Talk Radio Aflame Over Perceived Snub of Legendary Host

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January 17, 2008 1:38 PM

Talk radio is taking a break from its nonstop nattering over the political campaigns to talk about a controversy involving one of its own.

Sean Hannity and others are criticizing a leading radio industry publication's decision to withdraw an award for controversial longtime conservative talk-show host Bob Grant because of apparent concern over what critics call a history of racially insensitive remarks.

According to the media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, Grant had referred to African-Americans as "savages." The group also objected to how he referred to Haitian refugees as "sub-human infiltrators," and that he once decried the prevalence of minorities in New York City by saying, "To me, that's a bad thing. I'm a white person." Grant also stirred outrage among many for calling then-New York Mayor David Dinkins a "washroom attendant." Dinkins is African-American.

Grant has said his use of the word "savage" had "nothing to do with race," and denied he had made any comment in which he "put down an entire race of people."

Radio and Records (R&R) magazine had planned to bestow the 2008 News/Talk/Sports Lifetime Industry Achievement Award to Grant. In a statement on its Web site Wednesday, Radio and Records wrote that it had made the decision "upon further review and consideration of Bob Grant's complete body of work."

"R&R is sensitive to the diversity of our community and does not want the presentation of an award to Mr. Grant to imply our endorsement of past comments by him that contradict our values and the respect we have for all members of our community," the statement read.

The award was to be given at Radio and Records' annual Talk Radio Seminar, slated to be held this March in Washington, D.C.

Critics of the magazine's decision have zeroed in on what they perceive to be evidence of a double standard: Among other TRS keynoters scheduled to speak is Rev. Al Sharpton, whose career as a public figure is studded with controversial comments about race in America.

On his radio show Wednesday, Hannity criticized the R&R decision, and played several audio clips of Sharpton making remarks that Hannity characterized as divisive and possibly racist. Hannity asked why Sharpton would be featured at the R&R event, given their stated concerns, and suggested that radio personalities were likely to boycott the seminar.

Grant himself appeared on Hannity's show, and accused R&R of practicing a "double standard." Grant blamed a single individual, whom he would not name, who Grant says is out to destroy him. 

Grant has dominated New York radio for decades. He popularized the talk format on WMCA and WABC, before being fired from WABC following a callous remark about the death of former Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, an African-American. In a statement released at the time of his dismissal, Capital Cities/ABC, which owned the station, said Grant "has been terminated by mutual agreement."

He then was hired by WOR where he retired in 2006. On his final WOR show, Grant received congratulatory calls from then-New York Gov. George Pataki, former House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich, former New York Mayor Ed Koch (whom Grant once called "the arrogant emperor"), talk show giant Howard Stern and others.

Late last year, Grant re-appeared on radio as the evening talk host on WABC, now owned by Citadel Broadcasting.   

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