I Miss Milt Rosenberg on the Radio (Again)

 

I’m a bit late with this, but I was disappointed to learn that friend to Ricochet and treasure to America Milt Rosenberg has been cut from the roster at Chicago’s WCGO radio. Nearly two years ago I posted here on Ricochet to lament that Milt had been shown the door at WGN, where he hosted “Extension 720” for almost 40 years. A few months later I gleefully posted on the establishment of his own podcast, which I’m grateful was shared here at Ricochet. He was then hired at WCGO, and it was my hope that he would continue to broadcast from there for as long as he wished. Alas, citing a loss of ad revenue, the station dropped the program at the end of November.

As I wrote back in 2013, I felt smarter every time I listened to his program. I hope Milt soon finds a new home on the radio. In the meantime, may he remain be a fixture here at Ricochet.

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  1. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    It’s a shame Milt always made you smarter.

    • #1
  2. Whiskey Sam Inactive
    Whiskey Sam
    @WhiskeySam

    Always enjoy his podcasts.  They have a relaxed atmosphere that lets his guests express themselves without getting defensive which leads to more open exchanges.

    • #2
  3. katievs Inactive
    katievs
    @katievs

    He’s a national treasure. I hope a way is found to get him back.

    • #3
  4. Walker Member
    Walker
    @Walker

    Well, that’s a bummer!!  I was checking iTunes every day to catch the latest show.  When nothing appeared, I figured it was just the holiday season, and Milt was on a well deserved vacay.

    His producer Zack is also not taking care of the “behind the paywall” subscribers either.  There haven’t been any archived shows put on the website since early September.  When he finally did contact me, he said my mail had gotten into his junk mail, and that they were “hard at work continuing to add more shows to the site as we speak.”   hmmmmmm…. so nothing yet.

    I WANT MILT!!!

    Any chance you can bring him on as a regular Ricochet host?  Directly, I mean, and not through a radio station?

    • #4
  5. mezzrow Member
    mezzrow
    @mezzrow

    Walker: Any chance you can bring him on as a regular Ricochet host?  Directly, I mean, and not through a radio station?

    This.  Please.

    • #5
  6. Jack Dunphy Member
    Jack Dunphy
    @JackDunphy

    Walker:Well, that’s a bummer!! I was checking iTunes every day to catch the latest show. When nothing appeared, I figured it was just the holiday season, and Milt was on a well deserved vacay.

    His producer Zack is also not taking care of the “behind the paywall” subscribers either. There haven’t been any archived shows put on the website since early September. When he finally did contact me, he said my mail had gotten into his junk mail, and that they were “hard at work continuing to add more shows to the site as we speak.” hmmmmmm…. so nothing yet.

    I WANT MILT!!!

    Any chance you can bring him on as a regular Ricochet host? Directly, I mean, and not through a radio station?

    I had the same thought, that he was on vacation.  Then I stumbled upon the linked story about him being handed his cards at WCGO.  What a letdown.  But I’m informed by the Blue Yeti that Milt’s podcasts will still be found here on Ricochet, demonstrating that the tastes here are more refined than those among the radio listeners of Chicago.  No more Milt?  Unthinkable!  Now there’s something to shut down Michigan Avenue about.

    • #6
  7. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Walker: Any chance you can bring him on as a regular Ricochet host?  Directly, I mean, and not through a radio station?

    I believe that was the original arrangement with Ricochet. Milt’ new podcasts appeared here before he got picked up by WCGO.

    I really love the show.

    • #7
  8. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Just today, I lamented that it’s been a while since my iPod pushed out the old listened to episodes, and put in the new.

    Assorted thoughts went through my head: vacation, or illness. It never occurred to me that the radio station would give him the axe for such a great show.

    I do hope Ricochet can figure a way to keep Milt talking to his guests and to us…

    I miss you Milt!

    • #8
  9. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    To quote Anikan Skywalker, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

    I love his show, I listened to it daily, or if I didn’t get to it I would catch up on it when I could.

    I propose we start a save Milt Rosenburgh Show Kickstarter to host him on Ricochet.  What would that take? I’m being serious here. I would donate to that, and maybe other fans of his would also.

