Conscious Choice: Isn’t WBEZ <i>Public</i> Radio?

May 2004 | Choice News

Isn’t WBEZ Public Radio?

RADIO NEWS program Democracy Now! has earned an international following for covering news that mainstream media avoid. Produced in New York City with host Amy Goodman, the show airs on some 200 North American radio stations, including 20 NPR stations.

But Chicago’s NPR affiliate, WBEZ 91.5 FM has not been one of them, despite a call-in campaign of as many as 150 people (with support from Chicago Media Action and the Kucinich campaign) that lobbied for its airing last December. WBEZ’s program manager Ron Jones said he would listen to the show and give thought to adding it to the station’s lineup.

Yet in an interview with Conscious Choice, Jones gave no indication that he’s ready to bring on Democracy Now! any time soon, saying he’s satisfied with the current WBEZ lineup that, “performs very well” from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. “If I’m a responsible program manager, I need to be pretty certain that a new program will perform as well or better than the program I replace.”

Democracy Now! outreach director Dennis Moynihan says that the program does very well in terms of increasing stations’ funding, donors and listeners (an excellent prognosis to a public station). Nonetheless, he says he’s found public radio program managers, “very risk averse in not wanting to alter their programming even when there’s a tremendous public demand for [Democracy Now!].”

While public station listeners in other cities have gone so far as to withhold their membership contributions until a program manager reconsiders, Moynihan says he doesn’t actively encourage boycotts “unless people have no choice but to respond that way.”

It’ll be interesting to see what the next step in the campaign will be. If you’re interested, contact Chicago Media Action at 866-260-7198 or www.chicagomediaaction.org.

For now, Northeastern Illinois University’s WZRD 88.3 FM airs Democracy Now! but its weak signal cannot be heard in many parts of Chicagoland. The program can also be streamed live via the Internet at www.democracynow.org. — Rebecca Ephraim

The Next Frankenfood?

ST. LOUIS-based Monsanto Co. is responsible for creating controversial farm products such as Bovine Growth Hormone and Agent Orange — and for upsetting farmers around the globe with its “frankenfood” concoctions. Its latest product, the genetically engineered (GE) Roundup Ready wheat, has North Dakota farmers rebelling.

A large contingent of conventional and organic farmers in North Dakota and neighboring states are working to pass legislation against Monsanto to keep Roundup Ready wheat off the market. Acting on fears that foreign buyers won’t buy the gene-altered wheat and therefore take their business elsewhere (a charge Japan has already confirmed), farmers have gone so far as to call for federal regulations and moratoriums on the crops.

Monsanto developed wheat crops resistant to Roundup, an herbicide popular among farmers that kills weeds efficiently and also kills conventional crops. But studies have shown GE wheat to be unsafe to the environment, economy and human health.

The food industry isn’t conceding to Monsanto either. In the past, companies such as J.R. Simplot, a major supplier of McDonald’s french fries, and Frito-Lay have rejected biotech crops such as potatoes and corn. General Mills has reportedly warned Monsanto that they plan to avoid Roundup Ready wheat and ask their suppliers to do the same.

According to Craig Minowa, environmental scientist for the Organic Consumers Association, Roundup Ready wheat not only harms crops but also nearby water supplies due to pesticide runoff. “I think [the North Dakota movement] is great,” he says. “We’re looking to join in on that coalition to keep this mess from happening.” — Dan Cohen

Right On, MoveOn

TWO FRIENDS founded MoveOn.org in 1998, hoping to “bring ordinary people back into politics.” Just six years later, one in every 146 — or nearly two million — Americans count themselves as members of this grassroots political action campaign.

Moreover, that “democratic groundswell” of individuals — as opposed to corporate or special interests — chipped in five bucks here and 50 bucks there to raise $10 million for MoveOn’s Voter Fund. The money will finance ads “that challenge Bush and his corporate backers.”

In a recent letter to members, the MoveOn Team said, “President Bush told us he was a uniter, and he was right: he’s uniting people across America to fight back for our country.” — Mandy Burrell

FDA Says It’s Tough Enough

AT A RECENT hearing in Washington D.C. to review the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made it clear that it needs no further authority in order to adequately regulate supplements.

The FDA pointed out that its recent ban on the herbal supplement ephedra proves DSHEA works — and that’s good news to millions of American consumers who rely on dietary supplements, according to Ana Micka of Citizens for Health. “This shows that the FDA feels it has authority [to regulate supplements], shushing those who say DSHEA doesn’t give the FDA enough authority,” says Micka.

Now, here’s the bad news: Those on the march to regulate herbal and natural supplements are still crusading. Legislators such as Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY) and Rep. Charles Schumer (D-NY) continue to make waves to increase legislation of supplements. Recent articles in mainstream media beat a strangely similar drum, according to Micka, suggesting that a carefully orchestrated public relations campaign is out to sway the FDA’s opinion to regulate, regulate, regulate. — MB

Underwater Mausoleum

BURIAL BY sea has taken a new turn: People now can transform their loved one’s ashes into coral reefs. Eternal Reefs, Inc. combines cremated remains into an environmentally safe caste of concrete, creating a marine habitat for sea life. “Cremation itself is on the rise, and plot space is running out,” says Amanda Leesburg, company spokesperson. “[Our practice] is becoming more popular because lots of people love the ocean.” Leesburg adds that the reefs, which last up to 500 years, help to memorialize loved ones.

Twelve states throughout the U.S. allow folks to use the ocean as a graveyard. To date more than 250 memorial reefs have been placed off the West Coast. To learn more, visit www.eternalreefs.com. — RE

Queerly Activist

DONTAMEND.COM is sponsoring its second national day of rallies on May 17 — the same date Massachusetts must begin to issue all same-sex marriage licenses.

