A lesson in Gonzo Journalism

Posted on August 31, 2025 by bvanrysdam

While playing on the internet, I stumbled upon a book entitled “Driving Hunter Thompson (A SUNY Fredonia Memoir) by Ed Evans. The story involves three SUNY @ Fredonia students charged with bringing Hunter S. Thompson from the airport to speak at Dr. Richard B. Kline’s Press Institute, an annual event highlighted various journalists. Dr. Klein was a professor of English and Journalism at my alma mater.

I was fortunate enough to take several of Dr. Kline’s classes including News Writing and Editing and Opinion in Journalism. There is no way to describe Dr. Kline with a single word. He could be funny, crusty and very old school. He addressed male students by their last name only and added Miss of Mrs. when speaking to his female students.

His credentials were impeccable earning his bachelor’s degree from Harvard (where he wrote for the Harvard Crimson newspaper). He also earned a masters degree in English from Western Reserve University in Cleveland and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

Dr. Klein worked for the Cleveland Plain Dealer covering a variety of topics. He once proudly displayed a money clip he received from the Cleveland Indians when they made it to the World Series in 1954. When asked about whether is it was okay for a reporter to accept a gift from someone they covered, he said his editor was given a TV (a very valuable lesson for budding journalists).

He was relentless grading papers, often pulling an all-nighter to get them back to us before the next assignment. I swear there was more red than black ink when he gave me back my paper, but years later I came to understand he was making me a better writer.

Every year, Dr. Kline hosted a Press Institute, inviting nationally known journalists to speak to his students, the college community at large and anyone interested in learning about the fourth estate. People like Gloria Steinham, Carl Bernstein, Richard Reeves and Edwin Newman were all headliners his annual event.

He also had Daniel Schorr speak at the Press Institute after Schorr provided a classified report to the Village Voice for publication. CBS, who Schoor worked for at the time, was hesitant to publish the story setting off a major political and journalistic scandal. All in all, a very impressive who’s who of major journalists.

In the spring of 1977, Hunter Thompson accepted the invitation from Dr. Klein to speak about his thoughts on writing which featured a new term; “Gonzo Journalism”. Anyone who is familiar with Thompson’s work (“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”) understands how Thompson used a chainsaw instead of a typewriter to write his stories and books. He became the protagonist in the story, immersed as a first-person participant whose personal experiences and emotions are central to the narrative.

Evan’s book includes how Thompson was taking drugs and alcohol after landing at the Buffalo airport along with a memorable visit to the Fountain Grill, a popular bar where the locals hung out, to get in another drink before his appearance. I fondly remember the grill was across the street from the old WBUZ-AM where I did some shifts during the summer months, enjoying a draft beer for 25¢ and chatting with the old men from town.

I recall sitting in the large McEwen lecture hall on campus with a packed house, excited to hear what Thompson had to say. According to Evan’s book, Thompson’s contract for his appearance included a pitcher of ice, glass tumblers and a bottle of Wild Turkey so you can imagine the scene.

The informal format featured Dr. Klein asking questions to Thompson. I remember at one point him asking what he thought of his “hero” William Buckley to which Thompson replied, “Buckley is a fool.” While maybe not shocking today, at the time it felt crazy to be so out there (although I do recall a smattering of applauses to the response).

In the end, Thompson was taken back to the airport, and we were left wondering what we had just experienced. I have to admit, it opened my mind to think about journalism and writing in a whole new way. Suddenly, the normal who, what, when, why approach to a news just seemed boring.

It was no secret that Dr. Kline was conversative and traditional in his approach to journalism, yet he was not afraid to question where it was going and expose his students to see things from a different point of view. He was fearless in his approach to building a journalism department that SUNY @ Fredonia could be proud of and leave a legacy that continues to this day.

I can honestly say that Dr. Kline and Dr. Berggren (my advisor and radio professor) had a tremendous impact and role in helping me to enjoy a career in communications that was both rewarding and satisfying for which I am forever grateful.

Sadly, Dr. Kline passed away in 1987 of Parkinson’s disease, I just wish I could see his red line edits to what I wrote here and keep learning to author with clarity and purpose.

Logo madness

Posted on August 28, 2025 by bvanrysdam

I went to have lunch at a local Cracker Barrel the other day. I was not trying to make a political statement, but seeing all the hup-bub about them updating their logo reminded me how much I enjoyed eating there.

The restaurant was crowded with people and I wondered how many of them (if any) were there due to the decision to go back to the old logo (their stock jumped more than 8% following news that the restaurant chain was dropping the updated logo).

