Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

The Federal Communications Commission’s “Equal Time” clause has been invoked in the race for the Alabama’s First Congressional District, causing Rep. Jo Bonner to have his regular television show pulled from WKRG’s airwaves two months earlier than scheduled.

Bonner’s opponent, Democrat Vivian Beckerle, wrote a letter to WKRG May 26 complaining that running the show violates the FCC’s “equal time” clause, and presented Bonner with an unfair advantage. WKRG General Manager Joe Goleniowski agreed with Beckerle’s argument and agreed to drop Bonner’s show, “The Congressional Report,” immediately. The show normally runs Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Not only did KRG agree to suspend Bonner’s show until after the November election, but they offered Beckerle two 30-minute spots for her own “Congressional Report.” The first of those aired June 18 at 10 a.m. Goleniowski did not return a call asking for comment on the situation.

Bonner’s press secretary Nancy Wall said Congressional rules require the suspension of such shows 90 days prior to an election, which would have meant the “Congressional Report” would have gone off the air Aug. 6.

“Obviously this is WKRG’s decision,” Wall said. “We expected to be on the air until the blackout date.”

She says Bonner’s show has never been political in nature and usually features the Congressman interviewing someone on a topic he thinks will be of public interest. Recent shows have included Press-Register editor Mike Marshall and the director of the Wilmer House. Wall said one of the disappointments of having the show taken off the air so abruptly is that the last taped episode featured an interview with Mobile and Baldwin County emergency management officials talking about hurricane preparedness and what things had changed since last year.

“It had a lot of things people need to know. And that show was never aired,” Wall said.

Most members avail themselves of the Congressional studios in Washington to produce regular public affairs shows that give them a chance to address issues of interest in their home district or state. But because those shows are produced at taxpayer expense and run free-of-charge by stations broadcasting on public airwaves, the equal time provision can come into play. The equal time provision of the Communications Act requires radio and television stations and cable systems which originate their own programming to treat legally qualified political candidates equally when it comes to selling or giving away air time.

Wall says Bonner plans to resume the show after the election, provided, of course, that the voters of South Alabama are kind enough to return him to Washington. She also said no other local television stations have offered to run “The Congressional Report” in the interim.

Attempts to reach Beckerle before deadline were unsuccessful.

We’ve finally made it!

We were either pleased or disturbed (we’re not sure which) to note al.com, the bundled Web site for Alabama’s Newhouse-owned publications like the Press-Register and Birmingham News, included questions about Lagniappe in current survey that asks readers about where they get their news.

Usually the Newhousians just act like we don’t exist, but maybe since we scooped the Press-Register on their own recent name change, they’ve been forced to recognize!

But before we get too carried away, a quick perusal of al.com’s list of Mobile media still fails to list us among the city’s magazines, E-zines and newspapers. Sure, they mention the long-defunct Harbinger and all the local college newspapers, but not Mobile’s second-largest, fastest-growing and most-interesting publication.

Now, that’s more like it!

Radio numbers

It appears WKSJ has made a good comeback from a less-than-stellar ratings period last fall when it drew a 9.8 share, as the winter 2006 ratings landed the country music station a 13.3 share, according to radioandrecords.com, which carries a listing of Arbitron ratings. According to the published ratings, WKSJ led the Mobile market for winter of this year, followed by WDLT with a 9.4 share and WBLX with a 9.0 share.

The top five stations were rounded out with WMXC with a 7.4 share and WABB-FM with a 6.3 share. WRKH also scored a 6.3 share. Three of the top six stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications and two are owned by Cumulus. The only locally-owned in the top six is WABB.

Of the top 10 stations in the market, the biggest upward ratings move during the winter book was WTKX, which moved from a 3.2 share to a 4.4 share. The biggest fall was WGOK, the Cumulus-owned gospel station WGOK which fell from a 7.5 share in fall 2005 to a 5.1 share in winter of this year.

Barker staying

It seems WALA anchor/reporter Jeff Barker will be staying in the Port City after all. As reported in the last issue, Barker was considering a move to Texas. He tells us he has decided to stay at WALA and is happy to continue his work in this market.

Miller injured in accident

It seems former WKSJ afternoon deejay Rick Miller was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Kansas City a couple of weeks ago. Miller currently works at WDAF in Kansas City.

Local Clear Channel Radio employees were told Miller had suffered multiple injuries in the accident, including head injuries, some bleeding of the brain, a right eye injury, a broken index finger and fracture of his C7 vertibrae.

Miller worked at WKSJ for over five years and is still familiar to many listeners.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

Archives