How Far Have We Come And Where Do We Go?

[Element9]

This is a difficult topic to broach on these boards because it's easy to understand
how it might be misconstrued. Let me say first and foremost, unlike the formula for talk
radio, it's not my intent to create controversy for the sake of elliciting responses.

On this, Martin Luther King day especially, one wonders how much progress has been
made in opening the business to persons of color?

Outside of Urban and CHR stations, there doesn't seem to be many people of color on
the radio these days. One might argue there are more minorities employed today than
ever before, pointing to the African Americans who manage two of Buffalo's three VHF
television stations. And yes, TV has a number of well-qualified African American
reporters and anchors.

Yet, on the radio, other than DJ Anthony on Kiss, Cindy Chan of 97 Rock fame and the
air staff on WBLK, can you name any others? Years ago, Rob White was on Star and
WECK. Back in the day, Ron Baskin anchored the nightly newscasts at WKBW radio.
Mylus Hairston was Captain Cash at WPHD and guys like Gary Byrd, Duane
Donnovant and Don Allen were heard on WYSL-AM and WUFO-AM.

It appears that young African American men and women don't appear all that interested in
careers in radio or radio news. Is this due to the fact that, outside of WBLK, they don't
hear voices that represent of report on their communities and interest? Is it a case where
men and women of color automatically bypass radio and aim straight for television, knowing
or feeling intuitively, that the opportunities are to be found there? Is public radio the only bastion of equal opportunity employment?

Based on the presumption that most of the posters on this board are, like myself, middle
aged white guys (and one might argue "how can you tell?"), my question is, "have we
made any progress, and how much?" Or, are we only doing just enough to get by and
satisfy numbers in our EEO reports?

Your well-measured opinion, please.

 

[dj_niceshot]

We've come far, but not that far

It is a difficult topic, one that is not treaded on lightly. However, its a terrific point. The lack of talent on the air compared to the lack of color in management or in the board room is equally concerning.

"Back in the Day", there were less news and entertainment options, regardless of color. How many ESPN's are there now, among other fractioned cable television networks. Satellite radio, podcasts, reality shows, cable news.

I would say that the young African American men and women model others in their decreased interest in radio broadcasting.

The day is still out there, when we won't have 'the first minority owned radio station', the first minority coach, the first minority morning show on WYRK.

Summary; we're doing better, but more could be done.




> This is a difficult topic to broach on these boards because
> it's easy to understand
> how it might be misconstrued. Let me say first and foremost,
> unlike the formula for talk
> radio, it's not my intent to create controversy for the sake
> of elliciting responses.
>
> On this, Martin Luther King day especially, one wonders how
> much progress has been
> made in opening the business to persons of color?
>
> Outside of Urban and CHR stations, there doesn't seem to be
> many people of color on
> the radio these days. One might argue there are more
> minorities employed today than
> ever before, pointing to the African Americans who manage
> two of Buffalo's three VHF
> television stations. And yes, TV has a number of
> well-qualified African American
> reporters and anchors.
>
> Yet, on the radio, other than DJ Anthony on Kiss, Cindy Chan
> of 97 Rock fame and the
> air staff on WBLK, can you name any others? Years ago, Rob
> White was on Star and
> WECK. Back in the day, Ron Baskin anchored the nightly
> newscasts at WKBW radio.
> Mylus Hairston was Captain Cash at WPHD and guys like Gary
> Byrd, Duane
> Donnovant and Don Allen were heard on WYSL-AM and WUFO-AM.
>
> It appears that young African American men and women don't
> appear all that interested in
> careers in radio or radio news. Is this due to the fact
> that, outside of WBLK, they don't
> hear voices that represent of report on their communities
> and interest? Is it a case where
> men and women of color automatically bypass radio and aim
> straight for television, knowing
> or feeling intuitively, that the opportunities are to be
> found there? Is public radio the only bastion of equal
> opportunity employment?
>
> Based on the presumption that most of the posters on this
> board are, like myself, middle
> aged white guys (and one might argue "how can you tell?"),
> my question is, "have we
> made any progress, and how much?" Or, are we only doing just
> enough to get by and
> satisfy numbers in our EEO reports?
>
> Your well-measured opinion, please.
>

 

[Radknowski]

Re: We've come far, but not that far

<font face="times new roman" size="3">
To be direct and respect the topic. A person I've known, although not a close friend, who is African American, once asked me about the prospects of employment in radio. His college-bound son was considering majoring in Communications at Ithaca college. His son, a fine high school athlete in three sports, musician and "B student," aspired to be an ESPN-type reporter or anchor.

At the time, I was semi-gainfully employed in the business. Yet, with some encouragement, I answered the question objectively and frankly, recommending that his son take advantage of all the broadcast opportunities extended to him at Ithaca, but not major in communications. I recommended English and print journalism, with a substantial concentration of history courses and communication courses on as electives.

A few years later, we talked about his son who had completed his sophomore year at college and along the way, worked on a few projects at the college radio station and interned at a Syracuse television station. I inquired about his son's career path, "Is the ESPN dream still alive?" My friend responded that his son chose to major in sociology, but discovered a lot about broadcasting, most notably that it paid poorly and in some cases harbored deep, though not racist, prejudice. Most notably, the son found it exclusionary. This having been observed, the father and son agreed that broadcasting was like many business sectors in America, offering opportunities, with restriction equally applicable to white men and women.

After all was said and done, the man's son graduated Ithaca, went on to grad school, receiving his MBA from the University at Pennsylvania and now works on Wall Street. In some small way, I'd like to think I helped a young man make a good decision.</font>