Friday, September 29, 2006
Frustrated by the lack of diversified talk shows on local radio, a group of women convinced Clear Channel to bring Air America Radio to the capital city last summer. But it could be gone soon.
Broadcast on AM 1380, Air America offers alternative views, with hosts like Al Franken, Jerry Springer and Randi Rhodes. Vicki Lancaster, Marty Martin, Adrienne Zetty, Rosary Beck, Barbara Nielsen and Virginia Grenier lobbied to bring Air America Radio to the capital city.
“So many people are listening to right-wing talk radio and Fox News and getting a very slanted view of what’s going on,” said Nielsen. “Instead it seems people are being spoon-fed what they want to hear.”
But now the women say they fear the station’s format could change as early as next year. Clear Channel is proposing a station swap with another company, Pamal Broadcasting. A cursory check of Pamal’s holdings finds its stations don’t include much talk radio, and then only conservative-oriented shows. Obviously, the women are worried Air American will be kaput.
WPYR Station Manager Matt Kennedy didn’t return 225’s calls. “If it’s pulled from programming,” Zetty said, “it’s our hope there will be an outcry.”
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