Why is Chris Medlock smiling? Could it be because he is the last man left standing on the KFAQ morning show?
As noted yesterday, Gwen Freeman the co-host of the morning show has apparently left KFAQ. All of this transpired rather quickly over the past week.
Events on air last week seem to be the straw that broke the camels back, as far a Gwen was concerned. An on-air tiff during a discussion about Terry Simonson last week, led to Medlock hitting the microphone. The next thing we know Gwen was gone and Chris was covering for her absence with an excuse that she wasn't feeling well.
This week they announce that she is gone. What?
There must be more to this than meets the eye.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
KFAQ Sans Gwen Freeman
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24 comments:
I agree. I missed listening to KFAQ yesterday. I found out this morning when Jack Henderson asked about it during an interview. Oh well. You know something was up.
I was listening that broadcast that day but somehow I did not make the connection of her absence with the disagreement. I may see if anything is in the podcasts.
I don't know if I'm going to listen as much with Gwen gone. While I appreciate the input of the others involved, it seemed to me that she was the last real radio professional--other than news, weather, engineering, etc.--on the show.
A real pity. It's hard for me to see the morning show surviving in its current form much longer.
I hope you can somehow get Gwen to return. Chris is alright, however, I continued listening after Delgornio because of Gwen not Chris. Please get her back...
I missed the on-air confrontation AND the announcement. All I heard was that Gwen was taking some time off. It was bad enough losing Michael, have we now lost Gwen! I too, don't know how long the show will continue in it's current format with Chris as the host. He has good political insight, but lacks charisma and personality. Michael and Gwen were an incredible success story for KFAQ and did an immeasurable service for Tulsa and NE Oklahoma. Without Gwen, an era has now passed and the last man standing seems inadequate to hold up the standard.
Chris has a wealth of information that is sorely needed these days. This conflict is only a week old. Maybe they can resolve their conflict. If not hopefully they will be able to find someone with a lot of radio experience to work with Chris.
I MISS GWEN!
What once was an enjoyable 50 minute drive to work accompanied by a person that I never met but considered my friend Gwen and her sidekick Chris has now become a scary place where I feel like the guy who doesn't realize the song is over but keeps on dancing anyway.
OK...granted...it's a stretch, but work with me here. I don't hear the whole broadcast each morning, and hear one morning that "Gwen had to go home sick" and for a few days "Hope Gwen gets to join us real soon" and then NOTHING? I keep on dancing, hoping to hear something I like, but all I hear is that scratching sound at the end of the album.
And today, I decide to do some google-ing....and find that she LEFT?!?! And nobody told me?
Does anyone have any further info?
PLEASE?!
Chris Dredlock should NEVER have been made a regular on KFAQ. They ran Gwen off and I will NEVER listen to the morning show again. Chris is nothing more than a stuck up jerk. Gwen Freeman should have had the morning show without a "side kick". She did not need anybody else. She was great.
Medlock is the most substantive regular host (really, a second in wealth of knowledge and maturity to guest host, Michael Bates) that KFAQ has ever had. While Gwen was entertaining and I didn't mind her as Medlock's (or Del Giorno's) sidekick, there were far too many times her bald gaps in basic civic knowledge or general education were exposed, usually by Gwen herself. No disrespect to a fellow paisan, Del Giorno, but he was little more than the Howard Stern/Don Imus style "Shock Jock" who never did get over being fired by KRMG, and his "sour grapes" soured his whole outlook on life. I hope he has found peace and success in Nashville. I liked Gwen, and I hope she finds the same whereever she lands.
Medlock is perfectly capable of carrying the show himself by simply having guests along on various mornings. In addition, some of the "behind the scenes" personnel at the station have been allowed to come out of their shells and voice comments from time to time. They haven't lost me as a listener. Indeed, I am impressed with the rise in the professionalism and content.
The wealth of information is really important. I have lived here over 30 years. I remember when Tulsa had two newspapers. I was horrified when it got down to one. To have a second news source is so important. I know a former Tulsa World employee has started The Tulsa Beacon. However I think more people listen to radio or read the web to get their news these days.
I remember when the tone of KRMG began to change. I quit listening because I knew that the news was getting more and more slanted to the left and against Christianity. I was so grateful when KFAQ came on the air. I would like to think that people would continue to listen because of the valuable information that we get from the morning show. I know I will continue to listen to have a balance to what the other local media sources are dishing out.
I have to say that over all the
radio staion kfaq has been a benifit to Tulsans who get information and entertainment
from am radio. We needed a alternative in a small market like
we have. That said, we are in need of a show that is more well rounded in its over all presentation and also subject matter. I think that kfaq will find
that its crossection of listeners
will change depending upon the hosts apeal. Finding someone who has a more universal apeal could supercede whether you agree with the host is not easy, (there usually a diamond in the
rough.) We need a personality that
is entertaining and is interesting
enough to make us think. Making tulsa polotics interesing is truely
a monumetal task in my estamation.