It’s not the first time a national company has tried to “refresh” its brand. The most famous example was the Coca-Cola Company’s 1985 decision to change the formula of its flagship soda, replacing it with “New Coke” to boost declining market share. The company faced a huge consumer backlash and quickly re-introduced the original formula as Coca-Cola Classic. (New Coke was eventually re-branded as Coke II in 1990 and was discontinued in 2002).

Many blamed Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino for not understanding their customer base and even accused the company of becoming Woke. “WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!” Donald Trump Jr. said in response to a post on X that implied the logo may be motivated by diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. I wonder when was the last time he visited one.

Such a major change to any national brand would have to include market research, focus study groups and deep data dives. Conspiracy fanatics are claiming the whole thing feels like a marketing ploy by releasing the most generic logo possible, announcing it as the “new look,” and waited for the internet to erupt. They claim Cracker Barrel knew that outrage would spread because people love a distraction these days and bring attention to a struggling brand and bring back diners by “caving in” and going back to the former logo.

I understand brand loyalty and consumers who don’t want change, but what confuses me is the passion many took to air their discontent of the logo change. Unlike New Coke, the Cracker Barrel menu didn’t change. There were no reports of the restaurant using less butter and lard (which helps make their food extra yummy). So why was there such an uproar? Was it because patrons would be worried, they would be seen as Woke?

It also makes me wonder why people felt such a passion over the rebranding of a restaurant logo, but not other issues facing our country. Where is the outrage over another school shooting? I suspect if there is one issue everyone in America can agree upon is that mass shootings need to stop. I know the answer to that is hard and complicated, but it feels like we don’t even know where to begin so we just throw our hands up (or put them in prayer mode) and move on to the next crisis.

Remember; “Not to decide is to decide” – Harvey Cox.

We’ve come a long way (maybe)

Posted on July 28, 2025 by bvanrysdam

One hundred years ago, the trail of the century took place in a little town called Dayton, Tennessee. The Scopes Trial, also known as the “Monkey Trial,” put John Scopes, a high school teacher on trial for violating a state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution in public schools.

Well before the advent of social media, the trail went viral thanks to two very high-profile attorneys (aka: influencers); William Jennings Bryan, a prominent figure in the fundamentalist movement and a former three-time presidential candidate and Clarence Darrow, a renowned defense attorney who was supported by the ACLU.

A little know fact was that the trial was actually seen as a way for the town to make money and garner national attention (the judge quipped he might use the local football stadium for the courthouse). It attracted newspaper reporters from across the country and was the first live broadcast of a trial in American history bringing the courtroom drama into living rooms everywhere.

At the core of the case was The Butler Act, a Tennessee law which made it illegal for any publicly funded school to teach the theory of evolution, especially any theory that denied the biblical account of divine creation and suggested humans descended from a lower order of animals.

Wanting to put together a test case (a sort of mock trial to test legal strategies) the ACLU found Scopes, a young high school teacher in Dayton, who volunteered to be the defendant thus setting the stage for what would pit science vs. religion.

The case highlighted the deep community divisions between traditional religious values and modern scientific thought. It also raised significant questions about academic freedom and the right of teachers to present scientific theories in the classroom.

The actual outcome of the trial was anticlimactic. Scopes was found guilty by the jury and fined $100. The conviction was later overturned on a technicality by the Tennessee Supreme Court, which ruled that the judge, not the jury, should have imposed the fine.

Fast-forward to 2025 where the debate of religion in the classroom continues. In Texas, the discussion centers on the display of the Ten Commandments and the introduction of optional periods for prayer and Bible reading in public schools (although one has to question if it would be more beneficial to post the Ten Commandments in the offices of elected officials who seem to not remember all of them).

Supporters argue these measures uphold community values and are foundational to American law and education. Those opposed, including some faith leaders and advocacy groups like the ACLU of Texas, argue such policies infringe on religious freedom and violate the separation of church and state.

The state has also introduced the “Bluebonnet Learning” curriculum which was developed by The Texas Education Agency and includes religious references in lessons aligned with state standards (although given the actions of some elected officials, one wonders what those state standards are).

The issue of religion and education is not new, the Condemnations at the medieval University of Paris in 1201 were put in place by the Bishop of Paris to curb certain teachings as being heretical by the church, who at the time could be considered as powerful as any government (see Education under the microscope).

It’s a discussion that seems to not be going away. They say science cannot replace religion and religion cannot replace science. I guess the question is, can they co-exist.

A true legend

Posted on June 18, 2025 by bvanrysdam

I stumbled upon a photo of Howard Finch that opened a flood of memories for me.

