WMSV TAKING SHOW
STATE WIDE JULY 31ST
Across The Desk
by Jim Laird
Mississippi Business Journal • July 24-30, 2006

                Sports -talk radio shows come and go with the seasons. Around the Jacksonmetro area,         there is no shortage of sports-related chatter. Tuning in on the drive to or rom the office is an         entertaining diversion for thousands of us every day.
                For the past few years, there have been a number of Southeastern Conference-themed         shows with a variety of hosts and from a variety of locations that have run their course. Come         and gone -- some more spectacularly than others.
                But now with the start of college football a few short weeks away, a new broadcast is set to         go statewide -- and beyond, perhaps -- from WMSV 91.1 FM in Starkville.

                 Covering the conference
                "Southeastern Drive Time" can trace its roots to the station's "Bulldog Drive Time," which         offered an in-depth look at Mississippi State sports five times a week. The new show will         broaden its focus to coverage of one of the most successful college athletic conferences in the         country, the SEC.
                "The Southeastern Conference is one of the most talked about conferences in the country,         and we believe our show will give listeners throughout the region a fresh voice," says Steve         Ellis, co-host and WMSV station manager.
                The show has been building momentum for the past year and a half or so, and now it's set         to go statewide July 31st.
                "We are very excited to now offer 'Drive Time' statewide," Ellis says. "We have been airing         the show in Starkville and Meridian for the last 18 months and feel that now is the time to spread         our wings a bit."
                Along with Ellis, Anthony Craven will host the hour-long broadcast from 5-6 p.m. Monday         through Friday. A few of the features include the latest news from the SEC, interviews from         "league insiders" nightly and opportunities for listeners to call in and talk about their favorite         teams.
                According to the show's Web site at press time last week, in addition to WMSV in Starkville         and WMOX in Meridian, five stations have signed on as affiliates: WJDX, Jackson; WHOC,         Philadelphia; WHSY, Laurel/Hattiesburg; WHNY, McComb; and WVBG, Vicksburg.

                 Solid foundation
                WMSV has been filling the local airwaves on campus at Mississippi State, around Starkville         and throughout the Golden Triangle with quality, consistency, and 10 strong years of staying         power. And it's taken that lineup around the world with rock-solid online component.
                I'm one listener hoping that "Southeastern Drive Time" meets those expectations and has a         similar run of its own. Tune in July 31st, and we'll see how it starts.