An Interview With Ed Maloney

From Jim Metrock:

Ed Maloney spoke today and parents ought to listen to every word this man says.

Who is Ed Maloney?

I didn’t know who he was until this afternoon, but now I know he may be the man to take down Bus Radio. Which is strange because he works for Bus Radio. Wait until you hear what he has to say.

It seems Bus Radio has run into substantial public opposition to its marketing ploy in parts of Colorado. An effort by bus driver Danny Kenny has gotten a lot of attention. This afternoon, Mr. Kenny was interviewed on KHOW-AM. I wasn’t able to tape Mr. Kenny’s interview but but the recorder was working for the next interview which was with Bus Radio’s Ed Maloney.

Now the fact that Bus Radio had ANYONE being interviewed on the radio means they are very concerned about things in Colorado. Normally a controversial company like Bus Radio would want to keep a low profile and avoid any chance to be asked embarrassing questions. Ed Maloney was not up to the task today and he ran into a buzz saw. His radio interview may be a turning point in the battle against the exploitation of schoolchildren riding on buses.

The interview with Mr. Maloney exposes Bus Radio’s way of thinking about kids. The company it seems has a low opinion of kids and even more so of parents. Maloney believes parents can’t protect their child from the popular culture and that kids are going to hear the music Bus Radio plays elsewhere anyhow so what’s the big deal?

Listen to Mr. Maloney talk about Timbaland – a Hip Hop artist and producer whose song "The Way I Are" from his CD Shock Value (with a big parental warning on it for its explicit lyrics) has gotten a significant amount of air play on Bus Radio) . Mr. Maloney says that Littleton kids won’t hear this song (about stripping) because there have been complaints (due to bus driver Danny Kenny) but other school districts will hear it.

What?!!

Bus Radio is saying: We will play offensive music for children UNLESS and UNTIL you CATCH US doing it and you COMPLAIN. THEN and only then will we take some action to protect you precious, overly-sensitive children.

He tells the radio hosts that Littleton bus riders will hear Rascal Flatts while other kids will hear Timbaland’s song. Sure, some words may be bleeped out but Bus Radio is getting kids hooked on raunchy rap artists. People like Mr. Maloney think its OK to play explicit music IF you cut out this word or this line. To him there is no problem. Mr. Maloney, there is a problem with that and you are going to learn that the hard way.

When Bus Radio bleeps out a line or a word about sex or drugs they still COMMUNICATE the message the artist wanted to send.

Listen to whole interview below and hear Mr. Maloney act clueless about the lyrics to "The Way I Are." He doesn’t know "stripping" is a central part of this song? (It has been one of the top five requested songs at least two weeks on Bus Radio according to promotional clips made available by Bus Radio.)

What does Mr. Maloney do at Bus Radio? He’s the Vice President of PROGRAMMING. Is he just indifferent to the lyrics of songs he approves for play or is he intentionally misleading this radio audience?

Mr. Maloney runs out of things to say and says Bus Radio is just like "Radio Disney." That’s a lie. Bus Radio is playing Fergie, Kanye West, Nickelback and Timbaland and who knows what other artists. Mr. Maloney incredibly says that Bus Radio has to play songs that kids request because then they listen to the public service announcements on the show. Is he justifying playing music that parents wouldn’t like because the "bad" music will make the kids listen to the "good" safety messages?

I hope every school board that considers signing up for Bus Radio will play this interview with Ed Maloney.

Did Bus Radio play Kanye West’s Stronger for elementary school kids?

Audio clip #1 on KHOW-AM 11/08/07 Bus Radio did play "Stronger" for elementary school bus riders.

Audio clip #2 Bus Radio never played "Stronger."

Whoa. You might want to play it again. Bus Radio’s Maloney says he is glad to clear things up. Bus Radio DID NOT play "Stronger" for elementary school bus riders, but in the same breath says YES Bus Radio DID PLAY parts of "Stronger" for elementary school kids.

We have all met people like this. They can look you in the eye and say something and then tell you they didn’t say what they just said. Mr. Maloney admits Kanye West’s explicit song was played for elementary school kids but Bus Radio cut out some parts of it. Even with admitting the song was played, he is also adamant that it WAS NOT PLAYED. Welcome to the strange world of Bus Radio doublespeak.

Listen to the whole Ed Maloney Interview on KHOW Nov. 8, 2007.