Last Stan manning

On August 20, 2010, The Stan Milam Show will come to an end on WCLO. Stan is retiring from broadcasting and moving ahead with an exciting new opportunity. This somewhat shocking announcement causes me to pause and reflect.

For the first seven years of my tenure’ as WCLO Program Director, people constantly would refer to “Talk of the Town”. That was even though Ken Regez had hosted “AM Magazine” for more than a decade since it had been called the former. But once “The Stan Milam Show” hit the air -- I never heard a single reference to either previous program.

There’s no question that The Stan Milam Show was a groundbreaking step forward in Rock County Radio. The depth and breadth of subject matter discussed on the show has not been equaled. And of course, there’s the personality that can only be Stan’s.

It’s been a great ride for all of us - even those of you whom Stan drives nuts sometimes. Now that Stan is headed out of broadcasting for an exciting new opportunity, the question becomes: “What will WCLO do for a replacement”?

Obviously, at this point, that’s a difficult question to answer completely. But I can tell you that I and my superiors here are all committed to maintaining local talk about local events and issues that inform as well as entertain the audience.

Short of that, just like the finale of your favorite television show, I can also say that there will never be another Stan Milam Show. Stan’s unique blend of candor, wit and passion for our listening area coupled with his knowledge of politics, local history and contemporary issues will be impossible to replicate and difficult to replace.

Presenting two and a half hours of talk each day is a monumental undertaking, requiring an uncommon interest and dedication to news and local events. Finding a replacement and constructing a new program for the time slot will certainly take us longer than August 23 and we are in the process of developing an interim plan for that time slot.

So, as I ask you to enjoy the last weeks of The Stan Milam Show, I also ask for your patience as we move through a difficult process in selecting a new host and show that will best fit the needs of our changing community.

Stan - we thank you for the contributions you’ve made through radio in Southern Wisconsin and wish you much success in your new endeavor.