Howard was one of those once in a lifetime talents who transcended the airwaves. He originally worked in Michigan and was known as “Michigan’s Arthur Godfrey”. He was a writer, director, salesman, producer, sportscaster, newscaster, emcee. Howard was also a play-by-play announcer for the Michigan State football team and one of the early voices for the radio program The Lone Ranger.

Article content — *Howard Finch awarding prize money to a WJIM-AM listener.*

Howard went on to work for KTRK-TV and filled various roles including hosting its “Soundtrack” program which featured celebrity interviews and news updates. An archived version from Jan. 14, 1959, also featured News Director Bob Stevenson who went on to host a fishing show on KTRH-AM (which was one of my very first jobs producing a live radio show).

After retiring as the general manager of KTRK-TV, Howard moved to KTRH-AM to read poetry on the air and perform other announcing duties. Howard was famously known for the widely popular “Keeping Christmas with Howard Finch”, a three-hour program that aired every Christmas morning which was filled with holiday music and Howard reading inspirational stories as only he could.

When I became the operations director at KTRH-AM, I got a voice mail the day after Christmas. The person said he was traveling for business and got stuck in Houston on Christmas Eve and spent the night in a hotel miserable and depressed because he was going to miss spending the holiday with his family. Somehow, he found “Keeping Christmas with Howard Finch” on Christmas morning and started to listen. He told me he was in tears by the time the program ended, so moved by Howard’s voice and storytelling. All the sadness left him, and he wanted to share how much that program and Howard meant to him that day.

I was fortunate enough to work with Howard for a few years. He could be funny, crusty, and gruff (he would sometimes swear like a sailor which was the total opposite of his on-air persona). I also enjoyed listening to the many stories he shared with me.

Howard taught me the importance of timing and editing copy. He would pull out his pencil and completely re-write radio ads for Blum Furniture complaining that people did not know how to write anymore (and he was right).

I can still picture him holding his arm in the air, then lowering it slowly, queuing me to bring down the music as he started his soliloquy, adding a voice that will never be matched. It’s funny, but I never really understood the tremendous impact he had on me. I was a young piss-ant just happy to be working at a radio station with no idea the enormous talent I was surrounded by.

I just took it for granted at the time, but looking back at it Howard Finch, along with Bill Zak, Bob “Pappy” Stevenson, John Breen, Garvin Berry were just some of the legends I was blessed to watch and learn from.

A not so “Original Sin”

Posted on May 25, 2025 by bvanrysdam

“Original Sin”, a new bestselling book co-authored by CNN Anchor Jake Tapper and Axios journalist Alex Thompson delves into the cover-up about Joe Biden and the true nature of his mental and physical health.

Tapper and Thompson have been on a book tour just days after Biden announced an “aggressive” prostate cancer diagnosis which has added more fuel to fire on Biden’s health, wellbeing and his ability to lead the nation.

The book has generated a great deal of scrutiny with many on the right claiming that Tapper’s coverage of Biden during the campaign was part of the cover-up. It’s hard to argue that point. As members of the media, why weren’t Tapper and Thompson more diligent in getting to the truth of what was happening? Can they be blamed for consciously hiding the truth from the public to help Biden or were they simply complacent and satisfied with what they were being told without some sort of fact checking and following up?

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time media has not truly understood the health of an American president.

Grover Cleveland developed a large cancerous growth due to his heavy smoking. This condition was kept secret from the American public and even his own vice-president was unaware. In 1893, Cleveland underwent a secret operation aboard his yacht with an explanation of his suffering from a “severe toothache” as the reason for the change in appearance to his mouth.

Woodrow Wilson suffered a major stroke in 1919 resulting in brain damage and paralysis. The White House conducted a major cover-up keeping it a secret from even his cabinet and vice-president. Twenty-eight bills were passed without Wilson’s signature while being incapacitated with the American public only learning about it after Wilson died.

Franklin D. Roosevelt suffered from a severe attack of poliomyelitis which resulted in total paralysis of both legs. Along with the full cooperation of the press, Roosevelt was never shown being wheeled or carried leaving the American people in the dark about his true health condition.

Dwight D. Eisenhower had a massive heart attack just eighteen months into his office but broke with tradition by allowing information to be released, albeit it being carefully screened so as not to alarm the public. Eisenhower also developed a serious bowl obstruction which also required major surgery nine months later.

John F. Kennedy suffered from Addison’s disease and back problems so severe he was not even able to pick up his son. Kennedy was treated by Max “Dr. Feelgood” Jacobson who was eventually barred from practicing medicine after being found guilty of professional misconduct including illegal prescriptions to patients.

