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Velie banished by KVEC’s Ron Roy

January 10, 2014

Dave CongaltonBy DANIEL BLACKBURN

CalCoastNews’ Karen Velie has been bounced from the airwaves of KVEC/920 following station management’s receipt of a critical letter from San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson.

Velie, the news site’s publisher and co-founder, was informed of KVEC General Manager Ron Roy’s decision in an email from Hometown Radio talk show host Dave Congalton. Parkinson was angered by Velie’s reporting on a drug raid early in December, and elucidated his concerns in a two-page letter on sheriff’s department stationery.

After taking issue with a number of elements of the article, Parkinson wrote, “I would ask you to please investigate this matter and take all steps that you deem appropriate which I hope will include an apology to the law enforcement officers from the SLO Sheriff’s Office who were involved.”

KVEC manager Roy said he had been “concerned” for some time about controversies surrounding CalCoastNews. Several months ago, Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo served a letter on the El Dorado Broadcasting office in Los Angeles threatening legal action if the KVEC continued to have CalCoastNews reporters on the air.

“On a relatively regular basis there have been questions regarding her (Velie’s) reporting,” Roy said, “and I just got to the point where I am not willing to take a chance on letting something on our airwaves that will get us in trouble.”

Roy said “the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. My responsibility is protecting my license, and my people. I’ve got to make these decisions. I’ve talked to Dave (Congalton) before and I don’t want to deal with this any more. There’s been five years of this nonsense.”

The executive said he made his decision without considering the accuracy of the article questioned by Parkinson.

Congalton wrote on Jan 6, “It is with much regret that I inform you that El Dorado management is no longer comfortable having you appear as a guest on my KVEC radio show. This morning, our vice-president and general manager Ron Roy affirmed his decision to remove you from the broadcast, effective immediately.

“I can’t speak for management, but I know there was concern raised over a recent letter from Sheriff Parkinson disputing your reporting in the restaurant owner drug bust story and subsequent appearance on my show on December 17.

“I’m sorry to be the bearer of such bad news and I remain appreciative of all that you have done for my show, and all that you have done for the community. However, you will also understand that I can have no further comment on this issue.”

San Luis Obispo City Councilman John Ashbaugh and County Supervisor Adam Hill have openly discussed their “boycott” of Congalton’s show as long as Velie was allowed on the air. Ashbaugh has claimed in the past that Parkinson shared that sentiment.

KVEC’s Roy said his decision does not impact other CalCoastNews reporters.


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Wow. This is not only unfortunate, but disturbing at the same time.


Mr. Parkinson; I thought you were going to bring back integrity to the Sheriff’s department, and the trust of the good people of this county. Well…so much for that now.


Your strong arm tactic against the 1st amendment is unsettling to say the least. It’s even more unsettling knowing that you manage those whom work for you and are supposed to serve with the very integrity of which you seem not to possess.


You now have put yourself in the same category that Adam Hill, Bruce Gibson, Dee Torres, and CPS are members of. That of a being a “Jackbooted Thug.”


A question to you Ron Roy. Were you threatened with reprisal if you didn’t kow-tow to this apparently oppressive dictate?


Good luck Karen and best wishes. Keep bringing the light of truth to our county.


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This is a free speech issue; clear and simple. Who’s opinion it is and what their opinion is does not matter. What matters is the First Amendment. READ it.

I abhor Limbaugh and Beck, but I would argue just as vehemently for their right to an opinion

if they were removed from the airways because I disagree with their views.

Sounds like the Third Reich is alive and well in San Luis Obispo County when a Sheriff can effectively dictate to a radio station what goes on the air. Time to notify the ACLU?

Yes, write to the station, the manager, their headquarters, etc. to demand OUR right to hear alternative views on all topics in this county.

I am certain that Congalton would be happy to have the Sheriff or his spokesperson on the air to challenge CCN’s reporting; go for it. Happy to hear it. Instead we get Gestapo tactics that I thought were verboten in the U.S.A.? Naive me.

The objective is to hear all perspectives and judge accordingly. Isn’t that what the “law” is supposed to be all about? Tune In Radio on the I Phone is the only other option in the county. Sad.


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You stated: “I abhor Limbaugh and Beck”


WHY ? ? ?


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If I have to explain their brand of idiocy it’s not worth the time or effort.


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L and B spread hate and lies, that is why all sensible and decent people dislike their tactics. They make a fortune off our fears and herd the less than intelligent around like cattle.


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Please provide quoted text or audio of said “…hate and lies…” so that readers here may reach their own determination.


.


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Much like CCN, there are no lies, only non believers. If anybody is herding people around like cattle its our current administration.


