On April 8-9, 2015, UMass Amherst played host to Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika of Clemson University (South Carolina) who spoke about the lack of diversity in the voices of public radio. Earlier this year, Dr. Kumanyika had written a story on that subject which had quickly gone viral. At UMass, Dr. Kumanyika recounted his own struggles with the radio voice standards, his experience live-streaming the Ferguson protests, and his take on the Walter Scott killing. Below, please find a collection of links that speak to Dr. Kumayika’s points. I hope that some of these texts and videos can find its way into your teaching materials. Thank you!
Razvan Sibii (April 13, 2015). Photo by Beth Wallace.
Dr. KUMANYIKA LINKS:
- Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika’s original story titled “Vocal Color in Public Radio.”
- A video recording of Dr. Kumanyika’s keynote address titled “All Voices Matter: Real Talk About Diversity in Public Radio” (4/8/15, UMass Amherst).
- An NEPR audio recording of the same keynote address.
- An NEPR interview with Dr. Kumanyika conducted by Ilan Stavans (minute 17).
- An interview I took of Dr. Kumanyika for Amherst Media (video).
- AmherstMedia.org: “UMass Community Journalism Class Reacts to Chenjerai Kumanyika’s ‘All Voices Matter’ Speech.“
RELATED LINKS ABOUT MEDIA DIVERSITY (courtesy of Dr. Kumanyika):
- NPR: “The Infinite Whiteness of Public Radio Voices” (2015)
- NPR: “Race at NPR and the End of ‘Tell Me More’” (2014)
- The Atlantic: “NPR’s Great Black Hope” (2013)
- Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting: “White Noise: Voices of Color Scarce on Urban Public Radio” (2002)
- A Deeper Story: “Erasing Voices, Erasing Bodies” (by Mihee Kim-Kort) (2015)
- Association of Independents in Radio: “Reading List: These Are Not White Men Talking” (2015)
- Association of Independents in Radio: “Playlist: No Code Switching Required” (2015)
- Bustle.com: “6 Podcasts Hosted by Women of Color, Because There’s Life Beyond Ira Glass, I Promise” (by Doyin Oyeniyi)
- NPR: Alec Baldwin’s interview with Ira Glass (2014)
- “Rules for the Black Birdwatcher – with Drew Lanham” (2015)
Co-sponsors for Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika’s talk: Journalism Department, SBS Academic Leadership Fellows Program, Interdisciplinary Studies Institute, Center for Multicultural Advancement & Student Success, Communication Department, WMUA 91.1 FM, Commonwealth Honors College, English Department, Sociology Department, Social Thought and Political Economy Program.
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