More Merloni Bologna followed up with a slice of my Roast Beef!

Most  of you here that follow Major League baseball may be familiar with former Major League Baseball player Lou Merloni.
But outside of Rosalie and a few others like myself, most of you may not be familiar with
Lou Merloni, the broadcaster.

Please read the story below.
I will provide my opinion at the completion of this article

https://www.masslive.com/sports/2022/12/lou-merloni-explains-weei-ouster-every-day-searching-for-a-negative-angle.html?outputType=amp

Lou Merloni explains WEEI ouster: ‘Every day searching for a negative angle’

Updated: Dec. 13, 2022, 6:07 a.m.|
Published: Dec. 12, 2022, 3:09 p.m.
Nick O'Malley | nomalley@masslive.com
Monday’s edition of WEEI’s "Merloni, Fauria & Mego" show began with a prelude to a goodbye.
Lou Merloni, a longtime WEEI talk show host for multiple shows, explained why he was leaving the show, following a report and announcement made Sunday night. Merloni, who played for the Boston Red Sox before going into radio, said that his contract is set to expire at the end of the year and that he plans to move on from his current role after 15 years.
"At the end of the year, my contract runs out so it will not be renewed and I will be off of this radio show, "Merloni said.
One element that Merloni touched on in announcing his departure was the way that hosts in the sports talk radio industry must approach topics in order to generate the "real discussion."
Oftentimes, that means "always harping on the negative," which after a while, can wear on someone.
"It’s hard waking up every day searching for a negative angle to take to start a discussion," Merloni said.
The departing WEEI host emphasized that taking the stance was important, and the nature of the business. But when things are going well, like with the 2018 Red Sox, "there was nothing to talk about."
"It’s not manufactured. It’s not acting, it’s nothing. It’s just, ‘What’s the conversation? Where’s it going to go? How do we get people involved?’ Merloni said.
In addition to his duties as a daytime co-host, Merloni has also served as a color commentator for WEEI’s Red Sox broadcasts. On Monday, he gave a nod that he could stick around at the station in that role.

“The company’s going in a different direction. But it doesn’t mean I’m actually gone in this company,” Merloni continued. “I do have an opportunity and will probably end up being able to do what I want to do, and that will probably be in the booth, continuing talking Red Sox. So I’m really looking forward to that.”
However, Merloni stressed that he’s “not 100% sure what the picture’s gonna look like.”Instead, he just had a vision of what he wants to do next.
“We’ll see where it goes. Nothing’s etched in stone right now. But hopefully for me, I’ll be moving on, not on this show, but continue to do what I love and that’s just talking baseball.”
Merloni reflected on the effort that goes into making a sports talk show five days a week, with co-hosts Meghan Ottolini and Christian Fauria praising the amount of prep work that Merloni puts in.
Meanwhile, Merloni discussed how he’d become “comfortable” at times in his current role. Now, he’s looking at his departure from the show as a push in a new direction.

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My Thoughts:

First off, Merloni states that "it’s the nature of the business" I disagree.
Merloni’s explanation of "searching for a negative angle" is most likely true- at WEEI.
Whether the station wanted him to publicly state that is questionable.

It happens on stations like WEEI who dwell on
Pushing fake and staged controversy.
Merloni went on to say-
"Oftentimes, that means "always harping on the negative, which after a while, can wear on someone"
I’m not sure if he’s referring to himself or the listener.
If it’s himself then he certainly is
totally worn out and ready for double Jello night at the nursing home.
Merloni is a walking negative who’s been that way his entire career.

If indeed he referring to the listener, then he is on point.
Great shows don’t focus on contrived negativity.
Dan Patrick's show is a perfect example of that. Ex:

In 2007 After the league suspended Boris Diaw and Amare’ Stoudemire Patrick conducted a live on air interview with David Stern that became quite heated. Dan asked some very tough questions and some of Stern’s responses were pretty surly and defensive. Dan continue to press Stern and Stern continued to answer the questions and at times appeared to be attacking Patrick.

The interview was quite compelling and received a huge response from listeners and remained a topic of discussion for quite some time afterward.
There is a difference in manufactured negativity as opposed to offering a counter point.
Dan Patrick was countering what Stern and the league had stated
He wasn’t being negative and there was no conspiracy to set Stern up.
It was basically an honest and upfront discussion over a controversial issue.

Dan later did a light hearted reenactment  of the interview which was a short fun piece.
They didn’t dwell on the negativity and instead turned it into something the listening audience would enjoy.

https://youtu.be/wT6uRDJuGfU

As a former Radio Programmer myself, I would always encourage air talent to address, question,
or counter a guests opinion or give their opinion on a major story. Agreeing or disagreeing is what people do.
A good interview is simply just a good conversation.
Stating and/or manufacturing negativity is unnecessary and if there’s a study somewhere that’s states otherwise, I would love to read it.
I’ve have never been involved in a focus group where listeners stated that they wanted controversy.

WEEI, has been in the negativity box for quite some time.
Once the market leader, EEI has been totally dominated by WBZ FM, The Sports Hub who also at times seeks out negativity and staged controversy (see Felger and Maxx) but the station as a whole is not perceived that way especially with the halo effect that being radio home of the Celtics and Patriots casts upon it.
Are there beat reporters and writings who stir up negativity or try to frame a story to their liking to gain a reaction? Sure.
In my experience I’ve known many more good honest writers and reporters than ones that embellish or slant a narrative in order to manufacture a controversy.
In my opinion, those media outlets that do have a very short shelf life.
WEEI, with their Gerry Callahan’s and John Dennis’ got away with manufactured negativity for years and had great ratings because they were the only viable resource that listeners could go to.
That all came to an end once a quality competitor like the Sports Hub came along and syphoned off a great portion of EEI’s listeners.

Lou Merloni’s response to his contract not being renewed is not surprising.
What’s surprising is his going public with a subject that generally remains inside and not talked about publicly.
Merloni says the company is going in another direction but it doesn’t necessarily mean " I’m gone from the company"
It’ll be even more surprising if he is still able to stick around in another capacity after
this piece but stranger things have happened.
It’s always been my experience and I too have been a victim, that when a media outlet decides idea  you no longer fit into their plans, they inform  you of that immediately after you’ve finished your show and are not allowed back on the air. I never liked it but Merloni is a good example as to why some still employ this policy.
Merloni has said a lot. A lot more than I’m sure the suits upstairs wanted said[/b]