Vice City Public Radio (VCPR) is a radio station featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Despite its name, one of the presenters mentions that VCPR broadcasts nationwide.
VCPR is one of two stations in Vice City not represented in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Soundtrack Box Set, the other being K-Chat.
GTA Vice City
In GTA Vice City, VCPR features one show, Pressing Issues, a topical discussion program hosted by Maurice Chavez (voiced by Philip Anthony-Rodriguez), with supervisors Jonathan Freeloader (Patrick Olsen) and Michelle Montanius (Kelly Guest). Along with KCHAT, the other talk radio station in the game, VCPR was not released as part of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack.
Chavez's name and voice suggest that he is of Cuban origin, and he becomes irritated when his name is pronounced incorrectly. His tone of voice and mannerisms imply that he is always angry or irritated about something, he makes sarcastic remarks and treats other guests like a jerkass. His short temper becomes evident during his interviews, he loses his patience when his guests don't "press the issue," and even hits one of his guests, Jeremy Robards, with a paperweight.
In one edition of his program, he is held at gun-point by the power-crazed Pastor Richards, but he survives through quick thinking, street smarts (he tells Pastor Richards he is in control and is the boss, something that they recommend during real life assaults so as to escape from the situation alive) and flattery.
Chavez is oblivious to the fact he is commonly downgraded by Jonathan Freeloader and Michelle Montanius, the announcers at VCPR who call him a "useless, talentless asshole". Over the course of several editions of the show, it is learned that Chavez made a living as "Sal, the Wheat-Free Clown" circa 1980, an occupation that earned him less than $2000 a year. Around the same time, he also tried to become a movie star, and despite going up for 17 auditions that year, he only got a job as a fluffer in a sex education video. He became so desperate that he even considered a sex change at one point. However, according to GTA Vice City Stories, he was rescued by Montanius and in return he got her pregnant. It is implied that she became part of the main VCPR crew not long after, and her pregnancy would account for her abrasive behavior to Chavez.
Freeloader is probably a reference to the website Freeloader.com, which at one point offered "light" versions of the Original Grand Theft Auto 1 as well as Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 (without in-game music), but later moved them to a paid subscription service. It currently offers Grand Theft Auto 2 as part of its free subscription service, though full versions of both GTA 1 and GTA 2 are now offered as free downloads from 'Rockstar Classics'.
Also, there are the frequent donation drives by Montanius and Freeloader, who between shows beg for support money (as VCPR is a public show, it relies on donations) and try to make the listener feel as guilty as possible about listening to, yet not supporting Public Radio. Obviously, this is a parody of actual public radio stations in the United States like NPR.
GTA Vice City Stories
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, VCPR features a variety of radio programs that satirize American culture, such as Bait and Switch, in which features vietnam war veteran rednecks, and New World Order, which satirizes bellicose racists, The Time Ranger, which shows typical American hypocrisy, and Gordon Moorehead Rides Again, satirizes American hypocrisy during the cold war. Just like LCFR in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, VCPR would move on to feature just one show by 1986 - Pressing Issues. Like 1986, the chatter and pledge drives are still run by Freeloader and Montanius, after many major missions VNN news will interupt any radio show to play the news.
Radio Shows broadcasted on VCPR
- Pressing Issues - public affairs program hosted by Maurice Chavez; Only VCPR program to appear in both Vice City and Vice City Stories.
- Bait and Switch - fishing show taped at the Vice City Boat and Sports Show, hosted by Larry Joe and Bobbie Ray.
- New World Order - Foreign affairs program hosted by Dwayne Thorn.
- The Time Ranger - Re-run of a fictional radio program that originally aired in 1938.
- Gordon Moorehead Rides Again - Re-run of a fictional radio program that originally aired in the late 1940s.
Gallery
Video
Trivia
- The first thing one listens in VCPR when one starts GTA Vice City and tunes into VCPR, is a break where the supervisors appeal listeners for 10% of their income, halfway through the Public Safety interview.
- Much like Rise FM from Grand Theft Auto III, this radio station and K-Chat were left behind when remastering for the PC version of GTA Vice City occured, so all other stations have high quality, while VCPR & K-Chat are of lower quality. Differences between VCPR, K-Chat and other stations are audible.
See Also
- Chatterbox FM, a talk station in GTA III.
- K-Chat, a talk station in GTA Vice City.
- West Coast Talk Radio (WCTR), a talk station in GTA San Andreas and GTA V.
- Liberty City Free Radio (LCFR), a talk station in GTA Liberty City Stories.
- Public Liberty Radio (PLR), a public talk station in GTA IV.
- WKTT Radio, a talk station in GTA IV and GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
- Integrity 2.0, a talk station in GTA IV and GTA Episodes From Liberty City.
- Blaine County Radio, a public talk station in GTA V.
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