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MI Michigan: Diversifying the dial: Muskegon's black radio stations find community of waiting ears
MI Michigan: Diversifying the dial: Muskegon's black radio stations find community of waiting ears 
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| Michigan: Diversifying the dial: Muskegon's black radio stations find community of waiting ears |
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Copyright 2007 Muskegon Chronicle All Rights Reserved Muskegon Chronicle (Michigan) February 26, 2007 Monday SECTION: A; Pg. 1 LENGTH: 1313 words HEADLINE: Diversifying the dial Muskegon's black radio stations find community of waiting ears BYLINE: Clayton Hardiman This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it BODY: Even when he was a youngster growing up in Muskegon Heights, Paul Allen Billings dreamed of being on radio. On some days his bicycle would just sort of steer itself over to the WQWQ studio on Peck Street. There on the sidewalk, straddling his bike, he would stare through the window, captivated by the disc jockey working the mike inside. Did the deejay ever stare back? And even assuming he did, would he have known what he was seeing? Would he have seen the dreams brimming in the eyes on the other side of the glass? Would he have recognized those young features as the face of radio's future? After all, Billings acknowledged, not even he knew then where his dream would lead. "I had a passion for radio," said Billings. "I wanted to learn." Today that dream is a radio frequency. It's a spot on the dial where people can consistently hear black music hits -- selections from high on the national rhythm-and-blues and hip-hop charts. It's a station where people can discuss topics of interest to the black community -- provocative issues such as where black consumers direct their buying power and how the community can reduce the number of black men behind bars. The station is called WUVS-FM, better known as 103.7 The Beat. It's a station where you might feel moved to roll down your car window, dial up your volume and let the music speak. It's a station where you might feel moved to grab your telephone, dial the number and voice your opinions on the fly. It's a station where Billings divides his time between the deejay's microphone and the president's office -- often moving from one to the other during the playing of a single song. For black Muskegon area residents, there was no such spot on the radio dial back in the day when a 12-year-old Billings parked his bike on the sidewalk and dreamed of taking his place on the other side of the window. How Muskegon traveled from there to here is as intriguing as the story that took Billings from wistful bicycle rider to station owner. It's history recorded on air. Part of the community There are not one but two professionally operated radio stations specializing in black-oriented programming. Officials of both stations say their on-air impact is bolstered by their community presence. "The things we do in the community have a huge impact on what we do on the air," said Frank Landingham, program director of WVIB, 100.1 FM, popularly known as V-100. The station went on the air in early 2005. In June 2006, the station partnered with the Muskegon Heights Festival in the Park to sponsor the V-100 First Anniversary Jam, a music event in Muskegon Heights' Rowan Park. "Having offices here in the Heights, we really wanted to do something to help that," Landingham said. The station is in the third year of a Black History Month program that features student essayists reading their works on the air. "The kids were pretty excited," Landingham said. Landingham said the station blends local hosts with national programming, headlined by the enormously popular "Tom Joyner Morning Show." Host Joyner, joined by a team of comedians and commentators, discusses news and sports, plays music and interviews celebrities. The show, which is nationally syndicated, is heard daily by more than 10 million listeners. Landingham identifies the station format as adult urban contemporary -- which blends rhythm-'n'-blues classics with current hits while shying away from hip hop. The station is owned by Citadel Broadcasting. A long road home Billings' dream of operating his own radio station was a demanding taskmaster. It took him to such places as Detroit and Omaha, Neb. It led him to cut his teeth in the business, working without pay. It took him away from his job as a corrections officer and the security that represented. It drained his 401K retirement account, which wound up paying for a transmitter, a mixing board, an antenna, microphones and computers. It taught him patience, too. He had to wait for years. Billings became a vocal advocate for low-power FM radio, a means of making low-cost radio stations available for churches, schools, civic organizations and other non-profit organizations. After the Federal Communications Commission approved the new format, Billings applied for a permit and license. On the day they were approved, Billings said, "I cried. "I went into the basement, got down on my knees and thanked Jesus for a long, long time." Billings said he had a clear idea of what he wanted. The "urban contemporary" label only begins to describe the variety of music the station plays -- rhythm n' blues, hip hop, urban gospel, reggae, blues and jazz. But music was only the beginning. "I love music," he said. "But what I also love about radio is the ability to influence people." There was also discussion. There was talk. "I feel the station, just because of it being owned and operated by a local person who lives in the community, can just jump in and feel the pulse of the city," said Anthony "Tony Mac" McCloud, a community organizer and minister who also hosts a Monday morning gospel program on the station. There are numerous programs for talk and discussion. "Company Spotlight" profiles influential businesses. "The Chiefs Show" is co-hosted by the police chiefs of Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. A Saturday afternoon program, "Da Spot," offers a look at youth interests. "The Judge," hosted by Muskegon County Family Court Judge Gregory Pittman, examines legal issues. In December, the station embarked on a series. Called "Fourteen Days of Thought Provoking Topics for the Black Community," it raised a series of provocative topics. They ranged from why black consumers spend only 3 percent of their dollars with black-owned businesses to ways to reduce the incidence of AIDS in the black community. "I learned some things talking to people," Billings said. "I give Paul a tremendous amount of credit for just having a heart to say, Let's make local radio about more than just about good music.' It's about the marketplace of ideas," Pittman said. It's also about sharing -- quick, up close and personal. During "Fourteen Days," a woman called the station in growing panic. Her son had run away from home. "When you're live and local, you can deal with that," said McCloud. "You don't have to call and get permission from the national office." They were able to get the woman on the air, and she made a wrenching appeal to her prodigal son. Apparently it worked. He made his way home. Later, McCloud said, she called back and shared the story of the healing that was beginning to take place in her relationship with her son. Follow your dream' The on-air outreach is just the beginning of the station's presence. The station also reaches out through its nonprofit alter ego, the West Michigan Community Help Network. The organization has left its fingerprints all over the Muskegon area. It sponsors a mentoring programming, which pairs children with on-air personalities and other volunteers. It sponsors the YES Choir, which stands for "young, excited and saved." On Feb. 16, the program organized a lock-in at Cinema Carousel theaters, where 175 children spent the night, "giving us a chance to talk to the kids" about life, choices and values, Billings said. The HELP Network has sponsored food giveaways for families in need. It has sponsored talent competitions, community award programs and job fairs. On Thursday, Billings celebrated the station's fifth anniversary in characteristic fashion. He went to a school -- Timberland Academy -- where he talked to children about dreams. He did the same thing a year ago at Martin Luther King Elementary School in Muskegon Heights. Those students may not be aware of it, but mementos of that visit adorn Billings' office. Two children's drawings show a hairless man standing behind a podium. Both are representatives of Billings. One drawing bears the legend, "Follow Your Dream." LOAD-DATE: March 19, 2007 |
