Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
1:00 PM
Heard or seen something on the pop culture landscape that appalled/delighted/enlightened you? Of course you have. That's what Station Break with Paul Farhi is here for. Local stations, cable, radio shows, commercials, pop culture -- they're all fair game.
Read today's article: 'Smoking Gun TV': Second-String Celebs (Post, Aug. 16)
Farhi is a reporter in the Post's Style section, writing about media and popular culture. He's been watching TV and listening to the radio since "The Monkees" were in first run and Adam West was a star. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Los Angeles, Farhi had brief stints in the movie business (as an usher at the Picwood Theater), and in the auto industry (rental-car lot guy) before devoting himself full time to word processing. His car has 15 radio pre-sets and his cable system has 75 channels. He vows to use all of them for good instead of evil.
A transcript follows.
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Paul Farhi: Greetings, all, and welcome to another official Dawg Daze of August chat (commemorative t-shirts available in the lobby)...Was talking with a friend of mine the other day about the state of TV and radio (okay, I'm a boring dude). Anyway, he had an interesting theory, which, to summarize without charts or footnotes, comes down to this: TV and radio (not to mention newspapers and all "mass" media) are gradually moving toward collapse. As technology and competition whittle away the mass audience, he argues, advertisers will no longer be able to reach large numbers of people through one channel or program, and thus the economic foundation for producing TV programs and (less so) radio will shrivel with it. It's a somewhat nerdy but intriguing idea; we're already in the midst of a gradual meltdown now. Project that out a few years (5?, 10? 20?) and you wonder where we'll all be. Sigh....
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Fredericksburg, Va.: In your opinion, what do you beleive will be the line-up of Super Station 106.7 WJFK when Howard Stern does his final show in December.
Paul Farhi: A bit of chaos is imminent there, no? We've already seen the future, and it ain't so hot. The replacements for Ron & Fez (can't even remember their names) are sub par. I am sure the Junkies or Don& Mike can ably fill Stern's shoes in the morning, but the rest of the day at WJFK seems to be in trouble..
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Pentagon, Arlington, Va.: For those of us who prefer real reporting to blogs, could you please comment on the allegations surrounding Air America.
Paul Farhi: To summarize the allegations: One of the founders of AA allegedly "borrowed" start-up money from a charitable organization he was associated with. The current management of Air America says it had nothing to do with the alleged unauthorized diversion of funds. I don't really know what's what, but there does seem to be plenty of smoke here.
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Alexandria, Va.: Hey what's the scoop on HBO's coming drama "Rome"?
I'm guessing a cross between "I, Claudius" and Guccione's "Caligula".
Paul Farhi: Hugely expensive, with not-so-great early buzz. I have not seen, but I will watch. One question I have: Why do they always use British actors in these sword epics? Do they think Brits sound Italian any more than Americans?
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Burke, Va.: Bad enough that WJFK let Ron and Fez stroll to satellite, but the replacement show -- the Peter Rosenberg Show -- is a fiasco of the highest order. Let me get this straight. He's a white kid from College Park who spends LONG, LONG, segments of the show discussing hardcore rap music. Exactly who is the intended demographic? How about a new promo for WJFK -- "Stern in the morning (for now), Don and Mike all afternoon, the Skins on Sunday, and GARBAGE the rest of the time!"
Paul Farhi: Now, now. WJFK hasn't said the evening guys are permanent, so maybe something else is coming down the pike. But I agree: Can't listen to it...
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Arlington, Va.: Are Ron and Fez gone from WJFK for good?
Paul Farhi: Uh, yeah. For the record, yeah.
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Washington, D.C.: So, as I feared, the media has pretty much stopped writing about the Plame leak investigation. Seriously, I sometimes think that if Watergate happened today it would have remained a metro story about a break-in. Your thoughts P-miser
Paul Farhi: Well, before I went all Media Theory in my intro, I was going to comment on this very subject. We in the media DO seem to suffer from short attention spans. The Post has fitfully tried to keep the Plame story going, but there's nothing doing elsewhere on it. And what ever happened to that Downing Street Memo?
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Allentown, Pa.: Since you wrote the great article a few months ago about reality makeover shows, any comments about the five orphans suing "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"?
