LISTEN AGAIN......BUT NOT TO JOE, NIKKI AND BEN

24-10-2007

BBC WM came under fire six months ago for allowing it's most high profile African-Caribbean presenter Robert Beckford to leave.....and now there are murmurings in the community about the radio station's Listen Again feature, which ignores some of its best known black stars.

Listeners who just can't get enough of that 95.6FM vibe or who miss out on their favourite shows can get a replay on the internet via www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham or www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry

"Listen Again" features the vast majority of the station's non-sport output, but curiously, the one programme each week dedicated to the African Caribbean community - presented by Bishop Joe Aldred - isn't on the list.

As this is broadcast on Saturday night when (apparently) some people are known to go out and socialise, you might think it would be an ideal programme to be given a second hearing - but apparently not.

Other shows with black presenters are missing too, notably Nikki Tapper's Gospel Show and Ben Turner's programme - although Lloyd Turner's general arts programme does make the grade.

Of course, we're not implying any deliberate racism on the part of the station, but the omission of Bishop Joe and Nikki and Ben does seem like a curious oversight from a station with a duty of serve the full range of communities in the West Midlands.

It follows Robert Beckford's warning in April, that by letting him go, the station was in danger of alienating its African Caribbean audience.

He said at the time, ""With Less Ross moving to the afternoons, they've promoted a white, middle class pensioner, but they are happy to see a working class African-Caribbean man leave.

"There is a danger they'll be seen as a ggressive, not pro gressive."