'Around Douglas' radio program canceled

"Around Douglas with Jane Lehrman," the long-running weekly program on KGVM radio has been canceled.

KGVM 99.1, Carson Valley's first and only radio station, was sold Feb. 1 to a businessman from Maine who is reorganizing its format. As a result, the show that featured newsmakers from around the Valley has been scrapped.

"I think it has an audience, but not on KGVM," said owner Jerry Evans.

Lehrman said she feels hurt that she wasn't notified personally by Evans of the cancellation of her eight-year program.

"Somebody called me from the station (who) I didn't know and said the program was canceled," she said.

Lehrman said she hasn't found another forum for "Around Douglas." She does an AARP radio program in Reno, but said she will miss the Valley's people.

"I will miss everybody and miss doing (the show)," she said. "I hope very soon to be doing something.

"I appreciate all the people I have talked to and who have shared with me so beautifully. Everybody has been so gracious."

Evans said the program featuring the weekly report from Douglas County Manager Dan Holler has also been changed to air at 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, moving from its noon slot on Sundays.

He also said there has been a slight modification to the music format at the station.

"We are not trying to be everybody's everything," he said. "We are specifically trying to appeal to adults, and I don't think we can do that if we are playing four decades of music.

"We've narrowed it down to the last 15 years (of music) and will be a little more focused and targeted to an audience we want to reach."

The 3,000-watt station, started by Lloyd Higuera 18 years ago, was sold for $850,000, according to radioandrecordsonline.com

Contact Regina Purcell at rpurcell@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.