WNY Radio and TV

Does Tom Calderone signal the demise of Western (NY) Civilization?

Posted by Arthur J. Giacalone on June 15, 2022
Posted in: WNED/PBS, WNY Radio and TV. Leave a comment

I miss Don Boswell.  To me, the on-air persona of the chief executive of a public media organization ought to be soft-spoken, cerebral, and dignified. 

Mr. Boswell made me proud to be a (modestly) sustaining member of WNED-PBS, WBFO and WNED Classical.  Sadly, his successor all too often makes me cringe, reminding me more of an annoying salesperson or carnival barker than a public broadcasting executive. 

The press release announcing Mr. Boswell’s retirement cautioned fans that “finding Don’s successor is no small task.”  They weren’t kidding.  Following a national search, Buffalo Toronto Public Media chose, not a person with a distinguished public broadcasting career, but Tom Calderone, a “media and entertainment executive” who previously held leadership positions with Spotify, VH1, and MTV.

Mr. Calderone – who has been at the helm of WNED/WBFO since August 2021 – was touted as “an expert in understanding media audiences,” as someone who knows the importance of “keeping the attention of audiences who have so many choices for what to watch or listen to.”  Nonetheless, in less than ten months, Tom has demonstrated that he certainly does not understand this devoted audience member. 

Since Tom took the helm of WNED/WBFO in August 2021, WBFO has drastically cut its Blues programming, and ended its streaming of an eclectic jazz platform called JazzWorks (without any pre-notice).

But, most distressingly, BTPM’s President/CEO has me rushing to turn off my TV or radio whenever I am subjected to his voice or image pitching the “Great British Telly Tour” – a one-week guided tour this fall of the grounds of various British television programs.  “Passionate viewers” and “likeminded travelers” are not only promised accommodations at “deluxe hotels” and dining at “the best restaurants,” they will be hosted by – surprise – none other than Tom Calderone himself!

What I find most offensive is not Tom’s corny jokes and clownish “Pip! Pip!”  It’s the repetitive bombardment of the local public media audience with a promotional opportunity available to a mere 30 individuals.  In a community with Buffalo’s astonishingly high poverty rate, the “telly tour” traveler must be affluent enough to afford accommodations starting at $4,395, airfare to and from England, and a host of other personal expenses.  [See Great British Telly Tour BTPM Brochure.]

But you need more than a bundle of discretionary cash to pal around London and beyond with Tom C.  You must be physically capable of extensive walking, maneuvering numerous steps, and handling stops and hotels devoid of elevators.

It appears that BTPM realized that the tone and upscale nature of the promotional campaign could be considered offensive following the May 14th tragedy at the Jefferson Avenue Tops market.  For a fortnight or so, it disappeared.  But Mr. Calderone and his antics are back on air.  [After all, Tom C. isn’t going to miss out on this BTPM perk.]  And I’m back to turning off my favorite shows (for at least a minute).

With All Due Respect,

Art Giacalone

P.S.  And, please, don’t get me started on Buffalo Olmsted Park Conservancy’s incredibly tacky and ill-conceived “FLOmingos Guinness World Records Attempt,” or the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation’s ridiculous decision to devalue Buffalo’s Outer Harbor by subjecting its inhabitants and visitors to the new Queen City Super Flea.

Let me be Dave DiPietro’s counterpoint

Posted by Arthur J. Giacalone on January 27, 2021
Posted in: David DiPietro, East Aurora NY, WNY Radio and TV. Leave a comment

[Update No. 2: It appears that Dave DiPietro will be moving on from WECK to another radio station in the near future. Here’s the gracious email I received from the Assemblyman on February 3, 2021, also sent to WECK’s owner, Buddy Shula:

From: “David DiPietro”
To: “Buddy Shula”
Cc:
Sent: Wednesday February 3 2021 1:26:07AM
Subject: David DiPietro

Art and Buddy,
Great to hear from you Art. I am happy to hear that you are doing
well. I miss our talks, you always had a great depth of knowledge on
many subjects and I relied upon you many times for advice! I
appreciate your offer! I met with and was offered to have my show on
another station today, and I am meeting with another radio station
tomorrow. You definitely would have been a great “Counterpunch” and
fun to work with! Let me know if you make it out to East Aurora, we
can grab coffee!
Stay safe and God Bless!
David]

[Update No. 1: On Friday afternoon, January 29, 2021, two days after I sent a message to WECK’s owner, Buddy Shula, offering my service as a voice to counter Assemblyman Dave DiPietro’s ultra-conservative pronouncements – and minutes after I left a follow-up voice-mail message to Mr. Shula – an assistant to WECK’s owner phoned to say that WECK is not interested in pursuing any more political talk at this time, but will focus on music that brings joy to its listeners. I don’t blame them. Perhaps I’ll find another way to serve as that well-needed counterpoint.]

