Armstrong & Getty
Encyclopedia
Armstrong & Getty is a 4-time Best of Sacramento award-winning morning drive radio show and television show airing in Northern California
on several Clear Channel
radio stations and a Newport Television
station. The "call-in format" talk show
is a mixture of political commentary, observations on both local and national news
and reflections on social issues presented with humor.
in Kansas
in 1984. According to statements made on the air on December 19, 2008, Jack's first day of full time employment on the radio was at a tiny radio station on December 19, 1984, stating that he was only given the job because the former DJ had complained about being required to go to the company Christmas party . Around the same time, Chicago native Joe Getty was also working as a DJ. According to statements made on the air, Joe trumped the competition to land his first job because he was the only one who typed his cover letter.
The two began working together in 1992, hosting morning shows in Kansas, before taking their show to a bigger market in Charlotte, NC. The two often recall their days as typical DJs, calling out soft rock hits and the occasional promotional radio stunt.
Later on, the pair moved to Sacramento, CA in 1997 and again found themselves in a format show, going by the name Out of the Sack with Joe and Jack. That show aired on Adult Contemporary KYMX-FM
in Sacramento, a stint later referred to by Joe as "nightmarish".
On August 31, 1998 the duo debuted as the current Armstrong & Getty show.
but moderate on many social issues, and are self-described "wannabe libertarians
". Common themes of the show are wasteful government spending, social responsibility
, and personal accountability, all involving current events. Arguments often ensue that are centered on the disapproval of local, state, and federal legislature, with the idea that over-regulation caused by these entities are controlling more of citizens' daily lives, a property of Socialism
against which the show constantly argues against.
While the show deals with issues regarded as societally important, the show itself also tends to be very lighthearted most of the time en lieu of the topic's seriousness. The duo also will delve into sports-talk or pop-culture gossip, on occasion.
in Sacramento
, CA and KNEW
in San Francisco, California weekdays from 6-10A.M..
Rebroadcasts air on some of the stations at different times, including The Best of Armstrong & Getty on KSTE and Armstrong & Getty at Lunch on KFTY. From March 2007 through February 2009 they were also heard on KFI
from 3-5PM in a Sunday afternoon show.
The television simulcast
originally aired on KQCA-TV in Sacramento, CA, and on Bay Area's TV-50 in San Francisco, CA. In 2007, KCRA-TV cancelled the simulcast of the show, and decided to replace it with a morning news show. In September 2011, Bay Area's TV-50 was sold to an Azteca America affiliate, cutting the simulcast and, ultimately, ending the show's long-running television appearance.
The show usually has both preplanned headlines to be discussed, and breaking news updates that are reported on. While headlines are planned in advance, the banter and discussion the hosts pursue is claimed as being ad lib and only the opinions of the hosts, While the show is dominated by the subjects, (The show only allows callers to comment on the current subject.) the 9-10AM hour of every Friday is known as "Last Call", and allows callers to call in to discuss any subject.
The show often relies on input from its local listening audience. In addition to the call-in portion, Armstrong and Getty will read selected mail
/e-mail
messages, and have recently added an experimental text message phone number in an effort to gauge the audience reaction to subjects much more efficiently.
Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty have stated in the past that their names are actually pseudonyms. Also, they have stated that their radio personalities, while similar and based on their own personalities, are very different than their real-world selves.
Jack Armstrong is divorced once, and recently married to his wife Laura. He also has a son named Sam and another unborn son on the way. He often speaks of living out in the countryside and owning a large patch of land he has dubbed "Rube Hollar", the largest goat farm (with over 10,000 goats) in the tri-state area, which neighbors many lesser farms. Joe Getty is married to his wife, Judy, and has 3 children. He often speaks of his living in his suburb, dubbed "Caucasian Acres."
Politically, Both Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty heavily and openly lean towards libertarian
views, going as far as to say "there is almost issue where I wouldn't accept the libertarian argument". Both hosts have come out as being against both the Democrat and Republican
parties, and have stated that a two-party system
does not appear to work. They have also expressed support for the Tea Party movement
, and regularly advocate stricter illegal-immigration laws.
During their show's broadcast, Jack and Joe claim to be both humorists and amateur sociologists, which they style as "entormation", (a portmanteau of Information and Entertainment)
Joe plays guitar and sings in his band, Joe Getty and the Dead Flowers. They released a debut CD in 2009, as well as having a documentary produced about them, and play in various venues around the Northern California area. Jack formerly played the guitar for his band, The Painkillers, but due to personal circumstances, he has decided to vacate his position in the band.
. The article reported on Sacramento as being the most diverse city in America, and used very approbative
language along with much more editorial
izing than fact-based news to compile the article.
