Radio One's popular morning call-in talk show "Community Exchange" will have its own exchange Monday when the show switches hosts from Anita Davis to Luana Wheatley.
The seemingly tireless Davis is taking a sabbatical of sorts and returning to Powder Springs, Ga., which isn't even on the map.
Wheatley, in deference to Davis' large and dedicated audience, said, "I'm flattered to be asked." But she has ideas of her own to bring to the show.
"We will keep to Anita's format, and still do a lot of women's interests, but I also want to devote one show a week to tourism," she said.
This is a subject with which she is well-versed.
For the past four years Wheatley has been public relations liaison to the Tourism Department's public relation agency, Martin Public Relations, a position she will retain.
Davis' multitude of other Radio One duties will be taken over by other hands.
"I will just do the morning show," Wheatley happily noted.
"Actually, my first love is window dressing," the new host said, "but when I returned home from the states, I found my skills weren't in demand."
Wheatley, a St. Thomas native and daughter of the West Indian Co.'s Calvin Wheatley, quickly turned those same solid skills into something less tangible and became involved in tourism.
She will have ample opportunity to dress the windows of Radio One between 8 and 9 o'clock weekdays, fending off callers with any number of questions and opinions.
"My fear is maybe nobody will call in," she said.
It was suggested that maybe that would be the least of her problems, as her audience will probably want to test her mettle.
"I won't have the leverage that Sam Topp or Leona Bryant ( the other two daytime hosts) have because of my position in tourism," she said, but that's not a situation she can't handle.
Mark Bastin, Radio One general manager, is excited about his new host.
"Naturally, you can't have another Anita," he said, "Luana is bright and articulate –- she has a lot of island knowledge and a commitment to island culture."
"There are so many talented people in St. Thomas, and they are unrecognized, especially by the young people," Wheatley said. She will work toward that recognition in her show.
Wheatley is not entirely new to the airwaves. She has filled in for Leona Bryan and was on the jazz station "The Breeze," at 101.3 FM in the early '90s.
