Black community turned off Air America

[TrueAmerican]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040403/HOUPT03/TPEntertainment/Columnists


Black community turned off Air America


By SIMON HOUPT


UPDATED AT 7:29 PM EST Saturday, Apr. 3, 2004

On Thursday evening, the basement of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church rang with passionate denunciations of institutional racism. Community leaders called for a boycott, spoke of arrogance toward blacks, and threatened a class-action lawsuit. Their unlikely targets? Institutions that the causal observer might think would be bedfellows of the black community: The Democratic Party and Air America, the country's first full-scale attempt at a commercially viable liberal talk-radio network.

Something has gone terribly wrong. The launch of Air America was supposed to agitate Republicans and conservative talk-show stalwarts. Al Franken, the biggest name on the new network's bench, explained in his opening monologue during Wednesday's debut broadcast that he named his noon-to-3-p.m. flagship show The O'Franken Factor, "for one reason, and one reason only: to annoy and bait Bill O'Reilly." He explained that Air America's mission is to "take back the country" from the right wing and, especially, the Bush administration. "In the 2000 election, when George W. Bush said he was against nation building," Franken intoned, "we didn't realize he only meant our nation."

Later that evening, Janeane Garofalo took similar potshots at the Republicans during her three-hour show The Majority Report, named in reference to the Democrats winning the popular vote in the 2000 presidential election. Over the first couple of days, Air America's midtown Manhattan studios hummed with the voices of Lewis Lapham, Al Gore, former U.S. secretary of labour Robert Reich, Michael Moore, John Mellencamp, Ralph Nader and Sen. Bob Kerrey.

A few miles north, black hearts were breaking at the sound of this proud parade of white liberals. Air America is still finding placement on stations across the country, but in New York it is leasing the time for its 19-hour broadcast day on WLIB-AM 1190, which was until this week a pillar of the black community. For three decades, the station had broadcast a mix of talk radio, funky music and news reports on local and Caribbean issues.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[kiahzero]

1. Telling

the political stripes of the predator irrelevant because they don't see a difference anyway between Democrats and Republicans.

If you can't see the difference, you're politically blind.

[newyorican]

50. likewise...

if you don't see the overlap, and how that effects the black community in NYC, then you are literally blind.

[Teddy_Salad]

2. Yeah.....Irony, huh?

I wish it was WABC (Limpballs, Insanity) we took over instead of WLIB.

[KG]

3. blacks might have a beef.

how many black face behind the mics? i counted 1?

[papau]

5. Anyone can get a small power license - if Caribbean radio is needed

set one up.

The station found with a higher power license it could not get income to cover cost - so they should loss money forever?

Who ever ran a meeting saying they had a beef with Air America was a person who needed some training in logic.

Now low power stations do not carry very far (as any college radio person can tell you), but we are talking "local" community - right?

:-)


From the Canadia papers "TODAY'S PAPER ENTERTAINMENT"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040403/HOUPT03//?query=SIMON+HOUPT

http://www.globeandmail.com/

[sangha]

9. There are several East Indian radio shows in NYC

as well as a few cable shows (public access). There's no shortage of black radio hosts in NYC. Butt's is just working for his share of the faith-based funds for social programs

[ParanoidPat]

31. Can you tell me who the black guy behind the conservative mike is?

Besides Michael Powell? :shrug: :evilgrin:

[sangha]

4. Abyssinian Baptist Church is run by Rev. Calvin Butts, a Repuke

CALVIN BUTTS ENDORSES PATAKI
http://www.nyvote.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=1350

"Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, said, “George Pataki is a Governor who has kept his word. Everything that he pledged to do to stimulate the economy, to provide jobs, and to foster education, he has done. For me, it is rare to find an elected official who keeps his word. George Pataki has done this, and for that reason, deserves to be re-elected.’"

[papau]

6. Super point - my memory is going - thanks for posting that

one more senior moment today!

:-)

I wonder how he got the entertainment reporter for a Canadian paper to report his handout.

