Heard or seen something on the radio and TV lately 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 -- they're all fair game.

Farhi, a reporter in the Post's Style section, writes 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 fulltime 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.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Paul Farhi: Greetings, lads and ladies, and welcome to the big show (or "shizzo," as the kidzzz are wont to say these days). Submitted for your perusal and/or critical commentary: TV's "sweeps" month, particularly local TV news stunts; the most recent local radio ratings (which you can find archived here), and whatever else your little hearts desire. Also, if you're really good today, I will treat you to a link to a very cool Brit TV ad. Let the typing begin!

Somewhere, USA: I saw footage of Bush in the flight uniform walking across the flight deck of the aircraft carrier over and over and over. Hugely successful P.R. stunt. Media love this stuff. Easy to show. No effort to dig out background facts, such as why he arrived by fighter (ship was apparently close enough to be reached by chopper), how much it cost and whether this image was at odds with Bush's own efforts to avoid combat duty in Vietnam by joining the National Guard upon graduation from school (and losing his student deferment), when joining the guard was a common way to lessen one's chances of going to Nam. Media intimidated? Nah, just lazy.

Paul Farhi: Hey, hey, hey! Since we are strictly, officially non-partisan in political matters, we'll leave it to you to draw whatever unsavory connections you want. But, yes, that was an extremely cool P.R. move by the prez. Made him look vigorous, macho, strong, and (okay, commentary coming)somewhat militaristic. But I can't fault the media for showing it over and over. It's 1) a great visual; and 2) newsworthy, in that anything the President does in public (especially a potentially life-threatening carrier landing) is newsworthy. As for not telling the rest of the story, yeah, that's lazy. What's your point?

Silver Spring, Md.: What are the ratings like for the Sports Junkies? Also, any theories as to why HFS is not that popular in DC and only fares a little better in Baltimore? Their HFStivals are popular but their ratings are not great.

Paul Farhi: See that address I posted earlier for ratings stuff. Junkies got a big jump in the 18-34 market, which is their main turf. But they're still a long way from WPGC, which is No. 1 18-34 by a long shot, or from Stern (on WJFK) or the starting-to-fade Elliot (on DC 101). As for WHFS in DC vs. Baltimore, that's a good one. Signal is strong in both places. Gotta be their programming. I like 98Rock out of Baltimore far more than I like 101 or WHFS.

Rockville, Md.: Paul: Do you think now that Aaron Sorkin has left the building that the West Wing will continue? I can't imagine that there aren't other writers, especially those that have left the show previously, who wouldn't like to come back. Maybe Pres. Bartlett will have to leave in a blaze of scandal. Maybe Rob Lowe knew something other people didn't.

Paul Farhi: Sorkin is a great talent, no question, but he was also notorious for taking credit for other writers' work on that show. My guess is that after three-plus years on the air, the writing staff knows how to write for President B. and gang. As for Rob Lowe/Sam leaving, I say good riddance.

Arlington, Va.: Is there a support group for people like me who detest local TV news? Fox 5 gives me stomach cramps. They're so pathetic! How do they prep themselves before they go on the air each night?

Do local anchors have to take special training in hyperbole?

Paul Farhi: The Fox5 Haters are back! Welcome, brethren. Yes, many an embarrassing embellishment to that newscast (don't you love the I'm-walking-while-reporting-my-story bit? How about the Fox5-has-obtained-these-documents [hold up papers to camera] trope?) But let's throw this out there: Channel 5 does this stuff to distinguish themselves from the other guys in the market. They definitely look and sound different than everyone else. That's not always a bad thing.

Potomac, Md.: I've been telling radio writers for the Post for literally 20 years that 98 Rock is not only one of the best radio stations in the Baltimore and Washington areas, but it is also one of the best rock radio stations in the country. And, 98 Rock boasts one of the best morning shows on the East Coast. None of this is over-the-top hyperbole. If you talk to people in rock and in radio and in music, they'll all agree. The programming, the DJs, the marketing events, the personalities, the humor, everything. And, in many folks' opinion, 98 Rock bests any radio station coming out of D.C., and has for a long time. The lure of 98 Rock is nothing new -- the station started in 1977 and has been excellent ever since.

Paul Farhi: You don't work at 98Rock, do you, Potomac?

Bowie, Md.: It's May. Who's having a baby this year?

