Transgender DJ Fievel Crane Quits on Air, Citing Censorship

The Charlottesville radio host says the company barred them from discussing political issues on air and monitored their personal social media accounts.

By John Riley on September 26, 2026 @JRileyMW

Fievel Crane - Photo: Facebook — Fievel Crane – Photo: Facebook

Fievel Crane, the transgender host of The Morning Mixtape on Charlottesville radio station 106.1 FM The Corner, quit on air earlier this month, saying their employer had failed to support them and had censored what they could say on the show.

A video of Crane’s on-air resignation was posted to Instagram on September 4.

“Normally, this is where the one-second music quiz would be, but there will not be a quiz today because I’m quitting,” Crane said during the broadcast. “I wanted to thank you for welcoming me to this town and to the corner over the past three years. you’ve been really amazing, particularly when I came out and changed my name.

“Normally, this is where the one-second music quiz would be, but there will not be a quiz today because I’m quitting,” Crane said. “I wanted to thank you for welcoming me to this town and to the corner over the past three years. You’ve been really amazing, particularly when I came out and changed my name.”

Crane then turned to their employer, Charlottesville Media Group, the Saga Communications subsidiary that owns the station. “But sadly, that level of acceptance has been in very short supply here at this company,” they said. “It has been the most traumatic work experience I’ve ever had, and that is saying something.”

On their website, Crane describes themselves as a “queer, trans, anarchist, non-binary, radio host, podcaster, poet and fomenter of unrest.” They said they were being prevented from speaking about political issues on air. They also claimed the company had been monitoring their personal social media accounts, forcing them to censor themselves.

“I’ve also had to become less and less of my authentic self over these three years, as I’ve been repeatedly silenced and kept from talking about things that matter, whether that’s the genocide in Palestine, the war on our town’s homeless folks, ICE raids in our community — you name it,” Crane added. “The company even monitors my personal social media, which is why I’ve had to stop using it or risk being fired, and that is not a good way to live.”

Crane, who hosts two podcasts, The Jazz Station and A Brief Chat, has also released an album of radical political poetry accompanied by music. They said proceeds from the album would support Ele Elna Elak, an organization addressing water scarcity in Gaza, according to The Advocate.

While Crane said they would miss the station’s listeners, they looked forward to a “happier life now that I can put this company behind me.”

Crane then said, “Free Palestine,” and played their “last ever playlist,” which included protest songs such as Billy Bragg’s “All You Fascists” and Easterhouse’s “Come Out Fighting,” before signing off.