Libtalk Cancelled In Columbus Ohio, WTPG

ANOTHER ONE

Ohio Station Drops 'Progressive' Talk






*** Have a happy Christmas, thanks for your support! ***

As yet another station drops liberal talk radio for more successful programming, it seems even Christmas can't put a stop to this increasingly- common format switch.

This time, as WTPG radio in Columbus dumps Franken and Friends, it's an especially significant blow for "progressives", as Air America will be replaced by conservative programming!

Thanks to Ironman and Robert S in Columbus for their tips on this one.

From the Columbus Dispatch, here's the latest on WTPG's fate:

Station’s format to turn right

Tim Feran
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Liberal listeners in central Ohio will lose their only radio voice next month when WTPG (1230 AM) drops its format of "progressive talk" and makes a hard right turn.

Out: Al Franken, Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz and Randi Rhodes.

In: Michael Savage, Laura Ingraham and a mix of sports and consumer shows featuring Jim Rome and Dave Ramsey.

The station will change its call letters to WYTS on Monday; the new format will begin at 9 a.m. Jan. 9.

WYTS will be promoted as "the Talk Station in Central Ohio," said Bruce Collins, program director of Clear Channel Columbus stations WTPG and WTVN (610 AM).

"Whether it’s politics or sports, financial information or general advice, central Ohio listeners will have the opportunity to talk about it on Talk 1230," he said.

Most of the new shows have larger national audiences — and, therefore, promise higher local ratings and profits — than any in the previous lineup.

The progressive-talk format, in place at WTPG since September 2004, never took off here despite live broadcasts in Columbus by Franken, Miller and Schultz.

One of the main program suppliers, Air America Radio, filed for bankruptcy reorganization in October. Afterward, some affiliates — including one in Cincinnati also owned by Clear Channel — announced plans to drop the progressivetalk format.

In Savage and Ingraham, the station will have hosts familiar with controversy.

Savage was fired from a short-lived weekend TV show on MSNBC after referring to a caller as a "sodomite" and saying he should "get AIDS and die."

Ingraham raised a furor when she criticized reporters covering the Iraq war just two months after ABC anchorman Bob Woodruff and his cameraman were seriously injured.

Note the story's emphasis on pointing out the controversies behind WTPG's new conservative hosts. How about some background on the self- destructive flaps that helped to kill off Air America's talkers?

Fresh off their station- restoring victory in Madison, one wonders whether we can expect funeral processions and other protests from their fellow- travellers in Ohio. Stay tuned.


ELSEWHERE: one hundred years ago this evening, in Brant Rock, Marshfield, Massachusetts, the first voice radio broadcast occurred. Many ships at sea, some a thousand miles away or more, were said to have heard the transmission coming from Southeastern Massachusetts. Here's the story from the Yorkshire Post's Chris Bond.

In addition, at Marshfield's WATD- FM, the first broadcast was re- enacted yesterday.


Looking for gift ideas? It's not too late to send a gift certificate!

Your Amazon orders that begin with clicks here, regardless of what you ultimately select for purchase, greatly help to support this site's efforts.

Technorati tags: columbus ohio columbus liberal talk radio libtalk air america al franken brant rock first radio transmission marshfield massachusetts boston