The official statement from WWNC, on Oct. 27:
Matt Mittan made the decision to leave WWNC. We wish him well. Our listeners are our top priority, and WWNC will continue to serve our local community to the best of our ability.
The official statement from WWNC on Oct. 28:
"Matt Mittan made the decision to leave WWNC. We wish him well. Our listeners are our top priority, and WWNC will continue to serve our local community to the best of our ability. Sean Hannity will air from 3-6p until a new host is named."
Originally published 2011-10-27 06:15:19 PM
Matt Mittan made the decision to leave WWNC. We wish him well. Our listeners are our top priority, and WWNC will continue to serve our local community to the best of our ability.
The official statement from WWNC on Oct. 28:
"Matt Mittan made the decision to leave WWNC. We wish him well. Our listeners are our top priority, and WWNC will continue to serve our local community to the best of our ability. Sean Hannity will air from 3-6p until a new host is named."
Originally published 2011-10-27 06:15:19 PM
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3fecta said, via Twitter: "Don't buy it. Same week Clear Channel fires everybody, he "chose" to leave. Likely story. Was he offered pay cut first?"
By Jeff Fobes
10/27/2011
Maybe he wasn't deemed sufficiently right-wing enough for Clear Channel.
By Dionysis
10/27/2011
Although I strongly disagreed with Matt on almost 50% of his stands on political and social issues (clearly not right-wing enough), I did find him to be extremely diligent in exposing many un- or under-reported local political scandals, like the AB Tech tax increase, which he correctly identified as a backroom deal to bypass a bond referendum. Without him, we will have no warning of future attempts by local free-spending beauracrats and tax-and-spend politicians to soak our children and grandchildren with more debt.
If Mittan is replaced with another national talking head, like Hannity or Limbaugh, then WWNC just lost another listener.
By Big Al
10/27/2011
darktopo said, via Twitter: "Very upset at Matt Mittan's ousting. Establishment 1, Asheville 0."
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
He may have been part of the mass purge. Clear Channel axed hundreds of DJs today:
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/clear-channel-cuts-d-j-s-across-the-country/
Profit hungry corporation doesn't give a s*** about communities! Stop the presses! Oh, wait...
By Barry Summers
10/28/2011
According to Ashvegas, in an article headlined "Clear Channel Cuts D.J.’s Across the Country,"
The New York Times has reported:
"... dismissed dozens of local D.J.’s this week, affecting small stations from Syracuse to Spokane, Wash., and raising fresh concerns about the homogenization of radio programming.
Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio station operator in the United States, dismissed dozens of local D.J.’s this week.Fred Prouser/ReutersClear Channel Communications, the largest radio station operator in the United States, dismissed dozens of local D.J.’s this week.
Clear Channel Radio, which operates about 850 stations in the United States and employs 12,000 people, declined to say how many employees were dismissed, but some of the D.J.’s said they believed that the number was in the hundreds. ..."
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/clear-channel-cuts-d-j-s-across-the-country/
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
Jeff, are you moderated? When I posted that link, nobody else had yet. It appeared immediately, but now it looks like you posted it 10 minutes earlier.
Did you swear online or something, and now Margaret has to approve your posts? I know, you finally lost it with Tim Peck(1) (like we all have), and now you're in the dog house... I feel your pain, brutha.
By Barry Summers
10/28/2011
McRaeHilliard, via Twitter said:
"Call me crazy, but I'm kinda thinking Matt Mittan was the Scotty Rhodarmer of the next Asheville generation. He played a vital role locally."
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
Call me crazy, but I'm kinda thinking Matt Mittan was the Scotty Rhodarmer of the next Asheville generation.
You mean someone who will soon fade from memory?
By Barry Summers
10/28/2011
Matt has always seemed quite disingenuous to me. He just plays a role, he doesn't believe what he says. Glad to see him go.
By bill smith
10/28/2011
gordondsmith said, via Twitter: "It's terrible that #ClearChannel fired Matt Mittan & @agnescheek . Their profits are up, &they;'re cutting talent anyway."
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
AgnesCheek tweeted:
"Ive been seeing all the media coverage around town, and for the record I didn't resign, I was met at the door and escorted out."
"There is even more to it than that. I'm sure that Matt Mittan will have more to say on it soon."
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
I feel Matt leaving wwnc or being dismissed or fired is a Huge loss for western north carolina.
