Shane and others, The same thing happened last spring with the public radio station in Athens. They gutted the staff (mostly news and local programming folks) and now the station is no different than any NPR station you'd pick up anywhere. One thing they did keep (which isn't local but at least regional) is "Mountain Stage" out of Charleston, WV and it's paid for by R.E.M. LLC A good friend of mine, David, was the news director and probably early 40's -- decided he couldn't handle starting over or going to another public radio station which might take the same direction (seems to be a trend). He took a pay cut but kept a job with the University to hang onto his retirement -- he's a public information officer but make up the difference bartending three nights a week. He said he wouldn't have even had a chance at a bartending job but the owner gave him a chance with no experience because he might draw a different type of crowd into the bar. And that he has -- giving us one more semi-adult but cool hangout. I admit I haven't paid a lot of attention to all the national news about funding public radio and tv. Yeah, I write my checks but I haven't been vocal in what I'd like. I guess I will in the future. Deb
