Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > April > 17 > Entry
4/17: Paul Harvey out on Eagle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Paul Harvey, the syndicated radio legend known for his deep baritone voice and folksy delivery during his daily “News and Comment” and “Rest of the Story” segments, has been taken off country station Eagle 106.7. He had been there for about two years after 640/WGST-AM dropped him.
The harried Eagle operator said the phone’s been ringing off the hook the past couple of days and switched me over to a standardized voicemail announcing his departure (though the station hasn’t said so on the air.). In the recorded message, listeners are told to go online at www.paulharvey.com to listen to his daily segments.
Victor Sansone, the general manager at Eagle, said the station is working on being more music-centric and allowing 30-plus minutes a day to Harvey didn’t jibe with that.
Sansone wouldn’t say it so I’m just going to surmise that Harvey’s listening audience is far older than what Eagle would like their audience to be. In fact, the station about six months ago tweaked its playlist so it would focus more on ’80s, ’90s and today with fewer cuts from the ’50s through ’70s. And I’m not sure the listeners Harvey brought in necessarily stuck around for the country music.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By elmwood
April 17, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
Paul is a greedy man. With his dentures slipping and his voice whistle, it is time to walk away. Nothing is forever Paul, you were great, but now you are not. Good Day!
By Thomas
April 17, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this
For Paul Harvey listerners in the northern metro area, he remains on WDUN-550 AM in Gainesville.
I wonder if Eagle dropped him because of his increasingly outspoken anomosity toward the war in Iraq.
Personally I have reached a point where I only listen to his ‘Rest of the Story” program anyway.
By Jeffrey D. Knight
April 17, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this
If Harvey wants to step aside, Fred Thompson may be the right conservative for the job. He’s subbed for him numerous times of late…and if the run for the Presidency doesn’t materialize, he can at least comment on life as we know it through the medium of radio.
By Bill
April 17, 2007 1:22 PM | Link to this
I’ll miss him.
Pauuuul Harvey…….Good DAY!!
By edge770
April 17, 2007 1:38 PM | Link to this
First Southside Shirley, now this. Eagle just took a drop off the dial.
By Bob from Acworth
April 17, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
Is NOTHING sacred anymore? Can’t ONE radio station in Atlanta keep ONE program on the air for more than a couple of years? Oh,I’m sorry.I forgot. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!! HOW SILLY OF ME! Don’t you just LOVE “Consultant Radio?” As Boortz says.”JUST DAMN”!
By RichFalcon
April 17, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this
What happened to Bear O’Brien?
By Darrin "The Vent King"
April 17, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
Who’s Paul Harvey again?
By Kevin
April 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
Folks, Do yourself a favor and get a satellite radio. I did about a year ago and now I could never go back to the AM/FM garbage. Kevin
By Thank Goodness!
April 17, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
I am glad Paul is gone. I always tuned to another station when he came on.
By clif
April 17, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this
Paul Harvey was the most annoying radio voice in the world. His stories were lame and I’d rather hear music anyways. If I wanted to hear talking I’d listen to talk radio. Good Riddance!!
By CSI Atlanta
April 17, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
Paul Harvey is 136 year old. I retired at 47
By Not a geezer
April 17, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
Who listens to radio anyway? Satellite and iPod people. Wake up.
By 30-something
April 17, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this
Good, now I can listen to the Eagle more. Paul Harvey always reminded me of my grandfather and his stuck-in-the-mud thinking. His time has passed, good riddance.
By Grammar Nazi
April 17, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this
Hey Ho, proof your stuff before you put it online. Now check your work again and I might give you a passing grade. ; )
By jungleland
April 17, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this
The XM thing they are doing this week for Larry King is kinda cool. They are playing his best interviews from the last 50 years.
Desi Arnez Frank Sinatra Jackie Gleason HW Bush Bill Murray
By DS
April 17, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this
The folks saying they are glad Paul Harvey is gone, obviously can’t indentify someone who has genuine class above most of the other talking heads (music and talk) on the radio, when they hear it.
By charles corley
April 17, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this
websters says propaganda is the wide spread, systamatic distribution of deception. the perfect examples are the war on drugs and the war on cancer. NOW it’s time for the rest of the story.
By Doug
April 17, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this
Folks, Do yourself a favor and get a satellite radio. I did about a year ago and now I could never go back to the AM/FM garbage. Kevin
Preach on Kevin.. I do not have a clue as to who is or is not on Atlanta’s airwaves. I am with you ..I will NEVER go back either.
By Steve
April 17, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this
Paul Harvey is an Icon … of course for a radio station to be “popular” no one over the age of 40 can stay! However, this is a businesss and if management feels a program isn’t selling ads, why should they keep him around. Paul I enjoy your “the rest of the story” segments and will continue to listen … no matter the station.