I note the Globe and Mail Site has taken it down as a direct link!

[Logansquare]

11. Votesmart bio of Calvin Butts

http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=MZZ12036
He's a Republican.

[papau]

12. Thanks

:-)

[w4rma]

17. Globe is trying to stir crap up that isn't there between blacks and Dems

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: They never mentioned that the Reverend was a partisan Republican.

[skeptic9]

7. What does Al Sharpton think about Harlem's loss of WLIB...

... to Air America?

Why doesn't Al Sharpton--or any other African-American political leader--have regular air time on Air America? WLIB's owner, Inner City Boroadcasting's Percy Sutton, is in partnership with Progress Media and could re-format Black talk radio stations elsewhere to broadcast AirAmerica.

Have either Sharpton or Sutton even appeared as guests on Air America so far?

Progress Media really mishandled this. Now it may become difficult even to book African-American guests, if there's a Black Community backlash against Air America.

[sangha]

10. And to represent the Asian communities,

they should give a show to the Rev Moon.

[skeptic9]

13. So the Black community's role in Democratic politics ...

... once again should be sacrifice in silence? WLIB has been a major cultural institution in Harlem for decades. What are Harlemites getting in return for what they have suddenly lost, with evidently little or no advance notice?

[sangha]

19. No, the REPUBLICAN black community's role, all three of them

is to STFU and stop taking the Repukes bribes

[SemperEadem]

23. they need to face financial facts

they didn't bring in enough money to run a high power station. It's a matter of economics---they are not promoting themselves well enough if they cannot get people in the #1 market in the country to listen. Does the station do cooperative advertising with and in the local community? What have they done to assure that the people in and around Harlem are tuned into them?

It's always the race card being played when it's a matter of the color green. Maybe the cost of a low power station which would serve just the community is their answer--it would not cost as much and not require them to do much more than what they seem to be doing in the way of promotion and advertising. Are they expecting some kind of hand out to help them keep their station on air? Perhaps it's been mismanaged for so long that they grabbed at any life raft to get ahold of money.

[newyorican]

51. um, I lived on Long Island for many years listening to WLIB

it's not just a Harlem thing. It is also picked up deep into New Jersey. I have listened to WLIB since the early 80s'.

I knew there would be a backlash when I heard Air America would be on 1190AM. That it has been handled badly, if it has, will only make matters worse.

[Don_G]

8. Whatever

I don't care all that much for Tavis Smiley on NPR either.

[Salviati]

20. Guess it's just a matter of personal taste...

I think Tavis is great, but to each his own...

[doubles]

14. Democrats taking the black vote for granted AGAIN!

It really is a shame that Sharpton was not even contacted for a possible slot. White Democrats could be just as arrogant and racist as white Repuglicans.

WLIB was a tower of power for the Caribbean community in New York for decades, to hear that the reason they are off the air is for this lily white Air America is a damn shame!

[mouse7]

39. Sharpton endorses Republicans.

Please stop portraying Al Sharton as a Democratic Party hero. He endorsed Bloomberg for mayor, and had a far-right plumber on his campaign staff.

[linazelle]

15. Sounds like an exaggeration to me

One article about two locations in Harlem does not represent the black "community."

[noiretextatique]

26. a gross exaggeration, literally and figuratively

sort of like...propoganda

[AmericanErrorist]

16. I saw this one coming

Back when I first saw on DU what AA was taking over a Caribbean Station, I creid foul. I'd look it up, but I'm not a donor right now.

[noiretextatique]

25. wrong post..eom

[shanti]

18. it bothers me too, about WLIB

and i'm not black. i GREATLY enjoyed WLIB when it had its caribbean format, because i love the caribbean, and it's difficult to get current caribbean news and music. i wish AA had really thought about this before making this decision! :grr:

[w4rma]

21. WLIB appears to be still on the air.

http://www.wlib.com/

[shanti]

27. but NOT with caribbean programming

that is the issue here.

