Radio Station KFYR Cans On Air Market Expert For Criticizing Obama

Proof • July 4, 2009

Apparently at KFYR they’re not in to diversity in thought.
Eugene Graner works for Heartland Investments and had a regular gig on KFYR commenting about markets. Until he decided to question liberal economic dogma on the air.
During a recent on-air commentary on energy and ag markets Mr. Graner pointed out how some liberal policies were impacting the markets, and then ended his commentary with a slam at Obama, (as well as Senators Dorgan and Conrad and Rep. Pomeroy) pointing out that the policies they were implementing are not good for our economy or the country.
Here’s the segment, listen to the whole thing:

Click here to download the audio if the streaming player doesn’t work for you.
Here’s what happened per an email from Mr. Graner:

Today July 2, 2009 I was silenced by the socialists and removed from the daily shows I do on KFYR radio for the comments I made.
I was told I could continue if I just report on the markets. I said I would report the markets and what affects them, including politics.
I was then thanked by the General Manager, who is a know Obamacrat, for the work I had done but that I was no longer needed.
Friends, I put liberty before wealth, freedom before treasure. If more people would do this, this country would not be were it is at, continuing it deep spiral into extreme socialism.

While I’m sure that a lot of liberals (including those that populate KFYR’s management and on-air “talent”) would disagree with Graner, what he said was hardly controversial given that vast swaths of the population agree with him whole-heartedly. And if KFYR were truly a radio station interested in debate and diversity of thought and informing the public, his comments shouldn’t have been objectionable at all. Worthy of debate and rebuttal, sure, but not worthy of taking the guy off the air.
Personally, this sounds like a perfect time for those in the KFYR listening region to simply stop listening to the station. Because why are you listening to them when you can get better shows from a station that doesn’t mind diversity of opinion. Namely, Scott Hennen’s AM1100.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, North Dakota News, Politics

http://www.bismarckmandanblog.com/ clintf

First off, only the government can “censor”. It’s up to KFYR to choose what they want on the air. Having said that, I’ve already fired off my emails to the station to inform them that I’m voting with my radio. Too bad, because I like Todd, Phil, Jason, and Al as friends and former coworkers.

It’s interesting that they continue to air Rush considering how they’re so beholden to Democrats. I guess they’ll sell their soul for the ratings at this point…or that the decision is made farther up the Clear Channel food chain.

When I worked for Meyer Broadcasting (and even after the company was unceremoniously “parted out”) they would NEVER ask any tough questions of Dorgan, Conrad, or Pomeroy. Part of it was fear that the politician would only grant interviews to the other station, I believe. As far as the whole motivation, only Dick Heidt can answer that question.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

This station appears to be a clear channel station. It’s got Rush on it as well as the state wide liberal talker Joel Heitkamp.
robert108

I’m sure they’ll claim it isn’t censorship, but it is. Intimidation is censorship.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

The point I was trying to make the station obviously has diversity of thought.

But if the markets are affected by happenings in Washington and it’s not reported then the listeners of KFYR are being sold short.

Why would you listen to a market program that’s hamstrung?
Bat One

There is more to this than just another “progressive” Obamacrat trying to shut up those who disagree with the policies of The One. By all accounts, Mr. Graner is an expert in his field. He knows far more about the markets, the economy, and the effects of various policy choices than does the KFYR general manager, or anyone else at that radio station. That’s what happens when you spend a lot of time watching the markets and trying to learn enough about market behavior to make a decent living. Either you learn about markets, or you find another career field… like becoming a liberal radio station manager instead.

There is no one else at KFYR who could rationally and intelligently disagree with what Mr. Graner is saying about the effects of Team Obama’s policies. So, in other words, with no reasoned and authoritative counter to Mr. Graner’s expert comments, the Left’s sole response is STFU!

Certainly, KFYR is within its rights as a private company to “un-hire” Mr. Graner. But, although the fascist nature of the GM’s ham-fisted attempt to silence any criticism, however expert, is troubling (if not surprising), FOX News recent sweep of all top ten places over their cable competition makes the KFYR decision just plain stupid too.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

The station manager at the local clear channel place seems to think that he has a lot of control over the local content.
robert108

First off, only the government can “censor”.

