Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 November 1999 — Page 22

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5,1909

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Talking drum: Black news talk radio (Part 3)

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“SPINE-TINGLING! Awesome' Startling surprises BRILLIANT! Denzel Washington chalks up another brilliant performance “BREATHTAKING! Thrills, spine-tingling chills Kyi' (.Kt >. nni• NEWS i'.HANfSH I Ei COMPELLING! Angelina Jolie is brilliant a compelling character.

By TODD BURROUGHS (NNPA) - “Nighttalk With Bob Law,” a New York-based national talk radio show producedby National Black Network (later American Urban Radio Networks), was both a radio show and a Black activist institution when it aired from 1981 to 1998. Law was the host until early 1997. Then long-time community activist Ron Daniels hosted the show until its cancellation late last year. It has been replaced by the Washington, D.C.-based “Bev Smith Show,” hosted by the former “BET’s Our Voices” host. It’s still distributed by AURN. In his book, “Voices of the Future: Appreciating the Past in Order to Understand the Present, While Planning the Future,” Law talks about his radio career at New York’s 1600 WWRLAM, where he is currently vice-president, and as the host of “Nighttalk.” The following are excerpts from the introduction and Chapter 1, which is entitled “Revolutin’ on the Radio.” I was introduced to Black talk radio in the 1970s, via a Sunday afternoon show called ‘Tell It Like It Is,” which was on WWRL in New York City and hosted by Bernie McCain. Bemie, who currently does moihings on Washington, D.C.’s full-time Black talk station WOLAM, introduced the idea of “activist” talk radio. He not only talked about issues, [but] he actually organized around many of the issues he talked about. One of his successful efforts was a widely acclaimed campaign called “Help a Junkie Bust a Pusher,” an anti-drug program that involved some risk for Bemie, since it

DRUMS IN THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

angered one or two local drug pushers. I met Bemie McCain when he invited me to be a guest on his show. My own local organization, IMPAC, was challenging the use of the drug Ritalin in New York City’s public schools, and Bemie gave us an opportunity to talk about what we were doing. It was Bemie who gave me my start in radio as his replacement at WWRL when he moved to Oakland, Calif., to direct programming at KDIA-AM. I was a talk show host whose primary duties were as public affairs director for the station. My show was called “Black Dialogue.” I was on the air for two hours, one day per week. Since those early efforts, there have been many changes, and African-American talk radio has come into its own as a respected and influential foram. “Nighttalk” debuted in 1981 as the nation’s first Black radio talk show broadcast on a daily basis. We were on the air Monday through Friday from midnight to S a.m. That would later change from 1Q p.m. to 2 a.m. “Nighttalk” was the first forum where African-Americans could discuss issues of particular interest to the Black community without being attacked by a conservative host. There were also the personalities that often appeared in the headlines like Jesse Jackson, Minister (Louis) Fanakhan, Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, that now through “Nighttalk” were up close and personal on the telephone. “Nighttalk” quickly became the Black community’s most signifi-

cant foram for the discussion and development of ideas and strategies. It was on “Nighttalk” that Jesse Jackson, as my Tuesday night co-host, built support for his 1984 presidential ran, just as it was on “Nighttalk” that I built support for the Million Man March. That is where the real power of “Nighttalk” began to emerge. Not only did the Black community now have voices, but as I began to listen carefully to these voices, I began to hear a consistent theme. The voices were searching for solutions and providing answers for today’s problems. What was developing was a blueprint or a database, if you will, of information that covered every aspect of life. As I listened to the voices from around the country, [and] as I continued to work with organizations and individuals from coast-to-coast what also became apparent was the wealth of information that was being passed along from generation to generation. Introduction copyright 1999by Todd Steven Burroughs Todd Burroughs, a PkD. candidate in the College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park, is researching a journalistic biography on Death Row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal while working on his dissertation, “Drums In The Global Village: Developments of Black Media, 1980-2000. ” His e-mail address is [email protected].

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percent market clearance and “Kickin’ It” at 62 percent. Cumulatively, CF Entertainment averages a 1.4 to 2.0 rating each week in syndication. That makes Allen one of the most successful African-American producers in television history. At the age of 14, Allen and two other unknown comics began writing jokes for Jimmy “J.J.” Walker at $25 a pop. While the other two - Indianapolis native David Letterman and Jay Leno - took day jobs at the networks, Allen was

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hosting the hit NBC series “Real People” before venturing out on his own to create what may be the largest wholly-owned block of syndicated TV programming on the air today. Unprecedented in the syndicated TV business, producer Allen has built a lucrative content database of more than 1,500 ‘A’ list celebrity interviews including Harrison Ford, Madonna, John Travolta, Celine Dion, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Jordan and Julia Roberts.

Through Jan. 2,2000 Forafront Gal Wry Terry Adkins: “After Flame” “After Flame,” the Forefront installation by New York sculptor Terry Adkins, constructs a narrative about John Brown, a major 19th century figure of the abolitionist movement. Adkins uses found objects to fabricate his pieces, but he modifies or exaggerates features and surfaces of the original object so that “prior function is amplified or disguised.” A saxophone player himself, the artist relates the harmonies and structures of music to his sculpture. His visually elegant and lyrical work is meant to be understood beyond the visual, with its content and form echoing and responding to the world we live in. Through Jan. 30,2000 Allen Whitehill Clowes Special Exhibition Gallery "The Fantasy World of Maurice Sendak” “The Fantasy World of Maurice Sendak” features sketches and completed drawings by the awardwinning author/illustrator of

children’s books. Woiks from Juniper Tree, Hector Protector and Outside Over There are featured along with never before exhibited works including set designs from the opera Hansel and Gretel and thecoverillustration from the 1976 Christmas edition of “Rolling Stone.” The exhibition will include a reading room where families can enjoy Sendak’s many children’s books. “The Fantasy World of Maurice Sendak” is presented in collaboration with the Indianapolis Opera’s production of Hansel and Gretel featuring Sendak’s costumes and set designs. This exhibition was organized by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in cooperation with the Indianapolis Opera through the support of Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1200 W. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN 46208, is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Monday and major holidays. Call (317)-923-1331 for more information.

X-Pression top ten best sellers list* 1. Happy to Bo flippy by Bell Hooks, 14.09 Children’s hardback 2. In tho Moontlme: The Book A the Music That Telit the Story by lyanla Vanzant, 29.95 Book A Harmony CD 3. Ancient Future: Tho Teachings end Prophetic Wisdom of the Seven Hermetic Lowe of Ancient Egypt by Wayne B. Chandler, 18.95 paperback 4. The Maintenance Men by Michael Baaiden, 22.95

5. LsBolle Culelne by Patti LaBdte with Laura B. Randolph, 25.00 hardback 9. Biblical History of Block Mankind by C. McGhee Livers, 20.00 paperback 7. Let The Brother Qo If... by PhyNte R. Akers with Ms.

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•not in any particular order