No talk radio for Chafee, and on-duty state workers, too

[The Straight Story]

PROVIDENCE — No one is likely to confuse new Governor Chafee with his Republican predecessor, Donald L. Carcieri, and now here’s another way to tell them apart:

Chafee doesn’t plan to spend his own time on talk radio, and he intends to ban state employees from spending their state work time talking on talk radio, which was Carcieri’s favorite medium and an integral part of his communications operation.

Spokesman Michael Trainor said a directive will go out over the next day or so that reflects that new policy.

He said the policy emanates from a belief that talk radio is essentially “ratings-driven, for-profit programming,” and “we don’t think it is appropriate to use taxpayer resources” in the form of state employee work time to “support for-profit, ratings-driven programming.”

Trainor said the new governor will continue to talk to the news reporters for the local radio stations, and the nonprofit local NPR affiliate.

Reached Monday night, WHJJ’s program director, Bill George, said he was curious about the explanation for Chafee’s singling out talk shows since “most media outlets, whether news or opinion, are profit-making entities.”

http://www.projo.com/news/stategovernment/content/CHAFEE_TALK_RADIO_01-11-11_1TLTC0P_v11.428bc2.html

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Lincoln Chafee is no dummy.

Talk radio just loves to invite a guest, and then savage them.

[madinmaryland]

2. Good call, Governor Chafee!!