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Love the people who hate Rush and Glenn, they say “they spread hate!”, so you ask these people when did you listen to their shows, “Oh, I would never listen to them, its just common knowledge”.


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I listened to Limbaugh back when I was a dumb 24 year-old and it only took me a couple days to figure him out. He simply realized that if you could tap into what other people were thinking and repeat it from behind a microphone, that it would make listeners feel intelligent and superior and they will pay you millions and millions to keep doing it. I realized Limbaugh didn’t really have s skill or talent, other than a mouth that wouldnt stop, or that he was saying anything different than any old white man says while he’s sitting around a cafe table with other old white men. He just knew how to tap into peoples’ meanness, and he had a microphone. I truly wanted to, and tried to, find the appeal in him, and if he had been funny or hadn’t sounded like such a whiner in going after the Clintons, I would have loved to become a listener of his. I simply found him boring and mean. Mean isn’t funny in and of itself, and he doesn’t say anything any of you conservatives out there don’t say during the course of your day. I’m just sorry that so many people have turned their brains over to him and Beck, and others – I wish people would be more selective about who they let into their minds.


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mbhomeless

You sir are just an echo of the Government Media.


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I feel the same way about the NPR and MSNBC crew too though – especially Sharpton, Maddow, and the very annoying Democracy Now – However not to the same degree because they came so long after Limbaugh and FOX that they are just trying to be the Left’s answer. I’m just saying talk radio and FOX/NBC are bad ways to get your information all around – better off with one or two magazines like The Atlantic or National Geographic or Harpers or Newsweek. Tempted to include Reason and The Economist, but some of their articles can be politically slanted.


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Mbhomeless, people who AGREE with Limbaugh’s small government ideas have NOT “turned their brains over to him”. That is a complete insult. There is substantial evidence that his principles are tried, tested, and true. Many of us were delighted when he came belatedly along in the 80’s and espoused solid conservative principles which we had LONG AGO observed and adopted as the greatest possible American social contract. Agreement is NOT brain surrender, my friend.


Personally, I honed mine in the 70’s when fending off the boldly socialistic rhetoric thrown at me by liberal profs at Cal State. (Off topic, but let me say they were NOT Obama “bring a gun” liberals; nearly all gave me very nice grades despite my challenging them boldly from my seat. Obama prefers to stifle discourse.)


In addition, Limbaugh is not “mean”. That’s a label most liberals throw around to try to marginalize the best orators of conservative beliefs. Do better. Challenge his ideas and observations, and skip the labeling; it doesn’t work any more.


Further, your remark that he’s WHITE is racist and out of place. The arguments of conservatives and liberals can be conducted without demeaning yourself when mentioning heritage or race.


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If you say so. I think his listeners show an unhealthy reverence to him – to the man, because he makes them feel good about themselves, not to mention reliant and dependent like a good cult leader. We’re all mean but some of us enjoy being mean more than others and I think those are the people he targets and the people that follow him. You’d stay better informed on today’s politics by reading the Greek tragedies over and over again, than you would surrendering your precious time to that predator. Hasn’t he made enough off of you already?


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Pete, The road goes both ways….. When you see your rights being taken away daily if you aren’t fearful then your most likely crazy…….Moooooo


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I don’t see Congalton taking this sitting down. He should be looking for another radio slot somewhere else. If not, I’ll be disappointed if he stays and clams up.


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He sat down “I can have no further comment on this issue.”


He has to toe the line or leave his contract and comfort zone behind.


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For now.


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“Another radio slot”? Do pray tell.


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Bye bye


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Sadly, corporate radio has been getting rid of local talk radio across the country. KGO is a prime example.I think this is part of KVEC’s current agenda for the future.


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Agenda? Business plan more likely, because making people shop is more profitable, than making people think.


http://i.imgur.com/xO0BPxa.jpg


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Actually it makes some of of think. For example for what seemed months I repeatedly heard the most annoying, in your face commercial, over and over and over from Paso Ford. Like a broken record it never stopped, every station,every few minutes, It was so damn annoying It made Billy May look like he had been eating qualudes like they were candy.

That being said we decided anybody who could promote this in your face, buy,buy,buy spew simply will be the a’hole of car sales lots, and we decided to never consider Paso Ford simply because of their idiotic commercial. Works for us :)


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why do you think they call it ” network programing”?


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Sad but I believe we saw this coming following a early am conversation aired on KVEC just days ago. The topic was saying good bye to small “hometown” radio shows. KVEC already have the same goons from Eldorado on KVEC doing weather or traffic. Eldorado also airs other SLO county stations like 107.3 “the rock” where the two idiot radio personalities, Bob and Tom, spend 90% of the air time with their absolute stupidity. If ever there was a break down of family values or “the decline of western civilization” on the radio its the crap Eldorado pollutes the American air waves with.

