Originally posted Thursday, April 11, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Talk 106.7 suspended the Kimmer Show this week for three days over comments said about Rep. Lucy McBath perceived as sexist.
While talking about guns and McBath holding the Sixth District seat, beating Karen Handel last November, his co-host Pete Davis said, "You're there to knock Lucy McBath back into the kitchen."
"Yeah," said lead host Kim "The Kimmer" Peterson. "Go back to sewing stuff and leave my guns alone!"
McBath told CNN, "I don't even know how to do those things, but it is definitely indicative of a mindset that just hasn't succumbed to the fact that women are leading the charge politically, women are stepping up, taking our place, having a seat at the table."
McBath used this audio as a way to help raise money for her campaign via Twitter.
"I heard from women who thought that is just unconscionable and we're not accepting that. And they were telling me, you need to fundraise off of that. And we did," McBath told CNN.
Mary Berner, who runs Atlanta-based Cumulus Media, suspended the Kimmer Show for three days with no pay, according to Peterson when he returned this afternoon.
Peterson, whose show is on from 3 to 6 p.m. on Talk 106.7, came back on air Thursday a bit ticked at McBath for using his comments as fuel to raise money and then getting him suspended to boot.
He explicitly said he was not criticizing Berner for what she did. “She’s my big boss,” he said. “She can do whatever she wants. I’m the employee, she’s the boss. That’s it. I’m not an anarchist or rebel. I’m not trying to overthrow the leadership... I’m a nobody compared to the corporation. I respect that.”
He said he thought at first this would remain quiet and not publicized. Then Cumulus responded to CNN’s inquiry about the suspension with this:
"The comments made on The Kimmer Show regarding Representative McBath were unacceptable, offensive and not consistent with our values as a company. In accordance with company policy, Kim ('The Kimmer') Peterson, Host, and Pete Davis, Co-Host, were suspended and will apologize to Representative McBath."
“I’m now a national target,” he said. “I clearly believe Lucy McBath and the Sixth District is trying to get me fired.” Raising money off of it “is one of the sleaziest, stinkiest things I’ve ever heard of.”
Peterson and the entire station is going away since Cumulus sold the signal to Education Media Foundation, which will run the syndicated Christian music station K-Love soon. Talk 106.7 could go away as soon as next month but management has allowed the talk hosts to continue to work.
“This is like rubbing it in,” Peterson said on air, “trying to get my last freakin’ dime.”
Peterson was on both 750/WSB-AM and 640/WGST-AM for many years. He left radio in 2006 after WGST fired its local staff and stayed off air until 2013 when what was then called All News 106.7 invited him back. The station had originally been all news but Peterson's return was successful and the station added more and more talk hosts until it became a full-fledged talk station last year. (For a time, it was called NewsRadio 106.7 and then just Talk 106.7) He began at the station early afternoons but now airs late afternoons.
“I’ve never been shown respect here, ever once” Peterson said to the listeners. “No one has ever said, ‘Good job.’ No one has ever said, ‘Great ratings.’ .. Not one sign of thanks. I don’t care. I’m still the hardest working guy in radio. I spent nine hours before I get on the air because I love what I do care... I love what I do because of you.”
Peterson, in a text, said he had nothing more to add from what he said on air. Sean Shannon, Peterson's boss, did not respond to a text seeking comment. I'm also awaiting a comment from McBath's camp.
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