Two Oregon disc jockeys were fired after playing audio of American Nick Berg's beheading in Iraq and then cracking jokes about the death.
But listener reaction to several other nationally syndicated talk show hosts airing the tape appears to have been mostly favorable.
Sean Hannity, heard locally on KSL Newsradio (AM-1160), aired the audio Thursday and Friday on his show, as did Michael Savage, broadcast in Salt Lake City on KNRS (AM-570).
Rod Arquette, news and programming director for KSL, said the station only received a few complaints about Hannity airing the audio. "I thought we would get more comments," he said. The issue was also discussed Friday on KSL's "Doug Wright Show."
Deejays "Marconi and Tiny" were fired Thursday from their morning show on Portland's KNRK-FM after listeners called the radio station to complain upon hearing Berg's bloodcurdling screams in the broadcast of the tape, followed by the DJs laughing and playing music. Their producer, known as "Nickie J," also was fired. Station employees would not release the legal names of the three.
"It was so over the top that I don't know that there is any logical, appropriate way to attempt to spin it," said Clark Ryan, vice president for FM operations in Portland for Pennsylvania-based Entercom Communications Corp., which owns KNRK.
The station's manager sent an apology out over the airwaves, saying: "The actions of the KNRK news morning show were insensitive, inappropriate and repulsive. On behalf of Entercom Portland and KNRK, I apologize to our listeners."
By contrast, "Hannity warned people about it" before he aired the tape, KSL's Arquette said. He told listeners it was coming and then led into the tape with about 10 seconds of silence. "But he didn't ask the advice of any of the programmers at individual stations," Arquette said.
Arquette said the most serious complaint he took was from a mother who left a 4-year-old alone in the room with the radio on at the moment Hannity aired the tape. The mother was concerned that now she can't ever leave the room with the radio or TV on.
Hannity has also been taking his own poll on the issue of airing the audio. As of Friday night, more than 12,000 listeners had responded to his Web site question, with 93 percent saying Hannity was right in airing the audio, while only 7 percent disagreed.
Clear Channel of Salt Lake, which owns KNRS, could not be reached for local feedback on Savage's airing of the tape.
Contributing: Associated Press
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com