I Mr. Congalton himself told us the idea behind big radio and marketing is to eliminate ALL small town & local subject matter shows in favor of universalized programming so regardless of where you are in the world it will all sound the same and you’ll never get homesick or butt hurt your missing out.

But here in SLO If it wasn’t for Eldorado broadcasting it would be something or someone else in our sugar coated turd of a paradise that hides the truth from us. Gibson,Hill, Cipola, Our local governments, KSBY, The trib or some other scumbag threatening a lawsuit or payback.

Now’s your chance Dave to show your grit to us & big business who is taking over SLO co. Tell Roy and Eldorado what they can do with their censorship and programing. For the rest of nobodies its time to boycott KVEC, and anything advertised on any of Eldorado shows. Below is a list of locally aired radio stations owned by Eldorado and managed by Ron Roy. Do the right thing and say adios to them.


San LUIS OBISPO, CA


KSLY FM – Sunny County 96.1


KSTT FM – Coast 101.3


KURQ FM – New Rock 107.3


KVEC AM – News Talk 920


SANTA MARIA, CA


KSMX AM – 1240 KSMX


KSMY FM – El Compa 106.7


KSNI FM – Sunny Country 102.5


KXFM FM – 99.1 The Fox


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I think writing letters like Nancy and Racket suggested is the best choice. I for one don’t want Dave Congalton telling Roy or KVEC where to stick it, I want him to stay on the radio where he can stick it to those who cheat, lie, steal, over step the law and then try to cover it up. That is where we all need Dave.


Speaking Out is what we all need to do. The problem is that while more people like CCN than don’t, citizens have a tendency to become complacent and are accustomed to others defending their rights. Those day’s are long gone. 90% of the people who might give this post a thumbs up will leave it to everybody else to write the letters and stand up. As a consequence, everybody leaves it to everybody else and guess what ?


Everybody needs to take a stand a take responsibility for defending their rights.


El Dorado Broadcasters

Corporate Office


Contact info:


Jason R. Wolff, President

P: (323) 964-5300

4311 Wilshire Boulevard

Suite #408

Los Angeles, CA 90010


jwolff@frcap.com


Thank You for the address Racket


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Well isnt there Public Radio? Maybe CCN needs their own radio station.

I see lots of sponsors dropping from KVEC because of this. If we citizens cant help protect a local business owner and hard working family from this craziness, then we are no better than the people we elect.


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Was thinking the same exact same thing. With today’s technology, Dave could do the show from the comfort of his own house. CCN could have live streams & podcasts right here on this site, add a couple more talk shows and then we can tune in without having to hear the extremists they have on before him. He doesn’t fit into that programming anyway.


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Ironically, this is a similar thing that happened with Glenn Beck (I know there are those that “hate” him, but hear this). He was basically told to stop looking into Soros while at Fox News, then was told to stop speaking about certain things. This all came from the top (Rupert Murdoch). So Beck decided it was best to have his own network and be beholden to no corporate owner/entity that can influence what he and his people say or do.


The Blaze was born. Website, TV Network, etc. His website is one of the top 20 or 30 visited in the world now (after 2 years?) and he’s got some really good investigative stuff (For the Record). One doesn’t have to watch his show or listen to his radio, but I think like you are inferring about CCN – start your own radio/whatever – is what Mr. Beck did. He, too, does not like gestapo tactics and sees it at the national level and chose to risk everything to do something about it.


Still, one can believe it’s all lies and be comfortable; or they can actually listen/watch/read for themselves. I’d love for CalCoastNews to be able to BUY segments (like WC Ward does locally on KVEC and others) to bring about the headlines we want to hear. It’s a giant leap of faith and lots of money, but play there game and become an advertiser-like client.


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Oh ya – By KVEC , no more


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Wow, just wow, That a Sheriff trying to shut freedom of speech vicariously thru threatening letters on company letterhead to local media stations. This is really scary people. This is way out of hand here. If none of us can see the big picture here, It just begins with Karen and will fester its ways right into our homes. Wake up people, Our heads are so far up our own arsses. I have never in my whole time been so disappointed in our local Sheriff Parkinson, I expect some fairness and openness. We have all been fooled again. \


“What a Chump Ian – How do you sleep at night? Go back under the rock you lied your way out from beneath.


I guess I can expect a letter demanding an apology too on company letterhead.


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This goes on all over the world all the time, journalists arrested and imprisoned (or worse) for asking questions.


Bangladeshi editor jailed for seven years for critical writing


Guatemalan government targets elPeriódico editor


Senate committee’s shield law project threatens investigative journalism


So how far will the Sheriff and his campaign committee go?


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