    • #9
  10. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    Perhaps WIND 560 am can pick him up.

    • #10
  11. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Wait, not getting this. Are we still going to be getting Milt? If not, where do we go to get him? His show is one of my greatest pleasures.

    • #11
  12. Tedley Member
    Tedley
    @Tedley

    That explains the recent absence of his podcasts.  Here’s hoping we can get them via Ricochet.

    • #12
  13. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    I’ll take a contrary view. I saw little reason why Milt Rosenberg was on.

    I don’t hail from Chicago. I’d never heard of the man before his podcasts began appearing on Ricochet, so I responded to the program without preconceptions. What I heard were very conventional center-right to center-left conversations with non-entities – his political “A Team” – and discussions of current events which were intellectually unchallenging and filled with “insights” that were available in a hundred other places, including Ricochet.

    There were many things I found off-putting: the clear NPR-envy to be taken seriously, as something superior to common talk radio, which also came through in Milt’s inevitable, once-a-show reference to his own academic background; the focus on Israel in so many discussions, for which we on the right already have more than enough former Democrat-turned-Republican media sources; and Rosenberg’s obvious health problems – his pulmonary difficulties were painful to listen to.

    Which brings me to my last cavil – the man is 90 years old! I mean, give it up already. Let somebody younger, fitter, more in tune with today in America and who also has a defiant, counter-cultural stance to our recent history take over.

    Instead of a host whose first vote for President was either for Harry Truman or Henry Wallace, I’d like to see Ricochet find a replacement for Milt’s podcast in the mold of a young Steve Sailer or a Paul Kersey. You know, someone unapologetically pro-American.

    • #13
  14. ZumaJay Member
    ZumaJay
    @

    Thanks fur the heads-up. I’ve never heard of Mr Rosenberg. I’ve added his podcast to my app, and I look forward to listening to him today.

    I was pleasantly surprised to find you on ricochet: I remember you from NRO years ago.

    • #14
  15. Adriana Harris Inactive
    Adriana Harris
    @AdrianaHarris

    I find Milt’s calm persona allows me to listen to leftist guests without making my head explode. I want to know what the other side is thinking, I just don’t want to listen to them say it.

    • #15
  16. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    I found Milt’s programs to be wonderful. I had never heard of him prior to starting to listen to his podcasts about a year ago. I became an avid listener. I appreciated that he occasionally had on people of a different political stripe. It is, I believe, insane to not listen to your enemies and know their thinking.

    Milt was always polite and respectful to his guests which is a real departure from most of the talk show hosts I have heard. His guests were far from mediocre. They represented some of the best minds on both sides of the issue. If one wants acrimony, there are more than enough of those who will provide it.

    • #16
  17. PTomanovich Member
    PTomanovich
    @PTomanovich

    Ugh. I’ve had many of the same thoughts as expressed above.

    I’m open to support any ideas that get Milt back behind the microphone.

    • #17
  18. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    To quote Dorothy Parker, “You can lead a whore to culture but you can’t make her think.”

    • #18
  19. Jack Dunphy Member
    Jack Dunphy
    @JackDunphy

    ZumaJay:Thanks fur the heads-up.I’ve never heard of Mr Rosenberg.I’ve added his podcast to my app, and I look forward to listening to him today.

    I was pleasantly surprised to find you on ricochet:I remember you from NRO years ago.

    Welcome aboard Ricochet!  I still contribute occasionally to NRO, but mainly you’ll find me here and at PJ Media.

    • #19
  20. Matt Singer Inactive
    Matt Singer
    @MatthewSinger

    Quite a shame. I too only discovered him from the podcasts here.  We can use more discussion that is “less caffeinated”.

    What I really miss is the show Gene Burns did in Boston the the late 80’s.

    • #20
  21. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Freesmith:What I heard were very conventional center-right to center-left conversations with non-entities – his political “A Team” – and discussions of current events which were intellectually unchallenging and filled with “insights” that were available in a hundred other places, including Ricochet.

