Wisconsin’s Lt. Governor says the reputation of a Green Bay radio station is in jeopardy.

Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton is still waiting for an apology* after a talk show host made offensive comments about her on his radio station’s webcast this week following her sudden exit from the governor’s race.

“If I owned a radio station I would want very quickly to have a very clear and expansive apology publicly made so that people would understand that that wasn’t the intent of the ownership and that it’s meant to be a serious news outlet, but clearly their reputation of that is very much in jeopardy right now.”

Jerry Bader’s story was later retracted, and he’s been suspended for two weeks. But the Lt. Governor says this kind of personal attack is the very reason qualified, potential candidates for public office are opting not to engage in the political process.

“People thinking about running for office are going to take a hard look at this and say, ‘am I going to submit myself, my good name and my family and their good name to such outrageous lies?’ [Read more...]

A Green Bay talk show host’s two-week suspension is not enough.

WTAQ radio host Jerry Bader is suspended for the next two weeks for offensive comments he made this week about Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton. Lawton says that suspension is not enough.

“It actually should be a second step. We’re missing an apology here from Mr. Bader, from the station management, and from the ownership.”

Lawton is quick to say, though, she has no interest in speaking directly to Bader. The Lt. Governor says journalists, or “would-be journalists,” need to be held accountable for their statements, which have a huge impact on their audience. And, she adds, residents need to be held accountable for how their community is perceived. Lawton says Bader’s comments brand Green Bay as a quote, “provincial backwater.” [Read more...]