Caribbean Radio in the Diaspora By Annan Boodram & Felicia Persaud

You've probably heard the statement on radio stations like WRTN 93.5FM WWRL 1600AM, WGBB 1240 AM or WPAT 930 AM (all New York stations): "The views expressed by the following program does not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its advertisers." At least, it reads in part like that. The introduction welcomes you to an independently produced radio program, a format that has its history in college radio stations throughout the country. Then radio station WNWK 105 FM begun offering airtime for sale to independent producers here in New York.
Soon, WNWK had become the station most Caribbean Americans were tuning in to, and many producers like Gil and Pat Bailey, Bobby Clarke of Irie Jam, Jeff Barnes, Ken Williams and others, made a name for themselves on the station. WNWK in short became the FM version of Caribbean programming, while WLIB 1190 was the AM version. All seemed well in radioland until rumors begun spreading that WNWK had been sold. These rumors were soon confirmed to be factual and overnight radio producers on WNWK were shown the door or given a choice of buying time on 930AM.
Many opted instead for buying time on the airwaves of 93.5 FM, a station that had previously had a few Caribbean programs. Smelling big business, management of the station soon announced a full-scale attempt to "offer" time to producers there. Then in 1999, when WWRL 1600 AM also opened up their airwaves to independents, Caribbean American radio brokers were all too ready to jump on board. So many in fact, that according to one source who spoke on condition of anonymity, one of the stations mentioned was so in debt that it was planning on closing one of its studios; that is until one marketing wiz there decided to open up to independent radio producers from the Caribbean. In six months, according to the source, the station turned around from the red and made a huge profit.
But even before WNMK, its forerunner WHBI already had a number of Caribbean radio producers who have now moved into other endeavors. Jamaicans Safia Seavright (now producing for TV) and Ken Williams were there along Jeff Barnes and John Sandy (now a magazine publisher) Also among the early pioneers were Carl Nelson, Gracie Sewer and Amy Sutter.
Yet, independent radio producers from this community, while many in numbers, essentially get the thumbs down from corporate advertisers who prefer to spend their bucks with the stations instead. The few that are willing to spend a few hundred of dollars with some producers somehow manage to buy loyalty. As such, editorial content communicated often reflects mostly the grand aspects of these entities since brokers are mostly fearful of losing the advertisement all together. Further, while the producers are forced to shell out between $650-800 for hourly rates, the stations' management, they say, does little to aid them in gaining advertisers. Instead, marketing agents employed by the radio stations target many of the same clients the producers do.
This situation not only exists for independent Afro-Caribbean radio producers in new York but for all independent Caribbean radio producers in North America.
According to Carl Moxie of "The Carl B. Moxie's Wake-Up Call" aired on 93.5 FM radio, each Saturday at 11:30 am and Sunday at 8:00 am, there are at least 16 independent radio producers of Caribbean heritage who lease time on the two primary stations, WRTN, 93.5 FM and WPAT 930 AM. But Moxie, while recognizing that many of the programs are "unique" realizes that for brokers to survive on air, they need "representation, meaning an agency to represent us in the advertising market." He, however, is fully aware that this "can only be accomplished successfully when we become a body of producers."
"Individuality in the business of brokerage radio primarily serves to inflate the cost for leasing, deflating and/or staggering advertising rates, and discontentment among producers vying for the best deal possible to suit the client's budget," Moxie said. He also acknowledged that one of the major issues affecting independent producers is that they "fail to collectively address problems they face, including management's lack of provision of adequate service to brokers."
Moxie's views were reiterated by Sharon Gordon, of the WWRL show "Saturday's With Sharon," who is a newcomer to independent radio broadcasting. "The corporate sponsors want to go with the station and the small mom and pop can't afford me on a consistent basis despite the fact that my rates are low," said Gordon.
