Executives at WRKO-AM are reviewing their options after being blindsided by news yesterday that morning drive-time talk show host Thomas M. Finneran is opening a Beacon Hill lobbying firm, a move that has spurred questions about the former House speaker's credibility on the airwaves.
Finneran's bosses at the radio station were surprised to read in the Globe yesterday that Finneran was opening a lobbying practice and had already signed up clients, including the union representing state troopers, said a station spokesman, George Regan.
"This was news to everyone at the station when they picked up the Globe and read the article," Regan said.
Asked to comment on the potential conflicts and the impact on the station's credibility, WRKO's management said late yesterday only that the station is reviewing Finneran's plans.
"We're examining all of the issues implicated by Tom's potential lobbying activities to ensure that his effectiveness as a talk show host has not been and will not be negatively impacted," said a statement from Jason Wolfe, WRKO's vice president for programming.
Regan said the station has the right under Finneran's contract to accept or reject any work he does outside his commitments to the station. He said that in mid-December, Finneran had raised the possibility with management of doing other work, but never detailed what the work would be.
Finneran began his radio career last year after pleading guilty to federal charges of obstruction of justice and losing his $500,000-a-year job as president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
Finneran's plan to combine political radio commentary with lobbying on Beacon Hill raises a series of questions. As a lobbyist, the former Mattapan legislator, who served as speaker between 1996 and 2004, would try to gain access to state political figures and government officials, seeking favorable treatment for his clients.
At least one local authority on journalism saw problems.
"Clearly this is a conflict and not in the best interest of the stations or its listeners," said Lou Ureneck, chairman of Boston University's department of journalism.
"He has a privileged position as a commentator on a radio station, and he has a responsibility to operate at a higher level, without financial conflicts," Ureneck said. "Is he going to begin each broadcast by recruiting a long list of clients and conflicts? This is a bad deal all around for listeners."
Finneran could not be reached yesterday for comment.
The Globe reported yesterday that the State Police Association of Massachusetts decided last week to hire Finneran and his former law partner, James E. Byrne, to lobby for the group's interests on Beacon Hill. Finneran, who bid for the police union work, said he also expects to represent other clients, including the Liquor Liability Joint Underwriters Association, a little-known Bay State insurance group.
Finneran joined WRKO a month after he pleaded guilty in January 2007 to charges stemming from his testimony in the federal case, in which he denied participating in decisions to redraw legislative districts for the 2002 election. He is appealing to regain his state pension and his law license, both of which he lost because of his felony conviction.
The station's comments about Finneran's dual roles yesterday could signal trouble for the former speaker. Ratings data for the listener demographic most cherished by advertisers, 25- to 54-year-olds, show that "Finneran's Forum" was 15th in its 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot last fall. His market share of that demographic is slightly down from the previous fall. Among all listeners, his ratings slipped from seventh last summer to eighth last fall.
The State Police union said Finneran said he and Byrne would give the group a strong voice in the Legislature. Finneran said he and the union were negotiating the details of the contract.
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