During Armstrong and Getty's broadcast, shortly after the article was released, the duo had lampooned the article's approach to the subject, stating the article had used editorial terminology, "touchy-feely" language, and little factual information to support the thesis of the article. They went on to point out that diversity also may have negative impact on certain societal aspects, when it occurs under some circumstances..
After that broadcast, Mayor
Heather Fargo
of Sacramento was allegedly "mad to hear the show denigrating that distinction (regarding Times honoring Sacramento)" and used connections with the Capital Unity Council to start bombarding the show's producers with e-mails, and used other public channels to rally support for the cause of censuring these controversial comments, and shutting down the show.
Public arguments on both the side of Armstrong-and-Getty and Heather Fargo ensued, which culminated in the radio hosts' broadcasting live from the Capital City Hall steps the following Monday. As the contention resolved, the popularity of the show and the actions of support by the producers insured the duo's career through this event.
, had been stealing audio material from the Armstrong and Getty show, editing the audio, and using it in his show in an attempt to portray it as if he is speaking to their caller.
During that same broadcast, Armstrong and Getty were able to speak to Douglas Stephan, himself, regarding the plagiarism
that appeared evident upon comparison of the duo's show content and Douglas Stephan's "callers" some days later. Stephen never admitted to the allegations, but apologized, saying that the calls were misplaced and accidentally played on his Good Day show.
Plagiarizing of owned, private-works material is copyright infringement
and illegal. The subject is still developing and a legal resolution has not yet taken place, if at all. According to the hosts, they are not personally offended at the infringement; however, after the interview of Stephan, Armstrong and Getty were dissatisfied with the challenging host's attitude.
Armstrong and Getty have had quite a few well-known guests and have interviewed such figures as California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger
, State Senator Tom McClintock
, former Ambassador to the United Nations
John R. Bolton
, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan
, former lobbyist Jack Abramoff
.
Additionally the duo has become popular as emcees for various events in Northern California, participating in "The Great Debate" between Willie Brown
and Ed Schultz
,and opening for a few of political commentator Michael Savage
's live shows.
In October 2011, Armstrong & Getty began rallying support for the charity organization Fischer House
. During a promotional period of approximately eleven days, the show alone was able to raise over $350,000 in listener donations, a sum which even the charity-founder Zachary Fisher
spoke of as "incredible".
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
on several Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
radio stations and a Newport Television
Newport Television
Newport Television, LLC is a television station holding company founded by Providence Equity Partners and Sandy DiPasquale in 2007 to acquire the television stations owned by Clear Channel Communications. In September 2007, Newport agreed to sell KFTY and KVOS-TV to LK Station Group LLC for $26.6...
station. The "call-in format" talk show
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
is a mixture of political commentary, observations on both local and national news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
and reflections on social issues presented with humor.
History
Jack Armstrong became a radio DJDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in 1984. According to statements made on the air on December 19, 2008, Jack's first day of full time employment on the radio was at a tiny radio station on December 19, 1984, stating that he was only given the job because the former DJ had complained about being required to go to the company Christmas party . Around the same time, Chicago native Joe Getty was also working as a DJ. According to statements made on the air, Joe trumped the competition to land his first job because he was the only one who typed his cover letter.
The two began working together in 1992, hosting morning shows in Kansas, before taking their show to a bigger market in Charlotte, NC. The two often recall their days as typical DJs, calling out soft rock hits and the occasional promotional radio stunt.
Later on, the pair moved to Sacramento, CA in 1997 and again found themselves in a format show, going by the name Out of the Sack with Joe and Jack. That show aired on Adult Contemporary KYMX-FM
KYMX
KYMX is commercial radio station located in Sacramento, California. The station airs an adult contemporary music format.-History:...
in Sacramento, a stint later referred to by Joe as "nightmarish".
On August 31, 1998 the duo debuted as the current Armstrong & Getty show.
The Show
Both Armstrong and Getty are fiscal conservativesFiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
but moderate on many social issues, and are self-described "wannabe libertarians
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
". Common themes of the show are wasteful government spending, social responsibility
Social responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the...
, and personal accountability, all involving current events. Arguments often ensue that are centered on the disapproval of local, state, and federal legislature, with the idea that over-regulation caused by these entities are controlling more of citizens' daily lives, a property of Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
against which the show constantly argues against.
While the show deals with issues regarded as societally important, the show itself also tends to be very lighthearted most of the time en lieu of the topic's seriousness. The duo also will delve into sports-talk or pop-culture gossip, on occasion.
