Community Forum: Racism on radio

Tue, April 15, 2008 
Posted in Community Forum

Morning talk show jocks defining real Alaskans as being men who commit lewd acts against Native women raised the ire of local listeners and the legislature this week. Now a Native woman has filed a complaint with the federal agency that monitors the airwaves. What do you the listeners think about this type of behavior and should it be allowed to continue in our community? Join host Nellie Moore and her guests, attorney, John McKay and State Representative, Mary Nelson as they discuss this sensitive topic.

HOST: Nellie Moore, independent journalist

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LIVE BROADCAST: Wed, April 23, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

REPEAT BROADCAST: Wed, April 23, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

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6 Responses to “Community Forum: Racism on radio”

  1. Matthew Schmal on April 16, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    I must emphasize that I do not support censorship on the radio. I’ve fought in two armed conflicts for civilians to GAIN freedoms that weren’t even American. If you don’t like what the DJs are saying then change the channel- but first make sure your children put away their “South Park” stickers and you double check what video games they’re playing. The fact that your callers are comparing the DJs to murderers is deplorable.

    This kind of radio talk is far from uncommon on Alaska Radio. Other radio shows have skits focused on every “valley trash” and native stereotype long before Woody and Wilcox. 106.5 ran a Star Wars themed native joke for a month- I was shocked there wasn’t a greater backlash for this conduct. Tune into 106.5 sometime and wonder why there are so many “beeped” words. For example “the views of Mark the Hitman do not reflect the views of the station”. Mark the Hitman: “BUT IT BEEP’n SHOULD!” This is a double standard. One of the 106.5 DJs even said this morning “if it were said on this show it wouldn’t have been a big deal”.

    Additionally, I feel the female host is completely biased. I’ve come to expect more from KSKA.

    ~Matt

  2. pam stayner on April 16, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    Hi Nelly, I would like to comment on the topic of Woody and Wilcox being discussed now. i am a woman and I have listened to this show on a number of occasions. my former office mate would have his radio turned to this station for the classic rock music. which was fine with me. what was not fine was the lewd and degrading remarks these two adolescent men would say about women. it was all over the board with inappropriate and disgusting content. you had a caller that really brought the hair up on the back of my neck about “have you listened to this program”?? I have and I can testify to the ugly nature of everything these two had to say. they should be fired, and nothing short.

  3. David W. Baker on April 16, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    Regarding the comments of the two FM radio “personalities”: I have not myself listened to the subject comments, but it seems to me that the fact that their comments were not calculatingly provacative, say, as in the case of someone like Howard Stern, to some degree makes it worse. This case seems both to be a slip of the lip and incredibly stupid judgement. While these two fellows may benefit from sensitivity training, and while the community may feel better that they have been disciplined, at the end of the day, maybe what thinking people should do is simply not listen to this kind of inane programming. I doubt you will hear anything like this on 91.1 or 90.3. Why would one be surprised to hear this kind of thing from a station of this caliber?

  4. Linda Rambur on April 21, 2008 at 8:33 pm

    I am greatly disappointed in how KSKA radio and my state representatives have chosen to present this issue. I am not surprised that the regular news media would cut and paste information in order to inflame their audience, as anger and fear generally means ratings and advertising dollars, and I don’t blame the native community for hitching a ride on the media wave in order to bring light to a cause. But, I expect a person or organization charged with representing the public to consider all sides of an issue before making horrific accusations. This has turned into a witch hunt, a childish game of telephone gone horribly wrong, and I feel revisiting the FACTS is absolutely necessary.

    Michelle Davis, the only individual to actually hear the comment in question on the radio and make a complaint, admittedly was channel surfing (not a listener of the Woody and Wilcox show) and it is unclear whether she heard the remark in its entirety or has any understanding of the basic premise of the show, which would help her consider the context or intent of the statement. All the hysteria that has ensued is based on the perception of one woman.

