KMPC Objectivity Might Be All Talk

It is clear that Larry Stewart is very excited about the arrival of KMPC’s all-sports format. For the last couple of weeks, rumors about who the station might hire have dominated Larry’s column.

But Larry and the rest of the Southland press have missed one very important point. Unlike New York’s WFAN or San Diego’s XTRA, KMPC is owned by California Angel owner Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasting. Has anyone gotten assurances from Mr. Autry that the station’s talk show hosts and analysts will be allowed to honestly criticize Angel management or players?

Personalities who work for radio stations that carry sports events, especially in Los Angeles, are rarely allowed by station managers to be anything but cheerleaders for the teams whose games they carry. Most of them (with notable exceptions Vin Scully and Chick Hearn) become mere shills for Handbag Day or Beach Towel Night. Twenty-four hours a day of that ought to be just scintillating.

TOM LEYKIS

Los Angeles