Jim Vicevich
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Jim Vicevich is a radio talk show host based in Connecticut, USA. His show "Sound Off Connecticut" deals with local, as well as national topics ranging from politics, economics and social issues, to movies and music. Vicevich, a self-labeled social libertarian and political conservative, often frames his commentary between bumper-music from upstart country music performers.
[edit] "Sound Off Connecticut"
Jim's show invites phone calls from listeners from throughout the Connecticut, areas to discuss the topics of the day. Additionally, "Sound Off Connecticut" has a special episode each Friday called "Free-For-All Friday" where listeners are invited to phone in and discuss almost any topic.
Starting in 2005, WTIC News/Talk 1080, the radio station which broadcasts "Sound Off Connecticut" started offering a free internet stream of its programing from its website, www.wtic.com. This feature has started to broaden Jim Vicevich's listening base.
In addition to taking calls from listeners, "Sound Off Connecticut" also features frequent interviews with political pundits, activists, lobbyists, and elected officials. Repeat interviewees over the years have included Connecticut governors John Rowland and M. Jodi Rell, Power Line blogger John Hinderaker, several members of the Heritage Foundation, and conservative columnists Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, and Walter E. Williams. Each Friday, Jim has a standing appointment with film critic Russ "Mr. MovieFone" Leatherman to discuss opinions on current and upcoming movies.
His views are very conservative, pro-Iraq war, pro-military and anti-Democrat Party. In 2007 he strongly opposed efforts by Governor Rell, a Republican, to raise the state income tax. He frequently has members of the CT National Guard on his program to discuss the Iraq War and its local reaction.
Vicevich resides in Avon, Connecticut; part of the 5th District. With the 2006 defeat of Congresswomen Nancy Johnson some posters at Connecticut Local Politics have suggested Vicevich could be a future candidate for this congressional seat.
[edit] Professional History
After graduating with an economics degree from Bucknell University in 1974 and earning his master's degree from Boston University in 1977, Vicevich started his broadcast career at WTKR-TV in Norfolk, Virginia where his comprehensive coverage of the state's economy earned him the Associated Press Douglas Southall Freeman Award for outstanding journalism. In 1980, he moved to Connecticut to become the business editor for WFSB-TV, the local CBS affiliate, and later for NBC affiliate WVIT-TV. He went on to join CPTV in 1996 as a producer for an hour-long news magazine show entitled "Connecticut Journal" which covered state businesses and topics of personal finance, and took over as the anchor of the show in 1999. Over the years, he has earned a total of six Emmy nominations.
On April 2, 2006, Vicevich opened "Sound Off Connecticut" by briefly discussing the start of his journalistic career. After Diane Smith, another WTIC talkshow host, mentioned that her own television news station used to draw lots to assign reporters to work weekends, Vicevich lightheartedly replied, "You know, a lot of people think I became a business reporter because I really liked business. The truth is that I knew it was a Monday-to-Thursday gig; they can't make the business reporter work weekends!"
Jim Vicevich also founded Vicevich Interactive, a small business based in Simsbury, Connecticut which specialized in producing multimedia content on VHS, CD-ROM, and the internet via Macromedia Shockwave and Macromedia Flash content. His products have earned him four national Telly awards for excellence in corporate video.
Today, in addition to the responsibilities of his show "Sound Off Connecticut," Jim works full-time as a financial advisor for The Advest Group, a consulting firm based in Hartford, Connecticut where he helps run their "Financial Education Solutions" program.
