Fallin: 'Little bit insulted' By Watts' Comments

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ As an already-announced candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor, U.S. Representative Mary Fallin indicated Thursday she didn't like what former Congressman J.C. Watts said about the field of candidates to date.

"I was a little bit insulted when he said there were no quality candidates in the race for governor," said Fallin in an interview on KTOK's First News with Reid Mullins.

"I spent a lot of time, investing my time and effort to represent the state, but he's a great friend." Fallin laughed as she made the reference to the insult.

It was Wednesday when reporters interviewed Watts, who is exploring the possibility of running against Fallin and Owasso State Senator Randy Brogdon in the bid for the GOP nomination.

When pressed about his "quality" comment, Watts said it's what voters have told him. "I think that's their concern. Does that mean that we don't have good candidates? I'm not saying that."

Watts went on to say he didn't mean to be "ungracious to anybody" or "disrespectful or anything."

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KTOK Cuts Veteran Producers

Clear Channel Radio in Oklahoma City today dismissed several veteran KTOK producers as part of the company's nationwide $400 million overhead reduction plan.

Developing....

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Shannon Takes Over As KTOK PM Host

As expected, veteran broadcaster Mark Shannon is the new host of radio station KTOK's afternoon drive show. The show, which had aired from 5-7 p.m. for the past two years, will now air from 4-7 p.m.

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Is Mark Shannon KTOK's New Afternoon Host?

Veteran broadcaster and blogger Mark Shannon may be radio station KTOK's new afternoon show host.

Shannon, last on the air here hosting the morning show on WKY before it flipped to Hispanic music and before that the morning host on a Nashville talk station, today posted a message under his name on his blog: "His next 25 years of OKC radio starts Monday," the message reads. He's also addded a line to his biography noting he will return to Oklahoma City radio on Monday. As we reported on Friday, the station will introduce its new afternoon drive show host on Monday.

Shannon's background includes work as an FM disc jockey in several states. In 1983, after a stop in Amarillo, he moved to Oklahoma City and joined KJ103FM (KJY0). His 7-year run there ended when he joined Classic Rock 107.7 KRXO, for eight years, where he evolved the mornings from a "more rock, less talk" format to a "no rock, all talk" show. The show, which was sometimes described as Rush Limbaugh meets Howard Stern, helped take the struggling station to number one in the market, and the highest rated classic rock station (percentage of audience) in the United States. In 1998, The Sports Animal 104.9/640am, hired Shannon to do a "man show" for the sports station.

In October of 2000, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, (CLL) a slowly progressing form of the disease of the blood. It responded to treatments and was in remission until earlier this year; he now is undergoing chemotherapy again.

Shannon returned to Oklahoma City after a stint doing mornings on 50,000 watt AM news/talk WLAC in Nashville and then joined WKY as the morning show host, a slot he held for three years until the station flipped its format.

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KTOK To Announce New Afternoon Show Host

Oklahoma City radio station KTOK-AM 1000 may announce a new afternoon show host on Monday.

The new host will replace Gerry Vaillancourt, who was dropped from the 5-7 p.m. afternoon slot a week ago. "Gerry V" had hosted the show, with Program Director Lee Matthews, since Mike McCarville resigned from the station and vacated his long-running 4-6 p.m. time slot two years ago. When McCarville resigned, Sean Hannity's syndicated show was extended by an hour, until 5, thus moving the local two-hour afternoon drive show into the 5-7 slot.

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KTOK Releases Gerry Vaillancourt

Oklahoma City radio station KTOK has released afternoon show host Gerry Vaillancourt, whose 5-7 p.m. show was co-hosted by Lee Matthews, the station's program director. Clear Channel's Vice President and Market Manager Bill Hurley made the announcement in an email to employees.

Vaillancourt continues his association with the New Orleans Hornets basketball team from his New Orleans home base. He serves as the color analyst on all Hornets radio broadcasts.

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KTOK: Herbert Eyes County Commissioner Seat

By Jerry Bohnen, NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ He's not commenting officially yet but former Midwest City State Senator Dave Herbert has his sights set on becoming the next Oklahoma County Commissioner. Herbert, a Democrat who now lobbies for Oklahoma County, has a meeting later this week with County Commsisioner Jim Roth who is leaving in two weeks to become a State Corporation Commissioner. Herbert is hoping to get Roth's support in a bid for the job once Governor Henry sets a date for a special election. Herbert spent years in the State Senate and has indicated he shares the same vision of Oklahoma County as Roth has. The two have worked together as Herbert lobbied the legislature for the county.

