They were attracted by some good jazz and blues, and along with that would be the story. ABC7 was there for WVON's star-studded gala in 2013, celebrating 50 years of elevating Black culture. And for a young person just coming out of the Army and returning to school and the civil rights movement was at a fever pitch I used to listen to "Hot Line," which was hosted by Wesley South. I would often love to put on my moms high-heel shoes, and prance around the house. A Chicago native and Cultural Enthusiast at heart, Samantha started her Media career as a Director and Television News Producer for several local news markets across the U.S., including Missouri (CBS), Las Vegas (ABC, FOX, and CBS), and Chicago (CBS) & (WGN). [24][25] The sale was consummated in 1970. And dominated. Some of my best work has been done under pressure. [4][6] Hoffman bought out the other two stations, and by 1936 it operated on 1420 full-time. What Ive done is always remember who I am and where I plan to go. 30.11.2021. Two years later, Frankie Crocker hired Williams at WBLS-FM in her hometown, New York City. [11][15] Though the station was initially geared strictly to a black audience, by 1968 its playlist had expanded to include songs by white artists that were compatible with the station's sound, in an effort to reach a wider audience. Schlikerman, Becky. [4][5] It was owned by Richard W. Jack Diamond Morning Show, was a radio show that aired for 24 years on WRQX Mix 107.3 weekdays from 5 am to 10 am and Saturdays 6 am to 10 am in Washington, DC. When I arrived at Lincoln University of Missouri in Fall of 2000, I majored in computer information systems. There's not many places that an urban talk station can survive. Our innovative concepts and approach to delivering intimate and scaled events tailored to fit client needs are unparalleled in today's broadcasting landscape. A legendary disc jockey on the airwaves of Philadelphia and New York in the 1950s and 1960s, Douglas Wendell Jocko Henderson was a pioneer of the slick-talking, rapid-fire radio patter that influenced Black and White jockeys nationwide and laid a cultural foundation for rap music. Here we were, a big radio station, and we couldn't combat FM. But I like the 'back' part of that. And I remember WLS and WCFL calling us, and they were saying: "Who the hell are you guys?" The station also had an active role during the Civil Rights Movement, covering it extensively. As president and general manager of Chicago's WVON-AM, Melody Spann-Cooper heads the only African American-owned radio station in the nation's third-largest market. Williams currently hosts her own daytime TV talk show. Melvin Lindsey, the originator of the "Quiet Storm" late-night music programming format and Washington D.C air personality the 1970-1980s. In 1999, Spann-Cooper purchased a controlling interest in the Midway Broadcasting Company, the . Using the name Ebony Moonbeams, Williams started her career in broadcasting in 1973 when she was hired at Howard Universitys WHUR. In 1985, Tom Joyner earned his stripes as The Hardest Working Man In Radio, juggling two top-rated shows in separate cities over a thousand miles apart. Saturday: 08:00 PM - 12:00 AM To hear all of season 3 early, ad-free, subscribe to Pushkin+ in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. The hosts are not afraid to give an actual opinion on a hard subject matter such as guns, and what we need to do with these knuckleheaded kids who are adding to these atrocities out here. It's OK to have a strong black radio station in our country. One of the big things we did, we gave away Christmas baskets. WVON's origins date back to 1963, when the radio station's owner Chess Records began programming soul, and rhythm and blues music. Its just the opposite in my mind, though. We mixed that in there. Home; About Us; Line-Up; Events; Special Features; Partner with us; listen [42][43] Midway Broadcasting immediately filed a request with the FCC to change WXOL's call sign to WVON, and on March 28, 1984 the WVON call letters returned to their former home at 1450. Good Sport dives into worlds like F1 racing, table tennis, NBA shooting, and beyond. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why? Stream the best podcasts from your favorite stations. Why not a career in fashion? A lot of the Motown records broke here in Chicago. [48] The move displaced the oldies format of Clear Channel-operated WRLL on 1690. Beale, Twins Born At Roosevelt Red Line Station Have Names, Are Doing Well, Three Dots And A Dash Debuts New Drinks For Fall, Including Pumpkin Spice, Ald. Star & Buc Wild previously hosted the morning show on Philadelphias 100.3 The Beat. It's been playing a critical role since the '60s. The Mully and Hanley Show, Weekdays 5 a.m.-9 a.m. I'm very clear that while 'VON is a radio station, quote unquote, (that's) not what keeps us in business. Thats what he lives for., Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. [27] On August 24, 1976, FM classical music station WFMT was allowed to simulcast on 1450 as an interim operator while the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) evaluated applications for a new license for the frequency. We needed a black talk-radio station, because they got into all kinds of things. Verneda Scott. His unbridled and unusual music selection inspired legions of fans in Detroit, and Mojo is recognized for having introduced listeners to a number of artists that include Prince, The B-52s, and Kraftwerk. And describe your childhood growing up. My grandmother and mother dressed so jazzy, and so did their friends. State Sen. Barack Obama filled in for vacationing announcer Cliff Kelley. And two important guests I remember listening to were Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jesse Jackson called the station to report King's assassination. They know the benchmarks that are important, and where you can get the authentic word. Deep Cover drops on Mondays. Condon, David. The rise of FM radio in the 1970s, however, reduced WVON's audience and clout, precipitating several changes of ownership and shifts of position on the dial. "We had a monthlong debate over the word 'Negro,'" says Melody Spann-Cooper, daughter