This is more of a rant than anything else, but this is what we have to put up with around here...Wonder why everyone from the 'burbs thinks Cleveland is a hole in the ground...That station does more single handily to give Cleveland a bad name and scare people off than any other factor I can think of...All they do is misrepresent facts...I feel dirty for just having listened to them...

 

Right now they have cops on the air talking how THEY are scared to live in the city...

 

  :?

 

I just don't get it...The worst part is there is no other local news to compete with them during the drive time...

 

dare I say write, call, email.

call!

Let me guess...Trivisonno?  If you call and disagree with him, he'll probably hang up on you or blab loudly over you while you're talking so that you can't get your point across.

 

I don't understand why people like him complain and talk about how bad it is.  What he doesn't understand is that he's doing more of a disservice to the city by negatively influencing outsiders and people on the fence.

 

If it's so bad, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  Otherwise you have no right to complain.  Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words.

I agree.  I seldom listen to WTAM, but I was returning from a business trip in Columbus and was listening to them on the car radio.  I heard a fireman talk about how great Cleveland was 25 years ago (when Cleveland was a national joke).  His neighborhood has deteriorated since then (although he has only lived there for 5 years). 

 

Everyone listening hears that the neighborhoods in Cleveland are going down the drain.  Of course no one challenges this statement on WTAM.  In the last 25 years Tremont, Ohio City, Downtown, University Circle, Little Italy, Detroit, etc., have not improved from the 70s and 80s!!

 

Why does everyone here always think that things were better in the past?  The truth is that Cleveland is better now than it has been in probably 50 years.  Come to think of it, hasn't Cleveland been dying for over 50 years.  How can that be?  Shouldn't it have died by now? 

 

The truth is that people confuse nostalgia with reality.  They tend to focus on the current negative issues and forget the negatives from the past.  They also tend to ignore the current positives.

If you flip the dial to 850 at that time of day, Mark "Munch" Bishop hosts a show on WKNR.  Granted it's sports talk, Munch has some really great things to say about NE Ohio and the neighborhoods.  He'll comment on how great a new restaurant he tried was, how he loves patronizing some local business in X neighborhood, how downtown is coming back and so on. 

 

He has nothing but optimistic things to say about life in Cleveland.  Definitely a fresh alternative to the big mouth down the dial. 

Maybe they are owned by the Cincinnati Enquirer, they seem to have the same business plan!

The problem with Triv is he forms his opinions without any information or research behind it. He's always talking about how long it takes to build roads in NEO compared to a place like Las Vegas. I don't do this work myself, but I assume there are some big differences in techniques.

 

Now, I think the stuff Triv says is more significant as a reflection of who he views as his audience rather than him specifically - blue-collar/old-school -- probably wouldn't sing along with me to a Bright Eyes CD. At this point, we have a whole bunch of things happening at once -- deterioration, revolution, evolution, stagnation. I mean, Triv and guys like him aren't probably going on the Tremont Art Walk the same way I don't go to Put-In-Bay (or as my dad dubbed it when I wase little "Put-in-Pay" because everything cost money and it was boring).

 

Cleveland is at a crossroads. It'd be nice if we could all remember we're on the same team, but I think it's going to be impossible.

It is just frustrating to listen too...There is not point in calling in to those people, it is shock radio…You can have the best point in the world, they are not going to listen…I am just sorry I turned on their station today…I rarely listen to music (FM), 1350 was nice before they went back to the all sports programming...As for Munch, he has great things to say about the Cleveland area and generally isn’t bad to listen to, but there is only so much sports talk radio I can take...Just wish there was someone to compete against 1100 on the drive home...

 

It though was seriously maddening  to hear a Cleveland COP on the radio today say he does not feel safe in Cleveland...I just don't see it...My part time jobs takes me all over Cleveland, in and out of some of the worst neighborhoods and streets...I have never once encountered a group of "thugs" walking in the middle of the street...I have never been harassed, and I am about as white as they come...I usually have a couple hundred dollars worth of tools in my truck, you know how many I have had stolen? None! They make it seem like Cleveland is the location for the new Mad Max movie…Like a gang of thugs are collecting tolls on the way into the city and checking your street creed making sure you are “dope” enough…

I have never once encountered a group of "thugs" walking in the middle of the street...

 

This blows my mind too.  I live in freaking South Euclid and if you go to that community forum on Cleveland.com you see a couple posters bemoaning this supposed epidemic of "thugs walking in the middle of the street."  These people must complain about it constantly because I've heard talk from city officials who are instructing police to force minors to walk on the sidewalks, etc.  I've never seen a "thug" (which I just assume to these folks means any black male between 13-21) walking in the middle of the street in my neighborhood.  If they are truly thugs what difference does it make where they're walking, anyway?  Thugs on the sidewalk, fine, but thugs in the street is no good?  Whatever.

