When it comes to the threats to WSCL and WESM, there are plenty of people across Delmarva with their hearts in the right place, but they have targeted the wrong culprit for the problem.
Can you blame the leaders of Salisbury University, who hold the WSCL license, when the public radio system has (in recent years) cast aside the concept of public radio "localism"; a cornerstone of public broadcasting philosophy?
With the Corporation for Public Broadcasting/CPB apparently on board with having WAMU and WHRO/WHRV in the market, with no protection for the local CPB-funded stations, CPB is making the decision about WSCL's future, not the people at Salisbury University.... they really have no choice, unless the rules governing public radio change.
In Los Angeles, Denver, San Francisco, and other large radio markets, it makes sense for CPB to fund four, five, or even six stations to promote the variety that is possible in public radio formats. But CPB needs to apply the breaks to that concept on Delmarva, and other small radio markets. Get on the horn to CPB, which is currently evaluating how it funds local stations across the country: http://cpb.org/stations/radiocsgreview.
A Delaware native, I worked at WSEA, Georgetown in 1977 when it was an album rock station. From 1979 to 1981, I was an associate producer at WHYY-FM. I have lived in Colorado since 1981, working for several public radio stations across the state.
Pete Simon
Arvada, Colo.
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