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Stern warning for the 'Burgh?
Dimitri Vassilaros is a Tribune-Review editorial page editor. He can be reached at dvassilaros@tribweb.com or 412-380-5637. He also blogs at KDKA
His kids had been fighting over his remains. The daughter insisted on cremation, even though the son had chosen cryonics. Pop's body has remained frozen since his death. A settlement on Tuesday ended a legal battle that had been running hot and cold. So to speak.
Williams remains will remain frozen while his surviving offspring probably will endure tasteless jokes about Popsicles.
Let's not speculate if the less-than-social Williams ever had given anyone the cold shoulder since there is so much flotsam in today's stream of unconsciousness:
When the Federal Communications Commission started its latest crack down on free speech early this year, it targeted controversial hosts such as Stern. Companies that carried his show were fined excessively. Clear Channel pulled the plug on Stern on the six stations to limit its exposure.
Infinity Broadcasting carries the show to its stations. Other companies also carry Stern on some of theirs. The Infinity stations in Pittsburgh include WBZZ, WZPT (100.7 FM), WDSY (107.9 FM) and KDKA (1020 AM). Stern had very high ratings in Pittsburgh on the "X." If the talk is accurate, Stern would replace the WBZZ morning show.
And since Stern delivers a large young male audience, one industry insider speculated that the WBZZ contemporary hit music format (Britney Spears ad nauseam) could be flipped to a new one, a cross between music heard on the "X" and album rock station WDVE (102.5 FM).
Three Infinity spokespersons, two suits in Pittsburgh and one at corporate headquarters in New York, declined to comment on the Stern speculation. Since declining is not denying, necessarily, stay tuned Stern fans.
Just because taxpayers do not want to spend more than $200 million on a new sports venue does not mean we do not want the Pens to stay. We simply want the multimillionaire owners to pay for their own housing -- just like we do for ours.
The fans' insipid argument is that a gleaming, new, taxpayer-funded, multi-use, indoor sports facility in the 'Burgh will spark investment, revitalize its surroundings and keep twenty-somethings from leaving. Fourth time's the charm, eh?
Look at the brand-spankin'-new Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Now Pens fans want taxpayers to build a fourth new sports venue? If three could not save this city, how could one more?
