NPR cancels 'News and Notes' black radio program

There is a petition online ( I saw on one jasmyncannick.com pluse she has conntact info if you want some folks to e-mail directly) you can sign if you want to send NPR a message in support of the show. I would also recomend that if your local public radio station has not already done their winter drive that you pledge any amount you can to news and notes. Its one of the ways they measure listerner support. I tend to believe that this has less to do with listerner support than what the good folks at NPR are saying.

Why do some Blacks in our community wanna raise hell when decisions are made that has nothing to do with race? Petition you say? What a joke! Lets raise hell about war and wall street.

Marcus, there is one possibility. That blacks in our community sometimes like to support insightful programs specifically targeted to us. I think you would find similar 'hell-raising' if the group in question were seniors, women, hispanics, christians, gays, etc.

We are a gifted enough people who can raise hell about war, wall street, and programming our options.

You are so right Midwest and Marcus you lose partially, this time, on this one. "News and Notes" was the only national NPR program directed toward African Americans. In many locales, like Norfolk, Va, the program was cancelled because it lacked audience support in a region with a huge Black population. If Blacks want to save this program, sign the petition and contribute during your local NPR station's fundraising period and make sure you let them know it is for this or any other Program dear to your heart and community.

I respectfully disagree with you Midwestguy. In fact, Leonard moots the discussion by mentioning the "lack of support" by Black listeners. Which means - this was clearly a business decision.

Let the show die for crissakes, it was not all that good any way. I know Black NPR listeners (in the day) that never even heard of the show. Furthermore the model of the show is right out of circa 1930, a radio show. Has it ever occurred to you that today's media of preference is the internet...and not the radio? Is that a shocking revelation? There are numerous sources on-line to fulfill your interest in Black / African American created and produced news, entertainment, & cultural info, all geared for the African American. Rumor has it one of those sources is The Daily Voice. Furthermore Blogs and Vlogs are more dynamic, immediate feedback and participation. I find perusing 4 or 5 different African American produced blogs far more interesting and lively than Farai's old time radio show. Furthermore there is nothing stopping Farai from taking her radio show to the net exclusively, or creating her on blog, it is possible she would be far more successful and reach far more people. Oh yes....there is one thing stopping Farai from thinking out the box...and that's Farai. Let the show die. If she wants to establish a presence she she do exactly what Keith Boykin did.

Anonymous, we need way more than just the internet to provide an outlet for serious discussions of issues pertaining to the African-American and black global community at large. NPR has a certain intellectual and high culture cachet that gives Farai's show a certain weight that most e-zines and/or blogs will never likely achieve. So trust that it's cancellation is extremely sad to the proportionately few of us within the black community, who are actually led by intellectual curiosity. I signed the petition, though I doubt it will change the big wigs' decision, and hope at least hundreds of others will do the same.

I have to agree with anonymous. N&N wasn't that good. I found that they often recycled topics that were already addressed on blogs and websites. Rarely was there a topic that they hadn't pulled from a blogger and then they would use the same old handful of bloggers when there are plenty others to invite to the roundtable. They also never allowed invited guests to really delve into the topics. Whenever the conversation got deep Farai would shut it down. Bob was a bit better whenever he got the chance to sit in the big chair but no love lost here. I stopped listening months ago. When I did listen it on online using the podcast option. They turned me off with the same old format and run of the mill recycled generic topics. Farai had also been off quite a bit over the summer which also might have played into the reason why the show was eventually canceled. I believe there are unspecified underlying reasons for the show's cancellation that only insiders are privy to including the business end of the matter -- the fact that N&N probably wasn't pulling the same numbers in the pledge drives and we don't know the details of Farai's contract which might also have a role (depending on how much they were paying her.)Just some thoughts on how this came to be. I really can't say I am surprised though.

I find a lot of these news shows are not hard-hitting on topics. Topics that I want to find in-depth information on is hard to find these days. I came across News and Notes a few times. Though the host opened a platform where guests can put forth their individual input, I agree with the previous poster that she recycled guests (a few who I found to be driven by emotion, not logic) and recycled things that you could find elsewhere - with better presentation. It's unfortunate she was canceled, but that's business.

I'll miss the show. I don't think it reached the potential it could have and in general I'm disappointed with how right slanted NPR becomes everyday. This is why I'm always more likely to listen to KPFA, there's less of the fear of offending underwriters. People who talk about the Internet alternative have obviously risen far above the digital divide. I've been in IT for over 7 years supporting nonprofit orgs, community learning centers and schools when possible. It's still true that not only is the web still not accessible physically, radio IS the tool for reaching people who are under educated, have ADD issues and/or can listen while cooking, working on the car or other such tasks. The show should be revamped and not removed. I hope that Farai was offered that option, and that she takes advantage of it, and of the opinions of folks here. As far as listeners go, it's up to us to get the word out in our communities that shows like Youth Radio, News and Notes, The Prison Diaries can be useful tools in advancing their status.

I'll miss the show. I don't think it reached the potential it could have and in general I'm disappointed with how more right slanted NPR becomes everyday. This is why I'm always more likely to listen to KPFA; there's less of the fear of offending underwriters, but that’s another discussion. People who talk about the Internet alternative have obviously risen far above the digital divide. I've been in IT for over 7 years supporting nonprofit orgs, community learning centers and schools when possible. It's still true that not only is the web still not accessible physically to many POC, radio IS the tool for reaching people who are under educated, have ADD issues and/or can listen while cooking, working on the car or other such tasks. The show should be revamped and not removed. I hope that Farai was offered that option, and that she takes advantage of it, and of the opinions of some folks here. As far as listeners go, it's up to us to get the word out in our communities about shows like Youth Radio, News and Notes, The Prison Diaries and other self empowering shows that can be useful tools in advancing their life growth, knowledge and experience.

News and notes was cancelled? This is news to me. I thought it was cancelled already since NPR switch to music in the mornings. NPR was never a great place for programing that gear to communities of color anyway. And "Tell Me More" was the best they could do for "diversity" programing?

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