Some listeners are upset with upcoming program changes at WUTC and are starting a petition drive to try to have management reconsider.

UTC Vice Chancellor Bob Lyons said Monday he knows of no plans to change the music format of WUTC. He said, "I am baffled about where that is coming from."

He said the only change in the weekday lineup, starting July 1, is there will be National Public Radio's "Day To Day" show from noon to 1 p.m. in place of the local "Free Lunch" music show.

He said Richard Winham will still be on from 1 to 4 p.m. with his local music show.

Mr. Lyons declined to say whether morning host Mary Anne Williams is resigning from the station.

He said under the changes there were to be no staff cutbacks. He said several meetings were held with staff for their input prior to making the changes.

Mr. Lyons said the station has had a policy of not playing religious music, and he said that policy is now under review. He said personnel will be examining NPR policies on the issue prior to any possible changes.

He said there had been discussion about whether the station next Christmas could play music with the name Jesus in the lyrics, and he said that is under review.

He said the station decided to drop the "Prairie Home Companion" show because of ratings issues and also because it was going to have to pay an additional $18,000.

Here is the petition:

To: Station management of WUTC
To: WUTC Station Management, UTC Vice Chancellor Bob Lyons, UTC Chancellor Bill Stacy

We believe that WUTC is the best Public Radio Station in the US and that current plans to change the format will mitigate the quality of the station. Specifically, we love the eclectic and varied mix of music and object to any plans to reduce the amount of local music programming, or change the type of programming. In a city where this quality of radio programming is rare, WUTC is valuable to our quality of life.

We are also saddened that the current station management appears to have driven Mary Anne Williams to resign, and fear that others will follow her if the station management doesn't manage better.

We object to proposals to ban songs that reference “god” from playing on WUTC, on the grounds that such a ban will prohibit the playing of a wide range of music, such as blues, Christmas music and others.

We object to the removal of our excellent and locally produced Free Lunch program and it’s replacement with NPR news programming. With several 24-hour news sources available we feel that more news programming is redundant.

As loyal WUTC listeners and supporters, we are serious about protecting the quality of this station and are prepared to withhold our financial support during the next fund drive and in Underwriting in protest if our requests aren't met.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned (some 500 people have signed thus far)

The petition is at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?881wutc

Here is a recent press release from UTC on the program changes:

WUTC Adds to NPR Programming
WUTC FM88.1, the public radio station operated for the community by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, hopes listeners will stay turned “Day to Day.”

The station has announced the addition of “Day to Day” to its weekday programming as well as several changes to its weekend offerings. The schedule changes begin July 1.

“Day to Day” gives a mid-day news “fix” for National Public Radio listeners. Hosted by NPR correspondent Alex Chadwick, the program offers an insight into the days’ news and newsmakers along with commentary on today’s culture from NPR correspondents and guests. Airing noon-1 p.m., “Day to Day” replaces “Free Lunch” twice a week and regular music programming the rest of the week.

“WUTC enjoys the strong support of many listeners, and we feel a tremendous responsibility to them,” said Bob Lyon, UTC vice chancellor for university advancement (WUTC is in this division). “Our national offerings continue to be audience favorites, and we believe these additions will appeal to our listeners and underwriters while still preserving the eclectic mix of music you can’t hear on any other radio station.”

The new weekend schedule includes:
Saturdays
Prior to 6 p.m., there are no schedule changes on Saturdays

6 p.m.
“Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” (formerly Sundays 9-10 a.m.)
7 p.m.
“Car Talk” (repeat from earlier in the day)
8-10 p.m.
“Louisiana House Party” (formerly Sundays 3-5)
10 p.m.
“Grateful Dead Hour” (current time)
11 p.m.
“Moontime Radio Show” (current time)
Midnight
“Jazz with Bob Parlocha” (current time)

“A Prairie Home Companion” will no longer be aired locally due to the growing cost of the program . “This American Music Show” never developed a local audience.
Sundays
8 a.m.
“Weekend Edition”
10 a.m.
“On the Media”
NPR forum for the discussion of media coverage throughout the world.
11 a.m.
“Fresh Air Weekend”
Collection of “best of” interviews from the popular weekday program.
Noon
“Celtic Harvest”
2 p.m.
“New Dimensions”
3-5 p.m.
“Mountain Stage” (formerly Sundays 8-10 p.m.)
5 p.m.
“All Things Considered Weekend”
6 p.m.
“Motley Fools”
7 p.m.
“This American Life”
8 p.m.
“Living on Earth”
NPR forum for the discussion of the future state of our environment as it affects daily life and our health.
9 p.m.
“Marian McPartland Piano Jazz” (formerly Sundays 10 p.m.)
10 p.m.
“JazzSet”
NPR jazz program highlighting jazz concerts from coast to coast with interviews and guest performers
11 p.m.
“Moontime Radio Show”
Midnight
“Jazz with Bob Parlocha”
“Voices from Home,” featuring local artists and interviews will be discontinued as a separate program. WUTC will continue to provide a voice for local music and arts through other opportunities.