Recently in Radio Category

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...

Feeling a bit of reminiscence, yesterday I logged onto to my old hometown’s black owned (and one of the oldest) independent radio stations, 104 WDKX, in Rochester, NY thinking I would hear a mix of old school and new for the day—the way the old format used to be. Old school R&B for me is music from the 1970’s-early 90’s. That’s my old school music. Wellllll…I happened to fall asleep, and woke up to “a bay bay-a bay bay.” Seems like this phrase was dancing through my head on a continuous reel while I was sleeping during the day. Of course, it did not help that the piece of a song was previously in rotation on an hourly basis, two hours prior to falling asleep.

But the point is, I used to think Clear Channel was soley responsible for spoon-feeding us these simple songs, but listening to my old favorite black owned station proved me wrong. Other songs in the same rotation queue: Bartender by T-Pain, My Girl Gotta Girlfriend by Ray Lavender, Beautiful Girl by Sean Kingston, even Collie Buddz has spoiled himself by mainstreaming with his reggae. Seems like traditional radio is hopeless. Buy U a Drank was catchy, but we’re back at the bar with the 2nd single? Lol. C’mon Tallahassee.

I think I learned the lyrics to the songs in two hours. By the end of the day, I was sick and tired of all of them. Guess I am getting old, because when I was a teen I am quite sure they could not have played my favorite songs enough, even if they were playing them hourly.

If anyone is in Western NY near Buffalo on July 21st & 22nd, Rochester will be hosting its 13th annual MusicFest in Frontier Field. Stop by www.wdkx.com for more information.

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2007 Rochester MusicFest Fact Sheet

Location:
Frontier Field
333 North Plymouth Avenue
Rochester, NY 14608

Dates/Hours:
Saturday and Sunday, July 21 and July 22
Entertainment: 1:00 to 10:30pm
Grounds open at noon

2007 Rochester MusicFest Schedule

Saturday, July 21 (2007 Rochester MusicFest):

Patti LaBelle

Ohio Players

Tank

Rose Royce

Con Funk Shun

Midnight Star

Lloyd

Paris Bennett (American Idol 2006)

Sam Bostic

Timothy Mitchell

Freddy Colon & The Latin Jazz Quartet

Sunday, July 22 (WDKX 33rd Anniversary):

George Clinton- P Funk

Marcia Griffiths (former member of I-Three/Bob Marley and the Wailers)

T-Pain

Chrisette Michelle

Black August

Dexter-Daps

Collie Buddz

Sammie

Mario

Ticket Prices:

Saturday, July 21

$55 adults, $30 ages 18 and under

Sunday, July

$55 adults, $30 ages 18 and under

Limited number of 2-day tickets, includes admission for Saturday and Sunday:

$90 adults, $50 ages 18 and under

Children ages 6 and under FREE

Tickets are available via Frontier Field Box Office (333 North Plymouth Ave.), and at www.tickets.com