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Editorials - 12/06/01Sale of WRGC signals end of 'hometown' radio |
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For the past 44 years, they were on the spot at local charitable events, donating both air time and their own time. They provided free announcers for events and served as contest judges countless times. During election years, they aired debates between candidates to help educate voters.
Of course we're referring to people of WRGC, our hometown radio station, which has been sold by Jimmy Childress to a Georgia-based broadcasting company. Through the decades, WRGC has provided many services to the people of Jackson County. The station's sports coverage is unmatched for a community radio station. Jimmy Childress's oldest son, Ronnie, who died tragically in a 1975 electrical accident at the radio station, pioneered the exclusive high school sports broadcasts that continue today. WRGC also offers live coverage of Western Carolina University football, basketball and baseball games. Childress, known affectionately as "Uncle Jimmy," never relied on Arbitron ratings to determine programming, as did most stations; instead, he directed station employees to go through the local telephone book to call Jackson County residents and find out exactly what kind of music people wanted to hear. Generations of Sylva schoolchildren spent snowy mornings glued to the radio, hoping to hear Uncle Jimmy announce that school was closed. And we all remember Uncle Jimmy's homespun humor and the original spin he gave local advertisers. He would sing "R.O., R.O. Vance, he's the man to see," to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," and proceed to tell us how R.O. "can fix anything except a broken heart." Or he'd remind listeners they'd better shop at Roberson's Supply because "if Hoyt doesn't have it, you don't need it." Who else but Uncle Jimmy would sing or whistle along as he aired the popular music of the day. WRGC's "Anything Goes" morning program spotlights local non-profits, upcoming events and local government. It provides a unique forum for listeners to call in with questions and comments about local events. Some regard The Sylva Herald and WRGC as competitors, but we've always felt the two locally-owned media complement each other. Radio has the ability to disseminate information immediately and provide area residents with vital weather warnings or breaking news as soon as they become available. Our newspaper, on the other hand, provides a written record of community events and in-depth coverage of local news. We applaud the Childress family for WRGC's unparalleled commitment to the community we both serve. While we welcome WRGC's new owner, Art Sutton of Toccoa, Ga., and wish him well, we are sad that the radio station will no longer have hands-on, hometown control. When Uncle Jimmy and his family sign off the air waves, their departure will mark the end of an era. |
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