Chicago News Cooperative - For Some Aspiring Political Broadcasters, Breaking the Law Does Pay

Chicago News Cooperative - For Some Aspiring Political Broadcasters, Breaking the Law Does Pay
By BEN GOLDBERGER
Copyright by The Associated Press
Published: April 2, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/us/04cncway.html?th&emc=th


When James Laski finished serving his 11-month prison stint on corruption charges in 2008, he knew his political career was over. But the former Chicago city clerk had every reason to believe his rap sheet was no barrier to another coveted, high-profile job: Chicago radio broadcaster.

When Mr. Laski begins his new weeknight show on WGN-AM on April 12, he will become the third convicted or indicted Illinois politician with a regular presence on local radio. Cliff Kelley, convicted in 1987 of accepting bribes while alderman of the 20th Ward, is an integral part of WVON-AM, commanding four hours every weekday afternoon on that African-American-oriented station. Rod R. Blagojevich, the impeached governor whose federal corruption trial is set for June, has a two-hour Sunday show on WLS-AM.

Chicago is not the only place where disgraced politicians have reinvented themselves over the airwaves. But the city is brimming with tainted politicians turned professional talkers.

“I just think that the line between the rogues and the rascals and the pundits and the politicians has always been blurred in Chicago and crossed very easily,” said Andy Shaw, the executive director of the Better Government Association and a longtime local television political reporter. “We always recruit our ex-politicians as commentators on election night, and we don’t seem to differentiate the honest ones from the dishonest ones.”

Chris Robling, a media consultant and former news radio host, said: “There is a thirst after insider awareness” among program directors and listeners. “Who better then someone who was actually so on the inside that he wound up getting his fingers burned and went away for a few years?”

That thinking played some role in 1998 when the Fox affiliate WFLD hired Dan Rostenkowski, the former congressman and ex-convict, said Debra Juarez, the news director at the time.

“On the part of the audience, there’s that factor of ‘there’s a big player and he was brought down and convicted, and now he’s out again and you want to hear what he says,’ ” Ms. Juarez said.

Mr. Laski, who had no professional radio experience before filling in at WGN in June, is counting on his persona as a disgraced former insider to bolster a thin on-air résumé.

“I sat down with the Daleys and the Blagojeviches and the Madigans,” Mr. Laski said. “I’ve been there and done the good and bad. Here’s the thing: It’s time to move forward.”

It’s likely Mr. Laski will not be the last fallen politician to find refuge on-air. “I think that when George Ryan gets out of prison he’s going to have a radio show within a week,” Mr. Shaw said of the former governor. “That’s how it operates.”

This article is part of our expanded Chicago coverage.

Rod R. Blagojevich has a two-hour Sunday radio show on WLS-AM.

The Chicago report features coverage of public affairs, culture, lifestyle and sports in the region and is produced by the Chicago News Cooperative, a non-profit news organization. We invite your comments at info@chicagonewscoop.org.