The date, ironically, also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the famous Brown v. Board of Education ruling. “It’s serendipitous,” says John Aravosis, co-chair for DontAmend.com. “It’s incredibly significant since both decisions go to basic questions of human rights in America, and whether separate but equal rights for Americans are accepted.”

DontAmend.com, which was partly initiated in Chicago, organized equal rights rallies and pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered activities in over two dozen cities across the country last February. “Public rallies are critical for mobilizing public opinion and winning people to our side,” says Andy Thayer, national rally coordinator for DontAmend.com and co-founder of the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network. “If we get people in the streets, the so-called ‘political leaders’ will follow.”

With gay rights activism heightened as a result of Massachusetts’ “Anti-Gay Constitution,” more and more Chicagoans have taken their views to the streets. Want to join them? Contact local organizations Equal Marriage Now! (www.equalmarriagenow.org) and Chicago Anti-bashing Network (www.cabn.org). — DC

Cultivating Green Minds

THE AL RABY School for Community and Environment, opening in Chicago this fall, intends to graduate citizens ready to tackle social justice and environmental issues.

Janice Jackson, Al Raby spokesperson, is confident that students who attend this public school will have a more hands-on experience. “Students get to study the environment in local communities with internship opportunities,” she says, adding the kids must volunteer weekly with a Chicago business or environmental agency. With a small enrollment of 400 to 500 students, another goal is for students to experience high school with more personal attention and a sense of community.

Named after a civil rights leader and environmentalist, the school is co-founded by a longtime friend of Al Raby’s and by Chicago public school teachers. — Renee Edlund

Punk Rockers Alive & Voting

WHAT DO nearly 200 punk rock bands have in common? No, they’re not all headlining this summer’s Warped Tour. They’re part of Punk Voter, a coalition trying to register half a million progressive voters before November’s election.

The group’s Web site, www.punkvoter.com, receives over 200,000 hits daily and contains a jam-packed collection of political news, guest columns, cartoons, downloads and links for voter registration.

The coalition’s member list is an all-star lineup of punk’s past and present, like Green Day, Foo Fighters, Bad Religion and Pennywise, along with dozens of record labels.

Look for the Punk Voter tour to stop at college campuses and nightclubs through mid-May. The bands are blasting audiences with political messages and they’ve teamed up with organizations such as NARAL Pro-Choice America and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to provide concert-goers with additional messages. A Punk Voter compilation album, “Rock Against Bush,” hits stores April 20. “Punk rock has always been on the edge and in the forefront of politics,” states the coalition’s Web site. “It is time to energize the majority of today’s disenfranchised youth [and] to make change a reality.” — DC

Magic Johnson Goes ‘Alternative’

FORMER NBA star Magic Johnson is dishing out assists in a different arena these days — natural health. Johnson is now a spokesman for “My Defense,” a natural nutritional supplement by Natrol that boosts the immune system. Ever since contracting HIV in 1991, Johnson has become an active supporter of urban community issues, including affordable health care. “The next logical step is letting people know how nutritional supplements, such as My Defense...can augment and support a healthy lifestyle through immune support,” he says.

The active ingredient in My Defense is harvested from the stumps of larch trees, left behind as waste by the lumber industry. “That’s kind of the icing on this whole cake,” Johnson says. “Not only are we helping people feel better by supporting healthier lifestyles, we’re doing so in an environmentally responsible, efficient way.” — DC

Apple Trees for Adoption

SURE, ORGANIC fruit baskets make lovely gifts, but an all-organic Arizona farm wants consumers to consider this: Why buy just the apples when you can adopt the whole tree?

Organic farmer Anthony Imburgia, a Chicago native, came up with the enterprising adopt-a-tree program for several reasons. First, “people are getting charged too much for produce,” he says. “I figured if I ‘sell’ them a tree, they can get apples at a reasonable cost.”

A one-time fee of $200 to $250 allows you to “adopt” one of five varieties of apple trees, and a $45 annual charge covers horticulture costs. Throughout the season, proud owners receive regular photos and updates on their trees, including results of the farm’s soil, water and plant testing, as well as information on natural approaches to fertilizing and pest management. Folks can place orders for 18-20 ten-pound gift boxes to be delivered to themselves or others at about $25 per box.

Since a tree’s fruit-bearing lifespan lasts about 20 years, some customers have adopted trees to create living legacies. For instance, one man maintains a tree in memory of his wife who died of cancer. Every Christmas the man sends boxes of apples from his wife’s tree to family and friends. Another woman adopted the tree for her nephews to educate them about nutrition and environment.

For more information, visit the Web site www.desertsweetorganics.com. — MB

Solar Surfing

INTERNET SERVICE provider AOL thinks it’s pretty powerful, with recent TV ads featuring a man skyrocketing into space from “the power of the Internet.” But a new Internet service provider on the market, Solar Data Centers (SDC), is using an even greater energy source — the sun.

SDC is the world’s only company that uses solar energy to power every aspect of an organization’s Internet operations, making it an ideal option for sustainable businesses. “We’ve developed an easy-to-use set of technology tools for our customers to access, maintain and update their own Web sites, without having to rely on expensive Internet programmers and consultants,” says Steve May, SDC president. “And they can feel good knowing where the power to run the system comes from.”

Web sites created through SDC exist permanently, creating a lasting online record. The program also provides a virtual filing cabinet for off-site employees to store and retrieve data and documents from anywhere over the Internet. — DC

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