4th anniversary of WGBH killing the peoples' music

Today we mark the fourth anniversary of the day the peoples' music died on so-called pubic radio WGBH, Boston. WGBH management terminated "Folk on WGBH" and "Blues on WGBH" at the end of November, 2009, betraying its public mission as well as all members of the folk and blues communities.

"I can only assume this has something to do with the almighty dollar. Isn't this supposed to be public radio and aren't we the public. Folk music has been a mainstay on WGBH for as long as I can remember. Acoustic artists are as popular as ever and in some ways even more popular then in days gone by. I don't get it. WGBH should be ashamed of itself. Well, as Ma Joad said, "We're the people and you can't stop us and you can't lick us. We just keep coming, 'cause we're the people." -Jim Kweskin, 11/11/09

You can learn more at WGBH Drops Folk and Blues Programs from this blog.

You can stay in touch with fellow community members and learn what actions you can take to restore the programs through a discussion group.

Remember WGBH's action when you receive that solicitation envelope or phone call or email. Refuse them! Return the envelope marked "refused, you killed the peoples' music." Tell the paid phone solicitor why and ask your name be removed from their call list and database. Remove yourself from the WGBH mailing list. And it would not hurt to write a letter to the WGBH Board of Trustees, tell them public radio and the airwaves belong to the people, not the bluebloods.

Then consider supporting a community or independent college/community radio station where the volunteer producer/hosts, not the corporations that pull WGBH's strings, determine their program content.

Massachusetts community stations:
WBCR-LP, Great Barrington
WCUW, Worcester
WMCB-LP, Greenfield
WOMR/WFMR, Provincetown
WXOJ-LP, Florence

See a listing of others, including independent college / community hybrids, here.

Share this blog post and a related Facebook event with friends.