Governor to Launch Weekly Radio Talks on Saturday

Modeling himself after President Reagan, Gov. George Deukmejian will begin five-minute radio broadcasts each week on Saturday mornings, his office announced Wednesday.

“It’s another way of communicating with the public on a variety of issues that may come up,” said Larry Thomas, the governor’s press secretary. “It’s an opportunity to make announcements and respond to letters from the public.”

So far, 11 radio stations have agreed to air the governor’s talks, which will be broadcast by satellite, Thomas said.

The subject of his first broadcast this Saturday will be the state lottery.

The governor has been under fire for delays in starting the lottery, which was supposed to begin in March under the initiative approved by voters last year. Deukmejian is expected to announce the appointment of a lottery director by the end of this week.

Thomas said that the idea behind the governor’s broadcast “is essentially the same” as the President’s weekly radio talk, which also airs on Saturdays.

“It will be offered at 8:40 a.m. Saturday mornings, but stations obviously have the flexibility to air it when they wish,” Thomas said.

The state will pay about $160 to transmit each broadcast via the Mutual Broadcasting System satellite, Thomas said. The governor will have the option each week of taping the talk ahead of time or doing it live.

So far, no station in Los Angeles has agreed to air the broadcast.

Those that have include KFBK in Sacramento, KMJ in Fresno, KNCR in Eureka, KZUN in Modesto, KPMC in Bakersfield, KWDJ in Riverside, KSMA in Santa Maria, KVLI at Lake Isabella, KDNO in Delano, KCOK in Tulare and KWRM in Corona.