KTRH radio - no longer Houston's news source

Someone had commented to me the other day that KTRH had switched to a news-talk host in the early afternoon who was pretty awful. It was also mentioned on the BAND blog. I finally was in my car when he was on and it was awful. Not only loud and opinionated, not only abysmally stupid, Joe seemed to love being rude and insulting to callers.

In the first short time I listened, Joe Pags discussed the controversy over the definition of a planet. Could be a good topic - right? He had a fundamentalist Evangelist he gave the most time to who said planets proved God made the universe and evolution is wrong because when rocks collide together they don't form in the shape of balls. At the conclusion Joe praised the caller and said, "I agree completely with everything you said."

Is Houston's information source now to be represented by someone who must have flunked science, not even high school science but the lower grades? Someone who has no ideas how planets form? Is this going to be a voice on the premier news radio station for the NASA area?

I messed with my radio awhile and switched stations. The volume control has gone out and it often loses the sound and it takes a bit of twisting and pulling to get it back.

When I switched back it was on to history. Topic was now displaying the 10 Commandments in and by courthouses. Joe was for it because to do otherwise is to deny our nation's early history. We were settled by Christians fleeing persecution in Europe. There was no mention of the early American history of fighting for religious freedom, of the early state-supported religions being replaced by the doctrine of the separation of church and state. No mention of the religious matyrs and the statesmen who expanded freedom. There is an entire chapter of expanding religious freedom covered in high school American history books he seemed to have never heard of. Joe's intolerance toward callers went on full display toward callers asking for tolerance and respect for other people's religions. He hung up on the calls, "you're outa here," while insulting them.

KTRH has been one of the moderate voices in Houston even with the conservative Chris Baker who follows Joe's show. Other liberals may disagree but I don't mind Paul Harvey's often mistaken folksy history. I don't mind stations showcasing people with whom I disagree. KTRH even broadcasts the liberal Ed Schultz show in the evenings, when it is not preempted by sports.

I think the ignorance and insults and rudeness to callers displayed on Joe Pags' show is not in keeping with the fine tradition of the radio station I turn to for facts.

Contact info for the station is here.

Gary Permalink on 8/19/2006