A Particular Sense of Humor
 

On May 30, 1989 a regular listener wrote to WNYC President Mary Perot Nichols to complain about Morning Music host Steve Post.
 

"...What do I mean by management inattention?  Note page 5 of the September 1988 Wavelength [WNYC's program guide], wherein the editor states that Steve Post is not accountable for what he says on the air.  What about poor taste?  Note the September 27 programming in the same Wavelength.  Steve Post introduced Forqueray by adding 'if you'll pardon the expression.'  To call this double entendre is to give him too much credit. 

"More?  How about:
'If you're very unlucky, this is WNYC.'
'and in five minutes, the very boring Morning Music.'
 'The  Corporation for Public Boondoggling.' 
 'The Corporation for Public Xeroxing.' 
'The Corporation for Public Backpatting.'

"Finally, I deeply resent being put down by such statements as 'our deliriously generous listeners, or is it our generously delirious listeners?'
Sincerely, …" 

Here is Station Director Mary Perot Nichols' response from June 7 1989:

 "…What you call 'poor taste' others call humor.  Steve Post has a very large following of listeners who appreciate his admittedly mordant, anti-establishment humor.  It would do no good for me or Doug O'Brien, WNYC's Vice President for Radio, to reprimand Steve for going too far.  We signed a contract with him that guarantees a great deal of freedom.  We have, therefore, only three options: keep him, not renew his contract next time, or pay him off and say good bye.  We choose to keep him.

"This was not management inattention.  It was a calculated risk that Steve cheers up a lot of similar early morning grouches.  Many more than he irritates…If you don't like Steve Post, why not simply not listen to him instead of trying to influence our decision to air him?  As I said before, it is not management inattention that leads us to carry him.

"Thank you anyway for giving us your views…"