WHY PR?

What bitterness this afternoon just tasted! I just learned that as of Friday, February 1, WYPR (my public news station) has cancelled one of my favorite programs: The Marc Steiner Show. The ratings going down around that time of day (12-2), and his refusal to change the program apparently made it impossible to come to an amicable decision between WYPR and himself. Thus, no new contract, and without a contract, they cannot put anyone on the air. According to his blog, WYPR offered to buy him out for $50,000 but he refused. So they fired him instead. Call that stubborn, but Steiner was one of the originals helping to fund WYPR and in 2002, when the station was going under, he helped raise money to keep it going. He's been there something like 15 years. When a YPR representative called me this afternoon to explain what was going on, she said that, despite the difficulties the station had in working with him, she sincerely wishes he hadn't had to leave. In truth, I couldn't help myself from reassuring her that I still love WYPR. I donated my car to the station. I am a member. Craft Mafia often works with them. They are one of the only great radio stations in Baltimore, and it's enormously frustrating to be angry with them. I'm glad they're here. I'll still listen. That said, I wish Marc Steiner all the best, and hope he'll continue to do some sort of broadcast in Baltimore. His interviews were always so gritty and honest, and he really knew how to get information to listeners. I have to agree with a comment someone left on the (100% biased) Baltimore Sun online article about the situation: "Marc is one of the best interviewers on radio, and the one-two punch of Diane Reihm and Marc Steiner were hard to resist. Although I like to think of WYPR as more than just Marc Steiner, WYPR is not a better station without him."