He is very open on what he thinks and says it.No
beating around the bush for Matt.I agree with him 90 percent of the time and can't understand why wwnc would lose such a obvious huge talent for radio!
Personally I hope listeners boycott this station til you bring him back and explain such a lame position on wwnc's part.
By Scott Williams
10/28/2011
You fired Agnes too? What is wrong with you guys?
Have you lost your minds? wwnc needs to explain what really happened not just sweep this under the bus.
By Scott Williams
10/28/2011
Barry: In the doghouse sounds pretty good to me :) ...some time to relax. Most likely I was moving too fast and I missed your link.
And with our one-level reply system here, I couldn't reply to your reply.
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
Not only will I boycott the station but ALL of its advertisers. I will encourage others to do so as well. I will be contacting the station and its advertisers to make them aware.
By Amy
10/28/2011
Amy, Matt Mittan has urged people NOT to take their frustrations out on the advertisers. He wrote:
"I've noticed a lot of people are targeting advertisers with their frustration. Please ... the advertisers and sponsors have been wonderful partners and supporters to me. If fact, I still stand by EVERY endorsement I had. I did those ads BECAUSE I believed in their products and service, not because it made me money. Want to help? DO business WITH them and let them know why. Love breeds love. :)"
For more on the situation and Mittan's statements, see http://www.mountainx.com/article/36884/Popular-Take-A-Stand-host-Matt-Mittan-and-producer-Agnes-Cheek-leave-Clear-Channel-Asheville
By Jeff Fobes
10/28/2011
"I know, you finally lost it with Tim Peck(1) (like we all have)"
FALSE.
.......................
By timothypeck
10/28/2011
For more details/info/comments check out the later Xpress post:
http://www.mountainx.com/article/36884/Popular-Take-A-Stand-host-Matt-Mittan-and-producer-Agnes-Cheek-leave-Clear-Channel-Asheville
By Jeff Fobes
10/29/2011
Free Speech ..... what is that? What you say can get you fired, kicked out of County Commission meetings, and known as a trouble maker.... All for telling the Truth!
Too many corrupt Government and elected officials are being pointed out... so they shoot the messenger instead of cleaning up the crime...
By glolady
10/29/2011
WWNC simply suppressing the truth in order to gain a little respect with advertisers,,,,,,Ha What a joke,,,,,
If I were Dr.Rev Randy Barton at WGCR in Pisgah Forest or Dr. Wendell Runyon down at WKJV, a would latch on to 'ole Matt and I would rock western North Carolina, like they ain't never been rocked before,,,
Regards,
Keith Gibson, Ph.D.
By Keith Gibson
10/29/2011
i am very disappointed in your stations choice to drop neal bortz and now matt and agnus. ill not bother to turn on your station again and hope you get a life someday and realize what you have done.
out of respecrt for matt ill just say,
have a good day
By gooddayguy
11/04/2011
this is for matt and agnus. i wish you both all the best and hopfully greater success in the future. hopefully you can work for a company thats still part of AMERICA and no a Socialist
wannabee .
have a good day
By gooddayguy
11/04/2011
This makes not sense Gooddayguy. If the company were more "socialist", they would not be cutting all these people to protect the bottom line. That is a clearly capitalist maneuver to keep the guys at the top making the bread. That wise sage Homer Simpson once said "the squeaky wheel of capitalism is oiled with the blood of the worker"
By skippy
12/01/2011
Bummer. Matt was as good, if not better than his national counterparts. This is a loss for WNC.
By Bryan
11/08/2011
Another listener lost here also! Matt was the only true & factual access available to disseminate local issues to his listeners. None of us have the
resources or time to discover the information he made available. Wonder what the real truth is in his leaving??
By Ron Duyck
11/09/2011
...And now you can listen to 55 drivetime minutes of Matt on a Hendersonville station. No word on if Agnes is in on this deal or not...
By Barry Summers
11/16/2011
Good news travels slowly.
I did not know about the lineup change at the station because after a couple of painful years I had reached the point that when Rush was over I would tune out 570 until the Yankee carpet bagging community agitator was thru with his shrill act I was sickened by the mindless rotation of his 6 loyal callers and his incessant self agrandizment and whining voice.
I regret when anyone loses a job but it was way past due for 570to can this " Talent "
By Captainemeritus
01/05/2012