There are other examples of the status of a president’s health being kept from the public and one can understand the difficulty media has when reporting on the health of an American president which, on the one hand become very personal and on the other hand, impact everything from the economy to foreign relations.

I’m just not sure I would be hawking a book Monday morning quarterbacking about how I was part of the cover-up because I didn’t report the real story of what was taking place.

Video did not kill the radio star

Posted on December 20, 2024 by bvanrysdam

The holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year unless you work in radio. December is when the corporate suits look for ways to cut costs and reduce budgets (aka: fire staff). Here in Houston, two very high-profile morning shows were shown the door in the same week (Dean & Rog and The Bull ‘Morning Bullpen’).

There is now a growing fear that artificial intelligence (AI) will take over the radio airwaves slashing the need for even more staff, but AI is only the next step in the demise of what was once the king of media.

When I started my career at KTRH-AM back in the stone age, the station was owned by the Jones family. While they were focused on the bottom line, they were also interested in what was good for the community. Once, there was hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and the newsroom needed petty cash to help cover the storm. The news director walked down the hall to the general manager who wrote a check for cash. No corporate approval was required.

They eventually did sell the stations in 1993 to Evergreen Media which later merged into Chancellor Media, which in turn was bought by Clear Channel Communications, the forerunner to today’s owner, iHeartMedia.

It was the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which eliminated the number of radio stations a company could own and opened the door for corporations to buy up commercial radio stations across the country which led to the two most dreaded words in broadcasting “shareholder value”. What was best for the community now came in a distant second to the bottom line.

Deregulation was not the only issue that changed radio. New technology (at the time) led to stations using voice tracking where radio stations created the impression of a live DJ when one isn’t actually present. A person would record audio clips and a computer would insert them between songs to create the illusion of a live broadcast.

Now, a DJ could “virtually” host shows on several stations around the country each day since it only took an hour or so to put together a four hour show saving a lot of money. I would not be surprised to see AI become the next virtual DJ and voice track thousands of shows thereby saving even more expense.

Another technology that led to the reduction in staff was automation. In the old days, you needed a producer to insert commercials, switch networks and be ready to interrupt with important information (weather emergencies, etc.). Now it’s all done by a computer by simply pressing a button. WKRP, the widely popular television show about a fictious station in Cincinnati actually foreshadowed the fate of radio in 1980 when, during a Dickens “Ba Humbug” style dream episode the station becomes fully automated with only a single salesman left to run things.

The proverbial genie is out of the bottle. South Korea cable channel MBN introduced the first artificial intelligence virtual news anchor back in 2020. And it’s not just broadcasting jobs, there are many other workforce sectors impacted by AI.

Customer service is becoming more automated with tools like chatbots and virtual assistants handling a broader range of inquiries and requests. Graphic designers are now in the crosshairs of the technology having to compete with AI-generated art which is available to everyone looking to create professional images without an ounce of artistic expertise.

Don’t look now, but advanced technology is slowly substituting jobs everywhere. Notice the word “substituting”, AI will eliminate some jobs, but it will also create new opportunities.

What does this mean for radio? As the saying goes, “stay tuned”.

Getting high on information

Posted on August 27, 2024 by bvanrysdam

A research team at the University of California, Irvine, with collaborators at Microsoft Research have used computer logging techniques that measure attention spans and heart rate monitors and wearable devices to determine stress.

They discovered that, since 2004, the average time a person can focus on one thing has dropped from around 2½ minutes to approximately 45 seconds. There are a lot of reasons behind this shortened attention span, but the main culprit appears to be the technology we rely on more and more.

In the old days (my time), news came in the form of a morning or evening newspaper along with television news during dinner time (morning radio was also a good source of information). Now information is instantaneous. News alerts pop-up constantly on our computers, phones and even watches. By the time television broadcasts the story (or God forbid newspapers), the news is already old.

Now factor in a new technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI). This new software is turning the world on its head, creating content at a record pace and adding to the ever-increasing noise we already hear. While exciting (and frightening), there are still many questions that need to be answered.

For example, what happens when you ask Chat GPI to write a news story on the presidential election and it takes content found on the internet from the Associated Press? Is that considered stealing, plagiarizing or simply product leakage (a term AP uses to define when someone uses their content without paying for it).

There are also very serious moral implications at play. Say the military uses AI to plan an attack on a terrorist cell hidden in several buildings in a city block. Also contained in that block is an orphanage. Does AI consider that as factor when deciding to go bombs away?

