The State of Black Radio : Michael Baisden’s Show Does Not Move To WBLS NY

98.7 KISS FM will say goodbye to its 30-year long run of bringing great music and will join forces with what used to be its rival station, WBLS. The merger came at a surprise to many, especially some employees.

Show not moving forward

Effective Monday, KISS FM will be taking over by ESPN radio. Emmis Communications, the owner of (Kiss FM, Hot 97, and various other media outlets) had been in serious debt. Disney/ESPN made a deal with Emmis Communications worth over $90 MILLION for ESPN to use the 98.7 frequency.

So what happens to all the great shows that were on KISS FM, like Lenny Green, Tom Joyner, DJ Cocoa Chanelle’s Ladies Night, and Michael Baisden? Some of them will transfer over, and well some won’t.

The news came to a total shock by popular radio host, Michael Baisden, who learned his show will not transfer over. Although his show will still broadcast nationally elsewhere, it will stop broadcast in New York effective Monday.

Michael Baisden said on his Facebook page:

“This is an election year! And the Jena 6 March and Trayvon Martin Case has shown us the importance of us all being together! They moved every other show except the top Urban afternoon show in the city from Kiss FM, why? Stop them from silencing our voices!”

Michael Baisden’s show is one of the top urban radio shows presently out. He has bought many issues to the forefront concerning the urban community, being instrumental in the Jena 6 case and presently active in the Trayvon Martin case. If anyone was to be considered “the voice” of urban radio, I would choose him.

Michael Baisden’s voice has resonated across this country and has given people hope in their community.

He has set forth the ideal of people sticking together whether you are Black, white, Latino or Asian especially in times of major crisis in our country. He has used his voice to inspire many people including myself as the founder of Unheard Voices Networks.

His issues are real, he attacks the real fabric of America’s society and he doesn’t exclude anyone from its domain. His voice is great for race relations and he doesn’t exempt people from voicing their opinions. He is the type of man that people gravitate towards when he opens his mouth. Michael is educated, charismatic, a fighter and most of all a man of God! To lose his voice would be a big lost to the minority community.

Let’s get Michael Baisden back on New York airwaves. If you want to contact WBLS IN NEW YORK to respectfully voice your outrage and disappointment contact the radio station @ 212.447.1000 or sign the petition.

Chenelle Covin contributed to this story