WLIB radio format change criticized

[cal04]

(snip)
WLIB, a longtime outlet for black activism and African-American and Caribbean-American voices, is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corp. Until Sept. 1, it was the flagship station for Air America Radio, the progressive talk network.

Air America had leased air time on WLIB since the network launched in 2004. Its lease expired Aug. 31, and it moved to WWRL/1600 AM. At the same time, WLIB switched to all-gospel.

About 30 community leaders citywide denounced the switch at an Aug. 30 meeting in South Ozone Park organized by the Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People (CEMOTAP).

"We're determined we can't have this," Betty Dopson, who co-chairs the group, told the community leaders. "Going to an all-gospel format seems very strange at this time.

"We're all muzzled when we need to talk about Katrina and the elections. It's a form of censorship," she said. "We want news and information relevant to our community."

more
http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-diar0910,0,5305886.story?coll=am-topheadlines

[SoCalDem]

1. sillies.. you don;t need to talk.. you just need your jesus..

now make those checks out and send them to the kindly "minister".. :silly:

[LeftyMom]

2. Anybody else hearing a relavent Joe Hill ditty right now?

Maybe it's just me.

The Preacher and the Slave
by JOE HILL
Long-haired preachers come out every night,
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right,
But when asked about something to eat,
They will answer in voices so sweet:

Chorus:

You will eat bye and bye,
In that glorious land above the sky.
Work and pray, (work and pray),
Live on hay, (live on hay),
You'll get Pie in the Sky,
When you die, (that's a lie!)

And the starvation army they play,
They sing and they dance and they pray,
Till they get all your coin on the drum,
Then they tell you when you're on the bum:

CHORUS

If you fight hard for the good things in life,
They will tell you to stop all the strife,
Be a sheep for the bosses they say
Or to hell you are surely on the way!

CHORUS

Workingfolk of all countries unite;
Side by side we for freedom will fight
When the world and its wealth we have gained,
To the grafters we will sing this refrain:

Last Chorus:

You will eat, bye and bye,
When you've learned how to cook and to fry;
Chop some wood, 'twill do you good
And you'll eat in the sweet bye and bye.
(That's no lie!)

Little Red Songbook