Those "Changes" to WTPG/Columbus are a format change

Columbus' liberal talker will soon take a sharp turn to the right.

Starting in January, Clear Channel-owned WTPG in Columbus will drop its progressive talk format and pick up shows from the likes of Laura Ingraham and Michael ("Liberalism is a mental disorder") Savage. Because Columbus obviously doesn't have enough right-wing talk, dammit!

In addition, WTPG will become WYTS ("Your Talk Station), and also add sports talker Jim Rome, consumer-oriented host Dave Ramsey and the morning show of Quinn and Rose, piped in from Pittsburgh. Stephanie Miller and the programming of Air America Radio will be gone. Ed Schultz's show left the station's schedule a couple weeks ago.

The rumors started last week. WTPG in Columbus, OH Last week, the station's owner, Clear Channel Communications, put up banners on the websites of both that station and it's sister, WTVN, which airs mostly conservative talk. Both banners proclaimed that "Changes are Coming".

Evidently, station personnel were prowling the blogosphere to see what was being said about them. Both MLM Liberal and myself noticed Clear Channel ISP's in our userlogs. Not long after, the banners came down off both sites. Well, now the banners are back up, and it looks like changes are indeed coming to WTPG. And these changes will likely not go over well with current listeners. Obviously, adding the likes of Ingraham and Savage will likely be seen as a total slap in the face of many Columbus listeners.

So don't say Clear Channel never gave you anything for Christmas.