Question 1: Air America suspended Randi Rhodes after her comedy act was posted on YouTube on April 3rd. Randi Rhodes on April 9th announced she was leaving Air America to move to another radio network -- Nova M Radio. Her comments "Geraldine Ferraro turned out to be David Duke in drag... What a whore Geraldine Ferraro is! She's such a f----ing whore! I want to see her have to stand beside her husband at one of those mandatory 'I have sinned against you; I'm a whore' kind of a press conference. Mr. Ferraro should have to stand next to his whore of a wife... Hillary is a big f----ing whore, too." was made during a comedy act. I don't think Air America should have indefinitely suspended her inappropriate comments. I also think Air America is taking this to the next step-- even though she just announced today ((April 11th 2008)) that she was going to Nova M Radio, Air America already took down Ms. Rhodes section of the messages boards, all her show archives, and other things.

Question 2: Yes I believe this is a violation of freedom of speech. When the comments were made she did them during a comedy act not during her radio show. In the end I really thing Air America is just over reacting.

Question 3: I don’t think I would ever say anything like that especially as a broadcaster. You have to watch everything you say. It’s like all your comments are under a magnified glass and one wrong word or comment and you are out of a job. I wouldn’t want to lose my job over a comment like that.

Hello CEI !

Hello CEI,

Randi Rodes, a former Air America host lost her job due to some remarks she made about Senator Clinton that surfaced on YouTube.

Please conduct your research on-line to become more familiar with the story. I have provided one for you.

QUESTION FOR THE WEEK OF 4.8.2008:

Do you feel that Air America should have continued her employment, or are they justified for letting her go for something she said off-air?

In your opinion is this a violation of free speech, why or why not?

Would you have deliver a comment at an event, in that context, in public setting as a broadcaster? Why, or why not?


Good luck and thank you.

~ JM



The radio host Randi Rhodes has ended her employment with Air America, the liberal radio network, it said Thursday, leaving the network with a three-hour hole in its afternoon schedule. Ms. Rhodes, who was host of the nationally syndicated “Randi Rhodes Show,” was suspended a week ago after a video of her making disparaging remarks about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton surfaced on YouTube. Ms. Rhodes, left, used vulgar language to liken Ms. Clinton to a prostitute at an event sponsored by KKGN, the Air America affiliate in San Francisco, on March 22. In a statement the Air America chairman, Charlie Kireker, and the company president, Mark Green, said Ms. Rhodes had chosen to terminate her employment. She hosted the 3-to-6 p.m. hours for Air America, and the network did not say who would take her place, although the possibilities include Sam Seder, a Sunday host. “We will soon announce exciting new talent and programming that will accelerate Air America’s growth in the future,” the officials’ statement said. Ms. Rhodes, however, will be back on the air soon, at least in one market. John Scott, the program director of KKGN, said on its Web site that Ms. Rhodes would join his station on April 14.

repsponse to DJ

If a disk jockey made a comment about my neighborhood I would take it very personal. Disk Jockeys are often the voice of a community and people we often rely on what they say over the air as a source of valid information. My initial reaction would be to make sure that the Dj would be suspended temporarily from the show as well as giving an on air apology to the people who were offended by the comments made. I don’t feel that randy’s discipline was enough. I don’t feel that he understood the seriousness of his actions.

repsponse to DJ

If a disk jockey made a comment about my neighborhood I would take it very personal. Disk Jockeys are often the voice of a community and people we often rely on what they say over the air as a source of valid information. My initial reaction would be to make sure that the Dj would be suspended temporarily from the show as well as giving an on air apology to the people who were offended by the comments made. I don’t feel that randy’s discipline was enough. I don’t feel that he understood the seriousness of his actions.

Owwr Radio Station response 1-3

If I was giving the chance to become the program director at owwr old Westbury radio I will make a couple of changes. I feel in order to make the station more interesting to the masses more promotion is needed, this includes more evens such as parties and fundraisers and also more visual promotions which can included flyers etc. having a live do can also improve on the stations quality because people want to hear live mixing not song after song. These few things can have a major affect on the amount of listeners ,Also getting more students involved my bring more opportunities for the station , this my involve contest etc. When look at on a broader scale radio is about networking and knowing the right people ,so getting more people involved and trying new things can put those people at the station and the station it’s self in a better position.
Events like concerts and talent shows even open mic can help the station. These events can be promoted via web for example myspace ,face book etc, even word of mouth and flyer can attract people to these events.
With shows like the First year Experience the owwr radio station can attract many different types of crowd young and old. I feel that the station being college radio has it adult points in time but is mainly directed to a younger crowd. With this at hand I feel that many of the shows on owwr isn’t original. Originality is the reason why many listen to certain stations, with more original shows there would be more listeners because people like to learn and experience new things. In order for owwr to be professional and prepare it’s students for the job field I feel the fcc rules are needed to be followed because if they aren’t followed the shows my get too out of hand and radio wouldn’t be radio anymore it would be looked at as open mic.

response to question 3.31.8

If i were the programming director of OWWR , I would gear most of the programming towards students that live on campus. For starters students that live on campus would probaly be our main audience, so I would try to talk about important events on campus, things that are nore student realated. Being that it is said that the campus is so dead, i would try to promote ideas and activties to make the campus more fun.

I think live shows are the best way to let the students know about campus life events. The live show should allow the the students to be invovled in show, for example calling in, emailing or even being their to gibe their own ideas or personal thoughts.

The qualities of our programming is appropriate as far as i know. i really dont listen to OWWR like that, so i really can't give an honest thoughts about something im not sure of. I think this programming is appropriate for a college radio station.

Response to First Question 1-3

1. I believe this is so because today in society many black young men have yet to face the fact that no one owes them anything and that they need to fight for what they want. Many times looking for the easy way out and easy cash we many times turn to ways of getting fast cash or even violence. Many times starting at a young age may time young men of color drop out of school in search of money and all the glamour they see on videos many time not knowing that in order to get a job you need to have a certain amount of education as said in the speech “In 2000, 65% of black male high school dropouts in their 20's were jobless - in other words not looking or unable to find work - and by 2004, the share had grown to 72% "jobless." (NY Times, Plight Deepens fir Black Men, 3/20/06)72% jobless! It takes your breath away. By comparison the rate for white male high school dropouts was 34% and Hispanic males 19%.”
2. I believe that this would help the current status of colored men around the u.s because as simple as it may seem starting with the soft skill can take you a long way. For example dressing the proper way, it may sound cleshay but allot times your first impression is always the best.
3. I believe that this will always exist, the best thing that we can do is to save those who want to be saved or helped. In order for leaders to help these young men they need to imply programs that relate to the young men. Being a young black man in today’s society many times I only participate or put my full effort into things that relate to me or things that I like and I think that this applies to many other young men out there that are my age in need of economical and social help.