Paul Farhi: Right. Or getting married, the other chicks-will-always-watch-that gambit for the ratings derby.

Virginia: This weekend I came across 'Monarch of the Glen' on PBS. Have you ever watched it? I loved it! One has to listen closely, though, the Scottish accents are very thick.

Paul Farhi: I haven't seen anything Scottish since "Trainspotting." Or maybe "Brigadoon."

Bowie, Md.: The point about the carrier landing is that Bush used the US military and millions of our tax dollars to finance a campaign commercial for next year, and the media are not only failing to note it, but falling in with the program.

Paul Farhi: Well, you noticed. And I bet a few other people did, too.

Northern Virginia: Do any local radio stations play music from Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and similar type singers?

Paul Farhi: Funny you should ask. The answer is no, not regularly at least. But Bennett Zier, who runs the eight (count 'em, eight) local Clear Channel has said he'd love to program a format he calls "Vegas Radio" (Dean, Frank, Sammy, etc.) He certainly has the power to put it on the air, but he'll probably never do it. Reason: too many older people would listen and enjoy it, and that's death in commercial radio these days.

Springfield, Va.: Kudos to NewsChannel 8 for showing the Democratic debate. That station has really improved since being purchased by ABC channel 7. Now I ask, why can't News 7 be as good as NC8?

Paul Farhi: Well, NC8 has been owned by Channel 7's owner, Allbritton Communications, since its inception in 1991. The difference now is that the two stations are sharing a newsroom and reporters and on-air reports. And some people (e.g., me) would say this merger hasn't really produced a whole lot, except lower overhead for Allbritton.

Washington, D.C.: Any particular sweeps highlights to look forward to this month?

Paul Farhi: Did you see the "Lucy" biopic on CBS on Sunday? I thought it was pretty good, better than Tom Shales thought, at least. I dunno what else there is to look forward to--the "young Hitler" biopic has gotten the big hype, but I hesitate to look forward to anything involving Hitler.

Washington, D.C.: I think I may have killed yet another show. Please, please, please tell me that Boomtown will return?

And on another note -- where can your discussion transcripts be found?

washingtonpost.com: You can catch up with Paul's past discussions here.

Paul Farhi: Still unclear about the Boom, but we'll know in a few days as NBC gets ready to unveil its fall schedule before ad buyers in New York.

Another weird comeback!: First Olbermann, now this! Jim Rome back at ESPN?! Makes me wonder what goes on at programming departments these days. I can't wait for someone to pull a Jim Everett and flip the table on Rome, because someone needs to knock that smirk off his face.

Paul Farhi: Hey, hey, take that outside, fella! Yeah, Rome is really abrasive and I don't look forward to his ESPN gig. Contrast him with the super-smooth stylings of Mr. Bob Costas on HBO on Friday night. Bob's show (last week with Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Robert Wuhl and Ron Shelton on the 15th anniversary of "Bull Durham") was quite fine.

Forest Glen, Md.: Ok, I'm sorry to say this, but last week's episode of 24 was one of the most depressing I've seen this season, if not ever.

Am I the only one totally tired of the Palmer storyline? I mean, seriously, using the 25th Amendment to throw out a President who's policies you don't like? Maybe it's just because I'm a native Washingtonian (yes, we do exist) but that's ridiculously implausible (more so than any trouble Kim could get herself into!).

The best part about last week's episode were the final 10 seconds when the evil ex-First Lady walked into the loft.

ARGH! Is it 9:00 yet?!?

Paul Farhi: We interrupt this chat for our bi-weekly "24" sub-chat....
Yes, it was absurd, ridiculous, completely far-fetched. Completely sunk the main plotline for me. For non-fans, a brief summary: the vice prez of the U.S. convenes the cabinet at 4 a.m., several hours after a nuke has exploded in the California desert, to remove the president from office--and succeeds! Yeah, right. Plus, almost all of the "evidence" against the president EXONERATED his actions. Sheesh! But you know what? I'll STILL watch the dang thing. I've invested 22 hours of my life in it!

Beltsville, Md.: Why is it that TV -- other than 24 -- just absolutely sucks these days?

I'm sad to watch once promising shows, and even some less entertaining ones, like the Practice, West Wing, er, Friends, etc. just become shadows of their former selves.

I couldn't even finish the Practice last night because I was so horrified by the stupidity of it all.

