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Friday, October 31, 2008
10/31: WABE-FM raises more than $1 million in tough economic times
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In what is arguably the most difficult economics times in a generation, 90.1/WABE-FM decided not to announce a fundraising goal this fall, instead encouraging listeners to contribute any dollar amount they could spare.
This unusual strategy worked. The non-commercial station, which airs a blend of talk programming such as “Morning Edition” and classical music, actually raised more money than last year: $1,077,000 in pledges, up $24,000 from fall 2007. In addition, the station received pledges from 10,500 people, 20 percent more than any previous pledge campaign.
“We’re so grateful for the Atlanta community to come through like this,“ WABE General Manager John Weatherford said. “We’re almost without words.”
Individual contributions feed more than half of the $11.5 million budget for Public Broadcasting Atlanta, which also includes the PBA 30 TV station. And while those individuals have stepped up, corporate underwriting (the bulk of the rest of the budget) has dropped by more than 10 percent.
Nonetheless, the station was a popular destination for listeners over the summer, reaching more Atlantans than ever in its history. For the first time, WABE broached 400,000 listeners in a given week, according to Arbitron figures. This would place them 11th in the market in total listeners.
Next week, we’ll learn how they are doing under the new measurement system using meters instead of paper diaries.
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10/31: Hot 107.9’s Mizz Shyneka feels targeted by mall
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Night jock Mizz Shyneka (real name: Shyneka Richardson) at Hot 107.9 is peeved by security at a Douglas County mall that detained her and her boyfriend, accusing him of stealing a shirt.
Here’s [an account from WSB-TV.]:
Richardson, who is considering filing suit, said she and her boyfriend, David Smith, were held for hours by security officers at Arbor Place Mall after Smith was accused of stealing a shirt.
Her boyfriend David Smith said he purchased a couple of Polo shirts, but security accused him of stealing the shirt he was wearing. They feel he was targeted because he’s young and black.
Arbor Place Mall declined to comment to WSB-TV.
On her radio station page,, she dubs herself the ‘queen of controversy.” She had been the afternoon jock with E4Real until recent cutbacks forced her into nights (with Emperor Searcy back in afternoons.)
I left a message with her at work and her MySpace page awaiting a response.
-A reader had this question: “Who is [WSB-TV meteorologist] Karen Minton’s hair stylist? Is there any way to find out? I love her new do…”
The answer: Hairstylist Jack Morton at Indulgence off E. Andrews Drive in Buckhead does Karen’s hair. Ashley Black does the coloring, also at Indulgence. “They’re both great,” she told me. “I’ve been going to Jack for 18 years.” She has been at WSB-TV for 23 years.
