Race and Radio by Bala James Baptiste

Author:Bala James Baptiste [Baptiste, Bala James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Ethnic Studies, American, African American & Black Studies, Performing Arts, Radio, History & Criticism, History, United States, State & Local, South (AL; AR; FL; GA; KY; LA; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV), Media Studies
ISBN: 9781496822086
Google: RwSiDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
Published: 2019-08-01T03:52:44+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

The Pioneer Mixed a “Batch of ‘Congrats’”

In December 1949 Vernon Winslow, in his Dr. Daddy-O column “Boogie-beat Jive,” published once a week in the Louisiana Weekly, hinted an “entirely colored” radio station would broadcast in New Orleans and a second station would employ some “colored announcers” along with “ofay management.”1

As white listeners migrated to television as it transitioned into the dominant player in broadcasting in post–World War II America, radio stations not network-affiliated increasingly sought black audiences. Similarly, to attract African Americans, between 1948 and 1952 new radio broadcasters increasingly aired programming including the music genres rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and traditional blues. They began employing black talent, scheduling black entertainment programs, broadcasting African American talk shows, and advertising the services and products of black entrepreneurs. The options presented themselves clearly. Independents either targeted a nontraditional audience or went out of business.2

Drastic conversion in the color of radio in New Orleans was about to unfold in the winter of 1949, when new licensee WMRY began broadcasting from the Court of Two Sisters restaurant at 615 Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. The station, on the property of one of the most elegant white courtyard eating establishments in the city, targeted Caucasians and was failing financially. General manager Mort Silverman had to take his station in another direction. WJBW, as early as 1946, broadcast live music performances from the black Dew Drop Inn nightclub. Silverman hired WJBW’s program director Jim Warren. At the time, two additional local stations aired shows targeting African Americans. WJMR had “Jam, Jive & Gumbo,” a recorded music show featuring white disc jockeys playing race music and trying to mimic black street-talk. Vernon Winslow trained most of them. WWEZ was the other station broadcasting African American music. Its singular show, “Jivin with Jax,” hosted by Winslow, propelled him to fame. The appointment placed Winslow as the city’s first full-time African American deejay, aka Dr. Daddy-O.3

After only three months on the air, on March 4, 1950, WMRY brought listeners Ernest Bringier and his daily black music record show, “Tan Timers Club.” Bringier became the city’s second full-time African American disc jockey. Days later, Silverman hired another African American, George “Tex” Stephens, who assumed the name “Mr. Cool,” and hosted “Tippin’ with Tex,” a daily midday show featuring mellow tunes.4 Bringier and Stephens were not simply disc spinners. They were brought in to attract black listeners, advertisers and, subsequently more revenue. Stephens, for example, was affiliated with Caire Associates, an advertising and sales promotion agency.5 Four months later, Silverman moved his station from Bourbon Street to the black-owned Louisiana Industrial Life Insurance Company building, 2107 Dryades Street, approximately one block from the Dryades YMCA, in the heart of a working-class African American community. On May 28, WMRY began fully broadcasting from Dryades Street.6 Silverman said, “Before 1950 we were featuring good music and failing. May 28th of that year we switched to a solid Negro format. In a month we paid our way, and revenue has increased steadily ever since.

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