By: Diane Benjamin
Cities 92.9 no longer employs Ian Bayne or Fistbump. I’m getting reasons why from a LOT of different sources, I will try to piece together what I know.
First, I’m sure Ian’s listeners felt the same way I did. For the very first time we had a media source that represented us. Ian understood us. Ian fought for us. Ian was fearless and inspired citizens to be too. That’s now over.
Obviously the local establishment hated Ian. Some Downtown Bloomington business owners hated Ian. When Fox and Hounds started advertising on conservative radio AND they paid for a live remote, it was obvious they wanted to control the message with advertising bucks. Every business has to make money, so it’s hard to blame Cities. I’ve heard rumors that some businesses are too scared to advertise on Cities, afraid of government or liberal backlash. (I won’t say what I think about that!)
I’ve also heard rumors for years about the station being owned by Liberals. It’s not, but I hear they have a liberal in their midst. My sources are accusing the Program Director of 92.9’s sister station, 107.7 The Bull, of being a flaming liberal. A couple of sources are telling me that this guy brought in a consultant from Florida, the day after he left Ian was told to go. Fistbump could have stayed, but chose not to.
Ian gave me this message to pass on to you:
I am a very private person and I miss everyone very much. I will not apologize for standing for truth, and if that offends someone, they can go to hell. God Bless each and every one of you and thank you for the thrill of my lifetime in talking to you every morning, I think of you all the time.
Ian isn’t willing to disparage the management of Cities 92.9. Megan Zimmer, General Manager, is a good person. It appears Ian’s demise wasn’t her idea.
I’m not going to comment on Ian’s replacement or Ben Yount. If you like what they do, then listen. Otherwise I don’t know where to send you for local news, except here.
I’m trying to give the new guy a chance – it’s gotta be a tough spot for him to be in, but all I’m hearing him talk about so far is the weather and the stupid stock market. It reminds me of the audio clip Glenn Beck plays all the time of Alec Baldwin trying to be a radio host and bumbling all over the place with nothing to talk about.
The new guy didn’t come across very well this morning. He certainly doesn’t understand the constitution nor how to research the issues.
While I agreed with a majority of Ian’s opinions/ideas, he came across as juvenile, dumb, and often times disrespectful. I doubt it was his opinions that got home fired, but the way he presented himself on air.
I hope cities continues to carry the torch and hold the cities of Bloomington and normal to the fire, but I hope they do it in a more adult manor. Personally, I miss the previous morning host.
DSD hit it on the head. Ian stooped to the level of the people he was fighting against way too many times. He also said some things that were just not logical and called it the truth. He did awesome on Darrin LaHood and local government. But when opining on more complex issues he made me question his ability to compare and contrast.
I like Ben Yount. He seems to think things through and is willing to consider other viewpoints. He does good research. I could care less about him giving a shout out to Cafe Italia or talking about grilling. He is willing to make independent choices without worrying about backlash.
I can’t wait to hear what Ben Yount is grilling on his green egg this weekend or how much he is going to eat tonight at the Italian restaurant at his remote.
Exactly! SSDD with Ben.
Terrible news.
No truth should be spoken here, just spin.
Dave D
Advertising dollars don’t create ratings, content does. With all the other local radio spinning all the same crap that they have been doing for years, Cities might have just put a nail in their coffin with that move.
I couldn’t agree more Mudd. The new guy sounds like all of the other morning radio hosts. Regarding Ben Yount it’s not even content for me, there is just something about the way he speaks that drives me crazy. I can’t pinpoint it. But every day at 3pm I either turn off the radio or tune to a different station. I think Cities 92.9 was definitely on to something big but for whatever reason they have decided to abandon it.
Dropping ratings combined with slipping advertising revenue. It’s simple math and Ian and Fistbump didn’t add up.
It would be nice if all news organizations could truly be objective, present facts, not fiction, and not have any sort of political slant. Too bad that’s impossible this day and age.
