Washington Post Radio? "NPR On Caffeine"?

January 5th, 2006 1:34 AM

Bonneville Radio announced yesterday that it will launch Washington Post Radio on three dial settings in the Washington, DC radio market (1500, 107.7, 104.3). Bonneville currently runs WTOP radio, a 24/7 newsradio station in Washington. Are we about to get the Post's liberal bias on the radio, too? Bonneville executive Joel Oxley said in today's Post story, "It's going to be NPR on caffeine. It will be non-drowsy public radio."

Bonneville will own and operate both WTOP and Washington Post Radio. Washington Post Radio's programming will include in-depth local, national and international news and commentary provided by Washington Post reporters, editors, and columnists as well as news makers and other local media personalities.

"Our venture with The Washington Post will add a new dimension to radio in Washington," [Bonneville President Burt] Reese said. "It will be smart, savvy, provocative and thoughtful. News hungry Washington is the best town for this new format."

A radio station dedicated to Washington Post columnists and reporters gabbing about the news? Well, it couldn't be any worse than WFED, an AM radio station in DC geared solely to government bureaucrats and federal contractors.