Florida radio station WIOD (610 AM) was offered the chance to become the official hurricane radio station by Broward County Commissioner Stacy Ritter.
Only Ms. Ritter requested a change in proogramming... Fromm the Miami Herald:
Want storm info? Fire gasbag Limbaugh, WIOD told
If it truly wants to be Broward County's official hurricane radio station, here's what WIOD (610 AM) needs to do:
Fire Rush Limbaugh.
At least that's the stand taken by Commissioner Stacy Ritter, who was able to prevent the county from renewing its hurricane information partnership with WIOD because the station carries the conservative icon's syndicated show.
Ritter pointed out that the majority of the nine county commissioners -- all of whom are Democrats -- are at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Limbaugh and other conservative hosts carried by WIOD.
With Ritter in opposition and four commissioners absent, there were insufficient votes to renew the deal.
"We don't have to do business with them," Ritter declared.
Responding to Tuesday's tempest, Limbaugh told his legions of "dittohead" listeners on Wednesday: "They are politicizing the delivery of emergency news...I guess these people are making the weather a partisan issue."
Fortunately, their are cooler heads in Broward County:
Commissioner John Rodstrom said he's against censorship and that he will vote for WIOD.
"When we start censoring what people write on radio, TV or newspapers, that is a slippery slope," he said.
WIOD Program Manager Ken Charles was backing Rodstrom's view all the way.
"It's a shame people would let politics get in the way of saving lives during a hurricane or other emergency," he said.
But for listeners who really can't stomach a right-wing hurricane report, Charles said the county's emergency hurricane information would simultaneously broadcast on its other station, WINZ, 940 AM. That station is affiliated with the liberal Air America.
"If politics really is going to play into this, we have both sides of the aisle," Charles said.
No money changes hands under the hurricane deal. The station agrees to run Broward County's press conferences in their entirety, and in exchange, the county lists the station on its hurricane emergency preparedness materials.
WIOD was Broward's official station last year, and is the state's designated station for emergency alerts. But this year, the county decided to use a competitive process.
County officials recommended WIOD because it had the broadest reach.
Christ on a corn dog -- this stations has the largest reach (coverage area), so what if you don't agree with their politics. Typical two-faced Democrat - do as I say, not as I do...
