You Scratch My Back . . .

You Scratch My Back . . .

[This letter was published in the Boston Herald on Thursday November 1, 2007]

Howie Carr bashed Massachusetts political hacks for 20 years. They appointed
judges who say he cannot work where he wants and may not work temporarily until
the appeal is heard. Is it my imagination or are these political appointees
doing a favor for the political hacks who run the MA government by keeping this
critic off of the air?

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

RKO�s Carr is silenced on appeal
Judge nixes TKK work as contract fight rages
By Laurel J. Sweet
Boston Herald
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - Updated 1d 7h ago

A state Appeals Court judge has blocked Herald columnist Howie Carr from taking
over WTKK�s morning drive show while his struggle to free himself from his
contract with WRKO drags out in court, leaving Carr�s future in Boston radio
uncertain.

Judge Andrew Grainger yesterday told Carr, one of the city�s most popular talk
jocks and a best-selling author, to forget about pleading his case to the full
Appeals Court.

�This is not one of those extraordinary cases that warrant appellate
consideration prior to full judgment,� Grainger wrote in his nine-page decision.

�In these circumstances, there is no good reason for opening the door to
multiple appeals when the issues may all be argued together at the conclusion of
the case.�

Nancy Sterling, spokeswoman for Mintz Levin, the law firm representing Carr,
said in a statement, �We�re disappointed in the ruling, but we still believe the
final outcome will be in Howie Carr�s favor. We are currently reviewing all
options before determining our next steps.�

FM station WTKK 96.9 FM has reportedly offered Carr $7 million to jump ship from
AM rival WRKO 680, where he has insisted he no longer wants to work, despite the
station�s matching offer.

WRKO spokesman George Regan said, �We�ve more than made our case clear and we
have nothing else to add.� Spokesmen for WTKK owner Greater Media did not
respond to calls for comment.

The contract Carr signed with �RKO parent Entercom on June 3, 2002, expired last
month, but provides the broadcast company with a 180-day �right of first refusal�
to match any offer Carr receives from another station.

Carr, whose new five-year deal with Greater Media is on hold indefinitely,
maintains the provision is not valid.

Grainger ruled, �The first refusal right here is a mutual and prospective
balancing of risk and reward by parties doing their best to anticipate the
future value of the proverbial bird in hand.�
lsweet@bostonherald.com