Rube Lomax vs. Steve Corbett

Recently, an anonymous gossip columnist and rube named Lomax calumniated talk-show host Steve Corbett of WILK Newsradio. Rube Lomax's column appeared in Electric City and Diamond City events newspapers, both publications of the Times Shamrock syndicate. Lomax's statements are obviously false and of a malicious nature. Corbett ought to sue Times Shamrock for libel, or otherwise the Times Shamrock corporation will continue its recent trend of yellow journalism.

Here is a portion of the Rube's column:

The local rumor mill is grinding that Scranton carpetbagger and WILK whiner Steve Corbett is trying hard to latch his wannabe star on a nationally syndicated FOX radio show through his worship of all things Sara Palin. Allegedly, he’s working to impress Greta Van Sustern [sic] via her husband John P. Coale, who worked locally on the Hillary Clinton campaign. Corbett became acquainted with Coale through the Rodham brothers (his good buddies and Hillary’s wearisome siblings) which is why he’s now got his sights on a national show, hence his lips on the derriere of all things Palin-related....Perhaps he and Caribou Barbie could team up together. Now that would make for some good talk radio.

To anyone unfamiliar with Steve Corbett this might seem possible. Thus, the column has the potential to destroy Corbett's reputation among many potential listeners of his program. However, the cloumn's statements are absurd to anyone who has listened to Corbett. First, he is quite the liberal and he's very feminist. He supported judicial candidate Tina Gartley partly because he believes women should have more representation in government. But during the election, Corbett also supported Palin/McCain because he saw through the fraudulent Obama.

In fact, not only do disenfranchised Hilary supporters such as Corbett oppose Obama, but many anti-corporatist liberals do too, like the Dennis Kucinich supporter who made the Obama joker picture.

Liberals such as Steve Corbett who oppose Obama are very dangerous for Obamaphiles like Rube Lomax because they hold all the same liberal values but yet see the Obaman Kommissar for the fraud that he is.

However, this Rube apparently wants to cast Steve Corbett as a conservative by associating him with FOX News--an obvious choice. The allegation is obviously fabricated. For one thing, FOX has it's pick of the creme de la creme of pundits, and no offense to Corbett, but he's no John Stossel or Glenn Beck. Futhermore, anyone who listens to Corbett knows that 99% of the time he talks about local NEPA news items--something FOX news could care less about. Why would Corbett discuss mostly local stuff if he wanted to "audition" for a national show?

As per the Times Shamrock Corporation's involvement, Corbett details how its officials treated him like garbage* when he confronted them about the libelous column. But this is not the first case of Times Shamrock affiliates overseeing politically malicious journalism. One of its papers, the Scranton Times, reportedly was VERY biased against conservative Bishop Martino, and one of its reporters, David Singleton, reported an unsubstatiated "threat" against then-candidate Obama at a Sarah Palin rally that nobody else present heard, including me.

As much as Rube Lomax may scowl at Corbett's frustration, his frustration is well-warrented. Corbett wrote the following on his blog:

As soon as I read the story Thursday in this week’s edition of “Diamond City” and “Electric City,” I went to Entercom Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Vice President/General Manager Ryan Flynn and told him the story was not true. I worried that he might think I am trying to cut a deal behind his back and find a way out of my contract and the commitment I have made to my community. I worried that he might think less of me the next time we negotiate my job if a false rumor plants a seed of doubt about my character.
I also worried that advertisers and listeners might not trust me anymore if they thought I was using the area as a stepping stone to another job.

Times-Shamrock vs. Entercom Communcations?
Despite Corbett's appeals to the T-S officials to pull the article, they have obstinantly refused to do so. It begs the question: Does the pro-Obama Times Shamrock ownership have something against Corbett? More specifically, T-S owns radio stations that compete with Entercom. Entercom operates WILK News radio on which Corbett's program airs. Corbett is their competitor...

Strangely enough, Rube Lomax gleefully pointed out on her/his/its Facebook page that Corbett's popularity has fallen since the election. She responed to a Corbet Supporter who asked whether she would appear on Corbett's show:

And boost his sagging ratings? Never. He's only carrying on so I'll talk to him to help pull his ratings out of the toilet...[He is] down from number one last summer to number four.. .behind Jumpin' Jeff, Doc Medek and Frankie Warren.

I believe Rube Lomax actively intends to ruin Corbett's reputation and thereby his listenership while she/he/it cowers behind her pseudonym.

Finally, anyone who listens to Corbett can attest to his honesty. He frequently tells callers not to spread rumors on his show. Many are grateful to Corbett for having publicized Luzerne/Lackawanna County corruption, but there are those who would like it to stay in the dark. There are also those who don't like Corbett from when he was a newspaper reporter. I must admit, of his prior newspaper days, I know little.

Public figures have to deal with lies. If Rush Limbaugh got upset over every lie and misrepresentation of what he said, he'd surely have died of it long ago. Corbett is also used to dealing with calumnies.

However, I like to stand up for people being lied about, and if you do too, boycott Times-Shamrock Communications or write them a letter denoting your displeasure with their yellow journalism.



*see Corbett's blogs:
Thanks for Listening
& Times Shamrock Only Makes it Worse