The Birmingham News reports the city of Birmingham canceled its advertising on local WJLD-AM the same day its owner lambasted Mayor Larry Langford’s plan for “Fair Park” on his talk show. Officials with the mayor’s office called the cancellation a matter of smart spending, not political revenge.
Gary Richardson WJLD told the paper the decision to pull 2,000 worth of advertising was instead punishment for his strong words against the City Council’s vote to allocate 48 million to redesign Fair Park. City officials called Richardson to cancel the advertisements shortly after his "Morning Talk" program ended Wednesday morning. The city had a one-month contract with WJLD to advertise the coming Spring Fling festival at Fair Park.
"Now we get our contract canceled because of a comment that is not complimentary to what he’s trying to do," Richardson said. "I said they were running on impulse and emotion. Just because he parks his bandwagon at our front door doesn’t mean we have to jump on it."
