Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams, center, at a press conference Credit: ERIC SANDY / SCENE

Twenty-one Cleveland radio stations will air a live 90-minute conversation about race, equity and inclusion Wednesday afternoon that will feature Mayor Frank Jackson, Police Chief Calvin Williams and other local leaders.

The “Justice for All” program is a collaboration between local radio corporations and is being billed as the first simulcast program of its kind. It will begin at 1 p.m. and will be moderated by local anchorwoman Romona Robinson.

“A discussion as significant as this one requires all of us to come together and listen to each other,” the radio executives said in a joint statement provided to the media. “Together, our radio stations reach more than 95 percent of the people in Cleveland — people of all ages, races and backgrounds. We all recognize this unique inflection point in the history of our city and our country. Now is the time to share in a meaningful dialogue that allows us to hear people on all sides, recognize our similar views and discuss how we can begin to work together toward meaningful progress, including justice and equity for all.”

All of the major local AM and FM radio stations owned by iHeartMedia, Entercom, Radio One, Good Karma Brands and Salem Media Group are participating. You can spin the radio dial at random at 1 p.m. and land on the conversation, but here’s a rundown of where “Justice for All” will appear:

  • WAKS 96.5 KISS-FM
  • 99.5 WGAR
  • WHLK 106.5 The Lake
  • WMJI Majic 105.7
  • 100.7 WMMS
  • WTAM 1100/106.9 FM
  • ALT 99.1
  • Real 106.1
  • Fox Sports 1350 “The Gambler”
  • 92.3 The Fan WKRK
  • 98.5 WNCX
  • Q104 WQAL
  • Star 102 WDOK
  • Z107.9 WENZ
  • 93.1 WZAK
  • Praise 94.5 WJMO
  • 1490 News Talk WERE
  • WKNR 850 ESPN Cleveland
  • 1540 ESPN Cleveland
  • WHKW The Word 1220 AM
  • WHKW The Word 96.9 FM
***
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Sam Allard is a former senior writer at Scene.

29 replies on “Major Cleveland Radio Stations to Simulcast Conversation about Race and Justice Wednesday”

  1. WTAM continues to spread racist, sexist, and anti-immigrant diatribe 3 to 7 PM. Triv needs to go! It is total hypocrisy that WTAM will broadcast this special, but then have Triv bloating his usual racist side show.

  2. I assert that the often-repeated general claim that police’s use of excessive force is proof of systemic racism across America is a product of the false causation logical fallacy.
    For instance, the recent police use-of-deadly force case of Rayshard Brooks in an Atlanta Wendy’s Restaurant parking lot occurred after police officers acted politely and professional to him and only after Rayshard Brooks failed a sobriety test, which was captured on video, and after Rayshard Brooks resisted arrest, struck the police officers, stole one of the police officer’s taser, and pointed the taser at a police officer and fired it at him.
    Just like in the Rayshard Brooks incident, video showed that Minneapolis police officers acted politely and professionally toward George Floyd until George Floyd resisted arrest.
    The real causes of the arguably excessive use of police force in the Rayshard Brooks’ case were Rayshard Brooks committing a crime (i.e., DUI), resisting arrest, and causing the police officer to fear for his safety– if not his life.
    The police use of excessive force on George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota was also the result of George Floyd resisting arresting after appearing to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and after being accused of a shop keeper of passing a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
    Had not George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks committed crimes, no police excessive use of force would have occurred.
    Also, had not George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks not resisted arrest, no police excessive use of force would have occurred.
    Blaming racism for police use of excessive force ignores the fact that black police officers also have been accused of using excessive force.
    The notion that any black American could be treated by police officers like George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, or even Rodney King only has some merit if that particular black American also committed a crime and resisted arrest.

  3. When the issues of race and justice are discussed, I bet a dollar to a donut that these social issues will be viewed only from a black and white perspective. However, American Society is more than just black and white.
    I won’t be participating in the radio forum, because I don’t listen to radio, but I sincerely hope that someone asks the question of why don’t African-Americans do what Asian-Americans do to overcome racial discrimination and achieve upward mobility.
    Unlike African-Americans, Asian-Americans are even generally discriminated against when it comes to Affirmative Action, because Asian-Americans are viewed by American Society as not needing help.
    For instance, for 2020, the median Asian-American household income is $78,000 compared to the median African-American household income of $38,000 and about $64,000 median household income for white Americans.
    Even Asian-Americans from poor third-world Southeast Asian countries, like Vietnam and the Philippines, have a much higher median household income than African-Americans.
    So why are Asian-Americans generally doing better in American Society than most African Americans?
    Some of the reasons are because of Asian-American cultural values of striving for success through education, hard work,self-reliance, helping family members, and being law-abiding.
    From my own personal experiences as an Asian-American State of Ohio corrections officer, I routinely made more money each year than my white and black supervisors even though they all received a higher hourly wage than I did. I also earned a larger pension than my white and black supervisors, because I did something that not only they, but also my white and black peers did not want to do– that is, I worked far more overtime than any of them.
    Working more is not only an effective equalizer when competing against those making more per hour, but it can also be used to surpass them.
    I don’t expect others to do what I did, but one year I worked 2,400 hours of overtime along with having perfect attendance and not taking any sick leave, vacation, or personal leave.
    By working thousands of hours of overtime, I was able to purchase my house in cash without having to obtain a mortgage loan.
    I believe if African-Americans want to do better as a race when it comes to median household income, they should seriously consider adopting or at least emulating the cultural value of Asian-Americans of achieving upward mobility by working as much as they can.
    Money is opportunity. Money is freedom. Money is power.
    Like Booker T. Washington advised African-Americans in the early 20th Century, learn a trade or vocation and earn as much money as you can, because no one discriminates against green.