Stations
Armstrong & Getty airs live on KSTEKSTE
KSTE is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Rancho Cordova, California, USA, the station serves the Sacramento area...
in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, CA and KNEW
KNEW (AM)
KNEW is a radio station in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, CA, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel. Prior to the format change, the station operated as CNET Radio, offering business and technology news 24 hours a day...
in San Francisco, California weekdays from 6-10A.M..
Rebroadcasts air on some of the stations at different times, including The Best of Armstrong & Getty on KSTE and Armstrong & Getty at Lunch on KFTY. From March 2007 through February 2009 they were also heard on KFI
KFI
KFI is an AM radio station in Los Angeles, California. It received its license to operate on March 31, 1922 and began operating on April 16, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear-channel" stations...
from 3-5PM in a Sunday afternoon show.
The television simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
originally aired on KQCA-TV in Sacramento, CA, and on Bay Area's TV-50 in San Francisco, CA. In 2007, KCRA-TV cancelled the simulcast of the show, and decided to replace it with a morning news show. In September 2011, Bay Area's TV-50 was sold to an Azteca America affiliate, cutting the simulcast and, ultimately, ending the show's long-running television appearance.
Format
The show follows a fairly predictable format. The airing of the show (played live) begins at 6am PT and ends at 10am. The hosts introduce the staff members, and read selected letters and e-mail submitted by listeners before commenting on news stories of the day.The show usually has both preplanned headlines to be discussed, and breaking news updates that are reported on. While headlines are planned in advance, the banter and discussion the hosts pursue is claimed as being ad lib and only the opinions of the hosts, While the show is dominated by the subjects, (The show only allows callers to comment on the current subject.) the 9-10AM hour of every Friday is known as "Last Call", and allows callers to call in to discuss any subject.
The show often relies on input from its local listening audience. In addition to the call-in portion, Armstrong and Getty will read selected mail
Snail mail
Snail mail or smail is a dysphemistic retronym—named after the snail with its slow speed—used to refer to letters and missives carried by conventional postal delivery services. The phrase refers to the lag-time between dispatch of a letter and its receipt, versus the virtually instantaneous...
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
messages, and have recently added an experimental text message phone number in an effort to gauge the audience reaction to subjects much more efficiently.
The Hosts
(This section deals with the radio identities of Armstrong & Getty, and mostly attests to information given during broadcast.)Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty have stated in the past that their names are actually pseudonyms. Also, they have stated that their radio personalities, while similar and based on their own personalities, are very different than their real-world selves.
Jack Armstrong is divorced once, and recently married to his wife Laura. He also has a son named Sam and another unborn son on the way. He often speaks of living out in the countryside and owning a large patch of land he has dubbed "Rube Hollar", the largest goat farm (with over 10,000 goats) in the tri-state area, which neighbors many lesser farms. Joe Getty is married to his wife, Judy, and has 3 children. He often speaks of his living in his suburb, dubbed "Caucasian Acres."
Politically, Both Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty heavily and openly lean towards libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
views, going as far as to say "there is almost issue where I wouldn't accept the libertarian argument". Both hosts have come out as being against both the Democrat and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
parties, and have stated that a two-party system
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
does not appear to work. They have also expressed support for the Tea Party movement
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
, and regularly advocate stricter illegal-immigration laws.
During their show's broadcast, Jack and Joe claim to be both humorists and amateur sociologists, which they style as "entormation", (a portmanteau of Information and Entertainment)
Joe plays guitar and sings in his band, Joe Getty and the Dead Flowers. They released a debut CD in 2009, as well as having a documentary produced about them, and play in various venues around the Northern California area. Jack formerly played the guitar for his band, The Painkillers, but due to personal circumstances, he has decided to vacate his position in the band.
Controversy
Armstrong and Getty have come under fire — even approaching the point of forced-resignation — for multiple reasons in their past years on-air. Protest groups, progressive organizations, and even a sitting mayor attempted to run the duo out of town. Legal troubles have also visited the Armstrong and Getty studio.Diversity war
Armstrong and Getty fought off "media censorship" in August, 2000, after Time magazine had published an article on diversityMulticulturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
. The article reported on Sacramento as being the most diverse city in America, and used very approbative
Approbative
In linguistics, approbatives are words or grammatical forms that denote a positive affect; that is, they express the appreciation or approval of the speaker. Sometimes a term may begin as a pejorative word and eventually be adopted in an approbative sense. In historical linguistics, this phenomenon...
language along with much more editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
izing than fact-based news to compile the article.
During Armstrong and Getty's broadcast, shortly after the article was released, the duo had lampooned the article's approach to the subject, stating the article had used editorial terminology, "touchy-feely" language, and little factual information to support the thesis of the article. They went on to point out that diversity also may have negative impact on certain societal aspects, when it occurs under some circumstances..
