Public Enemy bassist/bandleader Brian Hardgroove, who hosts a radio show on Santa Fe, New Mexico's KWRP called in an old friend to speak on the threatened sale of his station, and two others in the market, to one company.

According to XXL and the Santa Fe New Mexican, the sale of KWRP, KBAC and KBLU to the Hutton Group, which already owned two other stations in the area, is pending approval from the FCC. Hardgroove and others in the broadcasting community are concerned about what the sale would mean for the diversity of local coverage and have started a campaign to educate the public of their stance.

Hardgroove invited Chuck D to speak to residents of the area about the threat of consolidation at a rally held on Tuesday, June 12.

Hutton Group co-owner, Scott Hutton, offered a defense of his company:

I've had the experience of running radio stations in a big market - Albuquerque - but I live here, and I intend to stay here for the next 25 years. I own 32 percent of the company, and my dad owns the other 68 percent. This is a family business. My dad does the books; my wife sells ads. We don't own stations anywhere else.


Opponents of the sale have started a website devoted to their at www.keepindiealive.com.

 

And while we're on the subject of Public Enemy and the Southwest...