In brief, a California couple takes in five orphans. The couple then uses their apparent generosity and the orphans' sob story to get a mini-mansion courtesy of ABC. Then, according to the lawsuit, the couple drives the orphans out of the home and the orphans sue the couple and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" for fraud.
Paul Farhi: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" makes my skin crawl, but I'm not sure why ABC is guilty of fraud here. Sounds like the parents misrepped their relationship with the children to get a new house, courtesy of ABC. On the other hand, the stars and producers of EMHE are all too willing to buy a good sob story in order to a) show how generous they are to the less fortunate, and b) push a few sponsors via product placement on the show.
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20165: Your opening salvo was interesting, but I think your friend's gloom and doom scenario may be a bit premature. I'm sure advertisers and broadcasters have a few tricks left up their sleeves. I think we will see A LOT more product placement, and not-so-subtle advertising during shows. With people Fast-forwarding through commercials via TiVo, I've already noticed more in-show advertising. Whaddya think?
Paul Farhi: Absolutely true. I remember reading a sci-fi satire of advertising long ago--"The Space Merchants," I think it was--in which the entire society is ruled by advertisers. It's gradually becoming true.
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WJFK: You know your station is in trouble when the best promo you can come up with touts the fact that your station is free. All things considered, I think they should pay us to listen.
Oh, and if you listen to the station on the Net (which is the only way to do it; when it rains I lose the signal and I'm in HERNDON!) you get all of these bad, bad public service announcements. One of them tells you in gruesome and graphic detail exactly what happens to you in a car accident. I couldn't stand to listen to it the week that D and M were talking about Freda. You would think that someone would've thought to pull it for a bit because ... damn.
Paul Farhi: Y'know, I heard the same gruesome promo, over the air, during Don's comeback show. I thought it was really very powerful. I know I'll shock you here, but it's actually possible that the station is trying to do SOME public service good...
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Downing and Plame: Combine Bush's 5 week vacation (?!) with Mary Sheehan's protest, and -POOF -- Plame and The Downing Street Memo are mere footnotes in the 2005 history. The media and the public both have short attention spans. Also, the missing girl in Aruba also took a lot of the fire from Plame and The Memo.
Paul Farhi: Mary Sheehan is a very interesting media phenomenon. Not that she doesn't have a legit reason for protest, but her sudden rise from obscurity makes a powerful point about the media's laziness and short-attention span. That is, it's August, and she conveniently filled the void for reporters who were otherwise stuck in Waco waiting for the president to do something other than ride his mountain bike.
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Re: Entourage: A few weeks ago, I believe there was a question of whether any females watch Entourage. I am writing to tell you that I love the show and I am female. It has definitely improved this season. It could still be better, but I really enjoy it.
Paul Farhi: Thanks. HBO will be pleased.
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Washington, D.C.: Do you and Lisa de Moraes ever duke it out over who has the better coverage duties and wittier observations? (For my money, you win on the observations, she wins on her beat. Pretty cushy if you ask me ...)
Paul Farhi: Well, since Lisa writes a daily column (and I don't), she will always win on the beat stuff. And if I'm within a hundred miles of her on the witty observation front, I will consider that a victory! I have undying respect and admiration for what she does, and does so creatively. That's a hard job, folks!
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Derwood, Md.: What happened to Tom Sater on FOX 5 in the morning?
Paul Far hi: Good question. Tom disappeared (or was disappeared by Channel 5) in July. My guess is he came to the end of a contract and a) couldn't agree to terms with 5 or b) wasn't renewed. I don't know which.
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Chantilly, Va.: Regarding Peter Rosenberg, let me hazard a theory as to why he is in that slot: He's a nobody so he works REALLY CHEAP.
We know from years of Don's rants how tightfisted JFK management is.
What we do need here is a sports talk station that reaches west of the Beltway after dark -- and no, WFAN doesn't count. How long can anyone not from the tri-state area listen to Bill from Bayside or Sid from Staten Island whine about the Mets, Yankees, Jets, Giants, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils, or Islanders?
At least I can listen to Red Sox games on WTIC out of Hartford after sundown.