After that broadcast, Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Heather Fargo
Heather Fargo
Heather Fargo is a former Mayor and former City Council Member of Sacramento, California. She was sworn in as Mayor in November 2000, replacing Jimmie Yee, and served until December 2008, when she was replaced by Kevin Johnson.-Early life and education:Heather Fargo grew up in Davis, Santa Maria,...
of Sacramento was allegedly "mad to hear the show denigrating that distinction (regarding Times honoring Sacramento)" and used connections with the Capital Unity Council to start bombarding the show's producers with e-mails, and used other public channels to rally support for the cause of censuring these controversial comments, and shutting down the show.
Public arguments on both the side of Armstrong-and-Getty and Heather Fargo ensued, which culminated in the radio hosts' broadcasting live from the Capital City Hall steps the following Monday. As the contention resolved, the popularity of the show and the actions of support by the producers insured the duo's career through this event.
Lifting calls
On July 28, 2010, Armstrong and Getty were tipped off by a listener that a fellow radio talk show host, Doug StephanDoug Stephan
Doug Stephan is an American radio talk show personality and hosts the nationally syndicated Doug Stephan's Good Day.-Radio Programs:Doug Stephan's Good Day is a "call-in" and interview show airing live Monday through Saturday featuring a fast paced format covering variety of topics...
, had been stealing audio material from the Armstrong and Getty show, editing the audio, and using it in his show in an attempt to portray it as if he is speaking to their caller.
During that same broadcast, Armstrong and Getty were able to speak to Douglas Stephan, himself, regarding the plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
that appeared evident upon comparison of the duo's show content and Douglas Stephan's "callers" some days later. Stephen never admitted to the allegations, but apologized, saying that the calls were misplaced and accidentally played on his Good Day show.
Plagiarizing of owned, private-works material is copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
and illegal. The subject is still developing and a legal resolution has not yet taken place, if at all. According to the hosts, they are not personally offended at the infringement; however, after the interview of Stephan, Armstrong and Getty were dissatisfied with the challenging host's attitude.
Notable Facts
In September 2008, both Armstrong and Getty were named to Sacramento Magazines 100 Most Powerful and Influential list.Armstrong and Getty have had quite a few well-known guests and have interviewed such figures as California Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, State Senator Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock
Thomas Miller McClintock II is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Assemblyman and state Senator...
, former Ambassador to the United Nations
United States Ambassador to the United Nations
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
John R. Bolton
John R. Bolton
John Robert Bolton is an American lawyer and diplomat who has served in several Republican presidential administrations. He served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations from August 2005 until December 2006 on a recess appointment...
, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan
Alan Greenspan is an American economist who served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve of the United States from 1987 to 2006. He currently works as a private advisor and provides consulting for firms through his company, Greenspan Associates LLC...
, former lobbyist Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff
Jack Abramoff is an American former lobbyist and businessman. Convicted in 2006 of mail fraud and conspiracy, he was at the heart of an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of White House officials J. Steven Griles and David Safavian, U.S. Representative Bob Ney, and nine...
.
Additionally the duo has become popular as emcees for various events in Northern California, participating in "The Great Debate" between Willie Brown
Willie Brown (politician)
Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served over 30 years in the California State Assembly, spending 15 years as its Speaker, and afterward served as the 41st mayor of San Francisco, the first African American to do so...
and Ed Schultz
Ed Schultz
Edward Andrew "Ed" Schultz Is an American television and radio host and a liberal political commentator . He is the host of The Ed Show, a daily news talk program on MSNBC, and The Ed Schultz Show, a talk radio show, nationally syndicated by Dial Global, promising "straight talk."-Early...
,and opening for a few of political commentator Michael Savage
Michael Savage (commentator)
Michael Savage is a conservative American radio host, author, and political commentator. He is the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show that airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
's live shows.
In October 2011, Armstrong & Getty began rallying support for the charity organization Fischer House
Fischer House
The Fischer House is a historic mansion in downtown Austin, Texas, USA, completed in 1882. Its builder, Joseph Fischer, was a prominent mason in Austin at the time, and its bold high Victorian era, Italianate architecture and ornamentation reflect his family's skill in the trade.The home is located...
. During a promotional period of approximately eleven days, the show alone was able to raise over $350,000 in listener donations, a sum which even the charity-founder Zachary Fisher
Zachary Fisher
Zachary Fisher was a prominent Jewish American philanthropist in the New York real estate community and a major philanthropic benefactor for the men and women in the United States Armed Forces and their families, as well as numerous other not-for-profit organizations.He founded the Fisher House...
spoke of as "incredible".