Finally, someone else has written about this CKLN business.
In his Scrolling Eye Blog, Marc Weisblott gives us a run-down on what has happened. He also gets some perspective from music industry vet (and once a month CKLN programmer) Gary Topp
"They shouldn’t be dismissing people who’ve been around for 18 or 20
years," says Topp. "Change is a part of life, but I told Tony Barnes he
cannot be acting like this. Go back to them and say, ‘Sorry, we had a
bad day’. There should be a process in place that allows everyone to
properly fight things out."
Topp takes issue with the curious withdrawal of the claim that
tax receipts would be issued for fundraising drive contributions. And
there are increasing instances of DJ patter embedded with conspicuous
plugs for local businesses.
"I think CKLN is still an important media outlet in Toronto,"
he says. "The station has always been about freedom of speech and
taking up causes nobody else cares about. It’s still my favourite
medium – and all other radio is so horrid now, here’s a place where
there’s an opportunity to be artistic.
"What they’re doing now is nothing if not fascism. They’re
acting no different than the Ku Klux Klan. And that sounds like
something worth fighting against right now."
David Barnard sent me this
Below is an email*** sent by interim Mike Phillips only yesterday to Julie
Hill, the alternating co-host of Lowdown 2 Uptown. I received my
"dismissal" letter a week ago.
He claims I didn't sign a
volunteer contract. That's not true; I signed a CKLN volunteer contract
a couple years ago, in which there is no expiry date. More importantly,
I have no objection to signing a volunteer contract and actually
contacted Mike during the week we were ordered to sign a new version
(April 21 to 25), telling him I was unable to do so in that time frame
and proposing alternate arrangements. He didn't respond to my request.
I have a copy of that correspondence.
He states that they have made arrangements for a fill-in host and that that
person will be presenting a blues show. The presenting of such a show constitutes scab labour in my opinion.
CKLN's
continuing to present a blues program will appease the fears of most in
the blues community and listeners in general, who'll see it as a
positive sign of the station's commitment to blues programming.
The
action will effectively hide the real issues as it will now appear that
it's of my own doing that I was barred. That's good deflection - these
guys are smarter than they appear.
I'm going in to CKLN today to
host Lowdown 2 Uptown. Hopefully I'll be able to speak with the person
who's agreed to fill-in before the show tonight and dissuade them from
hosting it.
Sorry to fill your inbox with this crap.
****The letter is from the station manger (Mike Phillips) discussing which programmers would be suitable to replace David Barnard on the Blues show.
This contract letter business is an odvious ruse. Management just wanted to get rid of certain volunteer programmers. This much is odvious.
Also. Someone has been sending the press release from the dismissed volunteers to the comment sections of earlier posts about ckln, which I dont mind, except that I posted the press release here in full a few days ago.
If anyone has any other public statements (including from ckln management) or articles on this situation, send them along. People should know what is happening.