[belle]

52. I thought I heard some caribbean programming late at night this week...

dunno if it was a holdover from the old wlib, but it didn't sound like the weekday AA lineup.

[Deja Q]

22. ?? Corporate America is to blame

...unable to pull enough advertisers to its tiny market share...


America's corporations don't care about niche markets. They want money. Lots of it. That's all there is to it.

The Democratic party, if it does not own Air America, can't be blamed for diddley.

If Mr. Law wants to blind himself with his 2 dimensional thinking and try to get people to vote for the repukes - the very party that supports the blind heartless profiteering that took his precious program in the first place - so be it. He is hurting himself and the Black community just as much as he thinks he's shooting the scapegoats who did NOT kick out the previous format...

Of course, if the Democratic Party is involved with this, then my whole outlook on the issue is considerably different... very different indeed. To say I'd be "appalled" at the Dem party is a tremendous understatement...

[rocktivity]

24. THEY WEREN'T MAKING MONEY

But 'LIB was a perennial money loser, unable to pull enough advertisers to its tiny market share, and Air America made an offer the owners apparently couldn't refuse. To some in the black community the action looked predatory, the political stripes of the predator irrelevant because they don't see a difference anyway between Democrats and Republicans.

WLIB's owners could have just said no, but they were obviously tired of not making money. How does that make Air Amercia "predatory"? I understand that a station in North Carolina said no to AirAm because they didn't want to sacrifice their ability to do local programming. Whatever their decision will cost them is something they decided they can live with (though it's obviously important that AirAm gets a foothold in the South). WLIB's owners decided differently--if there anyone here to be mad at, it's them. Rev. Butts, at least, is more than intelligent enough to understand that, but on the other hand, he's a Republican.

Yes, I think AirAm should be doing some kind of minority-oriented programming. But to scream rascism because the station catered to minorities is patent nonsense. Indeed, it has "Republican psy-op" written all over it.

On edit:
The fireworks even drew interest from the conservative Fox News Channel, which treats infighting on the left with the sugary glee of a three-year-old digging into birthday cake. A reporter and cameraman showed up and feigned sympathy to the cause, grabbing an angry sound bite, then scooting away before the evening was through.
Well, what do you know!


:headbang:
rocknation

[Kinkistyle]

46. Precisely. A choice between going off the air or liberal programming.

The type of programming Air America has is intrinsically friendly to the African-American community. The very nature of the shows guarantees there will be many more representatives of the civil rights movement on the shows as guests. Plus the network is still in its infancy, so who is to say there won't be African-American, Hispanic or Asian hosts in the future?

[U2Shark]

28. Garbage

The same day AA lanuched and Drudge was whoring this type of story, WQBH in Detroit (a black-oriented talk & music station) was taken over by another rotten Conservative Talk conglomerate. Now Detroit will have yet another channel for the conservative opinion. How come nobody yells about this?

[LeahMira]

29. Time will tell...

A few miles north, black hearts were breaking at the sound of this proud parade of white liberals. Air America is still finding placement on stations across the country, but in New York it is leasing the time for its 19-hour broadcast day on WLIB-AM 1190, which was until this week a pillar of the black community.

I can understand their feelings. Admittedly, I can't tune in very often for a longer period of time, but I was disappointed with what I heard of the first Al Franken program. OTOH, my friend, who works at home, tells me that some of the other programs were quite good in her opinion.

But liberal radio has to be inclusive. Air America isn't meant to be "ethnic radio" but it is liberal and should include issues that are important to all its audiences. I'll be very disappointed if it winds up being "a proud parade of white liberals" and nothing more.

[leesa]

30. Well, then, the hell with their needs, huh?

The program airs one week and these fakes are denouncing it?

[noiretextatique]

32. what "their needs" are you damning to hell?

hmmm? btw, this is a part of a larger lament about the disapperance of black radio...this black commentator article provides some context.

