Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company

WRIB-AM 1220, Rhode Island's first ethnic-oriented station, was bought in October by Faith Christian Center, a pentecostal church in Seekonk, Massachusetts (just across the state line from Providence). Ironically, WRIB had aired quite a few religious programs, mostly Catholic in nature. Most of the programmers--secular and religious--knew their programs would probably be deep-sixed by the new owners, who already had plans to change the calls (to WSTL) and format (to a typical fundie Christian station), airing from a brand-new studio in the Providence area. However, WRIB's broadcasters were promised that they'd get a 30-day notice to allow them to find new homes.

But on Friday, the new ownership team waltzed in and yanked the station off the air at 12:30 pm with no advance warning. It did so on the advice of church attorneys, who gave several broadcasters leasing office space in WRIB's building only three hours to remove their equipment, music and personal effects before being charged with trespassing.