Gulf Coast Congressional Report
Encyclopedia
The Gulf Coast Congressional Report, or Congressional Report, is a public service television
program broadcast by WKRG-TV
in Mobile, Alabama
from 1973 to 2006. Originally hosted by Representatives
from the congressional districts within the reach of WKRG's signal, the commercial-free talk show gave viewers a local perspective of Washington, D.C.
and the central Gulf Coast from their congressman's standpoint. The program was free to broadcast and was paid for by tax dollars. It was recorded in one of the United States Capitol
recording studios and in Mobile.
and Bob Sikes
of . Sikes was reluctant at first, according to Lott, but he ultimately joined the program from its first broadcast. Sikes was a Democrat
; Edwards and Lott were Republicans
. Throughout the years, the hosts made sure the program would remain non-partisan and free of conflicts.
After succeeding Sikes as congressman in 1979, fellow Democrat Earl Hutto joined the program. Edwards retired from Congress in 1985, and fellow Republican Sonny Callahan
succeeded him in the U.S. House of Representatives and on the program. Shortly after Lott was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1988, the program’s multiple hosts format ended and Callahan was its only host. Lott and Hutto would reappear on the program during Callahan’s term in Congress. Hutto retired from Congress, but Lott was unable to continue co-hosting the program on a regular basis due to his status as Senate majority leader.
In 2002, Callahan announced his retirement from Congress and his Chief of Staff Jo Bonner
became his successor. Like his former boss, Bonner also hosted Congressional Report on his own, and invited numerous guests. As an aide to Callahan, Bonner helped produce the program during the mid-1980s. In the July 2003 Nielsen ratings
, the program in its 10:00 a.m. timeslot (following Face the Nation
on CBS
) still ranked higher in viewers than those of Mobile’s three other major network TV affiliates. It continued to be profitable for WKRG, which had estimated that it could earn $1500 or more for airing the commercial-free program.
The last pre-recorded program, which never aired, featured not a politician, but two emergency management officials from Mobile County
and Baldwin County
discussing hurricane preparedness. In exchange of the hiatus, Beckerle was offered two 30-minute segments of airtime. The segments aired respectively on June 11 and June 18 in Congressional Report’s former timeslot. Bonner was re-elected in November, but he has never received word on when his program will return to WKRG. In February 2007, Bonner’s spokeswoman Nancy Wall acknowledged that her boss has accepted WKRG’s decision to drop his show as a permanent one and that he is looking at alternative means of getting Congressional Report back on the air.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
program broadcast by WKRG-TV
WKRG-TV
WKRG-TV, virtual channel 5 , is the CBS-affiliated television station for Mobile, Alabama, Pensacola, Florida, and Pascagoula/Biloxi, Mississippi; and has been the network's affiliate in the area since its inception on August 29, 1955. The station was founded by the architect and movie theater...
in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
from 1973 to 2006. Originally hosted by Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from the congressional districts within the reach of WKRG's signal, the commercial-free talk show gave viewers a local perspective of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and the central Gulf Coast from their congressman's standpoint. The program was free to broadcast and was paid for by tax dollars. It was recorded in one of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
recording studios and in Mobile.
History
D.H. "Buck" Long, vice president of WKRG, brought the idea of Congressional Report to the attention of Jack Edwards, who represented . The program would be a collaboration of Edwards, Trent LottTrent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
and Bob Sikes
Robert L. F. Sikes
Robert Lee Fulton Sikes was a U.S. Representative from Florida.Born in Isabella, near Sylvester, Georgia, Sikes attended the public schools....
of . Sikes was reluctant at first, according to Lott, but he ultimately joined the program from its first broadcast. Sikes was a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
; Edwards and Lott were Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Throughout the years, the hosts made sure the program would remain non-partisan and free of conflicts.
After succeeding Sikes as congressman in 1979, fellow Democrat Earl Hutto joined the program. Edwards retired from Congress in 1985, and fellow Republican Sonny Callahan
Sonny Callahan
Herbert Leon "Sonny" Callahan is a politician from Alabama.Callahan was born in Mobile, Alabama he had eight brothers and sisters and he attended classes at a branch of the University of Alabama that was located in Mobile. He did not graduate. Callahan served in the United States Navy from 1952 to...
succeeded him in the U.S. House of Representatives and on the program. Shortly after Lott was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1988, the program’s multiple hosts format ended and Callahan was its only host. Lott and Hutto would reappear on the program during Callahan’s term in Congress. Hutto retired from Congress, but Lott was unable to continue co-hosting the program on a regular basis due to his status as Senate majority leader.
In 2002, Callahan announced his retirement from Congress and his Chief of Staff Jo Bonner
Jo Bonner
Josiah Robins Bonner, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and early political career:...
became his successor. Like his former boss, Bonner also hosted Congressional Report on his own, and invited numerous guests. As an aide to Callahan, Bonner helped produce the program during the mid-1980s. In the July 2003 Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the program in its 10:00 a.m. timeslot (following Face the Nation
Face the Nation
Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer is an American Sunday-morning political interview show which premiered on the CBS television network on November 7, 1954. It is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
) still ranked higher in viewers than those of Mobile’s three other major network TV affiliates. It continued to be profitable for WKRG, which had estimated that it could earn $1500 or more for airing the commercial-free program.
Hiatus
On June 4, 2006, WKRG halted further airings of Congressional Report in response to an equal-time complaint by Jo Bonner’s opponent in the 2006 election for Congress. Mobile lawyer Vivian Beckerle also accused the program of being a political promotion for Bonner’s campaign. The station had planned on putting the program on hiatus August 6 due to federal rules requiring that such programs not air 90 days or less before an election, but the May 26 letter to WKRG made station officials put the program on hiatus two months earlier than expected.The last pre-recorded program, which never aired, featured not a politician, but two emergency management officials from Mobile County
Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County[p] is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of a tribe of Indians, the Maubila tribe . As of 2011, its population was 415,704. Its county seat is Mobile, Alabama...
and Baldwin County
Baldwin County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
discussing hurricane preparedness. In exchange of the hiatus, Beckerle was offered two 30-minute segments of airtime. The segments aired respectively on June 11 and June 18 in Congressional Report’s former timeslot. Bonner was re-elected in November, but he has never received word on when his program will return to WKRG. In February 2007, Bonner’s spokeswoman Nancy Wall acknowledged that her boss has accepted WKRG’s decision to drop his show as a permanent one and that he is looking at alternative means of getting Congressional Report back on the air.