Jammin 92.5 Goes Black – For Real
Editor:
What the HELL happened? That’s the question I get the most these days…right after I say my name or someone recognizes my voice.
Back in April of 2005, I made the decision to move from the AM side of radio to the FM side. I went from being an afternoon drive news anchor on News radio 850 KOA to being a morning show co-host on Jammin 92.5’s The Breakfast Jam.
Now, before I made the move, I conducted some research. So I knew that Jammin 92.5’s numbers were low (but not so low I could see into hell) and I expressed that concern during the interviewing process with "the suits." I asked about their plan for marketing the station – specifically, "…if I make the move, how will the marketing for Jammin 92.5 be conducted. What was the plan?" After all, I know you can have the best product in the world, but if it’s not properly marketed it will fail. The response to my request was "There is a marketing budget for Jammin 92.5 – everything from billboards to ads on buses." However, before the marketing could begin, they needed to get the "right" people in place. I was told I was one of the "right" people. Honey Hush!
I don’t know at which point "the suits" began to make the change from Jammin 92.5’s Classic Soul format to freeing Willie…but I do know it was somewhere between "good morning…welcome aboard…we’re lucky to have you…" on April 28th 2005 and "…you are all released from your contracts…its been great working with you..." on December 14 2005. In essence don’t let the door knob hit yo ass on the way out! Merry Christmas.
Now, in keeping with tradition – here’s what Glo knows…
Glo knows that Jammin 92.5 is a business…a business which is always watching the bottom line. But Glo also knows that Jammin 92.5 was making money – but "the suits" believe they can make more money with a country format. However, I have to ask "How many country stations does one city need?" Denver has 3 – just in case you were wondering. Glo also knows listeners buy the products advertised on radio stations. Many have said they will let their wallets do the talking by boycotting the products advertised on the new station. Whatever you decide know this – by going away and not voicing your concerns to CBS Radio (parent company Viacom), it only encourages corporations to continue to treat us this way in the future. I’m a big believer in we teach people how to treat us. Just in case you were wondering "us" is anyone who listened to Jammin 92.5.
I would be remiss in my assessment of the situation if I failed to mention Arbitron. Arbitron is the company said to track radio listenership. It is well known within the industry that the way Arbitron tracks listeners is antiquated – for example if a listener uses a cell phone as their primary means of communicating (and many do these days) – Arbitron really has no way to track them. But I don’t need Arbitron to tell me they missed a whole lot of people. All I have to do is read my e-mail or turn on my phone. If one complaint represents 100 people – there are thousands who are complaining about Jammin being taken off the air.
Please do not get it "twisted or confused" (I need to make sure everyone understands) – if I had it to do all over again I would still make the decisions I made. I enjoyed "wakin’ yo butt up." So, by no means am I bitter. However, I am determined to be heard. I’ve got my "big girl pants" on and I’m sure I’ll land on my feet – somewhere. There’s ya Honey Hush yawg.
And by the way, if somebody was smart, they would pick up Jammin 92.5’s format.
--Gloria Neal
--Jammin' 92.5 Morning Radio Personality
Don’t Forget Those Who Give To Your Community
Editor:
As 2005 ends, I think back on so many of my elders who have passed: Elvin Caldwell, Omar Blair, Rev. W.T. Liggins, Rev. John Morris and Rev. McWilliams. And the loss of my peers: Arie Taylor, King Trimble, Rev. J. Langston Boyd and most recently Bill Roberts.
When one thinks about and sees minorities working in the construction industry, we should remember Bill. In the late 1960s, Bill began fighting to make sure minorities were given a fair chance to work in the construction industry. He headed up a program called "The Denver Plan" to make that goal become a reality. His company helped build many large projects, including the new Shorter AME Church, New Hope Baptist Church and the addition to the Central Baptist Church.
Bill, 69, was a visionary. He was the first person to speak about closing Stapleton International Airport because of safety issues with nearby Park Hill residents. He served on the Denver City Council from 1971 to 1989, when he resigned to serve as deputy mayor and director of public works for former Denver Mayor Federico Pena.
I’m so glad we put Bill’s name on the Martin Luther King Complex for building the first King sculpture. People, like Bill, should be recognized for their time, effort and struggle to make Denver a better place to live. That’s why I am adamant about naming buildings and creating landmarks for those who have made contributions so they will not be forgotten.
One of those important buildings--the $16 million Blair Caldwell African American Research Library in Five Points--needs your help to continue to collect valuable information and maintain our history. The city’s libraries are facing a budget crisis and the only way to address the growing needs of the research facility is to raise the money privately.
The new Friends of the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library organization will have its first fundraiser 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 at New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd. The event will include a panel discussion about DNA genetic testing to trace ancestry back to African tribes. The test results of several notable black residents-- including Denver Broncos Trevor Pryce and Grammy-award winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves--will be announced at the event.
Tickets for "Tracing Your Roots" are $12.50 and can be purchased through www.ticketswest.com and at all King Soopers grocery stores along the Front Range. | |
Thought for the day: Why does the Denver Public Schools with nearly 73,000 students and 4,376 teachers have only 72 teachers who are African American?
