Publication Rescinds Lifetime Achievement Award For Bob Grant

GRANT'S AWARD YANKED

Publication Gives Into PC Police, Rescinds Lifetime Honor





*** UPDATE With Levin Reaction ***
*** THURSDAY: Mainstream Media Covers Story, Blogs Still Silent ***
*** IMUS SLAMMED For On-Air Indifference To Story ***


Apparently based on an ages- old controversy, a key radio industry trade publication has unexpectedly rescinded a lifetime achievement award it had intended to award to conservative talk radio legend / WABC host Bob Grant.

Scheduled to be given to Grant by Radio & Records at its March talk radio convention in Washington, the honor was withdrawn after a pressure campaign led by an as-yet unnamed individual.

Late this afternoon, R & R posted this strange note on its website:

Award Withdrawn

Upon further review and consideration of Bob Grant's complete body of work, Radio & Records has withdrawn its decision to present the 2008 News/ Talk/ Sports Lifetime Industry Achievement Award to Mr. Grant.

R&R is sensitive to the diversity of our community and does not want the presentation of an award to Mr. Grant to imply our endorsement of past comments by him that contradict our values and the respect we have for all members of our community.

If his work was good enough before, why not now? It's another win for "diversity", whatever that means.


Other talk hosts have been quick to respond to the controversy. Just minutes ago, Sean Hannity interviewed Grant about the flap, with Grant telling listeners, "it's a sad day for America because it means that an absolute kook who has no credibility has forced a company to bend to his will."

Hannity noted the hypocrisy of baggage- laden Al Sharpton being invited to speak at the convention while Grant is shut out. His response: "of course there's a double standard!"

Grant told Hannity that he received a call earlier today and was told that an individual's campaign had convinced R & R to pull the award. He wouldn't name the person because Grant feels "he wants the publicity."

"I went to their website and they took my likeness down," Grant continued, "there was no mention of me, none whatsoever"

"It's so sad. Sure, it affects me directly, but it affects everybody whether they know it or not," he concluded.

In addition, Mark Levin has written a protest letter to R&R and Hannity noted he has already received a number of emails in support of Grant.

Grant told rival industry publication All Access earlier this evening, "What R & R did is defamatory and cowardly. I have received support and encouragement from more friends than I knew I had."


Reached via email this evening, Levin tells the Radio Equalizer:

I am disgusted with the mistreatment of Bob Grant. I am fed up with the censors, intimidators, and cowards in this business. Al Sharpton is a disgrace who has done nothing for radio. His record of lies, racism, and Jewish- hating antics is long and dangerous. Yet, the same people who invited him to appear at this event have now decided that Bob, a major force in this industry, is too controversial to receive an award. You don't have to agree with all that Bob has ever said to know that this is a travesty.

There's also a discussion about the flap here.


Hannity noted that some talk radio professionals are poised to begin a boycott campaign against the upcoming convention if Grant's award isn't returned.

The origin of the controversy is probably related to comments Grant made about the late Commerce Secretary Ron Brown in 1996 which led to his termination from WABC. He was rehired last year when ABC Radio was taken over by Citadel Communications.

From Radio Online, more on Grant's background:

The legendary New York talk host has spent almost 60 years in broadcasting, most recently afternoons at Buckley Broadcasting's WOR-AM. Grant joined WMCA-AM/New York in 1970 and stayed there 7 years before his first stint at WOR, and later moved to WWDB-AM/Philadelphia before returning to New York and afternoons at WABC-AM. He rejoined WOR in 1996.

Recently, your Radio Equalizer was a guest on Grant's program and was impressed with his class and professionalism, which haven't diminished after many years on the air. He's a legend who has influenced an entire generation of talk hosts, including Hannity, Levin and many others.

This site was created in part to counter the leftist bias of many of our industry's publications, of which R & R has long been a prime offender.

Expect this exploding controversy to generate many headlines this week. The Washington Times and other publications are already said to be working on the story.


RUMOR: was Sharpton the force behind this award's withdrawal? Update: we're hearing it wasn't him.

CONSERVATIVE bloggers sit out controversy. Why?

ISN'T IT RICH has more here, as does Mark Levin Fan and Talk Junkie

FROM THE New York Radio Message Board, an excellent observation:

Posted by Walt on January 16, 2008 at 16:29:21:

In Reply to: Re: R and R Cancels Lifetime Award For Bob Grant posted by Joe Persek on January 16, 2008 at 15:13:01:

>>Upon further review and consideration of Bob Grant's complete body of work,<<

That means someone happened to stumble upon the fair.org "50000 Watts of Hate" article from 1996 that always shows up on Google's first page when searching for Bob Grant. R&R, of course, has it backwards. A cursory check of the Internet reveals that single article with it's half a dozen "questionable" quotes. A review of Bob Grant's "complete body of work" would show that he deserves to be awarded for lifetime achievement.

I think Bob Grant knows he has earned the respect of those who count -- his friends and listeners. And, by the way, Grant sounds great lately. He may have been a little out of practice after the long hiatus, but he's firing on all cylinders now. I've especially enjoyed the times recently when he's had Juan Williams on as a guest. You can tell that they like and respect each other.

It's a shame the people at R&R are so dumb.

THURSDAY: mainstream media coverage begins, including the New York Daily News and Washington Times

DON IMUS is taking heat for ditching Grant, even though the two share a radio station:

Posted by Allan Sniffen on January 17, 2008 at 07:49:21:

Why didn't Imus have Bob Grant on this morning? Maybe it's early and I missed it. I hope so... but I haven't heard any reference by Imus that he's having Grant on.

WHY NOT???

Imus works at the same station as Grant and this is WABC's story. With all due respect to O&A, this is WABC's story and *that* is where he should be commenting (WABC has had games on at night which have preempted Grant's own show). Instead Imus is talking about The Ranch and chatting with Pat O'Brien.

This is what is wrong with Imus. He's bringing up the rear rather than getting out in front. This is not the Imus of old.

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