I'm writing early - but I don't even have the game on TV. Playing football in February simply is silly. That's why Auburn and Georgia don't do it anymore, after meeting twice in February in the 1800's.
But we can report on a local champion today - a repeat champion at that. The new Columbus radio ratings are out, and WFXE-FM "Foxie 105" has the most listeners again. The day this changes may be the day every comment in the "Sound Off" column of the Ledger-Enquirer is friendly and positive.
Foxie 105's fall rating was down about 20 percent from last spring, but the loss apparently was divided among three other "urban" radio stations. Hey, wait a minute - why is a station playing mostly African-American artists called "urban?" Green Island Hills is still inside the Columbus city limits....
But anyway: WVRK-FM "Rock 103" was second in total listeners in the fall. Rock music fans apparently were not swayed by WRLD-FM becoming "95.3 The Ride." They actually believed their parents' warnings about accepting rides from strangers.
Clear Channel Radio had four of the top five stations in the fall ratings. That might mean a big crowd at the Clear Channel job fair this week - although I suppose the recently laid-off salespeople probably will be stopped at the door.
Most Columbus radio stations seemed to enjoy rating gains from spring to fall. Besides Foxie 105, the most notable exception was WGSY-FM "Sunny 100" with a drop of about 12 percent. Could it be that people finally are tired of hearing Xmas music in mid-November? Or is it John Tesh in general?
The biggest gainer in the fall ratings literally came out of nowhere. WEAM-AM "1580 The Zone" jumped from no number at all, to finish above WRCG. I assume this is because of large numbers listening to Alabama football - because there couldn't have been that many native New Yorkers demanding the return of Arnie Spanier in the evenings.
Another big gainer was WBOJ-FM "103.7 The Truth," which has doubled its ratings number since debuting last May. This Christian station is gaining listeners so quickly that midday voice Al Haynes may start evening tent meetings in the parking lot.
Every radio ratings report seems to have a couple of puzzling details. The fall numbers again show no listeners for WHAL-AM "Viva 1460." Perhaps immigrants in Columbus think the ratings diary will be passed along to federal agents....
And don't be surprised if Davis Broadcasting challenges part of the fall ratings report. It shows listener numbers for WMXA-FM in Opelika, which is "Mix 96.7" - but nothing for WIOL-FM, which is "Mix 95.7." This could be the biggest mix-up in the history of Columbus radio.
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E-MAIL UPDATE: Last week's Columbus Council meeting didn't make much news, but one reader apparently thinks it should have....
Dear Council;
This week's Council meeting was very informative- did I msunderstand?
Just after Linda George presented information/evidence regarding the conflict of interest of a board member, who sat as judge and jury on her tax appeal- did not many of you say that you have never had a problem with board members, in response to the city manager's request for training for board members?
Council! What were you thinking!
Some board members need to be tried on charges of conflict of interest!
PAY FOR PLAY IS ILLEGAL> How many of you got funds from CB&T? REMEMBER THE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND ITS BOARD MEMBERS' INTEREST IN THEIR OWN TAX ABATEMENTS?
The Development Authority has members who are on the board to get the money the board provides in abatements. Even the Development Authority Attorney is involved in the conflict of interest with tax abatement money provided for his vested concerns from the Development Authority.
Then, of course, there is the council member who has authority over the Development Authority Board that grants HIM millions of dollars in tax abatements. He is well known for his conflict of interest, and his attempts to explain it away. He makes everyone look bad!
No problems with board members? I guess not, not as long as they serve vested interests!
Some activists have been threatened by a board member, who had zero provocation to threaten. The board member was outrageous and had the board member proceeded with threats there would have been serious legal ramifications. Reports will be made for any future incidents. Some of the board members are more like thugs!
Linda George presented information on The Equalization Board Chair. The Equalization Board is not just an advisory board, but a body that makes decisions that impact those citizens before it.
Linda George presented information that the Chair of The Equalization Board, the tax assessors tax appeal board, information that the chair was a landlord who had a competitive property for rent across the street from the address for which she was appealing the new $51,000 increase in tax assessment. He also told her that he had paid $80K in property taxes last year, asked her what she charged for rents in her triplex and then proceeded with his approval of the tax increase. He and others serving on the tax appeal board have signed statements to the effect that they have no conflicts of interest. Of his 50+ properties listed in the tax assessors site there are 47 properties without amounts of purchase and purchase dates. How does it happen that the Chair of the Equalization Board, the tax assessors appeal board, has no property purchase amounts and no date of purchase for 47 of his listed properties?
ARE YOU DISCONNECTED FROM THIS PROBLEM? DO YOU THINK THER IS NEED FOR A REMEDY?
Activists have complained for years that the council has chosen the same people over and over for different boards, without a whit of concern from council. No amount of public posturing by council will change that.
Is council listening? I must wonder why Pops Barnes has the audacity to say there have never been problems with board members-is he awake in council meetings? The public looks at such disingenuousness with disdain!
Please review your policy regarding board members as you have need to change your method of selecting the same old people over and over again, and you have need of feeling connected to what the board members do.
DO you employ Pay for Play ethics? It appears you do, when you choose from a select elite pool of people with serious conflicts of interest.
Please review your policies on boards, your public re-writing of history and your apparently Pay- For- Play ethics.
Deborah Owens
You may remember Arkansas resident Linda George, from her one-woman picket outside the Government Center last summer [10 Jul 08]. She apparently believes in the "if you lose, they're out to get you" theory.
This e-mail does not name the chair of the Equalization Board, and the Columbus city web site only lists the names of members. Three of them are males -- and William Braxton and Lawton Grantham are both real estate appraisers. Perhaps there should be a swap with one of the ministers on the Golf Course Authority board.
Deborah Owens has expressed her displeasure with the Columbus Development Authority here before [13 Jul 08, et al] -- but her "Ginger Lake" web site which had minutes of authority meetings has been out of service for weeks. These critics of Columbus government have to stay one step ahead of the law, you know....
We shouldn't overlook one question in this e-mail - how many Columbus Councilors "got funds from CB&T." You can check city records online for the answer. For instance, Gary Allen received a $150 donation during last year's campaign from a couple connection with Columbus Bank and Trust. That much money won't buy a flat-screen TV, much less influence with City Hall.
By the way: if "pay for play" really is illegal in Columbus, Deborah Owens needs to send a copy of this e-mail to the Springer Opera House - because they're not letting you watch "Hamlet" without a paid ticket.
While we wait for YOU to send a payment for reading this blog, let's check other Sunday notes....
+ Which South Georgia preschool has been teaching youngsters about outhouses? Is this some kind of threat, to make sure children are well-trained at home in this area?
+ Columbus Police reported someone broke into a hair salon on 17th Street to steal a TV, refrigerator - and four dollars. He needed to keep hot dogs in the refrigerator before watching the Super Bowl, I suppose....
+ Georgia state officials reported requests for gun permits have jumped 80 percent. Gun owners are thankful the economy's in rough shape, because otherwise President Obama surely would have signed that widespread weapons ban by now.
+ Instant Message to George Beverly Shea: Congratulations on turning 100 years old Sunday! I think you've reached this milestone because you haven't overworked your body. For all those years, you only had to sing one song before Billy Graham preached.
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