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ETV Examines State of South Carolina's Local Radio in "Losing Their Voices"

"Southern Lens" Documentary Airs Thursday, Oct. 9 at 10 p.m.

For Immediate Release
September 26, 2008

Columbia, SC… On Thursday, Oct. 9 at 10 p.m., ETV presents the premiere of the Southern Lens documentary, "Losing Their Voices," a close look at how some South Carolina radio stations are coping with massive changes in the industry, including satellite and digital radio, and multi-station owners.

Interviews with local station owners and some of the earliest Palmetto State radio pioneers reveal that the key to surviving and even prospering is to amplify local coverage and be attuned to what your audience wants to hear.

In fact, Allan Miller, a managing partner of WRHI in Rock Hill went so far as to say that the emphasis on hometown news is so important, if he receives calls from across the state line, he considers it a problem.

"If people are saying in Charlotte (that) they're listening to WRHI, then I feel we're doing something wrong. That's kind of the barometer that I have used over the years. We try to do something that would appeal to South Carolina audiences, not a North Carolina audience," said Miller.

David Rohr, president of the National Association of Broadcasters, echoed Miller's sentiments: "I think the most important challenge is ensuring that local broadcasters play and use their niche localism to their advantage."

The half-hour documentary also features interviews with:

U.S. Congressman John Spratt, D-SC, who remembers voting results being announced by WRHI from the steps of the court house as "better than a high school football game"

John David, sr. vice president of Radio at the National Association of Broadcasters, who gave a healthy review of the current situation, saying that there's a "long way to go to knock out local radio--a long way to go."

Radio stations included in the documentary are:

WBSC in Bennettsville

WFAE in Charlotte

WCRE-Cheraw

Glory Communications in Columbia (WFMV, WPDT, WQXL and WGCV)

WFBC in Greenville

WAGI in Gaffney

WRHI in Rock Hill

WBCU – Union

Georgia Carolina Radiocasting in Walhalla (WGOG and WWOF) and Seneca (WSNW)

South Carolina ETV is the state's public educational broadcasting network with 11 television and eight radio transmitters, and a multi-media educational system in more than 2,500 schools, colleges, businesses and government agencies. Using television, radio and the web, SCETV's mission is to enrich lives by educating children, informing and connecting citizens, celebrating our culture and environment and instilling the joy of learning.

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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.

Steve Stone (left), former WRHI Morning Show Host, in the broadcast booth during a game between Rock Hill and Northwestern high schools. High school football is one of the best ways that local radio stations connect with their audiences. Photo courtesy of Haney Howell and Mark Nortz.