View this post on Instagram
Longtime country radio host Blair Garner recently taped an interview with 2020 hopeful Pete Buttigieg, but listeners of the nationally syndicated program, which reaches nearly 200 cities, will never get to hear it.
Garner says he was approached about doing an interview by the Buttigieg campaign.
“Since Country music tends to lean in a conservative direction, I was surprised,” Garner wrote on social media afterward. “But more than surprised, I was EXTREMELY flattered.”
“One of the few truly viable candidates in the race raised his hand and asked for a place at the table. I was willing to give him that seat. I would have also given a seat to any other viable candidate, from both sides.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
So Garner did the interview. And it was great! Until his bosses at Cumulus Media told him he “couldn’t air it.” In response, Garner took to social media on Friday to say express his disappointment.
“I was proud of it,” he wrote in a long Facebook post. “But in the end, I was told that I couldn’t air it.”
“Again, I would have GLADLY welcomed any other viable candidates to be a guest, especially President Trump. To my thinking, the best way to a reasoned, thoughtful position on any topic, is to hear from both sides. Regardless, the interview was killed.”
Blair included a link to the interview on his SoundCloud account for those interested in hearing it.
“It was a great discussion,” Lis Smith, Buttigieg’s senior communications adviser, tells CNN, “and we are obviously disappointed that Blair’s listeners won’t have the opportunity to hear it.”
Meanwhile, Cumulus Media says it killed the interview over concerns regarding the FCC’s “equal time rule,” where stations and networks must offer the same amount of airtime to all candidates.
In a statement, Cumulus Nashville explains:
Cumulus Nashville’s programming managers made the decision not to air Blair Garner’s pre-recorded interview with Mayor Pete Buttigieg because of the large number of political candidates currently in this race. The decision was made by local programming management based solely on concerns related to the application of the FCC’s Equal Time Rule. The effects of the FCC’s Equal Time Rule are widely understood and considered whenever these types of issues arise.
Cam
Cumulus’s excuse is B.S.
Even if the FCC strictly enforced it’s equal time rule, all it states is that if requested the station needs to give equal time to an opposing candidate who requests it. In this case, if another National candidate running for President like Warren, Harris, or even Trump were to request it, stations owned by Cumulus would be screaming for interviews with such high profile candidates normally. The issue, he’s a Democrat, he’s gay, and they are right wing.
Jon in Canada
“I’m not a political guy”, but damn if you don’t work for a company that is.
As for Cumulus’s excuse, as many a Drag Queen would say: Bitch Please!
QueerTN
This is a complete BS excuse! I live near Nashville. I personally would like to hear the interview but also realize that TN is A VERY red state, so the interview might anger some people. But if that’s the real reason, they should have the balls to say so.
Kangol2
Cumulus was also allegedly linked to the woman and original story that took down Al Franken down. It’s a far-right outfit, though non-far-right people work at it. It’s no surprise that they won’t air the Buttigieg interview. What are they so afraid of?
Jboo
Al Franken took out Al Franken. Stop blaming other people.
Roan
So does their citation of the “equal time” rule means they will not air any other interviews with candidates as well?
Roan
Breaking news: Conservative radio corporation won’t let gay country radio host air interview with gay presidential candidate.
jjose712
Yeah, sure.
Cumulus even have a tradition of not playing music of gay singers so this is nothing new
Rock-N-RollHS
Worried that Buttigieg might actually appeal to some of the radio listeners??
mark m
I openly admit that I have deep prejudice towards country music fans. As a man who grew up on the southeast coast we had prejudice towards people with the Tennessean twang to their voice. Sadly I can predict, about 85% of the time, their socio political views. But my late grandmother could fool all of the neo-conservatives/evangelicals. She was the snake in their hen house. I say this, in that, all hope is not lost for Dixie.
lcandela123
There’s an FCC equal time rule? Does Fox follow it?
Seems unconstitutional. Anyone know what it is about?
truthseeker
@lcandela123
Yes this is a rule. FOX allows it which is why Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete did town halls on their network. The other Dem candidates just refuse to appear on FOX News, hence the reason the DNC refused to allow FOX News to host a Democratic debate.
If you remember in the lead up to the 2016 election primaries, there were concerns when SNL allowed Donald Trump to appear because they feared that the other 17 Republican candidates would request to host SNL in which case NBC would have to allow it.
It’s not “unconstitutional” because it’s not in the Constitution. It’s a rule from the Federal Communications Commission to prevent media outlets of denying candidates an equal chance.
IWantAFullBeard
Ugh I want to see this guy shirtless so bad
DarkZephyr
Which guy?
IWantAFullBeard
My BootyEdge