Philly station WYSP fires DJ over racist song

The host of a rock radio morning show in Philadelphia has been fired for airing a song that referred to African-Americans in slang terms that station management determined to be highly offensive, according to a statement released by station owner CBS Radio.
WYSP's “Kidd Chris” was terminated, along with his program director, as a result of complaints about the song called “Schwoogies,” which aired on the morning show on March 21st originally, and several times after that.
“What we fail to realize, particularly African Americans in the media, is that the fight for civil rights did not end in the ’60s,” said Denise Clay a vice-co chair of the Media Watch Committee for The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. “It just began there and if you’re going to make sure that people understand, no this isn’t cool and that there are certain things we’re not going to tolerate.”
On March 21 Lady Gosh sang her own version to the 1980 Blondie song “Call Me” on WYSP-FM, which is a local affiliate of CBS radio. Chris and others in the studio were heard in the background loudly encouraging her to belt out the following words.
It aired again on the public traded company’s affiliate between noon and 5 p.m. The following is an approximation of those lyrics.
“Coloreds steal your wallets,” the words said. “And coloreds have pink feet. Coloreds are loud and obnoxious when they watch movies. Sticky fingers what they are. Always try to jack my car. Schwoogies. Or shines, you can call them anything you like. Schwoogies. Watch out, jigs will rob you day or night. Schwoogies. Mookie doesn't like to work. Just rolls blunts all day long. But there's one job he can do: Hold a lantern on my lawn. If someone else has your watch on, you can bet it’s a mulignon. Shwoogies all around. The sambos, monkeys, knuckle draggers, so much brown, mandinko, Mr. Bojangles. I have no problem singing about the negros.”
CBS Radio also owns KYW Newsradio.
WYSP-FM issued the following statement:
"We found the song to be highly offensive and completely inappropriate for broadcast on our airwaves. When senior management of the station learned that it had been played, they took immediate steps to prevent it from ever appearing on the station again.
"At the same time, we launched an extensive internal investigation into the situation including a thorough review of the editorial controls and systems we have in place to prevent this type of content from airing. We instituted additional educational training for the station, and have taken appropriate disciplinary action, including termination of the individuals involved."
There was no immediate word on what programming would replace the Kidd Chris morning show on WYSP.

Philly cameras catch cops beating suspects

"Fifteen Philadelphia police officers have been taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing the suspects being kicked and beaten by city police," WTXF-TV, the Fox station in Philadelphia, reported on Wednesday.

"Doug Oliver, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter, says the mayor stands behind the police department, but that 'at a glance it does appear to be beyond the pale.'

"'We are not going to prejudge the situation based on the video,' he said. 'We all saw the video, but none of us was there.'

"The beating happened two days after the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia policeman, the third city officer slain on duty in two years.

"Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says he's disappointed in the actions of the police officers involved in a videotaped beating of three suspects.

"Appearing on 'Good Day Philadelphia,' Ramsey watched the tape again and said it speaks for itself.

"'When they first got him out of the car [it was being handled well]," said Ramsey. 'But once they're down . . . that level of force is only necessary to affect an arrest. I'm disappointed in what I'm looking at.'

"The commissioner says he spoke with his command staff immediately after seeing the tape on television. He encouraged them to give relief to officers who may be stressed out or tired.

"Only Fox 29 cameras caught a violent confrontation Monday night between police and three men who fled a shooting that has triggered a firestorm of controversy. The scene played out in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia shortly after a triple shooting at the intersection of Second and Cayuga.

"On Tuesday, Fox 29 received a warrant for the videotape of the beating from the Internal Affairs division of the police department, and we complied with that request."

By Richard Prince's Journal-isms

Election 2008: Without minority presence in Phila. debate, journalists argue news leaves out issues

Eric Mayes
Tribune Staff Writer

The fact that both moderators in ABC’s Democratic debate, to be held next week in Philadelphia, are white men has raised concerns among some, who agree that it raises broader issues about the lack of diversity among journalists covering this campaign.
“I think that considering the fact the debate is in Philadelphia, it’s a bit disingenuous,” said Denise Clay, a vice-chair for the Media Watch Committee for the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. “You’re in a city that is majority minority. I guess this is ABC’s show and they wanted their people. But couldn’t they find anyone?”
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton are scheduled to participate in the event, which is to be held at 8 p.m. April 16 at the National Constitution Center.
It is to be moderated by the anchor of ABC’s World News, Charlie Gibson and the network’s Washington bureau chief George Stephanopoulos.
ABC said the two men were chosen to moderate the event because of their experience in the political arena.
“They certainly have the resumes for something like this,” said ABC spokeswoman Natalie Raabe.
Raabe said the network, on Thursday afternoon, would issue a statement further explaining the network’s position. It had not been received at the time story was published on Friday, April 11.
Clay said the network’s choice deprived voters of a broader voice.
She immediately suggested ABC anchor Diane Sawyer or former ABC correspondent Michelle Martin.
“There are too many journalists of color, too many women, too many people who could actually be a voice,” she said. “It’s a shame that in the year 2008 journalists of color are still fighting to get a seat at the table,”
Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists agreed.
“Based on the rich diversity that Philadelphia has among its population, it’s reasonable to expect that would be considered when selecting a moderator,” she said. “I don’t think all white people think alike, nor do I think all Black people think alike. But the fact that there are so few African Americans in the journalism mix during this election cycle profoundly affects the vision, message and perspective that you see, hear and read in the media.”

