Listen up

A week ago, Betty Knight of Hammond called me looking for "some station identification" for tracking down Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who no longer is featured on Chicago radio airwaves.

The closest station (besides her new XM Satellite paid radio feed) I could find was from lower Michigan, which prompted lots of other readers to offer their own radio personality suggestions for Knight to try as radio voice replacements.

The most popular vote as a prime substitute radio personality here in Chicago, as pointed out by readers, was Laura Ingraham, who can be heard each day in WIND 560-AM.

According to the latest issue of "Talkers," the leading radio trade magazine I mentioned in last week's column, Ingraham ranks fifth in the most recent rankings of radio talk show hosts, just behind Schlessinger, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.

Besides her regular syndicated radio show, Ingraham can also be heard on paid Sirius Satellite Radio.

Florence Hovanec of Robertsdale/Whiting was one of the readers most supportive of "singing" the praises of Ingraham, who ironically has a new book out, released in November, called "Shut Up and Sing" (2006 Regnery Publishing $16.95).

Her earlier book "The Hillary Trap: Looking for Power in all the Wrong Places" (2002 National Book Network $16.95), created a stir for its pointed examination of Hillary Clinton and her climb as an influential political figure.

As for Ingraham's topic trademarks, she's most known for her stance against homosexuals, Democrats (she angered many, and was even accused of voter fraud, during the November 2006 elections for telling her listeners to call the Democratic Party's phone line for voter problems, jamming up the lines) and her constant criticism of the media.

A devout convert to Catholicism, Ingraham is also a breast cancer survivor, after being diagnosed in 2004 and undergoing surgery in 2005. She had been engaged to noted businessman James V. Reyes, and in 2005, often spoke on the air about her impending wedding plans.

However, in 2006, she shocked her listeners by announcing the wedding had been called off and the engagement cancelled.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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