In 1973, 21 reporters from three Black-oriented radio stations provided African Americans in Washington, DC a daily diet of news - hard, factual information vital to the material and political fortunes of the local community. The three stations - WOL-AM, WOOK-AM and WHUR-FM - their news staffs as fiercely competitive as their disc jockeys, vied for domination of the Black Washington market. Community activists and institutions demanded, expected, and received intense and sustained coverage of the fullest range of their activities.

On the streets and at press conferences, Black radio journalists jostled with white and African American reporters from "general market" radio stations, to form a local press corps that competed for the Black public's attention and respect. Movements sprouted, thrived - or self-destructed - in a marketplace of contentious community and media voices. Black radio news had been called forth by the Civil Rights and Black Power movements of the previous decade. The news staffs at WOL (five reporters), WOOK (four-person news staff) and WHUR (12 reporters and producers) were local radio's answer to Black people's demands.

http://www.blackcommentator.com/44/44_cover.html

[demgrrrll]

33. Interesting article. Clear channel bought Majic 108 in St. Louis.

Where is Michael Powell in all of this? According to the
article you linked Clear Channel has purchased 49 black
radio stations. Why isn't anyone screaming about Clear Channel?

[noiretextatique]

34. hehe...powell

some people are screaming about clear channel.

[noiretextatique]

hehe...powell

some people are screaming about clear channel.

[noiretextatique]

35. hehe...powell

some people are screaming about clear channel.

[proud patriot]

36. They should be listening now

The Black Eyed Peas are hosting the show Saturday night .

[robbedvoter]

37. A little turf battle, dontcha know - WBAI was fanning the flames

You know, Pacifica - where the word "vote" is verbotten, Conason is grilled and Wesley Clark maligned. Fearing irrelevancy they were advertising demonstrations against AA. There'll be always be nuts.
When Clinton opened an office in Harlem, there was a great celebration. Right in the middle was a Black panther guy holding a "Go back to Little Rock" sign. I asked a few why the anger. "Now our rents will go up"
WLIB still broadcasts at night. WBAI was also lying that Chuck D left AA - he is on the air right now. After the first day on the air, at midnight, someone started to broadcast attacks on AA - making itself the perfect April Fool.

[KharmaTrain]

38. AA...A Voice Won And Lost...

I think this is a sincere protest and one that AA and its friends here should understand...and address...

WLIB was one of the few stations programmed for the African-American community...specifically with talk and news programming. Inner Urban, the company that's owned the station, has attempted over the years to build the station up...increasing the station's signal, but it's stuck in the problem of high operating costs vs. the small number of advertisers/brokers to support a full-time Black talk station.

This is one of the big fall-outs of Deregulation...after two decades of encouraging minority ownership and programming, the FCC all but did a 180 as many black stations were sold to large white-owned corporations (Cheap Channel, Infinity)...the owners getting lots of money and the communities getting nothing. Today only Inner Urban and Radio One remain as minority owned broadcast companies and both are limited to a few markets.

Losing WLIB would be the equivelent of you losing AA or those who listened to IE America. It was a trusted, reliable source of information and companionship, and one geared to the black community. If you think liberals are underserved, blacks have it even worse.

The large corporations hijacked hip-hop and other black music formats...they draw a large young audience, sell a lot of CDs and concert tickets and cheap to operate. Urban talk requires a lot of talented people and is "labor intensive"...something adverse to the corporate culture of today's radio...especially when it involves minorities and blacks in particular.

It's not that simple in moving to another station or starting one up...especially in New York City. There are no new licenses available and those that are around are so hyper-inflated by the large corporations it's impossible for a small company, especially a minority one, to get one. It's tough enough having to compete with the large corporations for the small pond of minority advertising dollars.

There is some merit to the complains, and please understand those who have lost their long-trusted voice...one that was very unique to them. Black communities are so poorly served and losing a news and talk station is a very big blow.

[latebloomer]

40. Thank you.

That was very well said and they do have a legitimate complaint.

[KharmaTrain]

41. Thank You For Responding

So many times I'll post out here and seems like it goes nowhere.