    I am also a middle aged woman and lifelong Alaskan. I also heard the remark live on the air, along with the statements leading up to the offending one. The actual topic of conversation was the road condition of Minnesota @ Raspberry is dangerous causing accidents daily with new snow. Woody and Wilcox joked ironically that people should speed up and drive recklessly on this stretch of highway, and it would make them a true Alaskan as would, for comic effect, the reverse of the “true Alaskan” saying. Both comments were intentionally hideous to emphasize the absurdity of driving recklessly. Or for that matter, causing harm to anyone, whether native or not, man or woman. I also listen to the show regularly and know they take a humorous slant on life and the news. I don’t think I have ever heard them talk about any weighted issue with any seriousness. To compare the Woody and Wilcox show to Don Imus’ show is to compare night and day.

    Now, is my perception of the statement in question any less valid than Ms. Davis? Can you say that the real intent of the remark doesn’t matter and yet assign your own vicious perception of the comment, as if it were fact?

    I am fortunate to know “Woody” and his family. I know he is an amazing family man with toddler twin girls. I know both he and his wife are incredibly conscientious. I know Woody has volunteered his vacation time for more than 20 years to help run summer camps for at-risk kids. I know he is always trying to make people around him laugh. And I also know that no media outlet or government representative has made any effort to contact him or his partner, Wilcox, personally. No one has deigned consider their side of the situation or allowed them to defend themselves against the backlash—their public voice being suspended. Yet these people have not hesitated to allow the use of their airwaves or the weight of their offices to facilitate the accusations of heinously violent intent and seek to strip the comedy team of their livelihood—a job, by the way, they moved to Alaska to take with the idea that Anchorage would be a better place to raise their kids.

    I am ashamed of how you all have handled this situation. I’ll be listening to the forum and curious to see if there is any effort to encourage a balanced discussion. I hope KSKA will use my comment and I hope they let ALL my words make my point.

  5. Jeremy Halfort on April 24, 2008 at 9:08 am

    I am in total agreement with Linda Rambur on this matter.

    I will however add, it appears we have found one more reason to play the victim role.

  6. Nellie Moore on April 24, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    1. From fcc.gov:

    Indecent Broadcast Restrictions

    The FCC has defined broadcast indecency as ³language or material that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory organs or activities.² Indecent programming contains patently offensive sexual or excretory material that does not rise to the level of obscenity.

    The courts have held that indecent material is protected by the First Amendment and cannot be banned entirely. It may, however, be restricted in order to avoid its broadcast during times of the day when there is a reasonable risk that children may be in the audience.

    Consistent with a federal indecency statute and federal court decisions interpreting the statute, the Commission adopted a rule that broadcasts — both on television and radio — that fit within the indecency definition and that are aired between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. are prohibited and subject to indecency enforcement action.

    Profane Broadcast Restrictions

    The FCC has defined profanity as “including language so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance.”

    Like indecency, profane speech is prohibited on broadcast radio and television between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

    2. Many people have emailed that W/W use jokes about women and minorities to get a laugh. We are all familiar with this old, tired humorous attempt at being funny. If anyone abused their access to the airwaves it was WW. I know some racial jokes might be funny…but not to a person of color who has to walk around any town.

    3. Their own manager confirmed they did indeed say what Michelle Davis accused them of saying.

    4. Michelle stated she did not want them to lose their jobs (see her letter to the editor) and I stated that clearly on the show.

    5. This has only highlighted the broader problem that natives are often the brunt of jokes on KWHL and other stations, like the Fox. I myself used to listen, but found it unsuitable in mixed company and with minor children.

    6. The Fox station manager was invited to participate, but declined.

    7. If WW feel they need equal time, they can request it themselves.

    8. Why didn’t Linda Rambur call in during the show. We allow opposing viewpoints all the time. Was she denied access by the screener?

    9. Many people heard the comment. All but one said (to me) it was offensive.

    10. Comparing this incident to Don Imus is valid.

    11. Being funny does not mean “at all costs,” particularly if you are a parent. Is peeing on/in Native women a joke around the household for W/W?

    12. Her letter supporting W/W is welcome, but I bet she has never felt the sting of racism - much less on 100,000 watts, being broadcast to a community that did not complain or speak up for the targeted minority.

    13. You could request an aircheck of the fox.

    Good luck. I stand by my show.

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