Local progressive radio personality Lesley Groetsch is back on the air, hosting a daily show on 1350 WZGM.
The former co-founder of Local Edge Radio is calling the new show “Les Radio,” broadcasting Monday through Friday from 1-3 pm.
Groetsch previously co-hosted Local Edge on 880 The Revolution with Blake Butler before stepping down in 2011 to pursue other work. Matt Mittan and Agnes Cheek, Groetch’s former colleagues at Clear Channel Asheville, now operate WZGM and welcomed her to the station with a Facebook message, declaring: “Progressives now have a daily voice on Asheville’s ONLY locally owned/operated commercial radio station too!!!”
Below, Groetsch answers a few questions from Xpress about the new show:
Xpress: Why did you decide to get back in the radio business?
Groetsch: I never really wanted to leave radio, but it was an economic necessity at that time. I always felt the tug to return to the studio. Matt Mittan and Agnes Cheek deserve almost all of the credit for getting me back on the air. Their work to establish local independent radio is incredibly admirable. I don’t know when they sleep!
How does it feel to be back on the air?
Are you kidding? Radio IS like air to me. I call the studio my happy place, and it really is. I don’t know why, I just love the medium, and I think I always will.
What will be the direction of the new show? How will it be similar and/or different from Local Edge?
The show is going to be more personal. Local Edge Radio was a partnership and reflected the give and take between Blake and me. Les Radio is shorter in format, only two hours, and will focus more on talk and callers. Less is more, in this case, because I’ll have more time to spend with guests, more time to give to callers and more time to dig into subjects that I am passionate about. Who knows, though, I’m open to evolving the format based on what listeners want to hear.
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