I'll parrot the comments of "Old Scruffy One." M.DelG rarely let Gwen finish a comment without verbally running over her, and then we had Medlock doing pretty much the same, plus making remarks that clearly were intended to make light of what Gwen had to say.
SHE was the reason I began my day with KFAQ. If you keep Medlock and don't get Gwen back, you've lost yet another listener.
Gwen's knowledge was so poor I could not stand to listen anymore. Now I am back. She was a good match as a sidekick of Michael's, but cannot stand alone. You need more than personality and flare. You have to have some kind of idea about what you are talking about and be able to back it up. I think she thought she was the heir apparant when Michael left. She tried to talk over the other speakers as if her opinion was superior based on her being there longer, not substance. It is just not her forte.
She'll be missd just remember 'sans' in latin means with and sine translated is 'without'.
, verb and "when I was on the city ..." do not make for much conversation. Gwen stood, 100%, for American values- not for the Super Highway and the Mexican Invasion. We miss her
although chris is a smart man he wasnt smart enough for the city he needed a job where he could run his lip seems he found one kfaq
As other have stated, I did not know about the tiff between Gwen and Chris. Gwen was the reason I kept listening to KFAQ after Michael left. I did not think Gwen needed Chris since he comes across a bit autocratic and not very entertaining.
Please bring Gwen back.
I think she got "canned" b/c she said something nice about Romney. I think Chris Medlock is not an honorable man & didn't know one when he saw one! I think the hard evangelical right is pushing Medlock & it is too bad b/c Rosie O'donnel may be correct when she says the far right "christians" are as bad as the islamic radicals....remember "christian white-men" in Missouri had an extermination order against the Mormons...it was okay to kill a Mormon on sight!...the order was lifted sometime in the 70s. Do a little history research! Don't expect this to be approved by Blog author!! (probably another evangelical Christian? Right???)
Don't expect this to be approved by Blog author!!
When I saw that, I couldn't help but wonder who you thought you would be addressing if the "Blog author" didn't approve your comment.
In my experience, it's a most unlikely thing that a comment would be deleted in any event. Most of those who enable "comment moderation" are merely trying to avoid spam and/or profanity.
Certainly this "Blog author" hasn't deleted my comments despite my vociferous disagreement on one issue.
...probably another evangelical Christian? Right???
Hmmm. Just call it a wild shot in the dark, but I'm thinking that just possibly you may not be an evangelical Christian?
I only kept listening after Michael left because of Gwen..I hope you can get her back. She has the charisma that is needed on the program especially after losing Michael.
I like KFAQ. I also like reasoned, respectful discussion on issues of the day. I don't care for emotional displays or tantrums passed off as debate. That is why I stopped listening to Michael DelG. I agreed with most of Michaels views on social and political issues. But being desrespectful is never attractive to me. After volunteering in Iraq and Afghanistan I came home to find that Michael had left. I enjoyed listening to KFAQ again. I do think Gwen was guilty of talking over and interrupting guests and co-hosts like Michael DelG did. I did believe that most complex issues were over the head of Gwen and caused her to founder. I now enjoy listening to Chris Medlock on the morning show and look forward to KFAQ finding a professional co-host.
I was listening to KFAQ's morning show the first morning Michael D was on. I was not impressed. It seemed he was attempting to rise up by continuously 'slamming' his former employer KRMG. This is 'sour grapes' and a professional just wouldn't go that route, they would pick up the pieces and move onward. Still I gave the show a chance, listened everyday for a month. Same story. I quit listening and went to the FM music side. I heard M.D. left the show -- great news! I listened for a few days and it was OBVIOUS that Gwen just couldn't carry the show. They HAD to find someone with some in-depth political knowledge if they were going to have a viable political show. Still I listened because I've met Gwen a few times and I like her alot on a personal level. I WANTED her to succeed, even though I knew it was not likely. They did get Chris Medlock who has the relevant knowledge, but needs seasoning on the air before he'll be able to carry a high-profile morning show. Now they have Pat Campbell -- wow what a coupe! This is a very seasoned and nationally recognized radio talent. WAY TO GO KFAQ! I just happened to be listening 4/22/08, PC's first show. KFAQ is on the radio on my 1 hr drive to work.
Del Giorno was an unctious, conceited, hypocritical (in more ways than one) presence which Tulsa is well-rid of. The rest of the lot on this station are hardley worth the electricity to tune-in.
Hilarious. Medlock is a joke, and not a funny one at that. To think he was ever elected to office is just plain scary. KFAQ resides somewhere in a strange place between christian radio, late night alien abduction talk radio and daytime right-wing talking heads. This is the weirdest AM radio station I've ever listened to. I have tuned in once or twice a week for the last two years, and find the station entertaining and funny. But, never in a million years would I take any of these jokers (local or national) seriously. Come on, people. Go back to school and learn the fine art of critical thinking!
Delgiorno should of been incarcerated and the key thrown away. His sexist tactics and disrespect was a true sign of his charactor and personality. Tulsa has become a better place with his absence....Good riddens Michael and may the door hit you on the way out!
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