
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 23, 1995                   TAG: 9508230072
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

WILDER GIVES UP RADIO SHOW

Former Gov. Douglas Wilder said he will cancel his syndicated radio talk show to focus on teaching and writing a book.

``The Doug Wilder Show,'' which began in January at WRVA-AM in Richmond, is heard from 9 to 11 a.m. weekdays on eight stations in Virginia, and one each in Washington and Baltimore.

The last show will be Aug. 31.

Wilder plans to teach classes this fall at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and Hampden-Sydney College in Southside Virginia.

He wants to write a book examining ``the historical roots of contemporary problems'' and the increased popularity of third parties and independent candidacies.

``It's just very difficult to be up and raring and ready and available every morning,'' he said. ``I felt that if I continued, something would suffer.''

Efforts to syndicate the show nationally were unsuccessful. WRVA general manager Carl E. McNeill said the show just broke even financially. Ratings were flat, he said.

``Doug is a good interviewer, because he has done most of the things that these politicians are talking about,'' McNeill said.

Wilder's withdrawal coincides with the decision of his closest aide and the show's producer, Glenn Davidson, to become the vice president of the Computer and Communications Industry Association in Washington.

Wilder is one of several former elected officials on the airwaves. Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo began a radio show in June that is heard for three hours Saturdays throughout the country. Others include former Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado and former Gov. Jerry Brown of California.

Radio industry officials said Wilder, a Democrat, would have found a better niche if he had tried to serve as a liberal counterpart to the many conservative shows. Instead, Wilder took an evenhanded approach.

``I am not an entertainer,'' he said. ``I am not a Rush-baugh.''

He said the stint on the air convinced him the public wants more information than ``the mishmash they get every day.''

``They thirst to learn more about the actual operation of government, and they really like to have the issues dissected factually,'' he said.

by CNB