Rev. Jackson asks that Clear Channel radio shows be moved over WVON-AM/1690

In another media coup that is helping the city's new 24-hour Black-owned radio station solidify itself as the "Talk of Chicago," Rev. Jesse Jackson told the Defender that he is moving his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Keep Hope Alive" radio talk shows to WVON-AM/1690.

"Actually, the Saturday morning broadcast (Rainbow/PUSH Coalition) and the Sunday morning network show, which is syndicated in more than 36 markets nationwide, are at the base station of (Clear Channel Radio's) WGRB-AM/Gospel 1390," Jackson said on Thursday. "We will now broadcast on 1690."

The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition radio show will air from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. beginning Saturday on WVON.

Keep Hope Alive will air from 7a.m. to 9 a.m. starting on Sunday. Both shows are weekly.

Due to increased popularity, Premiere Radio Networks expanded Keep Hope Alive from one to two hours, said Angela Ingram, vice president of communications for Clear Channel Radio Chicago.

Jackson said he requested the move of his and the Rainbow/PUSH radio shows to WVON.

"This is a fundamental change in Chicago (for African Americans)," an excited Jackson said. "When Harold (Washington) won in 1983, that was first fundamental change for us. But this shift to a 10,000-(kilo)watt 24-hour, seven-days-a-week station gives us access that we never had before.

"This will force the downtown (white) media to deal with us," he continued. "After all, we (African Americans) are 40 percent of the population. When we move now, everyone will have to pay attention to us"

Jackson acknowledged that the Black population doesn't always move as one coherent unit. Part of that problem has been, he said, because there has not been a 24/7 radio source for all city Blacks to gravitate to and share ideas and differing opinions. That issue is resolved now, he added.

"We have had to talk through downtown (media) to talk to each other," Jackson said. "Now we can talk to each other directly. For too long we have had to talk through filters.

"For many years, to call Africa you had to call London to connect to South Africa. They would filter our calls. That is the same way we had to filter our communication here through the media downtown. We don't have to do that anymore."

[Author Affiliation]

by Demetrius Patterson

Defender Staff Writer