Kendall takes the mic at the Big Talker

Kendall

Wilmington’s most popular talk radio station has a new local voice. Taking the place of Curtis Wright as the morning host at the conservative-oriented Big Talker FM is Rob Kendall. He co-owns and runs a Whiteville community radio station where he did an afternoon political show.

The Big Talker is quite a step up. It’s a top five station in the Wilmington market according to the most recent Arbitron ratings.

“The listeners and the host are supposed to be one big team and in this conversation together,” Kendall said.

Wright, who was terminated for undisclosed reasons in mid-March, was an active voice in the conservative movement in southeastern North Carolina.

“Curtis has built a large audience and filling his shoes will be a challenge to the person that takes his place at the microphone of the BIG Talker FM in the mornings,” said a Sea-Comm spokesperson in a media news release.

Kendall has stepped down as the communications director for Will Breazeale, a Republican challenger to U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre, now that he is host of the Morning Beat. Kendall was also a music DJ in the Indianapolis area previously.

Kendall said he had a “working knowledge” of local issues due to his proximity in Whiteville. At that station, he also cultivated relationships with many of the same people that influence conservative policy in North Carolina such as the John Locke Foundation, the Civitas Institute and former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory.

Kendall said that he will promote the same general conservative viewpoint that The Big Talker is known for, but will focus more on balancing policy issues with lightheartedness.

“At the end of each show, I want the listener to say, ‘I had learned a lot and ­I had fun,” Kendall said.