I'm glad to hear AA...I'm lucky to be in Chicago and was driving in DeKalb...75 miles west...and heard the station very clearly today. It has been fun, but it's also not my only source for information or entertainment.

I worked ethnic radio for a long time and appreciate the valuable service it provides...especially for many minorities and ethnic groups that are far removed from their homelands and culture. Most of these shows are produced by individuals who go hand to mouth to pay for the airtime (some from large corporate owners).

For those who are ex-pats or have spent time abroad, you know how welcome an English voice on the radio is...that's the same for ethnics here.

I'm sorry AA goes on a frequency of a station that served a very important purpose, but it begs for investigation into how the FCC operates and issues licenses. Definitely something a Kerry administration should put as a priority...among other things.

Cheers!

[robbedvoter]

42. Randi bows to them on every show. I think more WLIB people

should be invited to speak on AA as a peace offering. They should address this - quite true. I agree that there was a loss.
But It's also true that it's being exploted by our enemies from the left and right.
It reminds me of the complaint that Clinton displaced a children services city agency when he picked his office (the agency was not in operation - there was raw space assigned to them).

[KharmaTrain]

43. There's No Win/Win Here

There really isn't a black community station in New York with WLIB gone and that's the issue here, not necessarily AA or Right vs. Left. It's far more basic.

For 40 years, WLIB had been the voice of the African-American community in New York...especially those over 35...and also for the large and diverse Carribbean communities (Jamaicans, Trinidad...so on). Here in Chicago, WVON represents a similar type of station...very ingrained in the black community and black-owned.

Maybe there's a way that WLIB can still deliver some black news and talk programming, but that won't replace the loss of a longtime friend.

The best scenario is for AA to grow so that they are sought out by a larger station or enough money is made (and a lot would have to be) to buy a station. Fortunately the Chicago & LA stations are former Spanish stations that went bankrupt and had nothing going, but WLIB was another story.

The sad thing is to get a voice we all agree is needed, another valuable one was lost. The key here is to get ALL voices on the air, not just selective ones.

[belle]

53. Agree that that would be the best scenario, hope it happens.

You're right, it shouldn't be an either/or. My hope is that maybe AA can help to eventually get back & create more stations like the former WLIB in a roundabout way by helping to change the atmosphere sufficiently so that the left might have enough of a voice to (among other things) break the corporate stranglehold Clear Channel et al have on the market right now. If it's in their interest to do so, that is; and I'd say even if they can expand their market, it still would be in their interest.

[democracyindanger]

44. You're all punking Chuck D

That sucks.

[Kinkistyle]

49. Thats right! Chuck D co-hosts the show "Unfiltered"

And he's no Mike Powell. Let me tell yall that!

[BiggJawn]

45. So why doesn't Rev. Butts BUY WLIB?

I'm sure he has more than enough money in his cookie jar at home to do it.

And Bob Law....it's not that the "Community" didn't go out there and open their wallets to WLIB's sponsors, oh-no, that would be too cut-and-dried. No, it was THE MAN keepin' the Bruthas down, man!

"But 'LIB was a perennial money loser, unable to pull enough advertisers to its tiny market share, and Air America made an offer the owners apparently couldn't refuse. To some in the black community the action looked predatory, the political stripes of the predator irrelevant because they don't see a difference anyway between Democrats and Republicans."

So let 'em pool their money and buy big blocks of time each week for King Ralph, then.

[Rex]

47. With all the negative reviews coming out from Big Biz types.

Air America has to be doing something right!

[LTR]

48. The sad reality

Running a radio station, especially a high-powered one, costs money. Lots of it.

And there obviously was no support. Not from local African-American business interests. Not from churches. Not from advertisers. Not from anyone.

It's always sad when a community radio voice or a station that actually broadcasts TO their listeners instead of AT them is unable to make it. But the truth is that someone has to pay the light bill.

If it wasn't AA, it most likely would have been someone else.

[Moderator]

54. TrueAmerican

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.


Thank you.


DU Moderator