Paul Farhi: Well, WJFK is in a little bit of a funny position there. I wants to be the Redskins station, but it also wants to be the Naughty Guys station, too (Stern, Junks, Don & Mike). That's not necessarily an untenable position (naughty guys like the Redskins, too), but making the bridge between non-sports Naughty Guy format to sports format is difficult, as the Peter Rosenberg show demonstrates.
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Washington, D.C: Michael Graham on WMAL, what happened?,
Paul Farhi: Suspended for making comments about Muslims that WMAL deemed over the line. Not clear when he's coming back, but he's not fired, as rumors would have it. Graham is still on WMAL's Web site and his name pops up in station promos. So, maybe when the heat dies down (and maybe it already has), he'll sneak back onto the air.
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Arlington, Va.: I think the original question asking for real reporting on the Air America investigation was meant to be an ironic comment, given that the Post has not, in fact, reported on it. Any idea why it's getting the silent treatment?
Paul Farhi: Air America barely registered in the last ratings book here. It isn't locally based. I guess that combo makes it less than a compelling story for us.
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Orange, Va.: What's up with WTOP these days? Not sure if it's the dog days of August or what, but their news content has gotten a little stale. I've heard exact same segments repeated within an half hour and they aired a fascinating story last week about troubles workers at the station were having with a vending machine. I'm a long-time fan of the glass-enclosed nerve center but they are starting to bore me.
Paul Farhi: I'll defer to the powers that be at WTOP, but I'm betting they're vacation-depleted. August is kinda popular that way...
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Washington, D.C.: Is it me or is every new program being promoted for the fall lineup about ghosts or aliens? Granted it's better than yet another Law and Order or CSI spin off.
Paul Farhi: I saw one for the new Jennifer Love Hewitt show, "Ghost Whisperers," the other night. From the look of it, that should kill the genre once and for all.
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Derwood, Md.: Is Gurvir Dhindsa now permanent on FOX 5?
Paul Farhi: Unclear. When she was let go by Channel 9 last summer, she was signed to a temporary gig at 5. She's not listed on Fox5's Web site, which may suggest she's on a short contract to short contract basis.
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August Boredom: I'm so bored with radio that I can't wait for WASH to start playing Christmas music. Do you think they could start in September this year?
Paul Farhi: Since that format has worked really well for WASH the past two years, I'm betting they start the day after Halloween this year.
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Potomac, Md.: Here's the annual reminder to members of the families that own local businesses, friends of the families that own local businesses, politicians, and all others who cannot act, speak well, emote well or speak like you have some life in you: Please, for the sake of the planet and local radio, do not perform in radio commercials. About 9.9 out of 10 local radio ads are absolutely horrible. I've literally heard high school and college radio ads that are ten times better than these local radio ads. Yes, it costs money to get professional actors and people who speak well and editors and writers, etc., who know what the heck they're doing with a radio ad. But that extra money will pay dividends because, as it stands now, with these crappy, amateurish, unprofessional ads littering the airwaves, the only thing people do when they hear your pitiful ads is either turn the radio dial or laugh at your business. And it happens every day, and many people feel this way.
Bottom line: Spend the extra cash, hire professional writers, actors and producers, and air some well-written, well-acted, well-produced local radio ads. We'll all be happier. Addendum: Several of these local companies can afford professionals for their ads, according to some financial statements for some of these firms. Thank you in advance for producing some quality ads for a change.
Paul Farhi: Yep. I can't think of a good family CEO spot, locally or nationally. Closest I can get are Lee Icecap's ads for Chrysler way back when (not his horrible new ones). But that's a different category--the hired CEO as pitchman.
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Arlington, Va.: For the record, it's Cindy Sheehan, not Mary.
Paul Farhi: Jeez. What was I thinking...
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Bethesda, Md.: Miami and L.A. have radio stations that play 24/7 Club mixes. Here in D.C., the closest was WHFS on late Friday nights, and even that is gone. Why is that? I find D.C.'s radio stations quite boring ...
Paul Farhi: You must be new here. D.C. is not known as a real risk-taking radio format kind of town. Small innovations here and there, but we tend to follow rather than lead, and we don't even follow the cool stuff all that much.
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Springfield, Va..: Paul.
