Candidates' equal time topic of meeting at KIT

YAKIMA, Wash. -- KIT radio has scheduled a meeting today to discuss equal air time for one of its popular morning show hosts and two other candidates seeking the same Yakima City Council seat.

Incumbent Sonia Rodriguez and Sharon Madson said they want air time equivalent to what Dave Ettl now has as co-host of KIT's morning talk show.

After being off the air since filing his candidacy for the Yakima City Council late June 5, he returned to the airwaves Monday morning and was on for 20 minutes Tuesday.

All three candidates are seeking an at-large seat now held by Rodriguez, who was appointed to the council earlier this year.

Under federal law, radio and television stations are required to give candidates running for office equal air time.

Rodriguez, who sent the station a letter Monday seeking equal time, said she's not sure what to expect from today's meeting.

"It's a little bit difficult how to approach it because they haven't made their (intentions) known to me," she said. "I don't know what their position is."

Madson could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Ettl said he hopes to work something out with his opponents that would allow him to continue to stay on the air.

"We'll see if we get anything in the old goodie bag to accomplish that," he said. "I always figured that we would be able to negotiate some kind of reasonable agreement (with candidates)."

If not, he said he hopes the station will find him some off-air assignment.

Station manager David Roederer said he hoped a solution could be reached today.