By Uga
April 17, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this
Rodney Ho,
you are a dumbass for posting the blog before you have the story. I hope you get aids.
Thanks,
Uga
By Ed
April 17, 2007 2:35 PM | Link to this
I am over fifty and I remember Paul as a kid when my parents listened to him, it may be time for him to be sent to pasture. I must admt when he came on the air I would switch to one of the other (now two) stations and not switch back for a few hours, I probably wasn’t the only one doing this. I wish him well but I think, perhaps……his time has passed and he should enjoy retirement. Nothing goes on forever….but the Clintons and roaches, FIRE THEM NEXT.
By In Austell
April 17, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this
I usually changed the channel when Paul’s segments came on, now I won’t need too. Now if they would only play more country music.
By cy
April 17, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
Paul Harvey is an icon…
he may be greedy, outspoken, and independant thinker.
but he has not changed much since the eaqrly 80’s. if they are firing him for that, then they are idiots b/c they should have listen to his show in the past. i think he is a brillant example of what freedom of speach is all about. you do not have to agree with him but you can see where he is coming from.
i guess this is just yet another reason not to listen to country music.lol. what do you want to bet that they will fill the time slot with a political puppet show.
By Lola
April 17, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
Is SS Shirley gone? If so, I can put my station back onto 106.7 again.
By Dave
April 17, 2007 2:48 PM | Link to this
It’s a shame they took him off. His opinions may not have been the same as everyone elses but thats what freedom of speech is all about. His few minutes of airtime a couple of times a day were fine with me. Actually I get very annoyed at the radio personalites which have been there forever and are able to speak there opinions……satellite radio is sounding very good.
By truthteller
April 17, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this
Paul Harvey….WHO CARES.
sheeze.
By Owen
April 17, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Hey RichFalcon, Bear O’Brien is in Montgomery, Alabama at Bama country 98.9 and you guys can’t have him back.
By Jennifer
April 17, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
It’s sort of sad to see an icon go, but I always had to turn the station when he came on. Same with the poor-quality Shane Co. ads with that horrible droning-voice man and the whistle/static in the background. “We go direct to the diamond source, blahhhaaahhhhhhhh”.
By DARLENE
April 17, 2007 3:23 PM | Link to this
The trouble with most of the media today - they are afraid to have anyone of any intelligence on the air. They want to cater to particular groups and that’s okay, but you need to make sure that the group you cater to are the ones who have the money to spend on the sponsors merchandise. Most disc jockeys, or whatever they call themselves, are brain dead and it appears that is what the stations want. If that is case, then we are in deep do-do.
By chipdip
April 17, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
crappy country station…who cares……MOTORHEAD RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!UP THE F—KING IRONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Jason
April 17, 2007 3:28 PM | Link to this
Paul is a legend. But who really listens to the garbage of DJs crappy-opinioned-lousy-personal lives anyway? Radio DJs aren’t in life where I wanna be, so why follow them?
By Gary
April 17, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
Guys,
Eagle did not take him off the air because of his views. If so then he would have been gone long ago. Eagle is trying to get into the younger to middle age market. Hence them not playing much older stuff from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s anymore. That was once a calling card for them, but they since have started going the other way. They are playing more music every hour and will not put in a so-called “puppet political show” His age though did play a huge factor in this i am sure.
By Mark
April 17, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
Kevin, Right on! Satellite radio is the only way to go. Terrestial radio sucks!
By Melissa
April 17, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
Boortz isn’t the one that says “just damn”. Royal Marshall, his producer, is the one who coined that phrase.
By Rebecca
April 17, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
Why does every radio blog have to include seven or eight comments from the peanut gallery exhorting us to try Sirius and satellite? If you don’t listen to FM broadcasts, then don’t read blogs about updates to Atlanta FM programming!
I don’t fish, so I’m going to find some fishing blogs and tell them to just buy their trout at Publix now, so excuse me…
By JT
April 17, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Paul Who?
By charlie
April 17, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this
With the crap that’s being sold as “Country & Western” music, I’m surprised Paul Harvey even let himself be broadcast from this station. Today’s “C&W” singers all sound the same and most of it is trash talking anyway. Let me know where Paul is going so I can enjoy more of his broadcasts.
By Mark
April 17, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this
Rebecca - Perhaps a bandaid for that exposed nerve?
By JH
April 17, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
The day I turned on my satellite is the last time I listened to any asinine DJ, once you try it - you’ll never go back. Do it today!
By JustMe
April 17, 2007 3:54 PM | Link to this
All you suckers blabbing about having satellite radio are pretty dumb - I wouldn’t expect you to appreciate an intellectual opinion from someone like Paul Harvey.