Not true; study the history of self-censorship in Hollywood.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

I wouldn’t hold my breath. The newspaper industry is going down in liberal flames.

Funny how you don’t do so well when you insult half of your potential customers.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

There is a difference between the government imposing censorship and the station manager deciding what is said on his station.

Doesn’t make it good business, but he has every right to decide to do this.
sc

When will the media realize that there are two points of view and that presenting only the liberal view will hurt their ratings and profit, if they have any.
robert108

Doesn’t make it good business, but he has every right to decide to do this.

That doesn’t change the fact that it’s censorship, just like abortion is killing babies, whether it’s legal or not.
Legalizing a bad act doesn’t change the fact that it’s bad.
badlands4

Don’t like stifling of speech from either ideological view, and I wouldn’t accept stifling of a liberal view if the station was conservative bent via the management and talent.

That being said, they have the right to have who they want on there. I will vote with my radio dial. What they do in the future will depend on how people react, but they have teh right to do it.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

Local people thinking they have local control…geeezzzz what’s the world coming to?
2Hotel9

Actually, boob, the “local” people liked the finance guy, and his opinions.

What you want to bet this guy gets his own show?
robert108

Leave it to little parrot to lie and deceive; this guy was wanted and popular until he exposed the incompetency of the guy masquerading as our President, then he was removed. That’s censorship, no matter how much the lefties lie and spin.
It wasn’t about local control or free choice; it was censorship of a view exposing the incompetent administration.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

Sounds very Hitleristic. Very fascist.
conundrum

“I’m sure they’ll claim it isn’t censorship, but it is. Intimidation is censorship.”
Does this work both ways. I mean look at Fox. Is there any liberal viewpoint on it. When they do have a liberal that person is usually shouted down. Just wondering.
robert108

Is there any liberal viewpoint on it. When they do have a liberal that person is usually shouted down. Just wondering.

You are obviously parroting leftie talking points; try actually watching, and you will find that those talking points are lies. They actually report the news, and unlike the leftie channels, which rarely if ever feature any conservative point of view, Dem versions of the truth are reported.
robert108

If you have any evidence that any commenter has been fired from Fox for taking a leftie point of view, you might have an argument, but it hasn’t happened. False equivalence.

Nice distraction from Bungler Obama’s economic and foreign policy blunders, though.
This guy reported the economic incompetence of this administration, and was fired for it.
Censorship, no disagreement. Typical of you lefties.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

sent KFYR an e-mail asking them why they didn’t cover the rally. Here is the response:

We covered the earlier tea party in Bismarck and did not see a reason to cover the same event all over again. I’m sure there are going to be many “tea parties” in the future and we will not be covering all of them either. Repeating the same information over and over again is not news.

This is what happens when you have liberals in charge of the radio station. What a moron, same new eh? Well on the flip side of that NOBAMA is just the same marxist crap over and over again.
Who Won?

I sent KFYR an e-mail asking them why they didn’t cover the rally. Here is the response:

We covered the earlier tea party in Bismarck and did not see a reason to cover the same event all over again. I’m sure there are going to be many “tea parties” in the future and we will not be covering all of them either. Repeating the same information over and over again is not news.
robert108

The man was fired for revealing Obama’s economic incompetence; that’s censorship on the basis of speech, no matter how you slice it. The fact that the station is privately-owned is irrelevant. It may be legal censorship, but it’s still censorship.
Again, even though abortion is legal killing, the baby is still dead, and this guy is still out of a job because of what he said.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

This wasn’t censorship. It’s a private radio station making a decision. A stupid decision, sighted decision but not censorship.

And the only reason they have Limbaugh on, I’m sure, is to attract some listeners. I used to listen to KFYR quite a bit back in the day when I was traveling a lot, mostly to bring in Limbaugh (the tape-delayed two hours is annoying as all hell), and I never heard any other program on the station worth listening to.

Just my opinion though.