of Pervis Spann and chairman of Midway Broadcasting Corp., which owns WVON. We could put a record on and play it a couple of days, it would start selling like crazy, if it was a good record. That an organic, independently owned operation could exist and be able to play in this wonderful world of multiple radio stations and television stations and media companies in the city of Chicago is amazing. And it was very inspiring in this short period of time, an hour format, that Mr. South was able to interview two of our giants in the black movement in this country. [42], In 1986, WVON adopted its current black-oriented talk radio format. National Radio Day: Black Stations And The Pioneers Who Helped Shape Their Programming, Your email will be shared with newsone.com and subject to its. Self-effacing where Magic was brash, Red Alert became a beloved figure of listeners and rappers alike. From host Jody Avirgan (30 for 30, FiveThirtyEight, Radiotopia) and the TED Audio Collective, Good Sport is your guide through an array of stadiums, pitches, pools and slopes that shed a light on the ups and downs of being human. Nat'l Advertisers Hypo. Though music dominated thanks to blues records from Pervis Spann and R&B tracks from Herb Kent and others Wesley South's legendary "Hot Line" talk show crackled with political discussion. Mainstream media takes a mainstream approach on most subject matters, meaning a predominantly Eurocentric mindset, which is OK. How did you get involved with WVON 1690AM? Season one, The Drug Wars, tells the story of an FBI agent who goes undercover with a biker gang, and follows a trail of clues that eventually leads to the US invasion of a foreign country. I can wear a T-shirt and jeans, and some stilettos and a dress, and love both outfits because Im always adding my personality to the mix. There are very few stations that can say they have chronicled the progress of black people in this country from the '60s to now. This city loves its institutions, those that it grows up with. Part of that comes from working in TV news, especially during breaking news times. We went out in the street, made appearances at a lot of community centers. [13] They accepted the random issue call sign WXOL, while Migala chose WCEV ("We're Chicagoland's Ethnic Voice") as their call sign. Dyana Williams is one of the earliest and most influential female air personalities in Black radio. But a great Chicago radio station WVON-AM 1690 has managed the feat: The institution marks its 50th anniversary Monday and celebrates with a concert featuring Toni Braxton at the Chicago Theatre on Saturday. Although he had Chess Records, he was smart enough to know we had to play more than Chess records; we played Atlantic records. I'm sure they were fair, but it was always a white talk show, not completely black like this. What does the science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? [10] WHFC's programming was simulcast on 97.9 WEHS after WEHS's storecasting contract expired in the 1950s. Type in the name of your neighborhood or select one from the list below. It was meaningful because it gave to the listener the kind of (broadcast) that was inspirational as well as informational. I waited two years to attend, but the wait was just what I needed. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Martin Luther King Jr. used this station as his bully pulpit in the latter part of his life, in the years he spent in Chicago, between '66 to '68. We had to get it done, and get it done efficiently fast. "Quite frankly, as 'VON continues to evolve, we get away from the psychological segmentation of who we are. Really an educational outlet for black people, and also an educational outlet for white people, to let them know what black people are like. Oprah! Do you work well under pressure? [33] Two former WVON personalities, Pervis Spann and Wesley South, were the principals of Midway Broadcasting. Cooper was succeeded in Black Chicago radio by very important air personalities like Al Benson who brought the blues and jazz to Chicago on WGES and his colleague Herb Kent, who made his mark after his move to WVON, where he was a strong voice for progress during the tumultuous Civil Rights movement. Check out the latest episodes featuring Opal Staples and Myracle Holloway. So it was listened to by almost everyone in Chicago who was African and American, and I'm sure whites and others listened, too, because of the music. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor. She is the first black woman in Chicago to hold this distinction. Officers also tried to rescue the Cordells but could not make it into the room where they were trapped because ofthe heat, authorities said. Chicago has WVON, ATL has WAOK!!! She's the host of the evening show airing Monday-Thursday from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m., where she invites listeners and viewers on social media to simply, "TALK to Samantha." If you only hear someone, but youre not listening to them, its like null and void communication. How does this position fit into your career plans? It can scare people sometimes because it may seem like youre waiting until the last minute. Dyana Williams is one of the earliest and most influential female air personalities in Black radio. But the black community has unique and particular issues that impact it on a daily basis, historically, and in terms of our connections with ourselves and the rest of the country. Pervis Spann, who helped boost the careers of many radio personalities, disc jockeys and successful recording artists as he transformed WVON into the "Voice of the Negro" and . WVON (1690 AM "The Voice of the Nation", originally "Voice of the Negro") is a radio station serving the Chicago market, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. Being multifaceted in the media industry, or any field for that matter, is important, especially during this time. Douglas Wendell Jocko Henderson | Source: Getty Images / Getty. Say. [48] The WRLL call letters were assigned to Midway's half of the time-share on 1450 at Cicero, Illinois. On my moms high-heel shoes, and beyond get away from the to... 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