Wisconsin radio station replaces atheist radio program with nonstop Christmas music

The longtime radio program of a Wisconsin-based atheist group has been pulled off the air by the local Madison radio station WXXM 92.1 FM and replaced with non-stop Christmas music.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) revealed last Friday that its radio program known as Freethought Radio has been canceled by the local station.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, who is co-president of FRFF along with her husband, Dan Barker, said that the news of the cancellation was not a complete surprise.

"We opened up the Wisconsin State Journal the morning after the election to read the remarkable announcement that progressive talk had been banished forthwith on 92.1 FM and replaced with around-the-clock Christmas music! It's not exactly the appropriate vehicle for Freethought Radio now," Gaylor stated.

The owners of WXXM-FM announced earlier this month that it would abandon its liberal talk format, Wisconsin State Journal reported. The Nielsen ratings indicated that the station had been drawing a 2.1 share, which is less than half of what was drawn by WIBA-AM, which is home to the shows of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Radio host Mitch Henck explained that WXXM-FM, also known as The Mic, attracts liberal activist listeners but there are not enough of them to keep the station running.

"NPR attracts educated people on both sides of the aisle, but mostly Democrats. The Mic appeals to lefties and lefty activists. They are not the same. And no, there aren't enough lefty activists," he remarked.

Stu Levitan, who hosted a show at the station, speculated that competition with the public radio and non-profit WORT-FM might have been a factor in The Mic's low ratings.

FRFF stated that Freethough Radio, which specializes in "irreverent views, music, news and interviews," will continue airing in other stations in Wisconsin as well as stations in other cities. The program will still air in Janesville, Wisconsin on Community Radio 13.5 FM WADR.

Barker said that the organization will look for other options to Broadcast in Madison. "We're looking at this as an opportunity rather than a disruption. Stay tuned," he said.