BURKARD'S BLOG
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25 SEP 03: DIAMOND REFLECTIONS
Today is a big day for WRCG Radio, as the station celebrates 75 years on the air -- yet I'm puzzled about something. Why was it several years ago, the station marked its anniversary in May? Did someone there forget this year -- for four months?
WRCG-AM is marking its diamond anniversary with a three-hour "TalkLine" live from the Government Center. This alone shows how times have changed in Columbus. This never would have happened if Bobby Peters was still Mayor.
(The first hour of TalkLine should be quite interesting -- with people calling, asking where the final hour of Don Imus is.)
WRCG went on the air in 1928, under the call letters WRBL-AM. The ownership changed hands over the years - and only this year did the station decide finally to mend fences a little, and let WRBL meteorologists give the weather.
(Many explanations have been offered for why the station had the call letters WRBL. Yet I've never heard anyone mention the most obvious, politically incorrect reason - that we're in the South, and R-B-L is short for "rebel.")
For most recent years, WRCG was owned by the McClure family. Even the casual listener realized this - as Chuck McClure's "Emphasis" commentaries seemed to be on the air more than Rush Limbaugh was.
The McClures were obviously conservative, during their years owning WRCG - but even then, they were occasionally contradictory. Their on-air commentaries backed the Southern Baptist boycott of Disney. Yet when I asked Chuck McClure Junior about taking ABC's Paul Harvey off the air, he said that wouldn't happen. Money first, morality second....
When I first moved to Columbus, I became a regular listener to WRCG's "Morning Magazine." Doug Kellett and Scott Miller proved to be a good pairing - especially when Miller slipped in little slaps, like WRBL News's "Strike Three You're Out Team."
In the last year, of course, WRCG has made a major transition. Archway Broadcasting bought the station, brought in their own managers, changed several of the programs - and now for some odd reason, the station web site gives more attention to D.J. Jones than TalkLine.
I didn't realize until a few weeks ago that WRCG's broadcast tower is NOT in Columbus. It's along Highway 280 in Phenix City, near the Wal-Mart SuperCenter. It's a wonder WRCG hasn't broadcast Phenix City Central games all these years, like the other stations do.
The McClure family apparently still owns the land around the WRCG tower. But it reportedly wants to sell the land, so a new Phenix City Home Depot can be built. The radio station may have to find a new spot for its tower - unless, perhaps, it drops that Saturday morning talk show with the NAACP.
BLOG UPDATE: A second trip to Kinko's proved successful Wednesday afternoon, as the first covers for my CD were printed. My proofs needed a second round of liquid paper, to blot out noticeable stains from the first test copy. Maybe next time, I should use Spray 'N Wash instead.
Since Lake Oliver was a short drive away, I went there for a late-afternoon Riverwalk run. But just like earlier this year [22 Apr], a female jogger with her big unleashed roaming dog made me keep a safe distance away. My pacing improved a bit - going slower so the dog didn't get masters mixed up.
(Instant Message to this female jogger: If I see you on the Riverwalk with this unleashed dog again, I'm going to demand you SHOW me the leash you claim to have. Then I may give you a lesson in how to use it properly.)