Paul Farhi: Not sure I can agree, at least not in toto. Yes, many formerly great shows ("24" included) go off the rails at times, but TV still has many consistently great hours--more, I might even say, than at any other point you can name. Let's see..."CSI," "Law Order," "24," "Alias," "Boomtown," etc. etc. for drama. "Raymond," "Simpsons," "King of Hill," "Friends" for comedy. "Survivor" in reality. Lots of great PBS stuff ("Frontline"), lots of great HBO stuff ("Ali G.," Costas, Maher, "Sopranos"). You could sit in front of the set all week and find decent stuff...

Self-doubter : What's wrong with me? Why do I love Seventh Heaven? It started as a fun family show and has become more and more a "family values" soap box. The characters are silly, the scripts are contrived, and the plots are invisible. Yet week after week I tune in. I read somewhere that this is the WB's most successful show. I know YOU haven't watched it, but I know you must have some words of wisdom.

Paul Farhi: Yeah, I got some words of wisdom: Watch "Gilmore Girls."

Washington, D.C.: I'm looking forward to Cybil Shepherd playing Martha Stewart in a sweeps movie this month. Just imagine, a domineering blonde celebrity that many people don't like, being played by a domineering blonde celebrity that many people don't like. What great casting!

Paul Farhi: Bitch-o-rama! You go, girls.

Fairfax, Va.: Why do TV newscasts, especially local ones, commonly refer to ordinary people who become newsmakers in terms of their parental status instead of their profession as was formerly the case? For example: 'A mother of three was assaulted in a supermarket parking lot last night,' 'a father of two escaped serious injury when his car skidded off the road,' 'a grandmother of nine was honored for thirty years of volunteer service to her community.' Do consultants advise producers of local newscasts to try and frame their coverage in terms of children even when kids aren't the main focus of a particular story?

Paul Farhi: Interesting point. Has to go back to tabloid newspapering of the 1920s (see "Front Page," see "Chicago") in which supposedly respectable people committed SHOCKING crimes. Reducing people to their most fundamental biological/familial roles (father, mother, grandma, whatever) makes them seem more decent, I guess, and thus makes the crime more SHOCKING.

Haymarket, Va.: Can you explain the fascination of Six Feet Under to me?

After all the hype last year, I tried to start watching it this season but, um, what's the point? It's almost like sitting through a funeral, without all the pretty flowers to look at!

Paul Farhi: I'm with ya. I don't get it neither.

Arlington, Va.: Is Tina Fey's $4 million two year deal unusual for SNL folks?

Paul Farhi: Sounds like it, but I don't really know. I read all 700-plus pages of Tom Shales' very good book, "Live from New York," and don't recall any discussions of money (other than early cast members saying that they couldn't believe how much money they were making, though by today's standards it wasn't very much at all). Personally, I like Tina Fey, but she and Jimmy Fallon are overrated cutie pies.

Gilmore Girls: I hope you weren't joking with your words of wisdom to watch Gilmore Girls. I LOVE that show!

Paul Farhi: No joke at all. An excellent show. Plausible plots, fine acting, and amazingly crisp, super-articulate dialogue (better n' West Wing's, for my money).

Rockville, Md: Paul,

Have you caught Matthew Perry on West Wing? To me his acting job says "I am capable of 'NOT being Chandler,' but am utterly incapable of being someone else."

He's so wooden, expressionless -- it's horrible.

Paul Farhi: This is the problem for any long-running sitcom--the characters and the actors are forever fused in the public's mind (which is why a number of them try to abandon ship before their shows get too popular). Even if Matthew Perry were Olivier, I would still think "Chandler" every time he shows up on "West Wing."

Both 7th Heaven & Gilmore Girls: My teenage daughter and I (her Mom) watch both. Both so we can chuckle for different reasons. Since we are a preacher's family, we can giggle knowingly and smile with disappointment with 7th Heaven, and since I was once the fastest mouth on my block and like to write slightly insane short stories, I just enjoy the Gilmore's insanity.

Paul Farhi: Yes, girls and women, in particular, love "GG," but I know several men who (sheepishly) admit to liking the show. I am outta the closet here; I like it, goshdarnit!