I look back to the 80’s when Clinton signed NAFTA and thus the demise of manufacturing here. Continuously we lost more jobs and the big corporations moving their home base off shore to escape taxes. Fast forward, now most adults that understand basic employment protocol of keeping their job, their paycheck, their means of feeding self and family, just go along to get along. Individually and therefore with the masses, with our country, dependence has become the norm rather than independence. Land of the free, home of the brave is in the cross hairs of a crooked elite while the lower scale of most local and state governing bodies have no clue that they contribute to their own demise. Unfortunately it has arrived in BLM, disease transmitted directly from the King Koos. Maybe the King and the Professor swapped spit.
HAHAHAHAH!! You made a gay joke.
Wrong decade.
Free market folks. Dropping ratings combined with slipping advertising revenue. It’s simple math and Ian and Fistbump didn’t add up. Plus, their aggressive style rubbed too many people the wrong way. You can make a point AND be entertaining, without being mean or juvenile.
Capitalism in reverse now – adverters are dropping Cities for dropping Ian.
Wow. Really? Which businesses are dropping Cities because they a made a business decision?
Maybe if you listened you could tell.
I enjoyed listening to Ian every Monday through Friday while I got ready for work; I will be listening to a different radio station from now on.
….Listeners were up.
Some of us do not want to be complacent sheep, we like some one who
can “mix it up”.
The decision was not financial.
We just cannot have any one question the government – It’s not nice.
I never listened to morning radio before Ian.
Now back to my old ways……
No. Listeners are down. The ratings show listening was down. Just because you say it doesn’t make it true. And if they were making money and the ratings were up, do you really think they make these changes.
The latest Nielsen Audio ratings at the time of his dismissal showed a 20 percent drop in the station’s weekday morning drive-time listeners on a year-to-year basis, running eighth in a field of nine commercial stations.
I bet it’s worse now! Demographics also matter.
The new guy is the same nut that was on WJBC middays until July of last year (when he was fired). Same old show he did in Springfield, and now here. All he ever did on WJBC was read Drudge Report headlines top to bottom for three hours. Totally void of local content.
New DJ isn’t locally engaged at all. Guess its rock n roll for me in the mornings now.
Robb, who are you? Where are you getting ratings information? Are you SURE that ratings have dropped because of Ian? Are you SURE that advertisers pulled their subscriptions because of Ian? Or are you just flaming?
He doesn’t know. I’ve seen the ratings.
NPR is better than the new guy on 92.9.
I liked Ian and was so glad to hear ANYONE on local radio questioning our bizarre multiple-city-township government like he did. I’ve lived here a long time but also have lived all over the country so I have perspective on how other places work so much better. I’m still amazed that we put up with the nonsense of crazy mayors and duplicate township expenses, and they still want more taxes! As for Ben Yount, he’s got the right idea. Like a previous poster, I agree he’s hard to listen to. It’s almost a stutter, but I think he’s just filling time to collect his thoughts. I do end up going to Sean Hannity orDave Ramsey’s show. Good luck Ian!
I was very disappointed when Ian and Fistbump left and shocked when I heard the fella that replaced them. He may be a really nice fellow but he is so boring and not interested in rocking the boat. Yes Ian was tough and opinionated, but it was the opinion of most of the public that listened to him. Those that didn’t agree didn’t listen, simple. I stopped listening to the old station, actually I stopped listening to the radio and played CD’s. Then I got a FB message from Ian letting me know he was back at 98.3. Well I immediately was on the radio again and hearing “real and honest”, tough talking and informative radio! So glad he is back!! I contacted the radio station after Ian was gone and they never even bothered to respond. Just an I’m sorry, I am not at liberty to discuss would have been nice, but no response is rude! Welcome back Ian and Fistbump!!
I just saw a billboard on Veterans Parkway this morning for Ian on 98.3 and immediately tuned in. AWSOME to hear his voice again!!I tried the new guy for awhile, and tuned out like many of you. I check back occasionally to see if he has gotten any better or if they get rid of him, he is terrible. I will not need to check there anymore!!