Case study on pissing off your users

This post has nothing to do with higher education specifically, but its a perfect example of an idea that has been discussed on a lot of the blogs lately: paying attention to what your users on saying to you and about you online.

I'm a big talk radio person and, because I'm a staunch liberal, my station of choice until recently was Air America. My two favorite hosts are Sam Seder and Randi Rhodes. A few weeks back, Randi did a stand-up comedy routine at a club where she said a few not-so-nice things about HIllary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. If you are interested, here is the video of the appearance:



A few days after the event, Randi was pulled off the air and the following comment was released:



And thus the shit storm began for Air America. One of the dangers of implementing true Web 2.0 strategies on your website is, of course, giving your users some level of freedom in talking back to you (and if you insist on approving comments before they are posted, you come across as completely disingenuous). One thing I will commend Air America on is not shutting off their comments after receiving hundreds upon hundreds of them against the companies decision. Right now, there are over 750 comments in regards to this comment alone. Here are a few samples:

Suspend Rhodes, reduce your flagging listenership

Do you really think Clout and Lionel are why people listen to AAR? Really? You do? No honest, you do?

Time was when you had some serious people on the network. That's been pared down to Hartman, Rhodes, and Maddow. Now, Rhodes is gone. Two real hosts in 24 hours? You have to be kidding.

Your line up has been dripping talent for two years. My local station's decision to go to 24/7 Hispanic high school sports was prophetic. No, really, I am not exaggerating. That is what happened to a station you lost. And now I don't blame them like I used to.

Air America Cowardice

First it was Mike Malloy and now it is Randi Rhodes. I once had high hopes that we would finally have an AM station to counter the likes of Limbaugh and Hannaty. It is obvious that you do not want to hear any criticism of Hillary Clinton because she is obviously your favorite candidate. Randi did not use the kind of language for which you criticize her on the air. She spoke in front of a San Francisco audience that already knew how she felt about Clinton and i'll bet none of them were offended. Having followed the career of Hillary Clinton, I am totally in accord with every word that Randi spoke. You are cutting off your collective noses to spite your face and I am really sorry not only for Randi but for all of us who will turn off Air America.

End Randi's suspension

Start thinking like an American and not a supporter of any candidate.
Your feelings about Obama and Hillary have nothing to do with what has happened to Randi. This situation goes way beyond this campaign.

Randi made comments at a private function. She did not make these comments over the air. She did not violate any FCC rules or regulations. Her employer has now suspended her for comments she made in her private life.

Do you think its appropriate for an employer to punish an employee for something she did in her private life? How much control do you want to hand over to employers? Is Freedom of Speech only guaranteed for those people that you agree with? Is that the kind of society you want to live in?

I do not want to live in that kind of society. I implore Air America to do the right thing and bring back Randi Rhodes to the airwaves. As a progressive media outlet, AAR is undermining its own credibility with this move.

I Will Never Listen to Air America Again...

I was a daily listener of 3 shows on your station, Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes, and Lionel.

I can no longer listen to your network and will now browse blogs, web sites, and try to pick up Nova M Radio somehow? Does anyone know if they broadcast via web or satellite?

I'm honestly through with Air America, as their actions are no better than Faux News Channel.

Shame on you. Good luck trying to keep up membership after this Air UnAmerican act.

RIP Air America new

Mr. Kireker's statement is a lie. Randi's appearance was not sponsored by Air America, there were no AAR banners at the venue, AAR did not pay Randi's expenses, the local station and its local sponsors paid. Affiliates are not owned by AAR, they are not controlled by AAR, they are not beholden to AAR. Yes, I was there and I asked.

Whether the decision was driven by the newbie Mr. Kireker or by the clueless idiot Mark Green doesn't matter, it reeks of incompetence. The decision to "suspend" Randi was groundless and the longer she is off the air, the longer Air America is without its flagship product. AAR is going to begin losing affiliates, just like they lost their morning and mid-day slots in NYC a couple of weeks ago.
Sadly, Mr. Kireker's investment is headed down the drain and so is Air America. Thankfully, there are options and alternatives for all of the remaining talent to move to new syndications or networks. Maddow will probably move full time to MSNBC relatively soon, Rhodes and Hartmann will move to NovaM or direct syndication. Without those three, there isn't much left for AAR. The affiliates will decide, not Kireker/Green.

