AUGUSTA (AP) – About 60 state legislators signed a petition Friday calling for the Maine Public Broadcasting Network to reinstate “The Humble Farmer,” the radio personality it dropped from its lineup after more than 28 years on the air.

Robert Skogland, a humorist from St. George, was dropped by the network after he refused to sign a letter saying he would follow commentary guidelines that apply to all of MPBN’s on-air staff outside of the news department, said Lou Morin, communications manager for MPBN.

The informal document signed by dozens of lawmakers and Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, which does not carry the force of law, expresses admiration for Skoglund’s “dry wit, clever repartee, droll observations (and) Down East enthusiasm,” and regret that Skoglund was let go.

“We humbly petition the powers that be to bring the Humble Farmer back to us,” says the petition, which appears on House of Reresentatives stationery.

Skoglund’s final program, which was a mixture of old jazz tunes and Skoglund’s humor and commentary, aired last Friday.

Skoglund declined to comment on the cancellation, saying only that he wanted his “life back.”

Skoglund’s departure ends an eight-month feud between him and MPBN’s management over what he could say in his commentary pieces, which he labeled as “rants.”

The dispute began in November, when MPBN wouldn’t air a taped show that included Skoglund reading a letter that was critical of a spending cap in Maryland similar to referendum that was about to be voted on in Maine.

MPBN program managers said they didn’t want Skoglund’s show to be viewed as taking sides on political issues. They sent him a set of guidelines, which included a ban on taking stances on controversial issues.

Skoglund responded by sending in his taped show every week without commentary. But he continued to publish his “rants” on his Web site, and he said he received hundreds of e-mails from supporters.

In April, Skoglund and about 20 supporters attended an MPBN board meeting in Lewiston to protest the restrictions.

Many supporters said that MPBN’s guidelines are a form of censorship.

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