Another 10 years, you’ll be voluntarily paying for sunlight and oxygen!
By reebok
April 17, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this
Commercial radio is free, and you get what you pay for. I went with XM 2 years ago and I will never go back to commercial radio. I have heard Paul Harvey in the past, and I find him clever, well-spoken, insightful and classy. Obviously there’s no place for him in the crapfest that is commercial radio.
By 30-something
April 17, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this
I like classic country, it’s timeless. Paul Harvey isn’t timeless though — he had his era, and that was over long ago. I too turned the station every time he came on.
But I liked the station BECAUSE it played classic country, I hope they keep it in the mix. I like new country too, yes, but both together is best because you don’t get tired of the songs too quickly.
By Robert
April 17, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
I am still getting over the loss of Traffic Jammin’ Jokes with Bob Bailey…
By chris
April 17, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
good start. now get rid of southside steve
By thinking man
April 17, 2007 4:01 PM | Link to this
That’s a pretty simplistic view JustMe. I would much rather pay 10 bucks a month to hear quality programming than listen to nonstop crap for free.
By NiceGuy
April 17, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
He always annoyed me anyway. I don’t see how the “Good day”, his voice, and his pauses didn’t annoy everyone.
By radiofreeyur-up
April 17, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this
1st “Don Imus” and now this! I’m sure if Mr. Harvey said “ho” on the air he probably meant the gardening tool…
Good day!
By Dan
April 17, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
Clever ….Classy not on commercial radio. Instead we get morning radio humor(less) banter. Stupid listner games, endless station promo’s and contest. Face it am/fm is a dinosaur. Station managers take a hint from satellite radio. Thank you XM.
By gigi shea
April 17, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this
well pretty soon there will be NO radio stations for us OLDER people to listen to. what do we do with our car radio’s? don’t we count as listeners? I liked to hear the older songs and also to Paul Harvey it was some what refreshing. Now the OLD people will have only silence and that is not good.
By Sherry
April 17, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Well now I have NO reason whatsoever to listen to the eagle.
By MD native
April 17, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Dude - I am 33 and I LOVE Paul Harvey. It’s always good to hear another opinion on things…and his Rest of the Story is awesome. Way more interesting than the stuff I was taught in History class!
I enjoyed listening to ROTS on the way home…guess I can take Eagle off my preset now since I can’t stand Country Music.
By Kevin F
April 17, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this
I think it’s cool that Paul Harvey is still working and not retiring. All of you reading this will someday be told that you are too old to do your job or may be fired because you are too old and too overpriced. When that day comes, and you don’t agree, then prove the world wrong by continuing to work, just as Paul Harvey has done. While he’s not perfect, I’ve never heard of an on-air personality who never made mistakes. I’ll have one less reason to listen to 106.7. See you online.
By WillieBee
April 17, 2007 5:21 PM | Link to this
South Side Steve is cool, as long as he keeps his comments to a minimum…e.i. the regular guys
By PTC Cartrider
April 17, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this
More Country Music? They hardly play any now.
How about some Classic Southern Rock mixed in for good measure?
By Why
April 17, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this
Why would I pay for XM radio, when I don’t do cable TV. If I don’t like what is on, I know how to change the channel or turn off the radio.
By Drexel Gal
April 17, 2007 7:01 PM | Link to this
If BellSouth was spun off from AT&T 23 years ago, and is now AT&T again … maybe Paul Harvey will be back on WGST again. Hell, maybe WGST will get its FM signal again, too. [And Ford will re-release the Edsel.]
By Super Al
April 18, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this
Forget the Edsel, I’m waiting for the DeSoto to come back!! Hey, Daimler-Chrysler…..where’s my DeSoto?
By Bud
April 18, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this
Paul Harvey…man, this dude is EIGHTY-EIGHT YEARS OLD! He’s outlived the lifespan of the average white male in America by almost 18 years. He must be determined to be found slumped over a microphone. The average age of his listener must be well over 60. I guess Paul Harvey and Keith Richards are going to outlive us all!
By Neil
April 18, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
I just spoke to someone at Eagle. Apparently Paul Harvey was reading a spot for True-Value Hardware store and he said “There is nothing like a good hoe. Everyone should have one. I use my hoe once or twice a week. My wife encourages me to do it with the hoe. A good hoe is always a good value at…True-Value Hardware.”
By DOA
April 18, 2007 6:29 PM | Link to this
Makes sense with Eagle beating both the Bull and Kicks in the last monthly this can only help.
By Ken Brow
April 20, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
Well I now have another open preset button. If they took Paul off the air why havent they taken him off the “Meet the Family” link on the web page. I will tell you why - they do not have the slightest idea of how to satisfy the customer, which means they will go down the tubes just like all the others - bye 106.7