SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced this week
that "Make It
Plain," the daily political talk show hosted by Mark
Thompson, the African-American broadcast pioneer, human rights
visionary, and community leader, debuted Wednesday, November
14.
Make It Plain, on SIRIUS Left channel 146,
is with a powerful, high-profile and stellar lineup of guests
from the African-American
community. Make It Plain will air weekdays, 5:00 pm – 8:00
pm ET.
Make It Plain will feature key leaders, thinkers
and influential newsmakers, including BlackCommentator.com Editorial
Board members and columnists. Every Thursday at 7pm Eastern time
the program will feature a representative of BC.
In August of this year, BC Editorial
Board member, David A. Love, wrote about Thompson in his "Color
of Law Column." The commentary was titled, "Talk
To Me" About the Problem With Black Radio. Love was
writing about Don Cheadle's film, "Talk To Me," the
story of the late Petey Greene, an ex-prisoner turned radio personality
and Emmy award-winning talk show host. A portion of Love's commentary
reads:
Greene was known for his outspokenness, his authenticity,
and his role as a voice of the community. He was not afraid
to speak truth to power, to say the things that others dared
not say for fear of retribution or recrimination.
What struck me most about the movie was that the world of
Black radio in the 60s and 70s, as exemplified by Petey Greene,
was very different. Black radio had a commitment and a responsibility
to the community, a mission to empower the people. The people
demanded from their media institutions the requisite tools
to inform them, educate them, and mobilize them for political
action. Entertainment was not inconsistent with these goals.
Fast forward to today. Mark Thompson -
also known as Matsimela Mapfumo - community leader, emcee
of the Million Man March,
founder of the Umoja Party and an ordained minister, was a
host on Radio One for 19 years. His trailblazing program on
politics and human rights, "Make It Plain," aired
on Radio One's XM Radio station, The Power, Channel 169. Thompson,
along with progressive on-air personality Ambrose Lane and
two staffers, was unceremoniously eliminated from the network's
lineup. "Make It Plain" has been replaced by "2
Live Stews," a comedic sports talk program hosted by brothers
Doug and Ryan Stewart.
Radio One gave no reason for the firings,
but stated in a press release that the network is "thrilled" by the
change in lineup. Meanwhile, Redding News Review recently reported
that Radio One officials held a financial meeting with members
of the Republican National Committee (RNC) prior to the firings.
Shannon Reeves, the RNC director of state and local development
and chair of its African American Leadership Council, denies
that such a meeting occurred. Further, Black conservative host
and Bush political consultant Raynard Jackson - who maintains
that Black political leadership "continue to indoctrinate
Blacks with a radical, liberal orthodoxy that breeds a mentality
of victimization and dependency" - apparently has been
added to the network roster. Jackson is also a member of the
Black conservative think tank, Project 21, according to that
organization's website.
Those of us at BlackCommentator.com who are familiar with the
work of Mark Thompson are pleased that SIRIUS Satellite Radio
has put him back on the air. His voice is needed. Paramount to
that voice being fully heard, Thompson has total editorial control
over the content and direction of his program.
SIRIUS has announced that in addition to writers from BC appearing
each Thursday, other newsmaker on the program will include:
Hilary Shelton, Director, NAACP, Washington Bureau; Marc
Morial, President, National Urban League; Dick Gregory; Dr.
E. Faye Williams, National Congress of Black Women; Dr. Ron
Daniels, Chair, Institute of the Black World; Barbara Ciara,
President of National Association of Black of Journalists;
The Honorable Rev. Dr. Walter Fauntroy , Chair, National Black
Leadership Roundtable; and Dr. Leonard Jeffries, African Heritage
Studies Association, Association for the Study of Classical
African Civilizations. Later in the week, Thompson will welcome
other high-profile guests from the worlds of politics, entertainment,
and community and host a behind-the-scenes look at presidential
politics with organizers of Iowa's Brown and Black Forum, America's
oldest continuous minority forum for presidential candidates.
In a news release this week, SIRUS radio made it clear it supports
Thompson's part in the struggle for economic and social justice
and peace with the following statement:
On Make It Plain, Mark Thompson will speak passionately about
political, social, and economic issues from an African-American
perspective, take listener calls, and will empower his audience
to make a difference. Thompson, also known by his African name
Matsimela Mapfumo, has been a Washington, DC-based radio host
for 20 years. He is nationally known as a longtime NAACP activist,
emcee of the Million Man March, founder of the Umoja Party,
and an ordained minister. Thompson joins hosts including Alex
Bennett, Lynn Samuels, Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz, and Mike
Malloy on SIRIUS Left 146.
Click
here to contact BC and Mr. Thompson.