I have more of a comment than a question. I have been a long-time listener of Public Access TV and radio (Not NPR or WETA). If anyone is interested there is a Public Access station hosted by the local cable company in Fairfax, Va. You can catch a variety of shows on Channel 10 as well as radio broadcasts on Channel 37. You can also listen to their radio broadcasts on http://www.fcac.org/webr.
My favorite show by far is WOTA Radio ( WOTA Radio ). They are a technology based program but venture off into the pop culture of today.
I really enjoy listening to the Public Access programs. It provides a much needed break from the same music on the same stations that commercial radio/TV brings to the market place. Plus they are all produced and aired by plain ole Joe Schmoe's like me, most of the people doing the shows are volunteers and just do it for the fun of it.
Check out Fairfax Public Access when you have a minute ...
Thanks.
Paul Farhi: Okay. That's a little different. Thanks, Springfield...
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Arlington, Va.: An idle question, perhaps, but how much vacation do TV talking heads get? Whenever I tune in either Doug or Bob or Topper or one of their under-weather people is on vacation. This seems true all year round and not during the dog days of August.
Paul Farhi: Depends on how good their agents are, I guess. But I should note that August usually has the lowest TV viewing numbers of the year. So, in addition to being a good time to the beach, it's also a good time for a talking head to be off the air.
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Not just radio: Just because you own a car dealership doesn't mean that you have to do the TV ad, either. If I hear "We're gonna wow you!" from Moonface one more time ...
Paul Farhi: I always thought the reason business owners did their own commercials is because it's a fool-proof way for the business' ad agency to keep the company's business. I mean, who's going to fire an agency that has the brilliant idea of making the boss the star?
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Arlington, Va.: I'm a big fan of WTOP also, and I'm willing to give them a break in August. They are still the best all-news radio station in the country.
My question: are they doing more actual investigative reporting than they used to? Seems like it -- and seems that when they do, they are coming up with stories that other news outlets then want to cite.
What's your info on this?
Paul Farhi: Wait. WTOP is the best all-news radio station in the country? I like 'em fine, but "the best"? Have you heard all-news stations elsewhere?...As for investigative reporting, I'm not sure what you mean. Frankly, I rarely hear what I think of as investigative reporting--long, in-depth, multiple-source, complex, highly revelatory--on WTOP.
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Washington, D.C.: I like the local (I think) Sheehy dealership ads where the actor (Mr. Sheehy perhaps?) walks around in a judicial robe and a giant magic marker -- presumably slashing prices. Best part: cute litle girl says "You're weird!" Indeed.
Paul Farhi: Well, that's "Mark Down," and I doubt that's Mr. Sheehy himself...Don't get me wrong: Local ads have often been filled with surprises and great characters. Anyone out there remember Cal Worthington, from the crazy and ubiquitous "Go-see-Cal" ads of a zillion years ago in L.A.? Legendary stuff.
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Washington, D.C.: How can we stop Empire Today from advertising? They buy air time all over the place. It's so repetitive. What can TV viewers do about the annoyance of it?
"588-2300, Empire ... Today."
Paul Farhi: Those are SO old school they may have been running those in the 1960s. And who's the grandpa guy in the ad? Is he Mr. Empire?
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Downtown D.C.: But, if business owners didn't do their own ads, we wouldn't have had gruff Tom Carvel extol the pleasures of Fudgie the Whale and Cookie Puss. That kind of thing could not be replaced.
Paul Farhi: Yep. See, local legends. Anyone like the extremely low-rent and highly memorable Senate Insurance ads?
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Takoma Park, Md.: Most annoying commercial right now: Hands down the Burger King "RANCH" tooth that keeps screaming RANCH in a nasily Ray Romano voice. I have to change the channel every time I see it.
Paul Farhi: Burger King ads have been weird and sometimes quite annoying for some time. I am probably in the minority here, but I actually like the bizarre King commercials, featuring the creepy giant king head.
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Tysons Corner, Va.: What happened to NBC's morning business reporter Jess from Washingtonpost.com? Will she ever come back?
Paul Farhi: That would be Jessica Doyle, who is on maternity leave and is planning on returning soon, I am reliably informed by the brethren at wp.com.
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Seattle, Wash.: With XM offering local traffic and weather, how long do you think it will be before they start offering local news and sports as part of the package giving listeners "local programming" on a substantial basis?
