Radio Announcer displays poor sportsmanship!!

[vic]

I was informed this afternoon that after the Collinwood - Forrest game Friday night, the radio announcer began putting down some of the Collinwood players. I didn't hear this, but our SRO officer did. One of the kids he talked down was my son Jacob Victory. The other was Jonathan Ward. I was told he said they were both classless. These two kids are great athletes and they play the game very hard. They take it serious and both are working very hard to earn a chance to play at the next level. They are both also great kids. This person has no idea what kind of kids they are. I don't know what radio station this is, but I hope to find out and file a complaint. I was told he made the statement that he would probably get reprimanded for his comments. I hope he gets more than that. There is no place in public radio for a man that puts down kids.

[falconfan94]

I agree with you sir! I am a football radio announcer as well. There is no place for that in ANY sport. That announcer, if this is true, should be relieved of his duties. There is absolutely NO excuse for that. I hope some action is taken against this person.

[Indian]

Posted by vic:

I was informed this afternoon that after the Collinwood - Forrest game Friday night, the radio announcer began putting down some of the Collinwood players. I didn't hear this, but our SRO officer did. One of the kids he talked down was my son Jacob Victory. The other was Jonathan Ward. I was told he said they were both classless. These two kids are great athletes and they play the game very hard. They take it serious and both are working very hard to earn a chance to play at the next level. They are both also great kids. This person has no idea what kind of kids they are. I don't know what radio station this is, but I hope to find out and file a complaint. I was told he made the statement that he would probably get reprimanded for his comments. I hope he gets more than that. There is no place in public radio for a man that puts down kids.

 

What was the context, what was going on in the game when he was supposed to have said stuff? Was there some kind of confrontation going on in the game between players that a "homer" radio announcer could have turned into something to better play up his town's team

[mrorange006]

i think the comments made were fine. what are we going to do all our lives shelter our kids to the world?what about if these kids go to play college ball will they not be critized?of course! so my advice is to get used to it.Sorry bout the kid man but they have to learn sometime

[DelTavian]

Posted by mrorange006:

i think the comments made were fine. what are we going to do all our lives shelter our kids to the world?what about if these kids go to play college ball will they not be critized?of course! so my advice is to get used to it.Sorry bout the kid man but they have to learn sometime

 

Have to learn what sometime? That a grown up is too stupid to do their job right? You don't call a kid classless even if the kid IS classless. You just don't do it.

 

If the kid is acting out it's ok for an announcer to say something like..."That kind of behavior is probably going to get him in trouble with the officials." But that's as far as it goes.

 

I have no clue what was said or what context it was it, but it doesn't matter. If you're an announcer or a broadcaster you have certain lines you don't cross. Otherwise you're the jerk not the kid.

 

Del

[DCCATVOICE]

Of course it would help to know exactly what he said on the air and not a third hand account of it. I don't think that a radio announcer should ever put down a kid but if the kid was fighting, cussing ect..in otherwords displaying bad sportsmanship himself then its the responsibility of the announcer to tell it like he sees it. They are kids but kids know better themselves to act in a way to bring attention to themselves. If they were doing nothing at all then the radio guy should know better. it would help to know what he said and what they did to make him say it.

[BDURHAM]

It is probably a "privately" owned station, not a public station. First I would approach the owner and/or GM and ask for their response. I would remind them that they have advertisers, and they would probably not appreciate the bad word of mouth and potential bad PR that could hit the local papers over the issue.

 

Another step, but one that would be difficult to actually pursue would be to contact the FCC (Federal Communications Commission in DC). Mention that you are going to contact the FCC to the owner, and you will get a response.

 

A station has to serve the community, and I would tell the owner that you don't think his station is serving the community properly, and that you are going to send a letter to the FCC. The owner should start sweating...

 

The FCC would probably do nothing, but no radio station owner wants to hear from the FCC. They also don't want to hear complaints from advertisers. You might want to fire a letter to one of their biggest advertisers, which is probably a bank in their community.

 

P.S. What did the announcers say? Is it something that offends you personally, or did they cross some ethical grounds?

 

Posted by vic:

I was informed this afternoon that after the Collinwood - Forrest game Friday night, the radio announcer began putting down some of the Collinwood players. I didn't hear this, but our SRO officer did. One of the kids he talked down was my son Jacob Victory. The other was Jonathan Ward. I was told he said they were both classless. These two kids are great athletes and they play the game very hard. They take it serious and both are working very hard to earn a chance to play at the next level. They are both also great kids. This person has no idea what kind of kids they are. I don't know what radio station this is, but I hope to find out and file a complaint. I was told he made the statement that he would probably get reprimanded for his comments. I hope he gets more than that. There is no place in public radio for a man that puts down kids.

[dandy82]

There's no place or time in high school athletics where a kid needs to be run down. Adults should know better. The attitude of mrorange is at best moronic. Be glad he is a fan of another team. I also feel sorry for his kids. How would you like to live with someone with his attitude.

[DCCATVOICE]

I work in radio and I can tell you this right now. The FCC will do nothing in this case. They only regulate tech. things these days. Listen to the cussing that goes out everyday. They won't even listen. They will refer it to the TBA and they might call to say somebody complained but that will be the extent of it. Going to the people that pay the bills is the way to go. No station owner wants to lose business. It would really help to have a tape of what the guy said. Calling a kid classless is wrong but not knowing for sure what he said and saying things about him isn't good either. What school was this?

[BDURHAM]

I agree...the FCC would probably do nothing, but the FCC does fine major market stations for breaking moral codes. Stern has been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

A person would have to be a little off center to spend the time required to contact the FCC over this issue, but I think the FCC might respond to a complaint over "nor servicing the community" -- from a small town. The complaint is a valid issue, and it would be so unusual, it would get the attention of someone.

 

No radio owner wants to have any type of conversation with the FCC...unless it is to change the frequency, etc. The idea of someone in the community complaining to the FCC would make any thinking radio owner pause and consider creating an alternative course of action.

 

Posted by DCCATVOICE:

I work in radio and I can tell you this right now. The FCC will do nothing in this case. They only regulate tech. things these days. Listen to the cussing that goes out everyday. They won't even listen. They will refer it to the TBA and they might call to say somebody complained but that will be the extent of it. Going to the people that pay the bills is the way to go. No station owner wants to lose business. It would really help to have a tape of what the guy said. Calling a kid classless is wrong but not knowing for sure what he said and saying things about him isn't good either. What school was this?

[DCCATVOICE]

I don't think what he said will get any kind of attention from the FCC. The FCC isn't like it was before. If he said a racial slur or something maybe but even then they don't care in small towns. They don't have the people to do such things. I have called the Oak Ridge games for 18 years and I have never said anything that would even come close to that but other people hear what they want to hear sometimes. I think its best to have both sides here. I would love to know the entire story.

[Guest caligula]

The announcer has no rite to talk about your child, that is wrong. CrunchyBlac you are weird and you can't rap.