Program director and on-air personality “Cousin” Kevin Brown has been fired from San Francisco KBLX radio station. The syndicated Steve Harvey Show will replace Kevin Brown’s morning show starting May 7.
The firing of Brown is part of KBLX-FM being sold to Pennsylvania-based Entercom, one of the four top major players in the radio business along with Clear Channel, Cumulus, and Cidital, according to an article on BeyondChron.com. The article adds KBLX-FM is reportedly the Bay Area’s only black-owned commercial and one of a handful of black-owned radio stations in the United States.
Click here to read the full article on the sale of KBLX on BeyondChron.com.
The following press release was recently issued by KBLX in regards to the Brown’s firing.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KEVIN BROWN FIRED FROM KBLX!!!!
April 30, 2012 – San Francisco, CA – After 22 years of faithful service at KBLX Radio Station, program director and on-air personality, your “Cousin” Kevin Brown has been fired. KBLX as we know it exists no more. The new owners, Entercom Communications Corp, announced on Friday, April 27th they have replaced “Cousin Kevin” with the syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show. The Steve Harvey show is tape delayed and broadcast from the east coast. It’s generic content will not speak directly to the Bay area Community as Kevin Brown did every morning.
Beginning May 7, there will be no more listener interaction in the morning– the personal contact is gone! Your favorite segments, “Over and Under 30” are gone!“Hollywood Minute” – GONE! “Strange but True” – GONE! The Bay Area deserves a morning show produced here at home with the familiar voice of our community. WE WANT KEVIN BROWN BACK!
Prior to this shocking announcement, Entercom Communications Corp said they would not change the station’s format. In a statement issued by Entercom on April 2, 2012, CEO David J. Field stated, “KBLX ……has a long history of producing distinctive and compelling programming ….” Further, in the April 27th press release issued (the same date that Kevin Brown was fired), Entercom’s San Francisco Vice President and Market Manager, Dwight Walker said, “KBLX has done a magnificent job of servicing the local community”. With all of this said, their word means nothing. Before the ink was dry on the sales agreement they not only fired Kevin Brown (the heart of the station) they also fired longtime General Manager Harvey Stone and longtime Vice President Barry Rose. These people made KBLX what it is today. We strongly urge that they be rehired immediately.
These unwarranted firing decisions clearly demonstrate that Entercom has a complete disconnect with our Bay area community; they are a corporation that is out of touch with the mass audience that KBLX serves.
KBLX is an essential, relevant and vibrant community-based, Urban Adult radio station that services minority businesses, informs the community, and plays music that speaks and represents the diverse Urban Adult community of the Bay Area. Big corporations have run through the Bay Area and turned OUR stations into cookie cutter styled stations, duplicated across the country. These generic types of radio stations do not speak directly to the markets they service. Now, our long standing, lone soldier, KBLX is on its way to becoming another casualty.
It is important that KBLX continues its commitment to the Adult Urban Community and maintain the format and programming that speaks to us directly.
With your help we can ensure that KBLX remains OUR radio station. Remember, the PUBLIC owns the airways. ACT NOW. We have POWER when we are UNITED. Please TAKE ACTION and email Entercom executives Dwight Walker at DWalker@Entercom.com and Deborah Kane at DKane@Entercom.com. Further, you should also contact the Entercom President and CEO David Field at 610.660.5600.
It is URGENT that you let Entercom Communications, Corp know how important “Your Cousin” Kevin Brown is to KBLX and the Bay Area Community.
YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT!! …. LET IT BE HEARD!!!
Additionally please contact your United States Representatives:
Senator Barbara Boxer
Local Office: 510.286.8537 or DC Office: 202.224.3553
Email
Senator Diane Feinstein
Local Office: 415.393.0707 or DC Office: 202.224.3841
Email
Congresswoman Barbara Lee – 9th District
Local Office: 510.763.0370 or DC Office: 202.225.2661
Email
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi – 8th District
Local Office: 415.556.4862 or DC Office: 202.225.4965
Email
Congressman Pete Stark – 15th District
Local Office: 510.494.1388 or DC Office: 202.225.5065
Email