Paul Farhi: It would make sense, yes, but it would probably be a fairly labor intensive undertaking--more so than offering traffic news--and I wonder if XM wants to pay for it. Gathering local news and sports clips, let alone doing original reporting, takes manpower. That cost big money. Ask WTOP.
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Alexandria, Va.: "Air America barely registered in the last ratings book here. It isn't locally based. I guess that combo makes it less than a compelling story for us." I guess that's why their lead personality was the subject of a long Post magazine story earlier this year.
Paul Farhi: Reasonable journalists can differ. I personally thought that was a dumb story. At the time, you couldn't even hear AA in Washington. Now you can, and almost everyone chooses not to.
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Carlisle, Pa.: WTOP the best news station in the country? Try KYW 1060 in Philly, pal! No bleeding heart stuff that you hear on WTOP.
Paul Farhi: Thanks. But: "bleeding heart stuff"? Whachu talkin' bout, Willis?
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Re: TV Meltdown: Your friend has an interesting idea. But couldn't we just switch to an all pay structure like premium cable?
Paul Farhi: There are technical and economic reasons why that's difficult. The technical are less important, but the economic are profound: Many basic cable networks wouldn't gain a sufficient number of subscribers to pay for all the programs they put on now.
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Creepy King: You like the creepy King head? The cheese definitely stands alone on that one.
Paul Farhi: Yeah, it's weird and funny. That's two things I like.
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Beltsville, Md.: Suggestion for Bethesda regarding listening to club mixes 24/7? Get an XM receiver and tune in to XM 82 The System. For Club Hits, tune in to XM 81 BPM. I gave up on terrestrial radio in D.C. or Baltimore playing these genres two years ago this week, when I happily subscribed to XM!
Paul Farhi: Thanks. XM will be so pleased.
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14th and U Streets NW: If Tom Sater is gone from 5, can Holly Morris be far behind? Aren't they married?
Paul Farhi: Holly's still around, on 5. I don't want to be passing on bad info--and this may well be bad info--but I have seen published "reports" that their marriage may not be (still around).
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Silver Spring, Md.: Eastern Motors:
Don't forget. "At Eastern Motors, you're job's your credit . . ." Mr. Arrington, your loan application is complete.
Paul Farhi: Part I, for Eastern Motors...
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Washington, D.C.: The locally produced ads are about the only ones worth watching. I'll take the Eastern Motors jingle over that stupid Diet Coke "ditty" any day. Thoughts?
Paul Farhi: And Part II...Jingle-wise, I can't shake the Fanta ditty from my brain...
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Chicago, Ill.: Your friend's idea is wrong. As has already been seen, what happens is that advertisers change their expectations and continue to pay higher and higher prices for ever more dwindling audiences.
Paul Farhi: Well, he would say that at some point, they'll stop doing that, because the audience will be so small that it won't be worth ANY price. I hope you're right, actually. Being a part of the rapidly fragmenting media, I am hoping to make it to my golden years without changing careers...
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20036: My personal favorite is the Gebco (not Geico) insurance ad where some football player with a dazed look on his face wanders through what is obviously somebody's backyard while writing dancers do jazz hands around him.
Paul Farhi: Gebco? Don't know the company or the ad. But I LOVE GEICO's stuff. It is consistent funny and innovative.
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Riverdale, Md.: Is FOX5 planning to launch a 6 p.m. newscast as well as a graphics/new set design
Paul Farhi: Doubt it will happen anytime soon. They run "Seinfeld" at 6 now. Like all stations, they paid dearly for Seinfeld, and draw a relatively big audience at that hour of people who don't want news. In other words, they are counter-programming the other stations and it seems to be working.
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Great TV car ad: I know nobody is bashing the Eastern Motors ads -- those are sweet!
Let Eastern Motors / Put you in a car today ...
Let Eastern Motors / Finance it all the way ...
Awesome.
Paul Farhi: Part III...
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Paul Farhi: And on that note, my rumbling stomach suggests it's quitting time. Thanks again for coming by, folks, and let's do it again in two weeks. I would summon the Station Breakdancers to high-kick us out of here, but they, too, are at the beach this week. You'll just have to accept me doing a fast shuffle...Regards, all. --Paul.
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