The Family Policy Institute of Washington (FPIW), a local affiliate of Focus on the Family and Family Research Council, has been broadcasting a weekly half-hour radio show since at least May of 2009.  The show has largely been used to promote FPIW’s anti-gay agenda.  According to their broadcaster, the American Christian Network, the show’s Wednesday time slot is now FOR RENT.

The show’s hosts were Joseph Backholm (above, right) and Russell Johnson (below, right).  Backholm is FPIW’s executive director.  Johnson used to be FPIW’s director of governmental affairs but is not longer named on FPIW’s “Who We Are” page.  He was most recently listed as the executive director of Youth Revolution, an organization that appears moribund.

Backholm began the last-aired (January 27, 2010) show with a plea for financial support, something I’d never heard him do before.  Apparently the situation was more dire than he let on.  Emphasis mine.

And I would like to start off today’s message with a small public service announcement, brought to you by the Family Policy Institute of Washington, and remind you that this is listener-supported radio.  Not the other kind of listener-supported radio.  We do bring you a different perspective.  But this is listener-supported radio.  

And we appreciate those of you who are with us and listening on a regular basis, or checking us out online, but we would like to make you aware of the fact that this program has been made possible and is made possible by the donations of generous people who think that this information matters and appreciate this service in their community and in their homes.  

So if you would like to help keep family policy radio on the air, if you’d like to help keep our message going out to the eastern Washington area through the American Christian Network, we would greatly appreciate your support to make that happen.  

And in order to do that, you can always call our offices at…  Again we love doing this.  We think this is an important message that Washington state needs to hear about what is happening to families in Washington state.  And if you agree with us and want to support that and make sure it continues to happen, we’d love to hear from you.

Apparently not enough people “think that this information matters” enough “to help keep our message going out”.  With only 177 visits registered at the show’s web page, I wonder if anyone even heard the plea?

It would be a mistake to think we’ve heard the last of Joseph Backholm, Russell Johnson or FPIW.  On the contrary, they are still very much dedicated to hurting lesbian and gay families and controlling women’s bodies.  However, it seems likely that after their crushing Referendum 71 defeat, the organization is facing donor fatigue and is having to make some tough resource allocation choices.