Thursday, October 15, 2015

Atlanta Radio: Host Suspended For Recycling Interview












UPDATE 2PM FRIDAY 10/16: Steve McCoy has been fired by WYAY. Click Here for latest developments.

Postings from Thursday 10/15/15....

Atlanta WYAY 106.7 FM morning host Steve McCoy who interviewed Donald Trump on his show said he was told by Trump representatives that he was not allowed to ask questions about policy.

But, reports Politico,  a lawyer for the Trump campaign said that the interview appears to be an old one, conducted well before Trump declared a presidential run, and that radio host Steve McCoy re-ran the interview apparently without adding that necessary context. The exact date that the interview took place wasn't clear.

In the interview, McCoy is heard asking Trump about self-funding his campaign and whether he “plans to watch the debate tonight” to which Trump answered “I do not.” (Trump live-tweeted the debate.) During the show, McCoy said Trump representatives told him he could not ask any questions about policy because they were not yet “set in stone,” and that the representatives had the power to “x out any questions.”

BuzzFeed, which first reported on the radio interview, interviewed McCoy, who reportedly told the site that the interview was conducted this week.

The Trump campaign issued the following statement:
"This interview did not take place. It is a fraud and/or a spoof. The Trump campaign has never communicated with this man. 
He said Mr. Trump spoke to him yesterday prior to the debate- Mr. Trump never spoke to him yesterday or any day before that," Trump campaign spokesperson Hope Hicks said in a statement. "The radio host admitted it was a fraud to our attorney, apologized and he is now hiding and not returning anyone’s call. 
This is representative of the dishonesty Mr. Trump faces from the media."
There has been no comment from McCoy or WYAY.
11AM UPDATE:  McCoy has been suspended and was off the air Thursday as management investigates. Market manager Sean Shannon said they are still trying to ascertain what exactly occurred. 
  2PM UPDATE:  McCoy's name seems to be missing as a listed Show from the WYAY wesbite. 
 4PM UPDATE: NewsRadio 106.7 morning host Steve McCoy told Buzzfeed today that yes, he did “recycle” an old interview of Donald Trump Tuesday. McCoy said as a result of his decision, he has been suspended but didn’t say how long.

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