KUDO Report

Brendan Joel Kelley has an article up at the Anchorage Press about Aaron Selbig's demise at KUDO. It is very sympathetic, and well-written.

Aaron would speak out at KUDO, very forcefully and passionately, about how the termination of many aspects of the Denali Kid Care Program's medical insurance assistance for kids will have an impact on his kids. Although it was sort of obvious from Selbig's comments that his family had no medical insurance as part of his employment package, he never described his dilemma in a way that pointed a finger at his employer, IBEW.

Thinking back, about all the commercials the station runs, glorifying the solidarity of the union toward its members and the community, this really sucks.

The articles in the Anchorage Daily News and on their blog about this situation, and the comments attached, are by and large sympathetic to Selbig, Shannyn Moore and C.C. But many comments note little or no sympathy for Aaron. Some indicate that Selbig should have made the station model work. None seem to have a sensible solution as to how that might have been done. More punchy local news, and better ad sales are about as far as they go. Both of those are true. The news problem is the responsibility of a program director, the ad problem isn't.

Progressive radio in the USA is up against an almost insurmountable obstacle. Back in 2006, a memo to ABC affiliates that carried Air America programs warned them that a long list of companies were then refusing to advertise on Air America content. Here are the names on the list that have Anchorage branches:

Allstate, American Heart Association, Avon, BMW, Coca-Cola, Denney's, Exxon Mobil, Frito-Lay, GE, Gillette, Goodyear, Heineken/Amstel, Hershey's, Hewlitt-Packard, Home Depot, Hormel, JC Penney, Johnson&Johnson, Levi's, REI Sporting Goods, Sony, State Farm, Toys R Us, Travelocity, True Value, US Navy, USPS, VISA, Wal-Mart.

Since then, the list has grown, but companies have been careful to keep it private. Subaru is now on it, for instance. If any auto company is identified with progressives, it has to be that one. And what about REI? Don't any of these companies identify with a station that exposes the crimes and fiascos of the gang of crooks destroying our country?

According to Brendan Kelley, Shannyn Moore and C.C. will be back tomorrow.

KUDO remains on Progressive Alaska's Mainstream Media list for now.