Wisconsin Radio Station Explains Why It Dropped Beck's "Unacceptable" Show

[Hunter44]

WTDY/Madison Drops Glenn Beck

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/87749/wtdy-madison-drops-glenn-beck

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201102250040

February 25, 2011 5:24 pm ET by Joe Strupp

The Madison, Wisconsin, radio station that dropped Glenn Beck's program this week issued the following statement to Media Matters when asked why the decision was made:

WTDY can no longer carry the Glenn Beck program. Over the last 12 months, the show has devolved into plugs for Fox News (the radio version of which is aired by our direct competitor), his books, and other personal endorsements. The lack of actual content becomes more apparent daily. Monday's program was the final straw; his unabashed deriding of Madison is unacceptable for broadcast in our community.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Damn liberal media.

[fullnelson9999]

Beck's response?

[Destino]

Damn liberal media.

You ever wonder if the guy is more evil than anything else? The guy sells division, fear, and hatred for profit and then attacks social justice within the church all while painting himself as a man of God. Seems like a profile I've been warned about.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

A couple of nice articles from two conservatives came out Thursday about how conservatives need to really start distancing themselves from Beck:

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/02/24/the-most-disturbing-personality-on-cable-television/

The Most Disturbing Personality on Cable Television

Peter Wehner

02.24.2011 - 9:37 AM

In the past few weeks Glenn Beck

that he believes is about to envelope most of the world. He then dilated on the anti-Christ with a man who says he has “new prophetic understanding into the end times.” In 2009, this self-proclaimed prophet wrote a column titled “What Obama and the Anti-Christ Have in Common.” Then, on a recent show, the discussion focused on the coming Islamic anti-Christ. And earlier this week, an irate, bellicose Beck spoke about the “perfect storm” America faces. “I can’t honestly believe we’re finally here,” he said in praising his own prescience. In his version of events, Beck is the solitary Voice of Truth willing to expose the New World Order (complete with references to Van Jones and Code Pink).

It’s hard to tell how much of what Beck says is sincere and how much is for show. Whatever the case, and even taking into account the entire MSNBC lineup, Glenn Beck has become the most disturbing personality on cable television. One cannot watch him for any length of time without being struck by his affinity for conspiracies and for portraying himself as the great decoder of events. Political movements are not just wrong; they are infiltrated by a web of malevolent forces. Others see the shadows on the wall; Beck alone sees the men casting them. The danger when one paints the world in such conspiratorial terms is that it devalues the rational side of politics. It encourages a cast of mind that looks to expose enemies rather than to engage in arguments. Few things, after all, are as they appear.

Beyond that, of course, is the sense of impending doom, of the coming Apocalypse, of our world being on the edge of calamity. If taken seriously, this has the effect of creating fear, hopelessness, and feelings of helplessness.

All this is quite troublesome in its own right. But what ought to worry conservatives in particular is that Beck not only has the unusual capacity to discredit virtually every cause he takes up; he also confirms the worst caricatures of the right. What was true before is doubly true today. It looks to me like it’s only a matter of time — and I suspect not much time — until he blows apart professionally. If and when that happens, one can only hope that conservatism as a movement will have created enough distance from Beck to mitigate the damage.

And then one in response to that...

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-turn/2011/02/conservatives_be_forewarned.html

Glenn Beck doesn't speak for mainstream conservatives

By Jennifer Rubin

Posted at 5:20 PM ET, 02/24/2011

Each time I write a post critical of Fox News host Glenn Beck, scores of conservatives e-mail and comment here at Right Turn that he's "not as bad" as the left portrays him and that, besides, there are worse figures on the left.

The "left is worse" argument doesn't fly. Listen, I am never shy about pointing out hypocrisy by the left -- as I did in response to an anti-Beck letter organized by Jewish Funds for Justice. But the argument that "the other side is worse" is not an argument that justifies Beck's conduct.

With regard to Beck himself, Peter Wehner at Commentary has a must-read post that includes this:

In the past few weeks Glenn Beck has spoken about the coming caliphate that he believes is about to envelope most of the world. He then dilated on the anti-Christ with a man who says he has "new prophetic understanding into the end times." In 2009, this self-proclaimed prophet wrote a column titled "What Obama and the Anti-Christ Have in Common." Then, on a recent show, the discussion focused on the coming Islamic anti-Christ. And earlier this week, an irate, bellicose Beck spoke about the "perfect storm" America faces. "I can't honestly believe we're finally here," he said in praising his own prescience. In his version of events, Beck is the solitary Voice of Truth willing to expose the New World Order (complete with references to Van Jones and Code Pink).

Pete concludes: "All this is quite troublesome in its own right. But what ought to worry conservatives in particular is that Beck not only has the unusual capacity to discredit virtually every cause he takes up; he also confirms the worst caricatures of the right."

And if that's not bad enough, Beck had to apologize for comparing Reform Judaism to radical Islam.

So what should thoughtful conservatives do? I've said it before, but it is especially relevant here: Police their own side. Rather than reflexively rising to his defense when questioned about Beck, why don't conservatives call him out and explain that he doesn't represent the views of mainstream conservatives? Conservative groups and candidates should be forewarned: If they host, appear with or defend him they should be prepared to have his extremist views affixed to them.

Fox News has every right to have whomever it wants on the air, but, likewise, conservatives have every right to and, indeed, should disassociate themselves from his brand of rhetoric.

This country would be in a lot better place if EACH SIDE policed their own.

[Baculus]

Damn liberal media.

I see you have a new sig!

I read about that the other day, and it wasn't too surprising, was it? "Fox News reverse the actual outcome of a poll? What? No way!"

[Burgold]

A couple of nice articles from two conservatives came out Thursday about how conservatives need to really start distancing themselves from Beck:

This country would be in a lot better place if EACH SIDE policed their own.

Amen. That's what I chiefly want out of conservatives. Maybe we're getting closer to a tipping point. One can hope.

[AsburySkinsFan]

You ever wonder if the guy is more evil than anything else? The guy sells division, fear, and hatred for profit and then attacks social justice within the church all while painting himself as a man of God. Seems like a profile I've been warned about.

He's just another in a long line of propagandists, that he's blending his Mormon faith in with his conservative propagandizing is a new twist. As for the false prophet, first I wouldn't give Beck that much credit, second I don't read those texts that way. Beck is just the disproof of American Exceptionalism, he's exactly what we'd despise if it came from any third world nation, and yet here he's applauded because he wraps himself in the stars and stripes.