  4. Typical Democrats, a “conversation” on Race and there’s now way for the public to contribute questions.

    Shut The Fuck Up and stop calling this a conversation. This is the White audience being preached to while ignoring the BLATANT FAILURES of the “B”lack Community.

    Blow it out your Black Asses

  5. ” It is total hypocrisy…..”

    Yes it is.

    The sign says “Stop the murder of blacks” Yet on average every three days in Cleveland alone, a black life life is extinguished by another black. Go to Chicago and this timescale drops in to hours.

    No outrage.
    No protests.
    No songs.
    No marches.
    No riots.
    No memorials

    Maybe someone didn’t get the ‘black lives matter’ memo or much more likely another case of “do as we say not as we do”.

    I have no problem enacting new laws to get the police force new guidelines and weeding out those that simply should not have a badge.

    But until groups like blm step up and acknowledge that the issue of black on black murder is thousands of time more likely to affect any given black family than police violence, this is all just talk and does about as much real good as pulling down some 100 year old statue.

    The house is on fire and but we ignore that and concentrate on fixing a leaky faucet.

  6. So now Calvin and Frank want to have a conversation, eh? If they would have had that conversation. At the Free Stamp, then walked the walk, then led the crowd I’ve the Detroit Superior Bridge, down West 25th and back over The Lorain Carnegie to Publuc Square a few weeks ago, people would have peacefully vented their feelings.

    Unfortunately, they were both no shows when it counted most. Ike was smart enough to know that June 6th, 1944 was an important day. I bet he marked it on his calendar, and made a point to show up. Once you miss your big chance, it’s gone forever, boys.

    On the other hand Deputy Chief Wayne Drummond, dressed in a duty uniform, not riot gear, stepped over the barricades in front of the First District and knelt with the crowd.

    That’s leadership. That’s what we needed a few weeks ago downtown. It’s what we will need in the coming years. That’s what Wayne displayed when he had the choice. And that’s exactly why he will never become chief in this massively screwed up town.

  7. Frank the Tank, you just became a doormat. How ya feel lil feminina librunt?
    Ohahahahahaaa

  8. Will ever held “conversation bout race” be as successful and the ever on going “mideast peace process”?

  9. “So now Calvin and Frank want to have a conversation, eh? If they would have had that conversation. At the Free Stamp, then walked the walk, then led the crowd I’ve the Detroit Superior Bridge, down West 25th and back over The Lorain Carnegie to Publuc Square a few weeks ago,….

    … people would have peacefully vented their feelings.”

    I know funny.
    Thats funny.
    It also unbelievable bullshit Wally. Just ask the peaceful woman with the baseball bat at the justice center.

  10. ” I bet he marked it on his calendar, and made a point to show up. Once you miss your big chance, it’s gone forever, boys.”

    Dear Wally the jockstrap,

    The D day invasion took place on the beaches of northern France.
    Allied Supreme commander Dwight D. Eisenhower did not “show up” there.

    If you are going to make absolutely ridiculous comparisons, like say comparing D Day to a riot in Cleveland, at least try to get the facts right.

