Nope, not Dan Ra^ther. Not Mary Mapes. Seattle’s CBS affiliate radio station, KIRO-AM, has fired radio talk show host Brian Maloney for criticizing Ra^ther.

According to the Seattle P-I:

SEATTLE — A radio talk-show host said Saturday he has been fired for criticizing CBS newsman Dan Rather’s handling of challenges to the authenticity of memos about President Bush’s National Guard service.

“On the talk show that I host, or hosted, I said I felt Rather should either retire or be forced out over this,” said Brian Maloney, whose weekly “The Brian Maloney Show” aired for three years on KIRO-AM Radio, a CBS affiliate here.

Maloney says he made that statement on his Sept. 12 program. He was fired Friday, he said.

“What they have expressed is essentially that my show went in a direction they’re not comfortable with,” Maloney said.

KIRO Radio’s general manager, Ken Berry, did not return a call seeking comment. A staff member at the station said Berry would not comment because it is a personnel matter…

I knew Maloney when I was in Seattle–he was an earnest, straight-up guy. So sorry to hear he has gotten the ax while Ra^ther skates.

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