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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

WICO - Has the Tilghman Times Been Handed a Monopoly on Local News?

Driving down Route 13 yesterday, I almost jumped for joy when I first heard that WICO was also broadcasting on 92.5 FM, as well as 1320 AM.  This was something that I had been hoping for for years since I usually can't hear Bill Reddish south of the Rt. 13 by-pass or west of Mardela.  For the first time I was able to hear my favorite radio station all the way to Pocomoke.  I was genuinely thrilled, until I got back to my office and checked out Delmarva Broadcasting's new web site for "Delmarva's Talk Stations" (nice website BTW).

If you look at their new schedule, you'll see something pretty shocking - all local programming has been stripped from the schedule.  No Reddish.  With the exception of 1 hour, twice a month on WSDL, there will no longer be any local news (except what gets read from the Tilghhman Times), no local interviews, nothing.

If this schedule holds, the Tilghman Times has just been handed a virtual monopoly on local news coverage.  You'll get some local coverage from WBOC and WMDT at the dinner hour.  Don Rush will continue (hopefully) to give us those two hours a month on his Delmarva Today program.  That's it!

With one week to go until Salisbury's elections, we should all be demanding MORE, not less, local programming.  With the new, larger, footprint of WICO we should be hearing citizens and officials from Somerset and Worcester counties, as well as Wicomico.

Do you want to only receive local news sanctioned (and seemingly written) by Barrie Tilghman and her pals?  If not, call Joe Edwards at Delmarva Broadcasting and DEMAND the local content we not only need, but deserve.  You can reach Joe at (410) 219-3500 or email him at jedwards@dbc1.com.


10 comments:

Daddio said...

I welcome some of the changes, as the programming on Max92.5 was getting quite stale and I had moved on to satellite when I was in the mood to listen to music.

I wonder what the ratings were for the "local" programming? While I did listen occasionally to the morning fare on 1320AM, much of it seemed repetitive.

Anonymous said...

Good Ole Boyz like to pull that kind of crap when they are pissed off and aren't going to get their way. That's why we got blogs Joe. Keep up the good work, I never listen to WICO anyway except a Reddish show.

If you combine many local blogs together as a whole resource, it slams the Daily Douche sswwwooosh right down da dwain. Bassett be lookin' like da Tidy Bowl Man about now ROFLMAO

Anonymous said...

Bill Reddish is a local gem, but the WICO station is owned and run by outsiders who could care less about Salisbury.

Anonymous said...

I move that we change the name from Tighlman Times to the Comegys Chronicle. Hopefully only for onem ore week.

Anonymous said...

After the idiotic TX program I heard this morning, Good Bye AM WICO!

Anonymous said...

What happened to the original 92.5 ? I enjoyed that station.Did they move or simply dissapear? They were one of the better radio stations in the area.

Two Sentz said...

Welcome to deregulated, corporate controlled radio. Clear Channel sucks.

Anonymous said...

What in the &%^#$()*~ was that on this morning instead of Reddish??
It was brain-numbing.
I hope he's just on a short vacation.

Here's to you, Bill!

Anonymous said...

Wanna bet that the local Power Elite -- Greater Salisbury Committee & Chamber of Commerce -- had a hand instirring this pot?

They like the status quo and want to see Gary replace Barrie as Mayor!

Anonymous said...

Clear Channel doesn't own the station.

Moron.