Activists Protest iHeartMedia's Naming Of Michael Berry As 'Talk Personality Of The Year'

Berry

News-Talk KTRH-A/HOUSTON and syndicated host MICHAEL BERRY's selection as iHEARTMEDIA's company “talk personality of the year” isn't sitting well with 21 liberal activist groups headed by MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA and the NATIONAL HISPANIC MEDIA COALITION, who are demanding in a letter to iHEARTMEDIA Chairman/CEO BOB PITTMAN that the company "break its silence" about honoring BERRY in light of BERRY's CHICAGO "Weekend Crime Report" segment "Butcher Bill," which criticizes the African-American community in CHICAGO for not addressing gun violence and murders in the city.

The groups, including ALIANZA AMERICAS, the BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE, the CAMPAIGN TO UNLOAD, the COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE, COLOR OF CHANGE, EMERGE USA, the EQUAL JUSTICE SOCIETY, GUNS DOWN, the ILLINOIS COUNCIL AGAINST HANDGUN VIOLENCE, the JEWISH LABOR COMMITTEE WESTERN REGION, MPOWER CHANGE, MUSLIM ADVOCATES, the NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE COALITION, the NEWTOWN ACTION ALLIANCE, the OHIO COALITION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, ONE PULSE FOR AMERICA, STATES UNITED TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE, the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, OC INC., and the WAVE EDUCATIONAL FUND, cites excerpts quoted on websites with BERRY saying "black people don’t believe black lives matter" and making fun of a teen gun violence victim's name, as well as "playing 'bingo'' with victims' injuries and other remarks. BERRY said on his MARCH 10th show that he would be discontinuing the segment due to "valid criticism" and added that he needs "to make better decisions" about wording his comments.

The letter asks iHEART to "concretely and definitively confirm whether or not it honored Berry as its 'talk personality of the year,' and to rescind the award if it was given to him." If the award was rescinded, the groups add, iHEART "should explain its rationale for withdrawing the honor."

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