David "Squeeze" Annakie, more popularly known in Caribbean radio circles as "DJ Squeeze" of Link Up Radio on 93.5 FM, is among the major producers currently on air. Annakie has been on the airwaves on 93.5 FM for three years, nine months to be exact, and although he's currently also on 92.7FM and was on WWRL 1600 AM, he too complains about the astronomical rates. "More than anything else I think the hourly rate is too expensive. If we don't do something else in addition to radio or use the radio to do something else, we'll all be dead," Annakie exclaimed. This "something else" includes the constant promotion parties, birthday bashes and boat rides which many of these personalities vie with each other to produce.
Other popular names in Afro-Caribbean radio production in New York include Bobby Clarke, of Irie Jam on 93.5FM, Trevor Forde of the East Coast Group, Francine Chin, Irwin Claire, John Crow.
The sentiments of the Afro Caribbean radio producers were also expressed by Indo-Caribbean radio producer, Farouk Juman whose program can be heard on Friday evenings and Sundays on 930 AM. Juman said he would be willing to work towards an umbrella body to represent independent radio producers but given the high level of individuality in the business an independent body does not seem possible.
Juman is one of a number of Indo-Caribbeans who have become popular in the New York area. Others include Skamila Karim, Haji Zakir, Lake Persaud, Roshan, DJ Freddie, Herman Singh and Ishri Singh. Ishri Singh, who was a host in Guyana, in fact, became one of the first independent Indo-Caribbean radio producer along with Balwan Singh (now an attorney) and Robert Mohamed. But Indo-Caribbean radio programming in New York City was started by Trinidadian, Clyvee Madhu who hosted the first Indo-Caribbean program - a weekly Sunday morning program - on WLIB. Madhu was eventually forced out as a result of political and business machinations and was replaced by current host Amit Parsnauth.
IN Florida Caribbean radi has also taken quite a foothold. There are a number of Haitians, among them Alex St. Surin who has taken over as general manager of the newly launched Kreyol station WRBF as well as producers like Bevan "Duke" Earle who has a series of programs on WAVS 11.70 AM, Mike Jeffrey of the Mike Jefrey Show and Mike Andrews of the Caribbean Connection.
Also in Florida Rudolph Moise heads a group of investors who are bankrolling the nation's first Haitian-owned AM radio station - WRBF-AM (1020) - which was launched in January. Moise is president of Haitian Broadcasting Network, Inc., the four-month-old corporation that in October, after intensive negotiations, began leasing WRBF from its owner, Baja Florida Radio, Inc. The lease includes an option to buy the station within 38 months.
"We want this to be a competitive, very highly professional station that will bring pride to this community," declares Rudolph Moise, a prominent Miami osteopath, attorney, and community leader, and the driving force behind WRBF. The 46-year-old Moise, tall and photogenic, has served as an on-call physician on the set of Miami Vice and as a model in Ebony magazine, in addition to numerous traditional medical duties. He runs a medical clinic in North Miami and sits on boards and committees for several business and nonprofit organizations. "And after we finish with this, we're planning to go into other areas -- Orlando, New York, Boston."
Florida also has another Caribbean owned station - Mystic, 1580 AM WSRF which reaches the South Florida community.
Then there is John Blake of Washington who hosts 'Caribbean Experience' on WHUR 96.3. In fact Caribbean radio producers and/or Caribbean oriented radio programs dot the broadcast landscape in North America. Frome Ras Judah (WJAB 90.9 FM) in Alabama to Lady Myrrh (WPFW 89.3 FM) and others in Washington Caribbean radi is thriving.
In addition to independent radio production, Caribbeans have also been impacting on mainstream radio. Guyanese Claude Taitt and Grenadian Bob Fredericks have both been program managers at WLIB. Fredericks is still with the station though he has been demoted as WLIB decreased its Caribbean related content.
Trinidadian Utrice Leid 47, was recently made general manager of WBAI public radio (non-commercial) , a member of the Pacifica group. The late Samora Marksman, another Caribbean had made quite a name on that same station.
Ms. Leid, host of the station's popular afternoon show, "Talkback," became interim general manager on Dec. 22, after WBAI's parent group, the Pacifica Foundation of Washington, dismissed the longtime station manager, Valerie Van Isler; the program director, Bernard White; and the union steward, Sharan Harper. Ms. Leid and Bessie Wash, Pacifica's executive director, had the station's locks changed. Then Ms. Leid went on the air in the early morning to announce a change in management, and that she was it.