 

 

Look, this isn't groundbreaking stuff... They're right wing conservatives.  If you learn anything about these creeps (and excuse me, I'm not trying to sound condescending), they are have the craft of turning things around -- much like Orwell's 1984... double speak.  They say liberals "hate America" yet it is conservatives who bash the poor, gays and minorities, and if women aren't in the kitchen or bedroom like little Laura Bush windup Donna Reeds they're... stop me...

 

But guys like Trivisonno and other RWers hate cities; they HATE Cleveland.  They preach fear of 'others' and encourage people to barricade themselves in their little homogeneous cul-de-sacs 20+ miles outside the city with their guns so they can be 'safe' -- can you say, Medina?  Burton?  ... etc.   You think Michael Moore was on to something in "Bowling for Columbine", eh?... It's kind of like any media operation that doesn't preach the right-wing gospel and kiss Bush's ass is part of the left wing liberal bias/establishment...  Beeeatches like Ann Coulter are heroines at WTAM...

 

I heard that lightweight Glenn Beck talk about a relative who taught at Yale, and all Beck could talk about was how dangerous New Haven was -- not to mention how underdesirable being at a liberal stronghold like Yale was.  Oh yeah, this just in -- conservatives despise people who think for themselves.  Intellectuals are bad, that's why the love affair and godlike status RWers accord to country bumpkins from the South... It's a shame WTAM is the most powerful station in town, signal-wise, b/c they hate Cleveland.

 

So really, no need to get bent out of shape about the hatred and fear fat blowhards like Trivisonno.   

I've gotta chime in here...I'm what you guys would call a "right winger" in a huge way.  I'm a Freeper, I sometimes listen to Rush, and right now I'm listening to Laura Ingraham.

 

Triviasanno's not a "right winger"...he's a populist who jumps on issues that will get him attention and don't require much thought.  The main difference between him and Kucinich is their target audience, and Dennis for all his faults isn't nearly as lazy.

^You are absolutely correct.

 

If anyone with real common sense (not the kind triv claims to have) were even able to get past the call screeners, his cancer spewing voice would over talk you and hang up before you were able to get a word in edge-wise.

By accident I happened to flip past WTAM and caught big mouth Triv, dumping on the city again.  He made some comment about how nobody with any intelligence would live in Cleveland.  He mentioned that no matter how much money they put into Euclid Corridor Project and the buildings they are renovating nobody will move down there unless we can get crime under control. 

 

I've read all the comments upstream and agree for the most part that this guy is a total moron. But I think if you could get this guy to come have a beer or a great meal downtown or in one of the neighborhoods that he might change his mind.  Somebody upstream said that he jumps on the bandwagon and from what I've heard of his drivel this is true.  This guy doesn't have a mind of his own he just repeats crap that he hears at the local VFW.  I know this may seem like a waste to try to convince this guy but he really does have a lot of power because of his use of the airwaves. 

 

This being said I'd like to "waste my time" with an email campaign to enlighten this guy about the greatness of this City.  If there are any intelligent Clevelanders (ha ha) on this board please right me a quick bio and why you love the city so much and I'm going to forward these to him, both via email and snail mail.  I'm also going to include a lot of stuff off of these forums if that's OK with the mod's, mostly the projects that are going on and not anybody's direct quotes.  Also if it's possible to upload this some where on this forum this might be something that people could forward to anybody that might need a good dose of "I Love Cleveland". 

 

In advance thanks to anybody who might send me something, I hope that many people will take a few minutes and who knows what might happen.

 

Take your pick:

 

1. "I thought people in HIS physical condition are supposed to be "jolly"".

 

"I think if you could get this guy to come have a beer or a great meal downtown or in one of the neighborhoods that he might change his mind."

 

2. "I think this guy has enjoyed waaaay too many great meals, period."

The guy hangs out with gangsters like the reputed former Cleveland mob boss Joe Iacobacci, and he's preaching how bad the city is? That would be like Dr. Timothy Cosgrove chumming around with the owner of a poorly run toxic waste dump while preaching how important public health is.

Of course, he is Italian, so then he must be a gangster.

To be fair, I heard him complement E.4th Street profusely one day.

 

I do agree, his negativity is aggravating. I prefer Munch. The best way to beat this stuff is to sway public opinion without them. I know people are doubtful of the country place opening downtown, but catering to different kinds of people is important, I think. I probably won't go down there, but if it brings more people into the city for a good time, then who cares?

It though was seriously maddening  to hear a Cleveland COP on the radio today say he does not feel safe in Cleveland...

 

City employees represent the city where they are employed. If I were to go on the radio and bash my employer, I would be fired. Plain and simple.

Of course, he is Italian, so then he must be a gangster.

