WNSP switching to Sporting News Radio, adding local show

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Dot Com Plus’ Sports radio WNSP-FM Mobile, AL is changing (6/1) its national programming from ESPN to Sporting News Radio and will add a two-hour, mid-day local show. The station’s two current local programs will remain as anchors for the Monday-Friday schedule. “The Morning Sports Center” with the Press-Register’s Mark Heim and radio veteran Lee Shirvanian will run from 6 to 9 a.m. “Sports Drive” with Pat Greenwood and Press-Register sports editor Randy Kennedy will run from 4-6 p.m. The new local show, “Sidelines” with Randy Burgan, will air from noon to 2 p.m. weekdays.


Gone from the schedule will be “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and “The Scott Van Pelt Show,” among others. Beginning 6/1, WNSP will run “The Tim Brando Show” from 9 a.m. until noon, “SNR Sports Night” from 7-9 p.m. and “Todd Wright Tonight” from 9 p.m. to midnight. “The Paul Finebaum Show” will remain in its 2-4 p.m. slot.

“Ultimately, our goal is to have local programming as many hours of the day as possible,” Tim Camp, WNSP GM, told Al.com. “From a ratings standpoint, it’s always better when people are talking local sports or SEC sports vs. the NBA or NHL or something maybe less people here are invested in.”

WNSP had aired ESPN programming since 1994. Camp said ESPN offered a four-or five-year contract extension, which included a pay-for-programming deal that WNSP had not paid before. The two had been working with straight barter.

“They were adding a fee-based system,” Camp said. “We just didn’t see that as being feasible. If we were going to invest cash, we would rather invest it into local programming. That’s what we wanted to do anyway. This just forced our hand.”

The station will still carry the New Orleans Saints and South Alabama athletics.