NEWSPAPER EDITOR OUSTED FROM RADIO GIG

A Mendocino County public radio station has bounced a local newspaper
editor from her weekly community affairs program following a
contentious on-air marijuana debate.

The abrupt ousting of Editor K.C. Meadows of the Ukiah Daily Journal
following last Thursday's program underscores rising political
tensions surrounding Measure B, a citizen-led drive to repeal in the
June primary election the county's liberalized local laws surrounding
personal marijuana use.

Meadows, as the local newspaper editor, figures prominently in the
county-wide repeal campaign, serving on a coordinating committee and
having written frequent editorials urging voters to "take back our
county."

Meadows couldn't be reached Monday morning for comment on her show's
removal from the Philo-based public radio station's
programming.

But in her daily Web blog, Meadows wrote, "I have to say I find this
odd given the dedicated bias of KZYX, NPR (National Public Radio) and
other public radio sources on any number of left-of-center issues."

Vance Crowe, a KZYX spokesman, said Monday that Meadows was removed
because her on-air advocacy violated the station's policies regarding
up-coming ballot issues.

"Our job is to provide non-partisan forums," said Crowe.