Attempts to reach Ms. Leid by phone failed as the phone just kept ringing out. And sone of those who have been fored claim that there is course a gag order in effect at the station and that producers are constantly censoring themselves from going too far in order to stay on the air. In fact Ms Leid did cut Congressman Major Owens off the air (he was a guest on the program 'Building Bridges on 3/5/01) on one occasion because he was critical of the changes that had taken place at the station and the Congressman swore to take the issue of the station to Congress. Three lawsuite relation to those changes are also pending in the courts.
Another aspect of Caribbean radio has been sub carriers and more recently the establishment of stations themselves.
In New York City, Guyanese Robert Mohamed launched the first Indo Caribbean station - WICR. Rohit Jagessar, another Guyanese, owns a sub-carrier (RBC Radio) in Manhattan but his programming is geared towards the Asian Indian community. Also in New York/New Jersey area are a number of Haitian stations, most of them illegal. Vladimir Petit.Frere owns Radio Etincelle in Brooklyn, New York City. Other stations include Radio Galaxy, Radio Lakay and Radio Petion-Ville. Radio Collective is a legal sub-carrier in Miami as is Radio Soleil which is owned by Rico Duprey.
Caribbean radio programming has also been mushrooming in Canada, with most of the producers based in Toronto. Chin AM 1540 and FM 1007 have carried a lot of Caribbean programs. And among those who have been independently producing and hosting programs are Cyril Patraj Singh, Jai Ojah Maharaj and Pandit Chidanand Sharma, George Barrett (CFRC 101.9 FM), Nicky Dread (CFRU 93.5 FM), Luther Brown (CHRY 105.5 FM) and Junior Smith CKCU 93.1 FM).
And in February (March 1 officially) Flow 93.5 FM, the first black owned radio station, debutted in Canada. Owned by Denhan Jolly, who also ownes Share, the nation's largest black newspaper, the station was launched with Bob Marley . The station has been playing reggae and soca music in its lineup and focuses significantly on the Caribbean community.
Another aspect of Caribbean programming has been linkups with stations outside of North America. There is the popular Linkup show on Linkup Radio WRTN 93.5 (New York) with David "Squeeze" Annakie and the gang, which is broadcast simultaneously to Jamaica through Hot 102 FM; and there is Irie Jam FM with DJ Roy, and the crew, which is aired through a simulcast on FAME FM (Jamaica). The latest addition is the Saturday Afternoon Experience on WWRL 1600 which features Jamaicans Daddy Ernie and Phillip Smart.
Daddy Ernie presently pilots the World Famous Superjam show during drive time, at London's first Afro-Caribbean owned radio station, Choice FM. His eclectic presentation has earned him the reputation of "Top Dog" in London radio, as well as the largest share of listeners in the English reggae market, Monday - Friday between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm, GMT.
Phillip has been a familiar voice on the New York airwaves at WNYU Radio since 1982.

A Note to The Public
A May 25th press release issued by the Federal Communications Commission, the body that issues broadcasting licenses, among other things, stated, "Today the FCC announced that an investigation by FCC's Enforcement Bureau led to the arrest of Mr. Ibar (Robert) Mohamed for operating an unlicensed FM radio station on 93.3 MHz in Queens, New York and Brooklyn, NY. The United States Marshall Service arrested Mr. Mohamed on May 22nd, 2001, working in conjunction with FCC agents and the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Prior FCC enforcement actions had failed to deter Mr. Mohamed's unlicensed operation of the FM station. The FCC, on more than one occasion, had issued notices to Mr. Mohamed directing him to cease operation of the unlicensed station. Further the US Marshall's Office in conjunction with the US Attorney's Office and the FCC had seized his radio equipment on two previous occasions."
The release goes on to state what sections of the laws were violated and what potential punishment could amount to.
Asked by this paper whether Mr. Mohamed ever had any license or other necessary legal authority to operate a radio station FCC spokesperson, Mr. John Winston, in Washington, categorically stated "nothing. He had nothing"