The GLBT community in San Diego has finally found a home on the AM radio dial when a new radio show focusing on the GLBT community debuts this Sunday on San Diego’s AM 1360 KLSD radio station.

The show, titled “The Bridge,” is an “enlightened talk radio show that will look at current issues from a GLBT perspective,” according to the show’s sponsor, Gay & Lesbian Times publisher Michael Portantino. “When KLSD’s Cathy Law first approached us, we were excited and honored that they had the confidence in us to help launch and make the show a success. Our commitment to you is that the show will be topical, exciting and it definitely won’t shy away from looking at the controversial issues facing our community.”

Portantino said among the topics he wants to see discussed are: crystal meth and its impact on the GLBT community, Councilmember Toni Atkins’ side of her involvement in the current pension-fund scandal, “lightening-rod” City Attorney Mike Aguirre, and interviews with ex-gay movement organizers and supposed ex-gays themselves. He would also like to hear talks with AIDS denialists and spirited dialogue with call-in listeners, he said.

With the exception of various satellite, online and specialty radio services, only a handful of GLBT-focused radio stations and shows exist in the United States.

Tryce Czyczynska and Ross Porter will be the co-hosts of the weekly broadcast. According to Porter, the show will “loosely follow the AM 1360 style, which is general talk by hosts at the beginning, taking listener calls and then bringing in guests as we can and as we find them.”

Czyczynska noted that one of the main goals of the show “is to bring ideas together to move forward in support of diversity.”

While much of the show’s content is still being worked out, the hosts promise a number of topics and features of interest to the community.

For the premier broadcast, the show’s special guest will be longtime community leader and activist Jeri Dilno. Not only has Dilno been at the forefront of GLBT community activism, serving on numerous boards, committees and other activities, she was inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame this past March.

How did such a show come to be developed in San Diego? According to Porter, “a confluence of interests came up with it.”

Cathy Law, a sales representative for Clear Channel Communications, which owns KLSD 1360, came up with the idea to have a GLBT radio show on the station. Gregory Swim, who also works for Clear Channel, had tossed around a similar idea in the past.

Swim, who is currently a producer for KLSD’s “The Jon Elliot Show,” will also work as the producer for “The Bridge.”

Law gives a lot of the credit for the show’s creation to KLSD’s program director Cliff Albert. “Cliff has been a supporter and has been behind this thing since the first time I brought it to him,” she said. “He has been instrumental in this, and it couldn’t have gone ahead without his OK.”

When Law envisioned the program, she assumed it would be slotted as a half-hour late-night show. To her surprise, Albert placed the show in the more favorable weekend afternoon slot.

Law was also able to secure a major underwriter for the program, the Gay & Lesbian Times. “The partnership with the GLT is a match made in heaven,” she said. “The GLT was my first choice for sponsorship, as they are the paper of record for the community. I really wanted the paper’s sponsorship because of its credibility.”

The show’s co-hosts come from a varied background of radio and community experiences. Czyczynska, well-known for her popular “Tea Time With Tryce” column, which ran in San Diego’s now defunct Update newspaper as well as Los Angeles’ IN Magazine from 1997 to 2005, owns her own consulting business. She has a long resume of community involvement, held the title of Ms. Gay San Diego from 1998 to 2000 and won the 2004 Nicky Award for Most Popular Female Personality. Since 2004, she has served as the interviewer and host for Coffee and Conversation With Cool Women, a public interview forum held at the The Center’s Women’s Resource Center. Czyczynska and Law serve on the same networking committee of the Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA) and initially discussed the possibilities of her serving as host.

Porter is a native San Diegan who currently works in public relations for a local nonprofit public health agency.

Since his college days, Porter has done radio work off and on. He has done program announcements for UCSD-TV, as well as various radio news and voice-over recordings. One of his great loves, big band music, is something he gets to share with San Diego every weekend. Currently, he hosts the “Big Band Brunch” show on San Diego’s FM 88.3 on Sunday mornings. His agency has advertised with Clear Channel in the past, and he connected with the station through Law, his advertising rep.

“The Bridge” will give listeners the opportunity to call in to voice their comments. Law said she encourages the community to support this show by listening, calling in, advertising and patronizing the advertisers. Call-in numbers will be announced throughout the broadcast.

“Everybody has a fascinating story that can inspire people – from the homeless to the politicians in power. We need to listen to everyone,” Czyczynska said.

“The Bridge” premiers on AM 1360 on Sunday, Sept. 17. The show will begin at 2:00 p.m. and run for one hour every Sunday to follow. For more information about KLSD’s programming or to listen online, visit www.am1360klsd.com.