  11. I just watched a WOIO news segment entitled :Rift between Cleveland police and minorities lingers as city officials work to bridge gap.”
    In it, Cleveland City Councilman Basheer Jones of Ward 7 claimed two things that I believes merit discussing– that is; (1) more black police officers should be hired by the Cleveland Police Department so blacks will trust Cleveland police officers more; and (2) the wounds that Blacks feel about the police killing of Tamir Rice will never heal when the Cleveland police officers’ union fight to keep the police officer who shot him from being fired.
    The City of Cleveland is supposed to be an equal employment opportunity employer, so hiring more black police officers just because they are black unfairly discriminates against other non-black job applicants– and even if they belong to other minorities, like Asian-Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic-Americans.
    Also, the Cleveland police officers’ union has a statutory duty under Ohio Revised Code, Section 4117.11(B)(6) to provide fair representation to all of the collective bargaining employees it represents, which includes the police officer that Ward 7 Councilman Basheer Jones doesn’t want the Cleveland police union to fight for. Basheer Jones’s comments in the WOIO news segment indicates that he is unaware that the Cleveland police officers’ union would be committing an unfair labor practice and would violate the Ohio Revised Code if it did what he demands.
    Trying to end alleged discriminatory practices (excessive use-of-force by white police officers against black criminal suspects) by adopting a clear discriminatory practice (hiring more black police officers just because they are black) is irrational and unfair. After all, black police officers have also been accused of using excessive force– like the two black police officers that used force on Martin Robinson that the City of Cleveland paid $900,000.00 to settle the civil lawsuit that Martin Robinson filed.
    Demanding that a police officers’ union not represent the police officer that was involved in the Tamir Rice use-of-force incident is also irrational and unfair.
    If the police officers’ union failed to do so, it would have been negligent and could have been sued for failure to provide fair representation to the police officer.
    According to CleveScene, Basheer Jones is positioning himself to run for Cleveland mayor.
    However, wanting to use discrimination on the basis of race to try to curtail discrimination on the basis of race is unreasonable and unfair as is demanding that a police officers’ union not provide fair representation to all of the collective bargaining members it represents as it is required to do by the Ohio Revised Code.
    Basheer Jones if you are reading my comments, you need to rethink your political positions on these two issues if you really want to end racism in the Cleveland Police Department.

  12. And I’m sure Taxin Jackson will bring up the urgent need to have another ma$$ive property tax levy passed, and/or another 50% income tax increase on us workers in order to pay for all the destruction from these protesters!!!

    It’s time to recall Taxin Jackson, and cohort thief Budish, out of office now!!! Until both of these crooks are finally, and forcibly, removed out of office, nothing will likely ever change around here except paying more and more taxes from more and more of their neverending shenanigans!!!

  13. Leftists are disgustingly stupid. They think this corporate and government backed movement is a revolution.

  14. Another useless feel-good exercise to show everyone how much THEY CARE, which will accomplish nothing because they will refuse to acknowledge painful but absolutely essential truths, as they always do.

    I expect listenership totals to reach the dozens!

  15. You know what, I was in support of this when I first saw the headline because I think that right now dialogue and trying to understand and listen to everyone is very important. Then I saw Mayor Jackson was going to be a part of this and you totally lost me.

  16. So the thing that finally made everyone not racist was a fake video of an old black dude on meth and fentanyl getting killed by a white cop who no one knew was even on the police force? They didn’t do this for the children but for St. Floyd, they rise.

  17. So in order to make sure they brainwash as much of the population as possible, they will put the same message on every station.

    This overt propaganda tactic is unfortunately working on 95% of the population.

  18. So all of you really are terrified to use your real names. Shout out to Adam Hall for being man enough to own his comments.

  19. “So all of you really are terrified to use your real names”

    Or more likely, smart enough not to.

    Ask Garry (Convicted Dope Dealing Fat Ass) Kanter how using his real name worked out for him.

    And how do you know the person going by Adam Hall is not Becky Smith?
    Please be very specific with your answer to this question.

  20. The trouble with using one’s own name is that if you express any criticism at all of the behavior of some black individuals or if you discuss the failures of the black community, the Left immediately brands you a racist and will attempt to make your life hell if they can.

    The totalitarian Left tolerates no variance from its unforgiving dogma and will try to punish anyone who dares to try.

    I despise the Left as much as I despise Trump, which is a lot.

  21. So that’s what it is in America now? You are smart if you stay anonymous? The Left will make your life a living Hell? By doing what? Flaming you online? HaHa.

    My family lived through both the Nazis and the Communists. We can tell you what “Flaming” really means.

    Unclench your sphincters, boys, and come outside. It’s a beautiful day!

  22. Walter, how many people have lost their jobs after the P.C. Speech Police went after them? Even those who caved in and offered an abject apology?

    Answer: lots.

  23. Hey, “The Last Sane Man On Earth,” if I comment on a coworker’s ass, if I hang a picture of Buckwheat on a black dude’s locker, or if I use the company email to send porn pics (the last one happened in the KeyBank Real Estate Group, by the way), my boss better fire me. What you think of as “losing your job to the PC police” is just called “losing your job because you are a dumbass employee.”

  24. Dear Scene Staff,

    I will pay you $200 to shut down your comments sections. Seriously, this hateful conspiracy shit is out of hand. You can interact with your actual readership on Twitter. Not these fucking wastrels and trolls.

    Best,
    A Reader

  25. Boo Hoo, we can’t have any dissenting opinions while we advocate for the destruction of this Country.

  26. I have a question… That sign in the headline pic “stop murders of blacks”…does that apply to everyone or is it only for certain groups? If it applies to everyone, I’m ok with it. If it only applies to certain groups, then its hypocritical and discriminatory.

Comments are closed.