I dunno if they guy is taken off the air because he doesn’t spew the pro-Obama line I would call that censorship. It sounds like a Program director needs to be recalled from his job. Also, I can’t believe Joel Heitkamp who is as exciting as watching paint dry is on over Rush. That decision puzzles me?
http://heartlandinvest.com/ sayanything-7715

Hello this is Eugene,
The markets are complicated, and anyone who has ever known my from my youth forward,knows I was fascinated by their movements and reactions to events that occurr. That drove me to leave a safe place on the farm into the realm of risky commodity trading.I am in my 25th year of trading the markets successfully, as my CTA Disclosure Documents show. ( By the way, past results are not indicative of future results and you must consider the risks before investing). I have personally made many multi $100,000 profitable years in personal trading gains (as the IRS well knows) and believe I speak with confidence that I know what actions can potentially create for reactions in markets. My point is , people don’t have the necessary tools nor time to understand what is happening to them. Like a frog in a kettle they are getting cooked. I brought that to so many people on air over the years and was thanked by strangers when ever they saw me in person.
I am financially independent from my personal success in the markets and try to share that with my work at heartlandinvest.com and did not liked being told how I can report on the markets when the government has been becoming the markets. It looks like my mission statement to help my fellow farmers and investors through probono work at KFYR as been derailed until I can find an outlet that can handle the truth. Eugene
gustave776

Years ago, Clearchannel Radio, which at that time aquired a number of local stations and went through the list of seasoned adequately compensated Farm reporters and fired them thinking any college grad can do their job. These people were radio personalities and were known throughout the region and their listeners followed them to their next place of employment by simply turning the dial. Larry Ristvedt from KFGO in Fargo and Al Gustin KFYR in Bismarck are the people who make these stations great. Soon Clear Channels investments and corporate decisions rendered these station less profitable and had to contract Al Gustin because of popular demand. KFGO was bought by Fargo-Moorhead Radio and Larry returned to give the much sought after Ag voice back to their listeners.

These liberals are not capable of being objectionable and take it personally when anyone would ever dare go against them. Eugene was providing a public service by sharing some trade tips on the air waves and when the public politicians were affecting the profitability of investing, he called a spade , a spade. The ClearChannel punks felt all powerful and decided to censor this news because their feeeeeelings were hurt and couldn’t take the truth because it hurt. Good Luck Mr. Graner, you will be missed.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

These liberals are not capable of being objectionable

Why thank you Gus, that is the nicest thing you have ever written.

Bless you heart.
pparets

Gustavo… ahem… I think you meant “objective” when you refered to liberals.

They certainly can be and often are “objectionable”.
Farm4$

all my life i have listened to kfyr and kcjb. those days have been over for a long time now. I would like to see Eugene back on the air, but on a different station. If one of the other Bismarck stations would have picked up Al and Gene, most of us would have followed them.

Clear Channel has changed, and not for the better I would like it if someone more able would check and see if someone else bought it or what happened. Check it out woof, your on the trail. You have a better nose for this than i do.

Wasn’t Clear Chsnnel bought by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital,(bunch of socialists)?

I do like am1100 but can only get it out here on line. For those of us out here in the western part of the state, I have found a Tioga station .. am 1090 that carries Scott.

I would be willing to invest with others in a station in western ND to get something out here.
gustave776

Thanks Guys, “Objective” was the word I should have used
WOOFX

Nutjob ,

I was silenced by the socialists.

The socialists would have shot him in the basement.

Wasn’t Clear Chsnnel bought by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital,(bunch of socialists)?
sayanything-6955

KFYR runs the first hour of Rush live the other 2 tape delayed an hour,of course not Heitkamp.I only listen to the morning jokers Phil and Jason,but after I e-mail their station I think KFYR just lost another listener.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

This wasn’t censorship. It’s a private radio station making a decision. A stupid decision, sighted decision but not censorship.

And the only reason they have Limbaugh on, I’m sure, is to attract some listeners. I used to listen to KFYR quite a bit back in the day when I was traveling a lot, mostly to bring in Limbaugh (the tape-delayed two hours is annoying as all hell), and I never heard any other program on the station worth listening to.

Just my opinion though.

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Radio Station KFYR Cans On Air Market Expert For Criticizing Obama

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