    I always appreciate a contrary opinion, but I’m looking at my podcast listing now.  Here’s what I see of recent vintage:

    Great Directors of Film, Great Quotations, The Scientific Story of Creation, Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, The Vatican Prophecies, The Witches: Salem 1692, Gospel Music History, and The Pleasures of Reading Mark Twain.

    To be sure, there were a couple of shows on the Paris Massacre (totally unsurprising IMO), one on the Milwaukee Debate, and two on Chicag0 (one on its Gangland history that was fascinating).

    Since I don’t really wish to respond to your comments about Milt’s age and physical issues, I’ll only add that I find him very erudite in his ability to discuss an incredibly wide range of topics.  In fact, he’s a rather refreshing change from some of the increasingly tedious rants (Rush excepted) that I hear on conservative talk radio.

    • #21
  22. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    Hoyacon

    Different strokes for different folks.

    We both dig the Yardbirds, though. (Saturday Night Classics, December 5 – “For Your Love”)

    • #22
  23. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Freesmith:

    Different strokes for different folks.

    Absolutely. This place would not be as interesting without the different strokes.  I reserve my “what do people see in him” strokes for Michael Savage.

    • #23
  24. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    On that last comment, Hoyacon, I have to agree whole heartedly.

    • #24
  25. captainpower Inactive
    captainpower
    @captainpower

    Freesmith: Which brings me to my last cavil – the man is 90 years old! I mean, give it up already. Let somebody younger, fitter, more in tune with today in America and who also has a defiant, counter-cultural stance to our recent history take over.

    This. He’s probably sharper than I’ll ever be, but you can tell he’s lost a step.

    I started listening thanks to the Jack Dunphy’s 2013 Welcome Back post.

    Since then I’ve referenced Milt Rosenberg several times here.

    But I’ve listened to him (and political podcasts in general) less over the past year.

    • #25
  26. Aldis Inactive
    Aldis
    @Aldis

    Matt Singer: As I wrote back in 2013, I felt smarter every time I listened to his program. I hope Milt soon finds a new home on the radio. In the meantime, may he remain be a fixture here at Ricochet.

    Amen.

    • #26
  27. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    Hoyacon:

    Freesmith:What I heard were very conventional center-right to center-left conversations with non-entities – his political “A Team” – and discussions of current events which were intellectually unchallenging and filled with “insights” that were available in a hundred other places, including Ricochet.

    I always appreciate a contrary opinion, but I’m looking at my podcast listing now. Here’s what I see of recent vintage:

    Great Directors of Film, Great Quotations, The Scientific Story of Creation, Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, The Vatican Prophecies, The Witches: Salem 1692, Gospel Music History, and The Pleasures of Reading Mark Twain.

    To be sure, there were a couple of shows on the Paris Massacre (totally unsurprising IMO), one on the Milwaukee Debate, and two on Chicag0 (one on its Gangland history that was fascinating).

    Since I don’t really wish to respond to your comments about Milt’s age and physical issues, I’ll only add that I find him very erudite in his ability to discuss an incredibly wide range of topics. In fact, he’s a rather refreshing change from some of the increasingly tedious rants (Rush excepted) that I hear on conservative talk radio.

    agreed, what I loved about the Milt Rosenberg podcasts is the eclectic nature of the topics, and that he had guests who didn’t always agree with his point of view. And even so, he treated them with respect and dignity.

    I can’t count how many times I thought, “What is this guest doing on this show?” Until I remembered, it is good to listen to those who have different viewpoints. How else will we find common ground?

    Love you Milty. xoxo

    • #27
  28. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    captainpower: you can tell he’s lost a step.

    so what?

    He still has a valuable viewpoint and a positive contribution to make. Any rejection of him, for his age, has more to say about the listener, than him.

    • #28
  29. Jules PA Inactive
    Jules PA
    @JulesPA

    I think I feel so strongly, because I’d give anything to sit down with my grandfather NOW, as a mature adult. I’d appreciate hearing his views, much differently now, than when I was younger, and he was alive.

    You  never know what you have until it’s gone…

    • #29
  30. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Gee, if Milt has lost a step, that means Michael Savage will catch him in … oh, make it 37,000 years.

    • #30
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