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George "Geo" Cook - "All of us in radio must do our part to create and sustain the real change that’s needed to heal our country and our cities."
June 4, 2020
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Editorial note: Radio serves in the public “interest, convenience and necessity.” In the wake of the nationwide protests following the murder of Mr. George Floyd, radio’s ability to foster a meaningful conversation on race in this country is incumbent on all of us, especially as the protests subside and the nation’s focus eventually shifts as we’ve seen happen in the past.
If you have an idea that can help radio make a positive contribution to the conversation on race in America, we want to hear from you. acurran@dmrinteractive.com
A special thanks to George Cook for sharing his perspective with our industry and inviting us to foster “empathetic understanding” in our local communities.
- Andrew Curran, President & COO, DMR/Interactive and Joel Denver, Co-Founder and Publisher, AllAccess.com
- Radio Rally Point was created by DMR/Interactive and All Access to shine a spotlight on the power of AM/FM radio. In this edition, DMR/Interactive Pres. Andrew Curran catches up with George “Geo” Cook, Head of Content and General Manager for DeDe in the Morning and Director of Operations & Brand Manager for K104 and KRNB-FM in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
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Athletes, entertainers, politicians, business leaders and average citizens are all saying enough is enough – this time will be different and George Floyd’s death won’t be in vain. Yet, Americans have very short attention spans and significantly different views on what constitutes necessary change in terms of race relations in this country.
What is the responsibility/opportunity for radio in this moment to advance the conversation on racial equality?George: At this time, radio has an opportunity and responsibility to inform, entertain, connect and provide companionship to restless listeners who are locked down due to COVID-19 and those who feel uneasy about the protests. It’s our duty to help our listeners avoid hurt, harm or danger whether they choose to go outside and participate in protests, stay home with family or simply are looking for ways to navigate our ‘new normal’.
However, specifically as it pertains to George Floyd’s death, radio has an unrivaled responsibility to provide perspective and context to the events that are occurring as a result. Radio stations are anchors in our communities. Our intention should be to help generate empathetic understanding among all audiences and formats that can ultimately lead to a reset of respect for each other as human beings. All of us in radio must do our part to create and sustain the real change that’s needed to heal our country and our cities, so we can all move forward together.
Is that responsibility/opportunity different for DeDe in the Morning than it is for Rush Limbaugh and conservative talk show hosts?
George: The responsibility and opportunity are great for DeDe in the Morning, Rush Limbaugh and all on-air talent at this unprecedented time.
I, for one, agree with Sony/ATV Music Publishing Chairman/CEO Jon Platt when he expressed in his recent op-ed article the belief that we have “an unrivaled role and responsibility to help lead society out of crisis and onto the path of true justice and equality.” The first step towards that goal requires empathetic understanding and action not only from leadership in media and entertainment, but leadership from all levels of our political system, from the President to local government.
With that said, I’ll turn back to the differences in what the listeners expect from DeDe in the Morning and Rush Limbaugh.
For an urban-based or urban targeted show like DeDe in the Morning, the audience has a stronger bond, deeper connection and greater expectation of DeDe to help them understand and navigate what’s going on, and provide a vehicle of self-expression for the hurt, pain and anger they feel over the senseless murder of George Floyd. Her sensibilities differ from Rush Limbaugh because she can’t just “stand with the Black community”, she’s an integral part of the community in every market she’s in. As an African-American woman, DeDe uniquely understands the anxiety and fear that people of color must constantly endure with any interaction with law enforcement. From her vantage point - and through her authentic connection with the audience - DeDe can help quell tensions and offer messages of unity and hope to go forward.
As for Rush Limbaugh and other news/talk personalities, it’s time to be responsible for your rhetoric if it tends to exacerbate tense times like this, adding to the widening divide between people rather than bringing them together.
I applaud Rush’s recent choice to exchange viewpoints with the Breakfast Club and have a conversation about the impact and role of racism, injustice, inequality, white supremacy and white privilege in our society while our President ignores or refuses to recognize the reality of the moment. These times are confusing for people of color and many others. When Colin Kaepernick took a knee in silent protest against police brutality, many people were not pleased with his actions. However, it foreshadowed the merciless murder of George Floyd that has everyone saying enough is enough. But now that people are expressing their pain through protest, that’s problematic for many as well. As Malcolm X said, “You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”
America must live up to its promise and create the climate that will enable all of its citizens to have a real opportunity to achieve the “America Dream.” It is incumbent upon Rush Limbaugh and other conservative talk show hosts to help their audiences understand the uncomfortable and unpleasant daily realities that frustrate people of color in this country. Rush has the opportunity to help lead and make a difference by abandoning divisive language that stokes fear in his audience. Instead, Rush and other talk show hosts can help create empathetic understanding that will unite all of us in a common cause to move our culture, country and communities forward.
Many churches participate in a pulpit exchange over Dr. Martin Luther King Day weekend and both congregations benefit from hearing a different perspective. On Monday, Rush hosted the Breakfast Club. How can radio continue to demonstrate the power of having real conversations about race and invite hosts from different formats to be guests on each other’s shows?
George: As with any successful business or brand, we must always put consumers (listeners) first, especially during these challenging times where their lives are disrupted - and their lifestyles, needs and emotions are now in constant flux. This is a time for radio to focus on collaboration over competition for the greater good of our communities. Service Broadcast Group and iHeart Media are doing just that.
iHeart EVP of Urban Doc Wynter, iHeart Regional VP Patrick Davis and I are already collaborating to explore authentic and meaningful ways to use the power and reach of the K104 and Kiss 106.1 brands to display and encourage unity and solidarity in the Dallas-Ft. Worth community we both serve.
Beyond Dallas, DeDe in the Morning and #TeamDeDe are collaborating with her 40+ affiliates to make sure there is a balance of information, empathy and entertainment in her content. We don’t want any affiliate or listener feeling isolated and searching for answers by themselves. We’re all in this together and we want to make sure we stay connected with the communities that we serve. Affiliates and fans have access to DeDe and her co-hosts via Zoom, Facebook Live, IG Live, DeDeMakesMeLaugh.com and other platforms. We are now even more committed to engaging, entertaining and serving DeDe listeners and affiliates.
As you’ve said, radio is an anchor in the community and amplifies other voices. What are listeners expecting from radio in this moment?
George: From COVID-19 to the protests, listeners expect us to help give context and make sense of the events of the day. They crave information, need empathy, want compelling entertainment and seek escape. But more importantly, listeners want us to have ‘real conversations’ on-air and on social. They don’t want us to avoid what’s happening, but to help make meaning of it.
In the process of serving our listeners and communities, we must amplify their voices over our own to enhance everyone’s perspective and bring people together just as we have always done (pre-COVID-19 and pre-protests), connecting people to the important people and brands in their lives. Our mission is to help listeners pivot from protests and their problems to positive ideas and actions that will help unite and fuel progress beyond this current moment, so we can go much further together.
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Thanks for reading and working each day to drive radio forward.
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