5B
RELIGION/tClit Oarlottc $ot
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Radio format change prompts community criticism
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAVANNAH; Ga. - Format
changes at a popxilar radio
station have prompted some
critics to question whether
the new programming is an
act of censorship or racism.
While some listeners
turned their dials to WSOK-'
AM to hear the station’s
gospel offerings, others
turned to it for its political
commentary, and candidates
knew it. The Rev. Jesse Jack-
son visited the station during
his presidential campaign,
and former Govs. Roy Barnes
and ZeU Miller made stops
there along the campaign
trad.
Earlier this year, the sta
tion said no more.
Dubbed the voice of Savan
nah’s black community,
WSOK made a policy deci
sion to stop broadcasting live
shows. Radio hosts wanting
to air shows would have to
tape them first, ehminating
the call-in format for the sta
tion’s "Open Line Outreach”
programs.
Alderman Van Johnson II
and Mayor Otis Johnson are
former radio show hosts, and
both have written letters to
Clear Channel Communica
tions, which ovms the station.
“It concerns me that your
decision has the unintended
consequence of silencing at
worst, and censorship at best,
of the Afiican American com
munity,” Johnson wrote in a
January letter to Clear
Channel Communications.
‘What you have done is cre
ated a gap in our communi
ty”
Alderman Van Johnson II
also questioned why Clear
Channel did not make format
changes at another of its sta
tions, WTKS 1290-AM,
which attracts a largely
white audience.
“Two stations - 1230 AM
and 1290 AM - one African
American and the other
white,” Johnson wrote. “One
station is requiring talk
shows be pre-recorded, the
other allows live dialogue.
What is the difference?”
A Clear Channel represen
tative said the two stations
have different formats.
While the 1,000-watt sta
tion barely reaches the entire
city of Savannah, many of the
city’s black residents rarely
turn their dials off WSOK
1230 AM.
State Sen. Regina Thomas,
D-Savaimah, said the sta
tion’s gospel-and-talk-show
format has inspired and
informed listeners for 30
years, making the station
“the radio church of the black
community.” The program
has regularly earned first or
second place in Arbitron’s
local ratings.
Local jazz bassist Ben
Tucker came up with the for
mat after buying the station
in 1972.
“I felt strongly that Afncan-
Americans in the United
States of America were not
■being communicated to prop
erly,” Tucker said. “I viewed it
as an opportunity to open the
airwaves to the people and
help give them an under
standing of the educational,
economic, political and spiri
tual world around them.”
The Rev. Leonard SmaU’s
show has sparked the cur
rent controversy. Small regu
larly endorsed politicians,
most recently mayoral and
City Council candidates.
Mayor Otis Johnson and
Alderman Clifton Jones
would have been unseated if
Small had his way.
“I personally do not trust
him, and I believe he has
tried to set himself up as a
political broker using free air
time,” Jones wrote in Novem
ber to WSOK “I also know
that all the rest of us are pay
ing your station for any time
used to promote us.”
Clear Channel Operations
Manager Brad Kelly said
Otis Johnson, too, com
plained about Small plugging
mho's In Search of Problems?
■q/wrfwrs
MoPrevEd, that’s ivho!
■ A Mobile Office Camper Trailer ■
“Serving The Hurting Needs of Humanity”
Providing Community Assistance From Hot Meals
and Job Assistance to Health Issues Including HIV/Aids.
.* Addressing Gang Activity & Violence • Assisting Churches
• Police Support • Drug Programs
To continue this work,
Evangelist Garland Knox
Needs Your Contributions ri
Please Call: 704-604-313S
Vt'ww.ehristscompassion.org *
Pavabie to; Christ’s Compassion Ministrv' ' 4^
2301 Olde Whitehall Rd., Char.,, NC 28273
501 C3, Non-Profit Organization
Second Calvary Baptist Church
114 Nelson Avenue • Charlotte, North Carolina
Celebrating
The First Anniversary
Pastor Ralph M. McCormick
SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2004
11AM Morning Worship Service
Sermon by: Minister John F. McCormick
Associating Minister, Grant AME Austin, Texas
6PM Evening Worship Service
Sermon by: Dr. Claude R. Alexander, Jr.
Pastor, University Park Baptist Church
Charlotte, North Carolina
Advancing the Kingdom of God through Salvation,
Liberation and Restoration with Excellence.
Friendshiip Baptist Church, Gastonia
Vasior John A. McCulloughs jr. & Family
First Lady’s Night
Wednesday
April 21 -7pm
Guest Speaker
Rev. Rodney Freeman.
