“Our Southern Community” goes off air; creator Ned Doyle wants to hear from listeners

“Hello friends, welcome to Our Southern Community, your public affairs program exploring the people and the issues of energy, the environment and economics in our region.”

I’ve said that over 400 times opening “Our Southern Community” program on WNCW 88.7 FM in the last decade. Much to my surprise, this past week I was informed that today would be the last OSC program to air. That last show is a nice discussion about “Harvest Thyme,” a community agricultural effort, which ran this a.m., and is available at www.oursoutherncommunity.org as an archived program. There’s more info below, if you are interested in the future of “Our Southern Community.”

“OSC” and “King Pup” radio hour have been dropped from the Sunday schedule to allow for more “The Gospel Truth,” hosted by Dennis Jones, now from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Previously three hours, the additional 4th hour is predicted to result in significant additional revenue. I wish the best of luck. If you care to comment to WNCW, whether to applaud more “Gospel Truth” programming, or to say “thanks and goodbye” to “Our Southern Community,” the email address isprogramming@wncw.org . WNCW is known as “Listener Powered” radio, so your voice counts!

It has been an honor to bring WNCW listeners community programming and for that I am grateful. Yes, it’s been a lot of work to donate weekly programming, but the opportunity to contribute to our regional community awareness of the “happenings” for sustainable living today, and our children’s future, has made it worth the effort. Thank You, WNCW, for the chance to volunteer for the greater public benefit.

Depending on your info requests at www.oursoutherncommunity.org, the OSC energy, environment and economics programming will be continued ….. Or not.

I hope to continue producing community programming and make it available through the OSC website. There’s also a possibility of going back on the air with another station.

However, first, it makes sense to find out how many folks actually want to continue hearing “Our Southern Community.” Do you? If so, please visit www.oursoutherncommunity.org and “register” with your email and zipcode. There’s no obligation, cost or info sharing — I’ll simply keep a count for the next week or two and then reply to all who “registered”with our new plans… Or not.

So, please let me know if you want me to continue producing “Our Southern Community.”

Thanks for Listening!!

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About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

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7 thoughts on ““Our Southern Community” goes off air; creator Ned Doyle wants to hear from listeners

  1. Barry Summers

    What a shock! OSC is such a great program, and Ned has done such good service to the community – I’m really taken aback by this abrupt change by WNCW. Was there really such a clamor for yet another hour of gospel radio, that two other shows had to be cancelled?

    Anyway, I will make my displeasure known to WNCW. It’s bittersweet for me – Katie Hicks & I were just on OSC, last week, to talk about the water issue, and Ned guided the discussion in directions that you won’t hear elsewhere. (Listen here: http://oursoutherncommunity.org/archived-shows-2/2012-shows/ )

    OSC is an important program for our region, and I hope people raise the call for it to be kept on the air.

  2. Ned Ryan Doyle

    Thanks for the comments, Barry. While it was a surprise to be dropped from WNCW, as an unpaid volunteer for 10 years, I have no say in this matter and must accept the decision. The good news is that in the last 48 hours or so, several offers for potential new broadcast/distribution for OSC programming have arrived, and we’re working on making the show available from the OSC website. I’m humbled by the positive outpouring from the community and hope to be able to continue providing regional public affairs programming. As I used to say in radio… stay tuned :) Thanks everyone!

  3. Michael Hopping

    Add my voice to the chorus of the disenchanted with WNCW. Just how disenchanted depends on the untold rest of the story. Was it about the station receiving a revenue offer it couldn’t refuse? A result of incresing social conservatism at Isothermal, with all that entails in terms of programming? Did Ned sacrifice a live (organic) chicken in Studio B? Or what?

  4. Ned Ryan Doyle

    Thanks to so many who have shown support in the past few days, and for those who forwarded me the WNCW listener “reply” to comments on dropping OSC programming. May I clarify that their claim I was “solely responsible” is hardly accurate?
    Yes, I declined an ‘offer’ for either 6:00 or 6:30 AM on Sat. But any realistic person understands that the listenership for OSC programming is NOT the same at that time as it is on Sunday at 9:30, or at other possible times. 6:30AM M-F? That would have been realistic. Later on Sunday morning, afternoon or evening? Realistic. It’s not a choice when the outcome is predetermined. As one supporter described it “a choice between lethal injection or the electric chair is hardly a real choice”. I asked if would be possible to poll or have listeners ‘vote’ on the proposed new timeslot before deciding to continue production, but this suggestion was immediately rejected. So be it.
    My decision to not mention this in my outreach ( the so-called offer )was deliberate, since I had to accept their programming changes. However, since this is their public response, I feel justified in attempting to clarify.
    Was I was wrong? Are enough Our Southern Community listeners are willing to set their alarm to get up at 6:30 Sat. AM? It seemed very unrealistic to me, knowing OSC supporters as I do over the last 10 years.
    I remain grateful for the volunteer opportunity WNCW provided me, but do regret the effort to ‘spin’ this programming change as my decision. I was NOT really given a choice at all.
    Thank You.

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