Herbert was defeated in 2002 as he sought reelection to the Senate seat he held for years. The former Midwest City mayor and police officer was attacked by organized labor, which spent a small fortune in the Democratic primary to beat him because of his support for right to work. His loss resulted in the seat falling into Republican hands, where it has been since.

Meanwhile, supporters of former State Rep. Forrest Claunch, Midwest City Republican, say he is seriously considering seeking the commission seat. Claunch voluntarily left the Legislature in 2004.

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Daxon Calls For McMahan's Resignation

Republican Party Chairman Tom Daxon (pictured) called today for the resignation of Auditor & Inspector Jeff McMahan after a federal investigation alleged he received illegal campaign donations. Appearing on Oklahoma City radio station KTOK's "First News With Reid Mullins" this morning, Daxon said there is the "appearance...and fact" that wrong-doing occurred in the financing of McMahan's 2002 and 2006 campaigns. He said that confidence in the auditor and inspector's office is at stake and McMahan should resign. For KTOK's continuing coverage, tune to AM-1000.

Daxon followed up his radio statement with this prepared news release: "Former State Auditor and Inspector and current Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, Tom Daxon, today called on Jeff McMahan, current State Auditor, to fire his lieutenant Tim Arbaugh and then resign himself. Arbaugh is the head of the Abstract Division of the State Auditor’s Office. Both McMahan and Arbaugh are embroiled in the Gene Stipe straw donor scandal.

“'An office like State Auditor and Inspector must be above reproach and beyond even the hint of financial scandal,'” said Daxon, who served in the post from 1979-1983. “'Not only is there now a cloud over the office, but the charges go to the very heart of the State Auditor’s responsibilities—protecting the public from crooks. McMahan needs to fire Tim Arbaugh and then McMahan himself needs to resign.'”

McMahan’s office regulates the abstract business in Oklahoma. Several of the people alleged to be straw donors work in the abstract companies owned by Stipe and business partner Steve Phipps, who is also under investigation. The FBI says Arbaugh was a straw donor for Stipe. The FBI also says McMahan has received money from numerous straw donors connected to Stipe.

“'It appears the crooks set out to get their own man in the Auditor’s office by financing McMahan’s campaign,'” Daxon continued. “'McMahan’s responses to his involvement in the scheme have not been credible. The only way to restore public confidence in the auditor’s office is for McMahan and his lieutenant to go.'”

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KTOK's Mullins Guest Professor At OCCC

By Matthew Coury, OCCC News Writing Student ~ Radio news show Host Reid Mullins joined Oklahoma City Community College as an adjunct professor of Journalism and Mass Media Communications last semester. The opportunity arose when he received a call from friend and co-worker Gwin Faulconer-Lippert, mass communications professor. She told Mullins she would not be able to teach the rest of the semester due to a health problem. Gwin has recuperated and is back in the classroom this semester.

“She called me up and said, ‘I know that you’ve taught audio production classes before at OU,” said Mullins. “I need you to teach my audio production class at OCCC.”

Mullins said he jumped at the chance to repay Faulconer-Lippert for how well she’s treated him and others when they worked together. “I’d be willing to help her with anything,” said Mullins. “I love to teach.”

Mullins and Faulconer-Lippert are co-workers at the local Clear Channel radio network located at 50 Penn Place.

Mullins said everyone should pursue a college degree, something he earned as a student worker.
“When I was in college, through the first half of school, I cleaned bathrooms for extra money,” Mullins said. “If you’ve never gone to a truck stop on I-40, and scraped scum and algae off of a shower stall with a single-edge razor blade, then you haven’t lived.”

Two of Mullins’ buddies, with whom he was rooming, already had jobs working in radio, and Mullins thought it was time he gave it a shot. He’s been doing it ever since. Mullins worked as a sports programming engineer, production manager and a deejay for six radio stations before attaining his current position as a show host.

“About a year and a half ago I was selected to be the morning host of News Radio 1000 KTOK,” said Mullins.

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