Pastor Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Teen Night
Friday
April 23 -7pm
Guest Speaker
Rev. John Brotvn
Appreciation Banquet
Saturday
April 24 -6pm
Guest Speaker
Rev. Sheldon McCarter
Greater Cleveland Avenue
Christian Church
cukmtm services smkj, Ajiril 25th
8am Guest Speaker, Rev. David Williams
. Pastor, Pleasant Ridge A.M.E. Zion Church
11am Guest Speaker, Rev. Johnny Broum
4pm Guest Speaker, Bishop-elect Anthony Jinwright
Pastor. Greater Salem Church Jinwright
'll* For Tickets or Information, vlease contact the church U*
221W. Bradley Avenue Gastonia, • 704-865-9016 • 704-865-9057, FAX
Website
ww'w.Friendshipgastonia.org,
a local candidate. Small’s
show didn’t violate Federal
Communications Commis
sion rules, Kelly said, but it
did break WSOK program
ming guidelines, he said.
The station is more con
cerned with music and pub
lic-service messages than
poHtical discourse, he said.
WSOK Program Director
E. Larry McDuffie sent let
ters to radio hosts in January
explaining future shows
would have to be taped. He
said he did it because person
nel cuts had made it too diffi
cult to run the control boards
for the mostly nighttime live
shows.
Small protested by forfeit
ing his air time.
“I said that would kill the
spontaneity of the call-in for
mat, and I wouldn’t do it,”
Small said, explaining he
was told by Clear Channel
that he should be covering
events like blood drives, not
entrenched political issues.
“I said I would not have a
white man telling me what
the black community needs.”
ADVERTISEMENT
THE PROPHET’S COLUMN INC.
9626 FELDBANK DRIVE
CHARLOTTE, NC, 28216-2131
“LET THEM ALONE” - PART TWO
J. M. LITTLE - TEACHER
There is no such thing as believing one portion of God’s Word and denying
another portion of God's Word. The elect swallows the Word whole. And if the
Lord deals with your heart for salvation, you are going to see by the grace of God
that God’s Word is true whether you believe it or anyone believes it. Believe it
and be saved and disbelieve it and be damned.
Some of you preachers and Bible teachers I have had to leave alone because
you will not have the Word of God. You cannot separate God from His Word.
Some of you in leadership have said to me when I quoted from God’s Word; “now
that is what Paul said." Since that is your position the instruction from my Lord is
for me to leave you alone. You are the blind leading the blind. And if the blind
lead the blind they both fall into the ditch according to Matthew 15:14. The ditch is
hell. And when you pass off a portion of Scripture as just as what Paul said, you
are rejecting the verbally inspired Word of God. And there is nothing ahead for
you but hell and judgment.
Over the years as I have given out my testimony in print and in talking with lost
souls, every rime I open my mouth to speak of Christ, unsaved religionists hate it.
And the unsaved religionist always feels that I am speaking against him. You
have to because you are not saved. When my Lord was here on earth the
Pharisees always felt Christ was speaking against them. They had never repent
ed and never have you. That is why they gnashed on Him with their teeth and
that is why you gnash on me with your teeth. And if it weren't for the restraint of
the law, you would crucify me just as that mob crucified my Lord. Multitudes of
you are in that condition and I have had to leave you alone.
NEW OUTREACHA^GSP 1310 AM PRODUCTIONS
Gospel Recognition Awards
HELP US LOCATE THE UNSUNG HERO’S
In the following categories
MUSIC DANCE EDUCATION And PUBLISHING
Submit names of choirs, musicians, pastors, bishops, youth ministers, comedians,
ALL that are involved in th e work of the GOSPEL.
Criteria: Contestants of all ages may enter. Submit an essay of 30 words or less on why the nomi
nee is especially blessed in their chosen field of Gospel. Mail to: New Outreach Christian Center,
3900 Gossett Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208 by April 6, 2004
Nominee
Address
Phone
ESSAY:
Fax
E-mail
Nominated by;_
Address
Phone
Fax
E-.Mail
Join Us For The Recognition Awards Ceremony
Sunday, April 11, 2004 • 4pni
New Outreach Christian Center
3900 Gossett Avenue • Charlotte, NC 28208 • 704-398-1777
Sponsors;
Emory Law Firm • .New Outreacli Christian Center • Gospel Connection
• WGSP 1310 AM • Pizza Hut - Independence • Community Food Rescue
• The Charlotte Post Newspaper • Dorothy Music Network
• Evangelistic Newspaper
Performing:
Pastor A. Thomas and The Bright Stars • Sweet Singing Harmonettes
• Carl Blair and The Family Circle, and
The House of David, a Gospel Reggae Group