RIP AirAmerica

You can read more of the comments to this particular release on their website.  But it gets better.  About a week after the suspension, we all received this news:

Turns out Randi decided to bail and was immediately picked up by Nova M radio. As soon as this news came out, premium members started canceling their memberships left and right to move over to Nova M's premium program (full disclose, I was one of them). Here are some comments to this post (there are now well over 800, which can be viewed here):

Play Taps For Air America

YOU ARE TO IMMEDIATLY ORDERED TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION - TODAY!
WITHOUT RANDI THIS NETWORK IS NOTHING BUT DEAD AIR.
I AM CALLING MY CREDITCARD COMPANY, AS I WRITE, AND NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH ORGANIZATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.
SubwayEd

Another genious move

Unfiltered - Cancelled
Morning Sedition - Cancelled much to the chagrin of 4000+ petitioners and me in particular
So What Else is News - Cancelled
Majority Report - Cancelled
The Sam Seder Show - Cancelled
The Marc Maron Show - Cancelled
Malloy - Cancelled
Randy Rhodes - Suspended for expressing an opinion off the air
The hits just keep on coming.

What a crock. Way to go AAR

What a crock. Way to go AAR mgt. That's for ruining it. I for one will follow Randi where ever she goes and have already called my local station to express my feelings on this. You messed up your highest rated show? Wow! So long gerks.

Not only that, but her new station actually dedicated a message board to former Air America listeners that were making the switch:

But the fun doesn't stop there!  Here's some background: Sam Seder use to be on 5 days a week until a year ago, when Air America booted him to bring in a "celebrity" host Lionel.  This move pissed A LOT of people off - if you ever want tips on how to bring people together in a community online, Sam Seder is the guy you look too and he has quite a cult following built up (I plan on doing a post on this sometime in the future, but in the meantime check out www.samsedershow.com.  This guy really gets it).  Sam had been filling in for Randi for the past week or so and when news came that she quit, many listeners got very excited at the prospect of Sam taking over the spot on a full time basis.  Instead, they make the brilliant move of offering celebrity guest hosts for a month: 

And, predictably, this announcement was followed up by many more angry comments (view all the comments here):

lots of anger in the comments here

I just want to say that Sam does really good radio. He is as funny as Randi and as smart as Thom. He should be given his own slot daily and I will listen every day. Sam is beginning to get national recognition for his work and has written a wonderful book Fubar. He also is technically very good as a radio show host exhibiting finesse, brilliance and humor. I will miss Randi, but most of all I miss the Air America Radio that I started with in the very beginning with Al, Morning Sedition(the best show on radio). I don't listen to Lionel(too boring and egotistical), I love Thom and Rachel, but Sam is my favorite. He makes personal contact with us in a very kind way from his Sammy cam/im format which solidifies a very loyal following.

I just finished canceling my subscription and now will get my podcast free from
http://www.progressivetalk1150.com/cc-common/podcast.html

Air america needs to figure out an effective business plan and must understand that disloyalty to someone like Sam Seder will yield disloyalty from previous very loyal fans.

Sam deserves a daily show and if he does not get it here, he will get it somewhere else.

Umm, I'm so excited about the new lineup that I cancelled

my subscription. You idiots have lost me for good. I'm taking my refund and moving over to Nova M.

The only candidate for that time slot should be Sam Seder, the best political talker out there.

The fact that you are unable to appreciate his talent tells me all I need to know about your management skills.

bad choice when are you folks going to figure out progressives

Sticking "TV stars" on the radio is not going to make people interested in Air America. Lets face it you need to find radio personalities. Randi Rhodes was a great progressive voice and yes I will be tuning in at Nova to listen to her. Your best replace choice was Sam Seder. I have heard Belzer on Real Time with Bill Maher and frankly not really that impressed. Lionel may have an audience but quite frankly since he replace Sam Seder I have tuned out. His show is lame I will not be renewing my subscription.

The thing that's so annoying

is the way these kinds of decisions are always sprung on the public without any warning or explanation, and apparently without any regard for what the listeners actually want. If Sam isn't going to be given this time slot, as he obviously should be, is it asking too much for AA to give us just a HINT as to the reasoning behind this decision? It's as if nobody at AA has even the slightest clue what it means to build a relationship with consumers. This bizarre obsession with secrecy and out-of-the-blue announcements of major (and often unpopular) changes aren't doing AA any favors....

So at this point, Air America is entering week 3 of pissing off their users by ignoring thousands of comments both online and from people who call in.  I can't IMAGINE how many premium memberships have been cancelled.  Besides being personally vested in this in wanting my favorite host on 5 days a week, I think its an absolutely fascinating case study in what happens when you completely ignore what your users want.  What a poor business decision.  Not only did it cost them the #1 rated liberal talk radio host in the industry to a competing network, but it also cost them what I bet amounts to thousands of dollars in premium memberships. If nothing else, at least its entertaining to watch.

Key Takeaways:
1) DON'T PISS OFF YOUR USERS! They will rebel against you and do everything they can to discredit your organization.
2) Keeping track of what your users are saying can keep you from making bad and costly business decisions.