To read story in its entirety: www.phillytrib.com/channel/news/301news6345.asp

Election 2008: Speaking on progress and race, Mayor Michael Nutter sparks controversy

Larry Miller
Tribune Staff Writer

Back in December, newly elected Mayor Michael Nutter endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton for president — a political move that drew a negative response in some quarters.
And while Nutter’s endorsement has elicited some questions as to why he chose Clinton, some recent comments made by him, specifically those published in Monday’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer, has raised some heated responses.
The latest came during a Monday morning broadcast of “The Morning Show,” hosted by Bill Anderson and heard on WURD 900AM.
“There are no automatics in life that all Black people are going to support a single Black candidate in a race,” Nutter said in the report. “All Black folks don’t eat fried chicken or eat watermelon. When do we make some progress here?”
Callers to Anderson’s show, which addresses mostly African-American issues, were not pleased — to say the least.
The talk show host said in his opinion, the implication was that by supporting Clinton, African Americans are making progress.
“I read it in the papers,” he said. “The mayor had made a statement defending his support for Clinton, saying that all Black people don’t eat fried chicken or eat watermelon and I think the implication was that by supporting Clinton, we’re making progress. I don’t take issue with his right to support anyone he wants but that it’s progress to vote outside our race. We’ve been voting for white candidates consistently. Why is it that when a qualified Black candidate comes along, we have to vote for him simply because he’s Black? I think that’s what the mayor meant.”
The 2008 Democratic primaries have drawn considerable attention across the country — and it may appear to some readers, listeners or viewers, every day there’s coverage over what Barack Obama said, what Hillary Clinton said or what one of their supporters said or did.
Clinton already had the endorsement of former Philadelphia Mayor John Street when she picked up support from Nutter during a fundraiser in New York.
He said Clinton’s priorities “are the right priorities for Philadelphia” and hasn’t backed away from his endorsement.
At the same time, Clinton also received the endorsement of Gov. Ed Rendell.
“I think she is the best candidate to lead this country to a direction that is different than they way George Bush has been leading us,” Nutter said in a recent interview with Tribune reporters. “At the time I endorsed her back in December, I thought she matched up best with any potential Republican nominee and now that it’s John McCain, it’s pretty clear.”
Nutter could not be reached for comment by Tribune press time.
However, Doug Oliver, Nutter’s press secretary, said the mayor’s statements were meant to show that there’s a diversity of political opinion within the Black community that can’t be defined in broad strokes.
“I didn’t hear the discussion on the radio this morning and I wasn’t in the room during that portion of the interview,” he said. “But I think that essentially some people took issue with his support of Sen. Clinton and the crux of the story was about his endorsement of Clinton and is he getting negative feedback. His statement meant that when a white politician doesn’t endorse a white candidate, it doesn’t raise an eyebrow. Basically you can’t paint any community with a broad brush. The point is that within the Black community, like any community, there’s a diversity of opinions and I think people would agree with that.”
Next Monday, Nutter is scheduled to appear on the Colbert Report.
“I didn’t see people running up to Ted Kennedy, saying, ‘Are you getting any pressure from supporting Sen. Obama, any backlash?’ No one is asking the white elected officials if they are getting pressure for supporting the Black guy,” he said in an interview last week.
Nutter said if Clinton does not win the nomination, “then the next day I am going to be out there, trying to help Sen. Obama.”

CNN Announces "Black in America" Series

CNN Announces "Black in America" Series

CNN will launch a sweeping on-air and digital initiative, 'CNN Presents: Black in America, the network announced.
The programming, which airs over four months in 2008, focuses on fresh analysis from new voices about the real lives behind the stereotypes, statistics and identity politics that frequently frame the national dialogue about Black America.
"Reported by anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien, 'Black in America' begins with the two-hour premiere of 'Eyewitness to Murder: The King Assassination,' a first-person account of what happened on April 4, 1968."
- Journal-isms

Black Magic Is ESPN's Most-Watched Doc

ESPN aired the documentary about the injustices faced by African Americans during the Civil Rights movement as told through the lives of basketball players and coaches on March 16. The first part of Black Magic was watched by an average of 1.2 million households and drew a 1.3 household rating, making it the network’s most-watched documentary ever.
- John Consoli of Media Week