Dwight back on the airwaves

By OWEN BOSS

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - After an eight-month hiatus, "The Bill Dwight Show" will return to the airwaves this month on the Florence-based Valley Free Radio, WXOJ 103.3 FM.

The morning news program, which will begin Jan. 24, is scheduled to air Monday through Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m.

Dwight, 55, a former Ward 1 city councilor, spent four years hosting a morning radio show on WHMP-AM The River before a programming dispute with the station's manager caused him to walk away from the microphone last April.

Joining Dwight will be Northampton resident Jaz Tupelo, who produced Dwight's former program on WHMP and served as an afternoon disc jockey for the station.

Similar to his former show, Dwight said he will focus on local news and will feature provocative interviews with news makers and intriguing people from across the Pioneer Valley.

"I was encouraged by a lot of people to come back and give it another shot, and they're giving us a morning drive slot, which is exactly what we were looking for," Dwight said.

Although Dwight and Tupelo haven't been broadcast on an area radio station in almost a year, Dwight said the duo has been recording a weekly podcast to stay sharp.

"We're both really psyched about this. We did a practice run of our show recently, and the people over at Valley Free Radio have been really great," Dwight said.

Tupelo said she is excited to work music into Dwight's show and expects he will pick up right where he left off.

"The thing I love about Bill is his commitment to this area and the knowledge that he has about the people and the players who live here," Tupelo said. "I just love hearing him bring that knowledge to the show and I love learning about the things that are going on locally."

Mayor Clare Higgins and renowned journalist Rachel Maddow are among the guests that Dwight said he hopes to interview the week he returns to the airwaves.

"The work we've done in radio has been an act of love of sorts; it has never been about the money," Dwight said.

Valley Free Radio, located on Pine Street in Florence, is a nonprofit, community-based and volunteer-run radio station aired around the Greater Northampton area.

For more information about Valley Free Radio, or to see a list of its programs, visit the station's website www.valleyfreeradio.org.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.