AI is also having an impact on the Public Relations world. PRNewsOnline.com reported…

“This indiscriminate use of AI for mass communication simultaneously dilutes the quality of pitches and strains the relationship between PR professionals and the journalists, who now face an overwhelming amount of low-quality outreach.”

Information overload is a real thing which begs the question, when is too much, too much?

I have always been a big proponent of less is more, keeping things simple and easier to understand. It can also lead to clarity when trying to process information and trying to determine what is important and what is simply fluff.

Where was radio during Winter Storm Uri

Posted on March 4, 2021 by bvanrysdam

Radio, especially local terrestrial radio, likes to tout itself as the place to turn to during a disaster, so it’s odd that when Houstonians were looking for information during the recent Winter Storm Uri, there was none to be found.

Many residents were without power (which also means no TV or internet) and had no idea what was happening. We have always been told to have a battery powered radio on hand in the event we lose power during hurricanes, storms, etc., but that it seems is no longer the case.

Check out this submission to the Houston Chronicle who asked people to submit what their experience was like…

So where does this leave us? It is interesting to draw a parallel between what took place with the Texas energy grid and today’s broadcasting environment. Deregulation is a popular term for politicians to use (especially here in Texas) when it comes to doing business.

Rick Perry, former Texas governor and Secretary of Energy, was quoted as saying ‘Texans would choose to be without power for longer ‘to keep government out of their business’ in a blog on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s website. (McCarthy later said the comment was “partially rhetorical”).

Deregulation also took place with local broadcasting. Let the market figure it out and keep government out of it. Well the Houston market did figure out that it was not worth staffing a radio newsroom, or even try to provide comprehensive coverage. To TV’s credit, they were able to provide continuous coverage of the events taking place, but you needed to have power (or backup power) to watch it.

National Association of Broadcasters President Gordon Smith recently defended broadcast news as ‘indispensable’ at the NAB New York show in 2020.

“I like to say that broadcasting is America’s indispensable communications medium. Available to all, regardless of income, rural or urban, Republican or Democrat,” said Smith. “And unlike our competitors – our programming comes free of charge. Our listeners and viewers know they can count on their local broadcasters to provide the news they trust most and to be their eyes and ears at the most pivotal events in history.”

I guess the adage that you get what you pay for can apply to both, the Texas energy grid and Houston radio news.

A problematic culture

Posted on January 14, 2020 by bvanrysdam

The reverberations following Major League Baseball’s report on the Astros sign-stealing scandal continues to rock the Houston sports world. It did not take long for Astros owner Jim Crane to “dismiss” A.J. Hinch and Jeff Luhnow once MLB suspended both for the 2020 season (which makes me think Crane knew this was coming and already made the decision before MLB announced the suspensions).

I will leave the impact this will have on the field to the sports experts, but there was something in MLB Commissioners report that caught my eye…

“while no one can dispute that Luhnow’s baseball operations department is an industry leader in its analytics, it is very clear to me that the culture of the baseball operations department, manifesting itself in the way its employees are treated, its relations with other clubs, and its relations with the media and external stakeholders, has been very problematic.”

Manfred pulled no punches in describing the culture established under Luhnow’s leadership. You will recall back in October 2019, the Astros fired assistant general manager Brandon Taubman for targeting female reporters with inappropriate comments regarding relief pitcher Roberto Osuna who was accused of domestic violence when playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.

At first, the Astros disputed what took place calling the reporting “misleading and completely irresponsible.” They then released a mea culpa statement apologizing to Stephanie Apstein (one of the reporters targeted) and to all individuals who witnessed the incident. Taubman is now ineligible to work for any MLB club through the day after the 2020 season ends at which point he will be allowed to apply to commissioner Manfred for reinstatement.

Following the aftermath of Crane’s announcement that Hinch and Luhnow were “dismissed”, the Astros issued a media advisory making Crane available to meet with the media.

Pretty standard stuff, but what caught my eye was the line…

“Please note that media outlets are not permitted to carry the news conference live on the air nor online” (it did note the Astros would stream it on Astros.com).

Maybe I’m too old school (#OKBoomer), but inviting the media to a news conference with the caveat you can’t broadcast it live is wrong. Are they trying to drive traffic to their website? If a media outlet did broadcast it live, they would probably lose their credentials and not be allowed access to the team. I wonder what kind of reaction that would have gotten in markets like New York, or Boston. My guess is not too well.

All this does not bode well for an organization accused of, not only cheating, but having a “problematic” culture of the way it treats media. You would think the Astros would be trying to mend relationships and not continue its usual ways of doing business.