WJR/Twitter
WJR-AM (760) unveiled its new primetime lineup, prompting criticism for being all older white men.
Male, pale, and stale appears to be the motto of Detroit-based radio station WJR-AM (760).
The popular station unveiled its new primetime lineup on Monday, and all six hosts are older white men — Paul W. Smith, Tom Jordan, Kevin Dietz, Guy Gordon, Mitch Album, and Chris Renwick. And that’s not including the syndicated voices of white conservative propagandists Mark Levin, Matt Walsh, and Ben Shapiro, who fill the late-night airwaves with paranoid grievances.
Karen Dumas, a Detroit News columnist and former longtime radio host, says diversity in the media is important to promote inclusivity and representation, especially in a predominantly Black city where many residents don’t feel included.
“Everybody has been talking about inclusion since George Floyd,” Dumas, who is Black, tells Metro times. “Everybody made their commitment statements. Conversations continue to happen in pockets about Black people not feeling included or welcomed in the city. But when we talk about inclusion, our actions speak volumes.”
From a business standpoint, Dumas says, WJR’s decision to broadcast solely white, male hosts doesn’t make a lot of sense.
“It’s either one of two things," Dumas says of WJR’s business philosophy. "It’s either, ‘Who are we targeting and trying to attract and retain on this station? Or we are clueless.’”
When WJR announced the lineup on Twitter, which the station called “the next generation of Michigan news talk,” others shared similar sentiments.
“Next generation?” Wicked_Salome tweeted. “No one wants to listen to boring ass old boomer fucks complain about everything that scares them. Save some money and broadcast a live stream from a nursing home rec room.”
Professing_Prof snarked, “So much diversity! All white males. No minorities. No women. You sicken me!”
AM radio has become a hub for right-wing radio shows. Rush Limbaugh reached millions of listeners on the AM dial before he died and inspired other peddlers of misinformation.
Another popular feature of AM stations is a rapidly rotating headline service of news, traffic, and weather reports as heard on Detroit’s WWJ-AM (950).
AM radio has struggled to compete with FM channels and streaming services like podcasts and audiobooks. Of the top 20 radio stations in Detroit, only WJR and WWJ are on the AM dial, according to recent Nielsen ratings. WJR ranked 14th, and WWJ ranked 12th.
WJR reaches most of lower Michigan.
Some electric auto manufacturers have stopped offering AM because of electrical interference and cost reductions.
Ford Motor Co. recently reversed a decision to remove AM radio in its upcoming cars following public outcry.
Metro Times couldn’t reach WJR for comment.
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