Athens station declares itself ‘Obama government-controlled radio’
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun has been warning us this would happen. Now it’s begun – in his own backyard. This from the liberal blog Talking Points Memo:
A radio station in Athens, Ga., is drumming up publicity by calling itself “Obama Government-Controlled Radio” and playing Hawaiian pop, songs like “Superfly” and “Disco Inferno” and clips from President Obama’s campaign speeches.
Between songs listeners hear messages such as, “Why let highly paid consultants pick the music when you can let the government do it for you?”
Bulldog WPUP (103.7 FM), a classic rock station, has nothing to lose. It’s changing formats in just a little less than an hour.
“Yes, it is a stunt,” the station’s program director, Kevin Steele, told TPM. “Our online streaming listeners have doubled in the last 24 hours.”
WPUP, incidentally, is owned by Cox Radio, a facet of Cox Enterprises — which owns the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ajc.com.
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17 comments Add your comment
Matilda
October 1st, 2009
5:18 pm
Hahaha!
Mark
October 1st, 2009
6:21 pm
How many radio stations does Cox own in the Athens MSA?
Oris
October 1st, 2009
6:48 pm
Obama government-controlled radio SUCKS!!! I WANT MY Classic rock back I would expect something like this from Majic 102 or one of the other stations. But not the bulldog. Now athens has no classic station. 96.1 has no signal here.
Ex Listener
October 1st, 2009
8:31 pm
Well I already took 100.1 off my preset. It WAS a great local station. I also will not be renewing my advertising with them.
Obama radio?
October 1st, 2009
10:11 pm
THIS IS THE WORST STATION IVE EVER HEARD. WHO DECIDED TO CHANGE THE STATION WITHOUT NOTICE AND MAKE IT THE EXACT OPPOSITE WHAT THE FANS WANT
Carrer ending decision
October 1st, 2009
10:15 pm
To think that a radio station would do this to its fans without warning is disgusting. I will never listen to this station again even if it goes back to the bulldog. that was ATHEN’S RADIO STATION and you go on and ruin it. Thanks for the repeats of OBAMA talkin about winning the election. It was a sad day and F*** whoever decided to make us remember it.
Just a thought
October 1st, 2009
11:10 pm
Wow are you people retards? It was a prank. If Obama would overtake any radio station in the country, do you really think he would start in Athens, Georgia? Jesus Christ…
Chris Salzmann
October 2nd, 2009
1:16 am
Just a thought October 1st, 2009 11:10 pm SAID: Wow are you people retards? It was a prank. If Obama would overtake any radio station in the country, do you really think he would start in Athens, Georgia? Jesus Christ…
_________________________________________________________________________________
CHRIS SAYS: ROFLMAO!!!! These hicks with their comments here don’t realize it was a prank??? It says so right there in the piece: QUOTE ““Yes, it is a stunt,” the station’s program director, Kevin Steele, told TPM. “Our online streaming listeners have doubled in the last 24 hours.”
And these folks claim that liberals are gullible? No wonder these poor fools believe all the “Death Panel” and “Birther” nonsense! Its all clear to me now! The theory that listening to FOX will rot your brain obviously has substance to it!
Matilda
October 2nd, 2009
9:26 am
Actually, I think they were upset about the change in format from Classic Rock to Hip Hop.
Vickie
October 2nd, 2009
1:34 pm
Despite all the negative comments on here, I personally am going to miss kris and Evan in the morning and afternoon terribly. I have been in mourning since the station went off the air. It was really a great station and I going to miss it. I wish Kris the best at his new home at 102.1 (in the 3-7 afternoon slot) and Evan wherever he went. I will miss you guys!
Chris
October 2nd, 2009
11:44 pm
The only reason the listeners doubled is because they are trying to figure out what the F@#! happened to their radio station. If it was a stunt or joke, it was the dumbest decision they could make. If they wanted to end the rock station, they could have at least done so with some diginity, with some respect for the listeners.
PS, I think Kris should start his own rock station
Daedalus
October 3rd, 2009
8:18 pm
It’s a joke son.
John
October 5th, 2009
12:26 pm
Enter your comments here:This was a great gag!! Enjoy and laugh.We have a mayor’s race in Atlanta and need all the humor we can get.
Mike
October 5th, 2009
2:38 pm
Yes it was a joke…. a bad joke but none the less a joke. The bigger joke was the format the station changed to. They sound like every other station on the dial now. The Classic City no longer has a good rock and roll station to listen to. I guess we as listeners didn’t purchase enough products from the sponsors. So Cox sold out in the name of top 40 pop.
As far as a great gag… That would be in the eye of the beholder. Apparently those that thought it was a funny joke weren’t avid listeners.
Athens lost a great radio station this past week. Of course there is always Project 9-6-1 now that the baseball season is over.
Roadrunner
October 5th, 2009
9:28 pm
I travel to other cities a lot and it always amazes me that almost everywhere else I go I can easily find a hard rock and/or metal station (no nu-metal for me thank you) but Atlanta & surrounding areas don’t ever seem to get one. I’m not talking top 40, I’m talking (and I’m showing my age) album rock like 96 Rock used to be before it went totally commercial. We have our choice of country or urban music stations, why can’t hard rockers have just one.
Jen
October 7th, 2009
9:00 am
AMEN Roadrunner!
Sharon
October 7th, 2009
1:27 pm
I hate the new format of the station. It used to be the coolest station out there…. a place I could always find my favorite classic rock and now they have cloned it into yet another HIP HOP CRAP station — like there weren’t enough of those on the air already. Rock 100 even sucks now because they quit playing strictly classic rock and now throw in Elton John and Jethro Tull — and I’m sorry but that is NOT ROCK MUSIC. So I listen to 96.1 when I can pick it up and 97.9 for my alternative fix but where do I go for my “hair band” music now? No more Friday night metal show. The station really sucks now — I hate HIP HOP, bubble gum POP and all that MILEY CYRUS CRAP!!!!!