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Right-wing talk-show host Bruce Jacobs is no longer with KFYI (550 AM) radio, effective today.
KFYI program director Smokey Rivers tells Valley Fever that Jacobs and the station decided "mutually to end our agreement." The decision had nothing to do with the criticism of Jacobs last year by Phoenix police, Rivers says.
"We are a radio station that is often controversial," he says. "Controversy doesn't scare us. This has nothing to do with Bruce's politics."
Jacobs had a morning show during the weekdays from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Indeed, controversy often helps ratings -- unless it's the wrong kind of controversy. In Jacobs' case, spit-flying rants against President Obama, "liberals" and police widows just weren't pulling in enough listeners.
"It's a business decision to be able to grow our audience," Rivers says. "We think we can do better."
While Rivers is blunt about the realities of the biz, he says the station appreciated Jacobs' work. KFYI and its sister station, KGME (910 AM), employed Jacobs for about 10 years.
Mike Broomhead will fill in for Jacobs until a permanent replacement is hired.