Alan Pergament, TV critic for the Buffalo News, had a revealing column in the publication’s January 27, 2021 print version, entitled “Capitol attack led to hiatus of DiPietro show, WECK says.” The “DiPietro” referenced in the headline is the right-wing State Assemblyman David DiPietro (R), former mayor of the Village of East Aurora. The “hiatus” mentioned in the headline is the decision made by Buddy Shula, the owner of WECK – a local radio station – to temporarily take off the air the hour-long Saturday morning radio show, BUFFALO MATTERS with David DiPietro.

According to Dave DiPietro, WECK “pulled the plug” on his show, following the election of Joe Biden, when “the owner received threats from Antifa types to ‘burn down the station’ if he did not remove me.” According to the Assemblyman – who likes using ALL CAPS – “THIS is how leftists CENSOR CONSERVATIVE TALK.”

As conveyed by Mr. Pergament, Buddy Shula has a different explanation: “I received emails and calls from both the right and the left expressing their views, but never, ever threatened… When I saw the commotion at the Capitol (on Jan. 6), it made me sick and scared… It was after watching that that I decided that my radio station really should not get involved in a one-sided political area at this time.”

What I found most interesting personally were the following statements by WECK’s owner: “I would love to have Dave back on the air, but with a person from the other side of the aisle… [I]t is important not to be one sided… I want[ ] the show to have a counterpoint from the other side of the aisle.”

Well, I have known Dave DiPietro since the late 1990s – when he was working at his family’s dry cleaning business in the Town of Aurora. And, while I perhaps may stutter at times, and may not be the world’s smoothest talker, I think that I could be an excellent “counterpoint” to Dave’s perspective on politics and what matters in Buffalo. With that thought in mind, I sent a message today to Buddy Shula (whom I do not know), offering to provide the alternative view.

What follows is my verbatim message to the owner of WECK (which, by the way, is primarily a music station “that attracts baby boomers and seniors in Western New York”). For my readers’ edification, I have added some links and the image of two writings mentioned in the email. I’ll keep you posted if I hear back.

With All Due Respect,

Art Giacalone

Dear Mr. Shula,

I would like to offer my services as a counterpoint to Dave DiPietro’s conservative voice at WECK. 

I am a life-long Democrat from a working-class family in Rochester who worked hard and graduated from Harvard law school 45 years ago, moving to Buffalo in 1976.  My law practice has focused on public interest matters, zoning, land use and environmental law, and, in earlier years, prisoners’ rights.  While I am a progressive, I have not shied away from criticizing Andrew Cuomo (for an example, click here), Byron Brown (for an example, click here), or other prominent Democrats when writing op-ed pieces or columns in the Buffalo News, Buffalo Law Journal, or my own blog at https://WithAllDueRespectBlog.com.  [Note:  I acquired a trademark in 2014 to use the term “With All Due Respect” for news analysis and commentary, and sold my interest in the mark to Bloomberg TV, retaining a license to use the name at my blog, related articles or commentary in newspapers and publications, etc.]

I first met Dave DiPietro in the late 1990s while I was raising a family and conducting a solo law practice in East Aurora.  Dave would call me or stop by my home regularly to discuss village issues and the law when he was serving as a Village Trustee.  In a March 2001 editorial (inserted below), the East Aurora Advertiser attempted to slam both Dave and me by characterizing me as Trustee DiPietro’s “research assistant.”  [Note:  I was respected by many in East Aurora for representing the Village Board in 1994 when it successfully turned back Wal-Mart’s rezoning request.]

However, in February 2002, while running for East Aurora mayor, Dave threw me under the proverbial bus when the incumbent mayor claimed that, if elected, Dave would hire me as Village Attorney.  [The more conservative folk in town considered me anti-development and, therefore, unworthy.]  Dave sent a post card (inserted below) to every village and town resident characterizing the rumor as “dirty politics,” and exclaiming in bold print and ALL CAPS:  “NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!”

February 2002 post card sent by Dave DiPietro to East Aurora area residents.

By the way, although I haven’t seen Dave in person since I moved back to the City of Buffalo in 2015, we have remained cordial in our personal interactions.

If you are at all interested in pursuing this or related topics, please contact me at 716-436-2646 or AJGiacalone@twc.com.

Thank you,

Arthur J. Giacalone