Humble Farmer on WRFR Community radio? Not if some have their way.

Robert Skoglund, better known by his comedy persona "humble farmer" left Maine Public Radio after the network began censoring his shows and finally required him to sign a promise not to venture any opinions about our nation's political leaders in his commentaries. He left MPR, of course, and has been podcasting since.

Now, there is an effort to get his show on WRFR-FM, a low power community radio airing in Knox County, humble's home. But if the new station manager has her way, he won't appear there, either.

Why? Let's examine the case against humble. One will, I fear, find it a very thin case indeed.

*Issue 1. Humble has a commercial on his pre-recorded show. WRFR is non-commercial. Can't air him!
Response. In fact, after the conclusion of the show's podcast there is a pause and then the plug for his B&B follows. To nip that off the end is the matter of a few seconds.

*Issue 2. He is just going to have a show on air; he won't be participating as a volunteer. Can't air him!
Response: If participation as a volunteer is requisite, than about 80% of the shows on WRFR have got to go, as, by all estimates, that is the % of programmers that don't do any volunteer work. Moreover, who says he won't volunteer? He's written he'll help the station whatever way he can best do so.

* Issue 3. WRFR has been around for 5 years. Why hasn't Humble been involved with the station to date? Can't air him!
Response. His contract with Maine public radio contract forbade it. Now he's no longer working for them. He wants to air on WRFR. What's the problem?

* Issue 4. Humble doesn't do local content. Can't air him!
Response: Every one of humble's shows features anecdotes about local people, from local fishermen to local artists. His latest show features Rockland fisherman Billy Anderson:
"Billy Anderson said that he made three fishing trips out to the Grand Banks with an Icelander...."

Last week's show: "We were talking about all the artists in St. George, Maine and how, if you live here, you know a lot of the people who pose for artists......"

About as "local" content as one can get for a station that airs in Rockland and Saint George, Maine. Certainly there's more local content in humble's shows than nearly anyone else's on WRFR.

Issue 5. Humble is syndicated. If WRFR let's him in, other syndicated shows will surely demand entrance. Can't air him!
Response: Humble's radio show runs on a single other radio station, WDNA Community Radio in Florida, where he lives in the winter.

So there are no sensible objections to humble farmer being on WRFR; we will try to winkle out what it is exactly that gives the manager and programming committee of WRFR such heebee jeebies about the humble farmer, one of the most well known people of our community.

Stay tuned.