By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — WLRH 89.3 FM, Alabama’s first public radio station, announced that it will drop all NPR programming effective October 1, 2025, turning its focus entirely to locally produced content.
“This is about going back to our roots and serving Huntsville directly,” station manager Brett Tannehill said. “We want to tell the stories of this community with the voices of this community.”
Founded in 1976, WLRH has served North Alabama for nearly 50 years, offering a mix of national programming, classical music, jazz, and homegrown shows. The station is licensed to the Alabama Educational Television Commission, but has always operated as a community-driven voice for the Tennessee Valley.
Listeners across Huntsville, Decatur, Athens, Florence, Scottsboro, and into southern Tennessee will soon hear more programming dedicated to local news, arts, culture, music, and storytelling.
“We’ve had an incredible partnership with NPR for decades, but we feel the time is right to double down on Huntsville, Madison County, and the Tennessee Valley,” Tannehill added.
Supporters of the change say the shift will help strengthen the community bond. “Local radio matters because it reflects who we are. These changes give Huntsville a stronger voice,” longtime listener Cheryl Harris said.
