Jim!

One day I was listening to WHNN (96.1 FM) as I do when working around the house and yard. In one particular spot I heard the DJ (Scott Stine) say a couple of things that made me take notice, so I wrote an email. That email is below.

I was listening to WHNN as I do rather regularly and in one spot yesterday afternoon you said two things that I take issue with.

1) You said that WHNN.com is best viewed using a Charter Internet connection. I’m sure there is some kind of arrangement w/Charter that mandates that you say that, but aside from a dial-up connection, there will be absolutely NO difference with anyone’s browsing or listening experience, regardless of who the Internet Service Provider is. That is, in effect, false advertising.

2) After Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” you went to back-sell the song and said it was “Some kind of special healing”. I’d like to shake your hand and thank you for setting broadcasting and censorship back TWENTY YEARS. Is that kind of…censorship necessary? Really? Is your next step going to be to edit the lyrics of the song itself? I find this particular kind of take on things ridiculous and condescending to your listening audience. Do you also do the same thing for Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing”, making it “You some kinda special thing”? Haven’t we gotten past this yet? Did the countless number of artists change the song title? NO. Not even Carz 108 in Flint pulls this kind of stunt.

Again, I’d like to personally thank you for setting broadcasting and censorship back 20 years. It managed to lose a pretty faithful listener.

I didn’t think he’d write back, and I was pleasantly surprised when he did…until I read the most condescending email I’ve ever gotten from someone who is supposed to be a local “celebrity”. That email is below.

Hi Jim,

Yes, Charter and WHNN do have a special arrangement. That’s how radio works, a client pays, we mention their name. It’s called advertising. If you think a dial-up is as fast as a Charter connection, you’re in the dark ages. With our graphic heavy site, it most definitely works better with a faster connection.

As far as “Sexual Healing” goes, I’m not Johnny Burke, so yes I am a bit uncomfortable with some content. If that 5 seconds of radio bothered you, you have way too much time on your hands.

I am truly baffled as to why those items would make you stop listening. Must be more to the story.

Scott

How completely condescending and demeaning was his response?

In the first place, yes, I know what advertising is. My point was that the only way a visitor would have a bad experience would be if they were on dial-up. I have over 14 years of IT/Internet technology behind me, there is no need to insult me. Additionally, I defy you to show me proof that Charter provides a better website/listening experience than, say AT&T DSL, Comcast Cable, Wide Open West, or anyhalfway decent ISP. Bandwidth is bandwidth. One ISPs 3Mb connection is not substantially better than any other ISPs 3Mb connection, unless you’ve got a dedicated T1. I felt, however that bringing that into the conversation would have been more than a little over his comprehension.

“Dark ages” he says. Holy shit.

Anyone who knows me knows that I despise censorship of any kind…especially when it’s pointless. His tip-toeing around the title of “Sexual Healing” is needless. I’ve always had an issue with DJs who self-censor themselves regarding the title of this song. There is absolutely no need to throw a veil over a song title and pretend it’s something it’s not, especially since it’s repeated many times in the song itself.

In my opinion there would be two acceptable reasons for this kind of censorship:

Since when is it appropriate for a “celebrity”, even a local one, to address a customer (which is, essentially, what I am in this case) in such a demeaning manner? There is a complete lack of professionalism in his response. It is written in a very condescending tone, addressing me as if I was someone who was an inconvenience and should be disregarded, save the one email he was going to send.

And then he goes on to say that I have “way too much time on (my) hands”. How very high school of you, Mr. Stine! He even then goes on to insinuate that there is more to the story, when there really isn’t, trying to portend he has the upper hand.

I must add that I threw that “losing a listener” line more as a motivator to get him to respond more than it was a threat or a determined course of action.

At no time did he act concerned or interested in the fact that he may be losing a listener (customer). Instead he takes a staunch stance, raises his shield, and lobs grenades over the embankment, hoping one lands where it will do damage.

That is not the case, dear sir, but it did make for a great blog entry…