Radio station, former employees close to agreement

By Lance Griffin

Published: August 14, 2008

A Dothan radio station and several employees who abruptly quit the station three weeks ago appear on the way to settling their dispute.

The attorney representing Alana King, a former salesperson for WTVY-FM 95.5, said both parties are currently reviewing language in a written agreement that could settle the matter for King and several others.

“We are moving toward agreeing to mutual releases which would include allowing Alana King to work as she chooses, when and where she chooses,” Dothan attorney Sam Cherry said.

News of the potential agreement comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by King, claiming the station owners were trying to enforce a non-competition clause in her contract that she said she never agreed to.

Earlier in the week, morning show hosts Amie Pollard and Ken Carlile returned to the airwaves on 105.3 FM along with Elizabeth Parrish. Pollard said the other former WTVY on-air personality, “Big” Mike Casey, will be on the air on 105.3 FM on Monday.

Dow Huskey, attorney for WTVY-FM owner Magic Broadcasting, declined to comment.

Cherry said the four on-air personalities along with King and two other employees all quit the station July 22 due to a dispute over management philosophy.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for The Radio People, which owns 105.3 FM, said several changes are coming to the Dothan radio market.

The Radio People have purchased WRJM 93.7 FM, which had been operating as a news talk station for several years. Radio People General Manager Ron Eubanks said plans are to convert the 100,000-watt 93.7 to a country music format and move the former WTVY on-air staff there. Then, Eubanks said plans are to convert 105.3 FM — currently a classic country format — to news talk. Eubanks said he hopes the format changes are in place by Sept. 1. Eubanks also said the station should be announcing changes to the news talk programming lineup soon.