The Chairman to host Lansing-based WGOP

In case you missed my post over at MichiganLiberal, you maybe shocked to find out that a Lansing-based radio station has flushed it's journalistic ethics right down the toliet.

WJIM 1240 AM and it's morning show host, Michael Patrick Shiels has offered the host's chair to none other than MI Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis himself. According to Anuzis' so-called blog (it's the Republican version, so no one's allowed to comment besides The Chairman himself) he'll be hosting the show which runs from 5:30 am to 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. He also brags about his featured guests, Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove, and yes you read that correctly, the evil dark overlord of dirty republican tactics himself will be on. In my circles, we call that noise pollution.

Radio stations are licensed and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which are paid for with our tax dollars. As a wise commenter posted this thought -

Unless an elected official, there's no reason why publicly-owned airwaves should be used to the advantage of a single political party. Licensees should be serving the greater public good, not just a narrow band of consumers. It's not as if the publicly-owned airwaves aren't already overwhelmingly controlled by a single political ideology, but a single political party?

One might even think that a station's licensing should be evaluated for this kind of behavior.

They're right. It shouldn't matter if this was a Democratic party official or Republican like The Chairman. Public airwaves are just that, and last time I checked, we don't have to be force-fed any kind of propaganda.

If you'd like to protect Lansing's airwaves from blatant ethical and regulatory violations, file a complaint with the FCC here, and tell WJIM to stop their switch to WGOP here.

Local Talk Radio Moves Up and Left

Several months ago, I mentioned the emergence of a local self-labeled liberal AM talk radio show host, Jack Ebling and his show "Ebling and You" here in the Lansing area.

Since it's launch last November, Ebling's show on 1320 WILS has been moving along quite nicely. The station's owner, MacDonald Broadcasting is rumored to be a little more to the right of the political spectrum, and that's not a far stretch given that the majority of the show's programming is syndicated conservative talk radio, Laura Ingram, Neil Boortz, and other names that pain this liberal to utter.

Since the start of July, a new "lefty" talk radio host has been added to the line up, and it's a welcome addition.

Walt Sorg, who's been a part of this community for over 40 years, hosts AM Lansing on WILS from 6 - 9 a.m. Sorg's show has shown a surprisingly strong line-up these first four weeks of it's existence. I enjoy that Walt's show has a solid focus on the local issues that affect us.

Don't be fooled. Sorg's past experience in Communications with the Blanchard Administration hasn't left him too soft. I tuned in the other morning to hear Sorg go toe-to-toe with the Notorious Tim Walberg, supposed Congressman from the 7th District. For a full line-up, visit Sorg's blog each day.

Sorg doesn't preach his own opinions, rather he asks the tough questions and allows listeners to form their own views. It's nice switch to be treated like an intelligent listener, as opposed to most talk radio today that just preaches rhetoric.

With MacDonald Broadcasting undergoing a $1 Million + expansion with its towers making it one of the strongest AM stations in the state, Sorg and Ebling could make a huge dent on public airwaves. Best part is, there's an opportunity here for all of us to help out.

Broadcasting is only as good as it's hosts, and they can't stay on air without sponsorship. I imagine that advertising rates before the station's expansion will be quite competitive, after an inquiry directly to the station, I discovered that these reasonable rates will be grandfathered in as the station grows.

Let's face it, the Internet's not the only place to help shape the minds of millions. Just because the Conservatives have dominated the airwaves for so long doesn't mean that we can't be a part of the changing tide.

Whether it's listening, advertising, or both, consider investing in progressive radio here in Mid-Michigan. Don't you deserve your kind of radio?

The Liberals start to Chip Away at Talk Radio

I've always said that the Conservatives own Talk Radio and the Liberals own the Internet. This week's article in the City Pulse, Jack Ebling: Sportswriter turned lonely liberal radio host just might start to change that opinion.

Trying to find a liberal viewpoint on AM radio in Lansing is like trying to nail gelatin to a wall. It’s pretty much impossible.

Thankfully, it's starting to get a little easier, thanks to 1320 AM host Jack Ebling. It's quite the story about Ebling and his road to radio, spurred by his own dedication to the community.

Growing up in Redford Township, he saw the racism and riots in Detroit in the late ‘60s, recalling how his father would sit on the porch with a shotgun at night.

He wound up rooming with a black militant at MSU and began taking part in Vietnam War protests. An injury at one of those halted Ebling’s ability to play football, which led him to pursue coaching and teaching.

But from the protests and civil rights struggles Ebling witnessed grew a social agenda that he still adheres to, one that revolves around equal opportunities, social programs that provide to the needy, the importance of political involvement and a desire to give back to the community. The latter reason was a driving factor in creating the show.

“I care more about the common good than individual greed,” he says. “I can make a difference here.”

While I'm not sure I agree with reporter Benjamin Ray's description of "lonely liberal", it's a great article about a good man. Be sure to check it out for the full scoop.

Of course, Ebling's not the only guy from the left on local talk radio. First Gentleman Dan Mulhern now has his own show on 1240AM WJIM Monday - Friday from 6pm to 7pm. The show is a great addition to his new book - Everyday Leadership. Be sure to listen in, and call in with your thoughts.

I'm a big fan of Ebling and Mulhern, and I can only hope that we continue to see more of them and others here in Lansing and around the state.