So for once the city council shows some sense. Ecstatic lovers of WRR-FM (101.1) started calling me yesterday afternoon the minute a council committee voted against a proposal to sell off the city-owned classical music station. Supporters of WRR had been worried that selling it was such a dumb idea the council might go for it.
They were saying all kinds of flattering stuff to me about the council. I had to get off the phone. Only so many hours in the day, you know. The core of the argument for selling WRR was this: WRR is such a good radio station and such a valuable asset, people in the radio business are just going to keep on trying to buy it out from under the city. So the way to make that stop happening is to swap it for a much less valuable non-commercial radio station that people won't want to buy.
As one WRR supporter said to me Tuesday, that's like saying the way to protect your daughter's virginity "is to get rid of the hymen." And, oh, here are these nice gentlemen standing out on the porch who say they can provide that service.
Here's what I want to know: When do they take the laser dot off Greg Davis' forehead? As general manager at WRR, he's done nothing but make money for the city.
Midway through this latest push for the sale of WRR, I learned about the son of a friend of mine who went to work for WRR within the last year. I have to be careful about ID, because I learned it on a confidential basis. But this guy's son came to WRR from a very stellar career around the country in the radio business. If Davis is able to recruit people like that, then he must be respected within the business. It's too bad the people who want to glom onto the station always have to start by bad-mouthing Davis. They need to try some other door next time.
And there will be a next time. The more successful WRR is, the more it's worth, and the more other people want it. But that's a good thing. --Jim Schutze
