MEDIA MADNESS

The News-Press has challenged the validity of last
week’s union vote, demanding that the NCRB investigate coercive
tactics by the union. Less than a week after News-Press
workers voted 33-6 to be represented at the bargaining table by the
Teamsters, popular News-Press columnist Starshine Roshell
resigned Tuesday morning after 11 years on the job. Resigning along
with Roshell – who wore an evening gown for the occasion – was
illustrator and one-time travel editor Al Bonowitz, who dressed in
a tuxedo. Roshell said she stayed on long enough to help vote the
union in, but explained she could no longer work for an
owner – Wendy McCaw – she did not respect, and who she said did not
respect her. Roshell had been stripped of her column in recent
weeks, and the union filed an unfair labor practice complaint with
the National Labor Relations Board on her behalf, claiming the
reassignment was designed to punish Roshell for her pro-union
sympathies.

KEYT news anchor Debby Davison transmitted live for the last
time on Friday night. Davison retired after 17 years of anchoring
the Santa Barbara news in order to have more personal time. She
plans to return to the station periodically for special
stories.

Early Show listeners tuning in to KTYD last Thursday morning
were in for some bad news when host Matt McAllister announced that
management wanted to implement some format changes that would
involve cutting the number of listener calls and comedy bits in
favor of more music. McAllister said he wanted to keep the show the
way it is, promised to leave if the format changed, and encouraged
listeners to voice their support for his position. On Friday,
McAllister – whose contract ends in January – wasn’t on the air;
the station ran a “Best of” show instead. When asked to explain,
management at Clear Channel (which owns KTYD) offered only a slew
of “no comments.” Asked how long the show had been number one in
the ratings, Program Director Keith Royer cut the conversation
short by replying, “With all due respect, I really have nothing to
say about any of this.” (The show has been number one for the eight
years McAllister has been with it.) Monday morning, McAllister was
back on the air.