Recently in Radio Category

If you are in the Boston area or used to stream online, you may have heard New York transplant and Black conservative former radio host of Boston's WRKO-AM (680), channel was arrested for an alleged child rape which took place four years ago in New York. Reese Hopkins (aka Edward Maurice Hopkins) came to Boston earlier this year, and was reportedly let go from the station last week along with other radio staff due to budget issues.

The Boston Herald reports:

"Hopkins, 39, is charged with one count of first-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape...New York police Detective Martin Speechley said the victim, who was 12 at the time of the alleged rape, was visiting a friend's apartment in Manhattan when Hopkins allegedly raped her.

Hopkins lived in the apartment with his girlfriend, who was the mother of the girl the alleged victim was visiting, Speechley said. The girl, who is now 16, told her mother about the incident this past summer, and her mother called police.
"We only became aware of it this year," Speechley said."

Reese denied the charges and is not fighting extradition to NY:

"She charged me on Oct. 1 of 2004. I was living in Manchester, Conn. I couldn't have been there," he said, wearing shackles and appearing shaken and disheveled. "She was a former friend of my daughter."

Radio personality Wendy Williams' new Fox television talk show debuted yesterday and she did short interview with LA Times' "The Sunday Conversation":

"LA Times: I know this weird legal stuff is going on, that lawsuit. [Williams' former staffer accused her husband of sexual harassment.] There was probably a lot of talking between the two of you during that.

WW: I mean, what's to talk about? There's shock and of course feelings of betrayal. But if anything, this has made us even closer. Because you see this is all happening at the same time as we have this TV show. And I have a new team of people and so much excitement brewing around the Wendy brand right now -- who has time to dwell? Let them handle that.

What's the benchmark? Six weeks in, you say, we're on? If we're wonderful and fabulous, there's the buzz that we'll be back -- well, I can't even say a particular month -- in 2009. We'll go dark -- I'm learning phrases! -- on Aug. 22. Hopefully the lights will be back on in 2009. " READ MORE...

HOPEFULLY the lights will be back on? Well, at least she isn't delusional.

Reference:
The LA Times

Photo Credit:
Carolyn Cole/LA Times

Today, radio talk show host Warren Ballentine had guests ad executive Ken Smikle, president and founder of Target Market News (Ken Smikle Info) and attorney David Honig, executive director of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, discussing a new FCC ruling on “Non Urban Dictate” or "No Urban Dictate” (NUD), and "No Spanish Dictate.". Every black and Hispanic person, and anyone else who disapproves of this practice should take note of this issue.

As I understand it, Non Urban Dictate in the advertising business, occurs when a company indicates to advertisers it does not want to advertise with broadcasters or media, whose target audience is primarily urban (black and/or Latino). This practice is now against the law. This is a civil rights matter. I urge folks to check out the documents and follow the links in this post before arguing "companies have a right to advertise where they want." Sure they do, but what many are practicing (NUD) has been classified as discrimination.

What you can do as a consumer? Follow the jump!

According to HuffingtonPost.com:

“Karith Foster, a Harlem resident who grew up outside Dallas, was brought on by Imus to ease tension stirred up by his racist comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team, which got him booted in April, sources said.”

I have never heard of her before. Tony Powell--I don't know him either. Oh well, best wishes Ms. Foster and Mr. Powell. Move over Robin Quivers.

News Links:

NY Post related article
The Huffington Post related article

Photo Credit: The Huffington Post

I was driving to Hartford, Connecticut last week and noticed the major R&B and hip hop station changed its format to rock with no warning to the listening audience...what a nice farewell, thank you. At first, I thought it was a mistake, as I kept flipping the channels back and forth I eventually realized it was not a mistake. I was trying to find the Steve Harvey Morning Show.

The same thing happened last year here in the Boston area when 97.7 was switched to rock without warning or notice. The loyal radio audience is the last to know, the jocks and staff probably only know within only a 24 hours notice. It's just cold, callous, and inconsiderate. There's no better way to say screw you to the listening audience.

In a BayState Banner article:
"“They sold us out,” echoed Karen Seymore, a community activist. “All for the sake of a dollar. I’m just angry and upset that they could disregard our community.”

The “they” in this case are the owners of Radio One, Inc. — Cathy Hughes and her son Alfred Liggins. Started 25 years ago, the company owns and operates 69 radio stations in 22 American cities, and programs a channel on XM Satellite Radio. The publicly traded company also owns a 40 percent stake in TV One, a cable and television network started in 2004." READ MORE...

12-4-7 Update: For those interested, here is a petition site link, although I don't think it will help, as it is a done business deal. You are probably better off by writing a letter to the folks who sold it, letting them know how you feel, then move on. The Petition to bring back Power 104.1

If you like battles of old school R&B you will love Gerald McBride's Old School House Party playing mostly 70s,80s, and 90s music and they chat about what was going on back then, such as what people where wearing, fads, events, etc. It can be heard live online on Sundays beginning at 6 pm EST on 104 WDKX online (www.wdkx.com) or go to http://www.classicsouljams.com/ and you will not be disappointed. No downloading of software. No registration and they are not begging for donations...well yet, at least. LOL, enjoy!

The New Yorker has a very interesting article on the evolution of radio shock jockette Wendy Williams. They write:

(Photo of Wendy Williams with parents)
Photo Credit: Wendy Williams

"Meanwhile, she upgraded her exterior. “In my mind, I’ve always been fabulous,” she says. She’d long planned to be fabulous on the outside too. She’d grown up, as she puts it, “a fatty A-cup,” which wouldn’t do. “I want more. I want it bigger. I want it Wendy,” she says. (If she were a guy, Wendy figures, she’d have been a drag queen.) When she first got implants, she bounced excitedly up to her oldest friend Lisa. Lisa is naturally endowed. “Dammit, I need them bigger,” Lisa remembers her saying. She’s got D-cups now, though she wears a smaller bra for what she calls the “muffin breast” look, spillage over the edges.

Wendy had liposuction, too. She was sick of fighting chunkiness, even if it was celebrated. (On one song Tupac Shakur said of Wendy, “I’ll put Jenny Craig on your fat *ss . . . Why you always wearing spandex?”)

While Wendy was at it, she rid herself of other excesses, like her first husband. She didn’t talk it out with him. Wendy was the woman with a plan—“to the nth degree,” as her sister says. After he left for work, she divided up their possessions and hired two moving vans and a locksmith. He’d figure it out.

For Wendy, everything was going well, and then in a moment it changed. In 1998, Hot 97 ignominiously booted her. There were reports that Wendy had been in a fistfight with another female D.J. (untrue, says Wendy). Certainly she had energized enemies. “Did Puffy have a hand in it? It is my belief,” she says. At Hot 97, Wendy liked to insinuate that certain rappers, despite their macho posturings, were gay. (Now she’s more subtle. Say a celebrity’s name. Then ask “How you doin’?” in a low, seductive voice. That’s the code.) Puffy was among those who came in for some innuendo. (So had Tupac.) " READ MORE...