 

If a guy hangs out with a mob boss and then decries crime on his radio show, don't you see a tad bit of irony there? I would rather expose someone's hypocrisy because of their actions today, rather than defend them for the meaningless reason of where his great grandparents came from. Can you give me a logical (ie non-emotional) reason why I shouldn't do this?

Triv has gone on air and offered mob apologist arguments as well.  No one's saying he's a gangster, but because the mob is "his people" he's find reasons to defend them.  Anyway, he stinks.  Munch is positive to a fault.  He's grating and I can't stand him.  Yeah this isn't a media thread but I guess I should mention that the other afternoon talk show (on FM 100.7) tends to have a negative view on Cleveland, though they don't make it the focal point of their show the way Triv often does.

 

And KJP, I think you meant Dr. Toby Cosgrove?  Unless there's also a famous Dr. Timothy Cosgrove that I don't know about.

 

And KJP, I think you meant Dr. Toby Cosgrove?  Unless there's also a famous Dr. Timothy Cosgrove that I don't know about.

 

His real first name is Delos...

 

I find that Doctor Delos sounds much more sinister. :)

 

On a slightly related note, I (for some unknown reason) had 104.1 on Sunday morning while driving in to work and the two airheads were interviewing some cleveland official. Their first question was something to the effect of 'so when did cleveland become so horrible?' (not an exact quote). Definitely an interview from the Triv school of radio.

City employees represent the city where they are employed. If I were to go on the radio and bash my employer, I would be fired. Plain and simple.

 

Typical train of thought...take your paycheck, be happy, and don't have an opinion on how YOU think things should be...only share the opinion of city hall and those who "pay your salary".

 

So first we don't have a say into where we can live and now we can't even have an opinion?  I love how some people believe since we are mere public servants we are only here to serve...we must not be family providers, have higher educations, have opinions and beliefs, and have no right to change things...

^Don't worry, unlike private employees, the employment of public servants is protected both by civil service rules and (more relevant in this case), the bill of rights.

^

I think this is an interesting discussion, although one that is perhaps a bit off topic for this thread.  I think those who work in the public sector should be held to an even higher standard than the average private-sector employee, not because they are "mere public servants", but because they are PUBLIC SERVANTS who have chosen to admirably serve the tax payers and for the greater public good, as the administrators of this great democracy.

 

On one hand, when an employee of any organization speaks in a public forum, it is important for them to realize that while they may see themselves an individual, their audience views them as the embodiment and representative for said organization. It is not their place to slander, vilify, or otherwise misrepresent, in this case, the city of Cleveland.

 

Now, there's a difference between between the right of a police officer to vent to his buddies and his family about his perspective on Cleveland, and being elevated to a public stage such as the Trivisonno show and being given the air of an authority on city of Cleveland because of their employment as an officer.

On one hand, when an employee of any organization speaks in a public forum, it is important for them to realize that while they may see themselves an individual, their audience views them as the embodiment and representative for said organization. It is not their place to slander, vilify, or otherwise misrepresent, in this case, the city of Cleveland.

AMEN!

 

I think moral's clauses should be written into employement agreements.

you cannot legislate morality

While I agree that you cannot legislate morality per se, you can demand that public statements only be made by designated representatives. The Police Department certainly has this policy.  And, while I did not hear this specific interview, it seems as if this particular officer pressed some of the limits.

And this has what to do with WTAM?

I actually missed listening to Triv yesterday (I now work when he's on)...bet he had some fun comments about Dimora et al.  :evil:

 

I don't listen to him, but a friend says Lanigan has been uber-quiet about it all.  Hmmmm......

Sadly I tuned in to see what he had to say, half expecting him to be defending the guys.  He kept it relatively (for him) low key, though.  Actually kept a pretty level head about it, took a couple minor shots at Democrats but all in all played a safe "It's time to ignore the D or the R after the name" line.  Of course as a pro-Republican in a Democratic town, he was really telling his democratic audience to wake up a bit, but doing so in a way that covers his bases and appeals to folks without strong dispositions either way.

I thought it was funny that Triv said "All the Irish guys get plea bargins and they send all the Italians to jail.  FBI stands for Forever Bothering Italians".  I am Italian and obviously don't believe that, but it was a funny statement.  He also said the regular cops can't catch Italians, they need the FBI to do that. 

Triv is a stupid, non-entertaining pig.  'Nuff said.

WTAM preempted the first hour of Rush.  Not for a press conference or an interview with one of the major players, but for unemployed neurotics (aka callers).

 

I now agree with the title premise.  Host driven talk radio depends on the skills of the host, but "caller driven" shows invariably suck.  For all his bombast, Jim Rome's "more me, less you is a good thing" approach is spot on.

Sigh. Give me NPR anyday. :)

Yes, more NPR anytime...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azddGazTvv0&hl=en&fs=1

 

I realized I was completely over WTAM when I started looking forward to the Simon Rendezvous on Saturdays.

Sounds like this is what 700 WLW is like in Cincy.