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ATHENS FAVORITE
Robb Holmes' recent decision to retire from his position
as music director at radio station WUGA-FM 91.7 has renewed
concerns that local content on the station will dry up now that
it is controlled by Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta. The
University of Georgia gave control of WUGA to GPB to sweeten
the deal whereby GPB took the money-hemorrhaging television
station, WNEG-TV (now WGTV), off the university's hands.
Holmes had been program director at WUGA until the GPB
takeover, at which point he asked that his title be changed to
music director. He has enough years for full retirement from
UGA but lacks a couple of years before he can begin drawing
Social Security. He had hoped to remain at the station until
that time but last week threw in the towel. Many close to the
station took Holmes' retirement as a signal that Atlanta is
not interested in local programming at WUGA, where Holmes
runs the popular local-music
program, "It's Friday." Holmes
downplays reading any policy
significance into his leaving.
"I recently turned 60," he
says, " and I find I'm just not
as adaptable now since things
have changed. I'm not finding it easy to make this transition.
It's not easy for me to see how I fit into the new order."
Longtime prize-winning news director Mary Kay Mitchell is
retiring in August, and her leaving, too, has given rise to ques
tions about the role of local news in the future of the station.
UGA Vice-President for Communications Tom Jackson has
earlier gone on record that the university is committed to local
programming and, rather than decreasing it, wants to increase
the local emphasis. That view is seconded by Jon Hoban, GPB
vice-president for radio, who in an earlier interview stated the
network's commitment to local radio programming in Athens.
Likewise, Jimmy Sanders, WUGA station manager, stresses
his commitment to continuing and increasing local program
ming and says Holmes' retirement "is not something I want...
I've got a ton of respect for him."
Sanders, who has an extensive background in television
management but none in radio, is manager of both WGTV and
WUGA, leading some observers to fear that his time and atten
tion will inevitably be consumed by the television station to
the detriment of the radio station.
Sanders says he is moving ahead with the task of replacing
Mary Kay Mitchell and now Robb Holmes with the prospect of
continuing their local programming and adding more. He says
that neither job will be split with television, but he does stress
that a "multi-platform" approach makes the most sense. He
says he will probably replace Mitchell with a reporter/anchor
who can give news updates on both radio and television.
(Holmes' "It's Friday" already has a televised component.).
Sanders also says he's working with the UGA College of
Veterinary Medicine on a pilot program and with the UGA
School of Music on several. These programs, he says, will be
local in focus, though they could be picked up by the network.
Sanders grew up in Hart County and now lives in Toccoa,
where he managed WNEG-TV before the university bought it
(and is rumored to have been a part of the Athens music scene
back in the day). Even though his experience is in television,
his roots are in this area, so he certainly knows the meaning
of "local." It remains to be seen whether Atlanta understands
that meaning for Athens.
Meanwhile, in spite of his precipitous retirement, Robb
Holmes has indicated his desire to continue on a part-time
basis at the station doing "It's Friday."
"It's certainly not a program that's dependent on me,"
Holmes says, but he sees it as a potential part of whatever he
can cobble together to get by until Social Security kicks in.
WUGA, perennially picked as favorite local radio station in
various polls (including Flagpole’s "Athens Favorites"), is con
sidered by many listeners to be a local treasure, and the prog
ress of the station will be closely watched. The prevailing fear
is that Sanders' TV background and the problems he confronts
at WGTV will absorb him in spite of his best intentions to
uphold local programming on WUGA, and that the radio station
will inadvertently be shunted aside. Sanders and his bosses at
UGA and GPB say not to worry: Athens will continue to have its
favorite local radio station. Time, as they say. will tell.
Pete McCommons editor@flagpole com
“It’s not easy for
me to see how I fit
into the new order.”
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
IMEWS (§2 FEATURES
City Dope 4
Athens News and Views
It’s time for the ACC Commission to loosen the Classic Center’s control of the
eastern edge of downtown.
Comment . . . .
. .27
The Return of Ralph Reed
Ralph Reed's exile, for corruption, from the power structure of Washington is
officially over.
EVENT
Miscellany 7
Get Your Ath Together
Terrapin Brewery tops the list of places to spend a slow summer evening.
Grub Notes 8
Fried Burritos & Pickles
Acapulco’s Mexican Grill, the new Blind Pig location and local restaurant news...
uso©
Great Gifts for Great Dads
Handmade Leather and
for Men
Downtown
546-5014
Since 1975
wr
I pnthpr
Leather
Outdoor
Threats & Promises
Music News and Gossip
New releases from Bloodkin, Efren and more.
11
Defiance, Ohio at Orange Twin ... 13
Collaborative, Political and Conscientious
Music in the spirit of Orange Twin’s environmental and social values.
w'
CITY DOPE
....4
SPROCKETS
...12
CAPITOL IMPACT
....4
DEFIANCE, OH
...13
CITY PAGES
....5
ATHFEST EDUCATES ....
....15
MISCELLANY
....7
THE CALENDAR!
....16
KIDDIE DOPE
....7
BULLETIN BOARD
... .20
GRUB NOTES
...8
ART AROUND TOWN ....
....21
PADDLE GEORGIA
....9
COMICS
...22
MOVIE DOPE
...10
REALITY CHECK
....23
THEATRE REVIEW
...11
CLASSIFIEDS
....24
THREATS & PROMISES ...
...12
COMMENT
....27
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
MANAGING EDITOR Chnstma Cotter
ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey. Melinda Edwards. Jessica Pritchard
MUSIC EDITOR Michelle Gilzenrat
CITY EDITOR Oave Marr
CLASSIFIEDS. DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Nico Cashin
AO DESIGNERS Kelly Ruberto, Cindy Jerrell
CARTOONISTS Cameron Bogue, Jeremy Kiran Fernandes. Missy Kulik. Jeremy Long. David Mack
AOOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brown. Nicole Cashin, Joe Cook, Kevin Craig. Tom Crawford. John Huie,
Gordon Lamb. Richard Milligan, Kristen Morales, G. Nettles, Casey Scott. Gage Skidmore,
Jett Tobias, Drew Wheeler. George Zomick
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf. Nash Hogan. Jesse Mangum. Matt Shirley
WED OESIGNER Kelly Ruberto
ADVERTISING l EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica Smith
ADVERTISING INTERNS Anne-Catherine Harris. Ashley Laramore
MUSIC INTERNS Chris Miller. Brian Walter
COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto featuring a photograph of
the Oconee River by Joe Cook (See feature story on p. 9)
STREET ADDRESS: 112 Foundry St., Athens. GA 30601
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LETTERS. lettersOflagpole.com
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Flagpole. Inc. publishes Flagpole htagaiine weekly and distributes 17,000 copies free at over
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© 2011 Flagpole. Inc. All nghts reserved
VOLUME 25
ISSUE NUMBER 23
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