Re: Monarch of the Glen: Monarch is a wonderful comedy which manages to stay away from the sit-com label. Those who think British comedy is limited to "Monty Python" and "Are You Being Served" should check out the new season of Britcoms on WETA or MPT. "Coupling" has me and my SO in stitches.

Paul Farhi: Fair enough. I know neither show, but am willing to click in their general direction.

re: Matthew Perry: That's interesting because I felt the complete opposite. I thought he did a pretty good job over on West Wing and wouldn't mind seeing him turn back up there.

Paul Farhi: Well, did you see "Band of Brothers" on HBO last year (or was it two years ago?). Five words that spell disaster: David Schwimmer as drill sergeant.

PUUULLLLLLEAASE: You can't tell me that you find the dialogue on Gilmore Girls natural. That is my and my coworkers' and friends' big complaint about that show. People are not that cute and clever all the time. A little less articulate would make that show a lot more believable.

Paul Farhi: Oh, I absolutely agree 126 percent. It's hyper-realistic, polished beyond anything natural. But that's called "repartee." The great screwball comedies were like that. So was "thirtysomething" and "Moonlighting."

Silver Spring, Md.: Frank, Dean, Sammy etc. on the radio --

I read Hagerstown's 1410 AM has switched to a format playing older standards. However, they also occasionally run some minor league baseball games.

Worth a shot though, if you are in the range.

Paul Farhi: Hagerstown? A long way off, but bless 'em for trying to be "alternative," of which there is very little around here.

Re: Vegas Radio: Funny that Clear Channel would entertain the idea of "Vegas" radio of old standards when they are responsible for killing the "Music of Your Life" on AM 1260 (and the wonderful Eddie Gallagher). It became all talk a couple years ago and I still miss it! And I'm in the "hot" age group market.

Paul Farhi: Well, let's not misunderstand. Clear Channel wasn't considering "Vegas" radio at all. It was Bennett Zier's personal fantasy, and as CC's bottom-line guy in these parts, he wasn't about to put on a new format that couldn't make boatloads of money (hence, killing "Music of Your Life").

Georgetown, Washington, D.C.: Schwimmer didn't play a drill sergeant. He was an officer (Captain, I think), who was tough in training, but incompetent in the the field -- not too different from Ross, when you think about it.

Paul Farhi: Okay. That said, he was STILL sadly miscast.

Washington, D.C.: Just wanted to say that I watched Manor House and really enjoyed it. I must be getting old but I think that the British version of "reality TV" if that is the right term ( I'm not sure) was head and shoulders above the American. Just so much more intelligent even in the interpersonal relationship aspects of the show. Did you see it? If so do you think this show could have any resonance with the typical American public watching network TV?

Paul Farhi: "Typical" American watching network TV? That's not the PBS crowd. I know I'll get an argument from the PBS poohbahs in Alexandria, but the PBS audience isn't typical. It's smaller, smarter, richer (and, oh, why am I opening this can of worms?) probably more socially liberal than average. Yes, "Manor House" is better/more refined reality TV than, say, most of what Fox or NBC throws on the air. But it should be, given the audience.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Nice Monty Python/Holy Grail reference:
"Click in their general direction"

Paul Farhi: Thank you! If I can make one Monty Python fan happy, I will die happy.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Why does every person who is about to be interviewed on TV news (doctors, scientists, techno-nerds) first have to be shown walking down a hallway to their office while a dis-embodied voice lays down the preliminaries?

Paul Farhi: Yes! It's a subtle TV way to make the class distinction. It says, "This person is a professional! He probably has a masters degree. Therefore, he's much smarter than you. So shut up and believe."

Beltsville, Md.: Earlier this month, Prince George's County cable realigned its channel lineup by:

Dropping all the Baltimore stations
Adding a whole bunch of "digital" stations
Making all but one HBO digital
Making you pay an extra $15/month to get the digital stations

I'm now (or will be when introductory pricing expires) paying $77/month for cable. HBO is my only premium service. I suspect the cable industry did better at buying politicians than Enron.

Paul Farhi: Hahahaha! That's how the system works, Beltsville. Every time you pay higher cable fees, a little bit of every dollar goes to support our hardworking men and women in Congress.

Paul Farhi: Folks, it's been groovy spending time, real and virtual, with you. Your assignments for next time: copious amounts of "Gilmore Girls" and "Monarch." Please report back in two weeks. There will be a test. Thanks, all...