Three Florida radio stations will broadcast snippets from Trump speeches EVERY HOUR until Election Day as owner says he’ll give listeners ‘what they want’
- Gulf Coast Media, which owns the three FM stations, announced the move
- Station said it is to show ‘the community’s sincere appreciation for President Donald Trump’s work in Panama City and Bay County’
- The listening area was battered by Hurricane Michael
- Trump held a raucous rally in Panama City Beach last week and pledged hurricane relief aid
- Station owner gave $1,000 to Barack Obama in 2008
The owner of three Florida FM radio stations will blast out two-minute snippets from President Donald Trump’s speeches every through the elections, in a move the owner said was giving conservative listeners what they want.
Gulf Coast Media Inc. announced this week that it will blast out the Trump speech excerpts to the Florida panhandle continually through the election. President Trump visited the Florida panhandle last week and promised more hurricane recovery aid.
The company owns three high-frequency FM stations in the area: WASJ 105.1, which has a pop format, Kick’n Country 103.5 HANK FM from Panama City, WKNK at 103.5, and a Classic Rock format station, WRBA 95.9.
The company said in a statement its ‘senior management acknowledged that broadcasting the President’s speeches may not be consistent with conventional commercial FM radio, but we have taken this approach to show the community’s sincere appreciation for President.’
A trio of Florida radio stations will broadcast bits of Trump speeches every hour through the 2020 elections, the parent company says. President Donald Trump spoke at a rally at Aaron Bessant Amphitheater, Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Panama City Beach, Fla.
The stations don’t currently display much of political interest on their web sites. WRBA features articles about ZZ Top and rocker Dave Grohl. Kick’n Country 103.5 has posts about singers Trisha Yearwood and a new single by Keith Urban.
Station owner Samuel Rogatinsky told The Wrap: ‘The community really embraces Donald Trump and we are giving them what they want.’ Rogatinsky also defended the programming decision to the Orlando Sentinel.
‘We ran it by a bunch of listeners and people in the area, and nobody’s upset about it. It’s Republican territory,” Rogatinsky said Monday. “Nobody’s offended by it. It’s not an issue.”
The announcement came just days after Trump visited Panama City Beach for an outdoor rally that drew thousands of his supporters.
President Donald Trump pledged disaster relief as he toured Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., which is inside the listening area of the three stations
Rogatinsky, a Ft. Lauderdale lawyer, contributed $1,000 to Barack Obama in 2008, according to campaign finance records.
Trump used his rally in Panama City last week to promise relief in a hurry, to a community in a political battleground state that suffered devastating losses.
“No games, no gimmicks, no delays,’ Trump said. “We’re just doing it.” He added: ‘”You’re getting your money one way or the other.’
Trump also tweeted last week: Getting ready to leave for one of my favorite places, the Florida Panhandle, where we’ve given, and are giving, billions of $$$ for the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael. Even though the Dems are totally in our way (they don’t want money to go there) we’re getting it done!”
In fact Democrats have backed disaster relief for Florida, but there is a standoff with the Trump Administration over relief for Puerto Rico, with Trump wanting far less than Democrats are demanding.
Under Federal Communications Commission rules, media outlets must provide equal time to opposing candidates who request airtime.
Rogatinsky told MSN he wouldn’t object. ‘If anybody requests it, it won’t be an issue,” he said,’ adding that if Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders sought time, ‘we’re going to comply with the law.’