Since founding WSRQ five and a half years ago, Susan Nilon has anchored the local programming with the afternoon drive-time show The Nilon Report. But now she is selling her stake in the station to business partner Jim Lampl, and the afternoon show will stop airing on the station at the end of the year. We spoke with Nilon, who also has a monthly column in SRQ Daily, about the move.  

What prompted the sale of WSRQ? From the beginning, Jim Lampl was an insulated investor. He wanted to become a full owner. After five and a half years, Jim approached me with the opportunity to purchase my shares, and I agreed to a buyout. I thought this would be a good time to pursue other ideas and ventures that have been put on hold because of the radio station. I am leaving the station on solid ground. There has always been a really good core of people there and the programming is able to stand on its own.

How many people are employed by WSRQ right now? At this point, full-time and part-time, eight people are employed. I have promoted Jill DeLano to general manager.

What got you into radio? I got my degree in radio and television from Temple University, and while I was in college and after I got out, I worked for a radio news network producing syndicated programs. I pursued other interests but then I got back in radio in 2010 doing a show on other local area radio stations, on WTMY and WWPR. Then in 2011, I launched WSRQ because I thought there was a deficiency in local radio in that none of it was devoted to focusing on the community. That’s why I introduced so many local programs to the line-up.

Will you ever return to radio? Possibly at a time in the future. I was recently hired by Andrea Mogenson and Michael Barfield (at The Law Office of Andrea Flynn Mogenson) on the ACLU case as an investigative researcher. Other than that, I am exploring options. I have some projects I can’t announce yet.