Supervisor snubs 1390 WRIV; will sit with competitor 1 comments below
Supervisor Sean Walter has canceled his weekly radio appearances on WRIV of Riverhead in favor of an hour-long monthly spot on a competing radio station, WLNG of Sag Harbor.
He is one of four Town Board members who could be facing a $10 million lawsuit from Vince Tria, the majority owner of WRIV 1390 AM.
Mr. Tria has filed a notice of claim, which reserves the right to file a lawsuit later, protesting the Town Board's removal of him from the downtown Business Improvement District management association. The BID collects taxes from downtown business owners for events and promotions.
He claims the Town Board cannot legally remove him from the BID management association, and that the board acted in retaliation against him for negative remarks about town officials made on air.
"I made a decision yesterday that I cannot appear on a radio station where the principal owner is suing me for $10 million," Mr. Walter said Thursday.
WLNG 92.1 FM, has been trying to get him to do the appearance for some time, he added.
"The very nice part of this is that WLNG has a reception in Wading River and Calverton, which are the largest two hamlets in the town," he said.
Councilman John Dunleavy, who was not named in the notice of claim, as he was absent on the day the vote on Mr. Tria took place, said WRIV has asked him to fill in for the supervisor on Fridays. He didn't say if he would accept the offer.
Bruce Tria, Mr. Tria's son and WRIV's general manager, wrote a letter to Mr. Walter after the supervisor bowed out of the broadcast.
"It is sad that you have chosen to deal with a dispute with the principal owner of this radio station by imposing a cone of silence around you," he wrote.
Mr. Walter's first appearance on WLNG is scheduled for March 26 at 1 p.m.
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1 comments found
radio talk time : 3/13/2010
Bruce Tria, Mr. Tria's son and WRIV's general manager, wrote a letter to Mr. Walter after the supervisor bowed out of the broadcast.
"It is sad that you have chosen to deal with a dispute with the principal owner of this radio station by imposing a cone of silence around you," he wrote.
Wait a minute Bruce, regardless of the knocking of the board. You continue to run those advertisements where you always make fun of Riverhead like the dining on the Alwive fish etc etc.
Riverhead has alot of heritage, You and your father both live out of town, yet you always are pushing the button.
Now the board makes a change of the BID as is their right (that every town board has) and you now want the taxpayers to pay to defend a lawsuit?
Your father is not hurting the board but the local residents by hitting them in their pockets. At a time when they are struggling. Thanks alot...
ps did you hear that??? It was me turning off your station, You lost a listener due to the money I have to pay.....
