Future Defined: Ask an Atheist on KLAY 1180 AM

Posted on November 24, 2010

Categories: Announcements

Tags: Transition 2011

YouTube Video

As of today, it’s official— Ask an Atheist will be moving from the friendly confines of SCANtv to KLAY 1180 AM, a radio station in Tacoma, starting in January 2011. There will be a lot more to announce and to talk about in the coming week, but for now, enjoy this video and press release, and for those of you state-side, Happy Thanksgiving!

Official-Style Press Release

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Mike Gillis
Producer and Co-creator
Ask an Atheist
(206) 755-4262
producers (at) askanatheist.tv
http://askanatheist.tv

“ASK AN ATHEIST” TO PREMIERE ON KLAY 1180 AM; BENEFIT SHOW TO BE HELD AT TACOMA COMEDY CLUB

TACOMA — “Ask an Atheist,” a television program that debuted on Seattle public access in June is moving to radio early next year, joining the lineup of KLAY 1180 AM, a locally-owned station based in Lakewood.

“Ask an Atheist,” which swept the SCAN cable access Awards last month with four awards, including Favorite New Program of 2010 and Favorite Religious Program, was only the second atheism-themed television program in the country. In the move to radio, it will be the first explicitly atheism-themed program on commercial radio.

To provide the seed money for the radio show’s first round of episodes, “Ask an Atheist” is holding a benefit comedy show at the Tacoma Comedy Club on Thursday, December 9th.

WHERE:

Tacoma Comedy Club

445 Tacoma Ave S
Tacoma, WA 98402

WHEN:

Thursday, December 9th at 8:00 pm

WHO:

Lineup includes:

Aaron “Riggs” Flett,professional comedian and writer/director of the locally produced feature length film Jesus For Less.
Derek Sheen, a member of the People’s Republic Of Komedy, and producer/host of the Delicious Mediocrity podcast.
Jeremy Whitman, Co-Creator of Ask An Atheist and nationally touring comedian.
The headliner of the evening will be Brad Upton, a former writer/performer on Seattle’s Almost Live!, as well as an internationally touring act.

Tacoma Comedy Club includes a full drinks and food menu. Tickets are $20 and are available online at Brown Paper Tickets.

“Ask an Atheist” is a live, weekly educational call-in program dedicated to atheism, skeptical inquiry and the separation of church and state. It premiered on SCAN Community Public Access in Seattle on June 6, 2010 and
has regular viewers in over a dozen countries.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mike Gillis, Producer and Co-Creator, “Ask an Atheist”, (206) 755-4262, producers (at) askanatheist.tv

About the Author: Sam Mulvey

Sam Mulvey is a producer and the technical brain behind Ask an Atheist. He is a collector of vinegar varieties, vintage computers, antique radios, and propaganda.

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Jeff

13 years ago

Congratulations, guys and gals! Is this a first for atheist shows in the US, getting a mainstream broadcast show?

I’ll be sure to give you a donation for that annual winter solstice holiday, the common name for which is eluding me at the moment.. What exactly are you planning to do with it? Buy some equipment?

Mike Gillis

Time on radio costs money. We’re hoping to pay for our first two season’s worth of shows and build a sustainable list of advertising sponsors.

KLAY’s time is very affordable, but we need the seed money to get started, therefore the fundraising efforts.

To clarify my previous question, the post says it’s the first atheist radio show, but what’s the qualification on that? In the local area? In Washington? In the US?

We believe in the U.S. There are shows with atheist hosts, or who occasionally speak on atheism. But I couldn’t find any evidence that there has ever been a commercially distributed atheism-themed radio show.

Great! Hopefully you’ll blaze a trail for The Atheist Experience to go mainstream and join you!

Ask An Atheist » Podcast: Special Announcement

[…] more information, see the official information release at: http://askanatheist.tv/2010/11/24/future-defined-ask-an-atheist-on-klay-1180-am/ […]

“But I couldn’t find any evidence that there has ever been a commercially distributed atheism-themed radio show.”

Ah, so you can’t prove that there hasn’t been one? 😉

mel

Great, hope it goes well. From australia! Single parent so can not aford to help you, but I have posted on facebook, twitter adn youtube to try adn get you guys support

JJR

Good luck with the transition! The Houston Atheist Meetup group is exploring reviving the old “The Atheist Hour” show on KPFT 90.1 FM, which is a Pacifica Radio affiliate. The first iteration didn’t last very long because it wasn’t done very well and couldn’t pull $$$ during the station fund drive. Pacifica Radio is non-profit community radio…but good luck with the Commercial Radio venture. Sam is right on that you have a good chance of picking up listeners who are simply dial-surfing and not explicitly looking for an atheist show…truckers passing through and what not. Congrats on sweeping the SCANtv… Read more »

Libbie

I’m excited about this! And looking forward to the fundraiser show. 🙂

David

I presume that the podcasts will still be produced.

AM is good but it doubt it’ll travel to Europe.

(That’s quite cool that you’ve got a radio show though.)

Strangelove

Just wanted to tell you guys how glad I am that you found a way to continue with your show. While it’s unfortunate that SCAN TV is going the way of the dodo, having to move to a commercial radio station could be the best thing to happen to you in terms of reaching a bigger theistic audience.

Ask An Atheist » Web Stuff!

[…] we’re raising funds for out transition to radio, there’s a thermometer up top to track our donation […]

Podcasts will continue, as will a video component to the show.

Randy

I think radio has the chance to be more successful than tv. However, it would be nice to eventually get on a more mainstream FM channel rather than back of the alley AM radio.

Niam

Maybe I missed it while looking over the site, or maybe you would rather not disclose the information, but have you posted a dollar amount that you wish to raise? I am sorry to hear about SCAN, especially when such entities are more necessay, more useful, and *easier to provide* now than ever before. It’s too bad politicians are not willing to stand up for what is good for society, and it is easy to understand why cable companies want to drop support to save money. It’s also too bad that conspiracy nutjobs receive so much attention with so little… Read more »

Ask an Atheist with Sam Mulvey