--Wellington E. Webb
--Former Denver Mayor
--Denver, CO
Jammin 92.5 - A New Country Western Station?
Editor:
Did anyone out there know that Jammin 92.5 is no more? The station is now country. What’s up? Black people don’t need radio? Something has to be done about this. I’m going to find out what it will take to start a radio station that doesn’t belong to Clear Channel! I know somebody out there has some investment money. And with the right plan we can get something done. This is actually what my mother was talking about when she said this is a shame. And it’s shame on us for not taking care of this a long time ago for our community. Life after Dr. Daddi-O. I guess we all knew it was just a matter of time before the White man pulled the rug out. But hey, I have to be realistic about this. They are in the business to make money. Now after they’ve made their money, bye. What are we going to do?
Someone has to step up. It's a shame that in a town where there is a great community of Black folks, we have no radio station. Yeah smooth jazz is there, but watch out. I've been hearing Billy Joel and the Carpenters being snuck in there every now and then. And let's be honest. All of the smooth jazz in the world can not replace the Dramatics, EWF, James Brown, Cherelle and Alexander O’Neil, Confunktion, The Emotions, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Babyface, Brian McKnight, Ashford and Simpson, The Gap Band, Jeffery Osborne, Marvin Gaye, Chaka Kahn, Toni Braxton, Tyrese, Alicia Keyes, Atlantic Star, Midnight Star, The Mac Band, the Temptations, Four Tops, Bobby Womack, Brandy, Cameo, Denise Williams, En Vogue, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, SWV, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Whitney Houston, Rufus, Jill Scott, Johnny Gill, Bobby Brown, Lala Hathaway, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Mint Condition, Parliament, Funkadelic, Otis Redding, Patti Labelle, Prince, Quincy Jones, The Brothers Johnson, Rick James, Roberta Flack, The Fugees, Evelyn Champagne King, Toni, Tony, tone, Tower of Power, Usher, War, Marry, Marry, Lauren Hill, Isley Brothers, Sly and the Family Stone, Graham central Station, Eric Benet, Debarge, Blackstreet, etc.
--Stephen Wilburn
--Denver, CO
Boys Of Baraka Rebuttal
Note: See the Boys Of Baraka film review in our Reel Action section.
Editor:
As the Cinematographer on the documentary, The Boys of Baraka I found Kam Williams’ "review" shamefully inaccurate. His snide remark that the filmmakers were somehow mimicking the title of last year’s Academy Award Winner for Best Documentary, Born Into Brothels, speaks more to his own cynical thought processes than to the true intentions of the filmmakers.
Williams repeatedly implies that many of the scenes in the movie were staged going so far as to speculate that, "scenes supposedly shot before the students left for Africa were actually re-enactments made after the students returned." First of all even if one were to attempt to re-enact scenes that take place one year prior the viewer would immediately recognize the incongruities. We began filming the boys in Baltimore during their 6th grade summer and it is obvious that the boys at 11 and 12 years old do not look, sound, nor behave like the young men who returned to Baltimore a year later. Secondly, the directors (Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady) were not "coaching" the boys, their parents, or anyone else who appears in the movie. The Boys of Baraka is a documentary not a reality TV program. Reality television shows are highly scripted and shot in a couple of months, we shot for two and a half years with no sign as to where the story might take us. If Mr. Williams had the inclination to follow a group of subjects for two to three years he too would discover that his subjects would tell their own stories in their own words. This story required patience, care and a willingness to listen and learn; no scripting was necessary.
As an African-American man who has spent over fifteen years documenting the issues affecting our communities, the most disturbing question for me is what compelled Mr. Williams to make such insulting accusations towards two filmmakers who have devoted three years of their lives to exposing this important issue affecting our young people. It is unfortunate that Mr. Williams attempted to discredit the veracity of the movie and by extension the good name of the boys and their families.
The good news is that this film is already beginning to spark change. Since viewing The Boys of Baraka, Mayor O’Malley of Baltimore, his staff, and the SEED foundation are exploring the development of a Baltimore based boarding school for children underperforming in the traditional public school setting. Perhaps Mr. Williams should consider making a donation.
--Tony Hardmon
Radio Homeless
Editor:
92.5 Jammin oldies are gone! Replaced by Country music! Hmmm! What’s that tell me as a person of color in Colorado? That I don’t count. I am invisible. No one cares about my listening needs. The latinos have a wonderful culture and life here when it comes to their listening pleasure that adds to their lifestyle. And for the white community, this is ''The Garden of Heaven.'' It could not be any sweeter for their needs and satisfaction. But for us, the Black community, we are left out the loop.
This is a very delicate subject in Colorado. Sad, but true it is. Radio love is a stranger to black folks in this beautiful town! No morning black talk. No morning black laughter. No morning black thought and observations. Now no more jammies oldies, which is a flashback of good memories for a lot of us. We are now radio homeless.
Colorado needs to check itself. This is a diverse town with people from all walks of life. We as Black people are the foundation of lifestyle and music. People around the world copy our fashion, talk and style.
At least here in the mountains, give us radio. Meanwhile, I’m going to put in a tape, Brass Construction, Slave, B.T. Express, Earth, Wind and Fire never sounded better.
--The Rexx
--Denver, CO |
