Pledge To Call WABE And Ask… May I Have Some Better Programming, Please M’aam?

So WABE’s Fall Pledge Drive has begun. Thus I’m listening to Neal Boortz… for as long as I can take it, which should be about as long as I can take Pledge Drive blather. Then it’s on to Voice of the Arts 1690 WMLB, but that wonderful station is owned by Joe Weber, who taketh away with the other hand by polluting our AM airwaves daily with ‘wingnut, hate-monger shows on his other station, AM 1160 – Atlanta News Talk.

What’s a morning radio gal gonna do? Listen to Radio Paradise on the Internets is what I’m gonna go do. But in the meantime, please join the Facebook Group 6 Hours A Day = 6 Too Many to support a call-out to (again… public radio) WABE for more diverse public programming in the morning. Six hours a day of only classical is just way too damn much classical.

Tips and tricks for what to do and what to say when you call in to WABE during pledge drive are here. And pasted below. From an anonymous WABE insider:

After Morning Edition goes off the air and we start broadcasting classical music, our listenership numbers go into the toilet. But, ironically, it is these loyal few listeners who support the station. And in a BIG way. Unfortunately, until people start being more vocal with their demand for more news/current affairs programming, and making sure the management realizes the money attached, things will not change. Not supporting the station is the wrong thing to do. When pledge comes up, call in and donate–but donate a SMALL amount, even if just a few dollars. Be sure to say that if your voice was heard, and there was more news (local and NPR), you would gladly give more. Believe me, if even just a handful of people do this, the highers-up will take note.

We all do what we can. Right? Right.

Johnny Carson – Midnight Joker and Toker?

From a (mercifully short and to-the-point) AM1160 press release. Even moreso once I got a’holt of it. Mercifully short of “credibility” issues too:

Counter-culture comedy icons Cheech & Chong pay a visit to “The Pop Culture King” show at 8 p.m. Friday and again on Sunday at noon on AM 1690 (Atlanta) “The Voice of the Arts”. The station will also be airing portions of the interview throughout the week leading up to the show and the duo’s appearance at the Tabernacle on Sept. 26.

Host Jon Waterhouse spoke with Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong about their beginning, blending music with comedy and stepping back onstage together after more than 25 years apart. Marin and Chong also chat about their cult following and some exposure they didn’t receive.

“We never did get on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson. That’s because we shared the same dealer, and Johnny didn’t want us to blow his cover,” jokes Chong.