HOME

Publication date: 24 November 2007

It's like they say: you don't realise

what have until you lose it.

After which - if you're part of what seems to be a sizeable
section of the Black Christian community - you join the
bandwagon and start writing countless (and arguably
pointless) petitions...

HERE'S A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING A PETITION IS NEEDED

BEFORE

Unless you've had your head buried in the sand in recent weeks,
you know MARCIA DIXON is back at THE VOICE newspaper, one of
Britain's two major Black publications (the other being NEW NATION, which interestingly also closed down its own gospel pages - THE GOSPEL FLAVA WITH TONY TOMLIN - earlier this year)...

I made a phone call to MARCIA to ask a few questions about the content offering of the new-look SOUL STIRRINGS section this time around. But before I get into that, allow me to get my rant out of the way:

I start with the glaringly obvious: none of these mainstream media
platforms (TV, Radio, websites, mobile phone companies, you name it) owe us
ANYTHING.

these organisations rarely have an altruistic motivation for investing in the

>



>



>

gospel community or in gospel (or - more broadly, faith-based) projects. Every
last one of them is in business to make a profit. Deal with it.

Newsflash: making a profit isn't a bad thing in and of itself, I don't think.

But here's the thing: when our gospel project (radio show, newspaper column, TV programme, etc) finds a home on one of these mainstream channels, then - make no
mistake about it - it is subject to the same assessment parameters that everything
else is measured by.

From DAVE P's POSITIVE INSPIRATIONS show on London's CHOICE FM to DANNY D and BELINDA's 'THE GOSPEL MIX' on NEWSTYLE RADIO in Birmingham, somebody in the company is looking at the numbers, and wondering if they could make a different/better/more popular/more profitable show, or website, or newspaper page or TV series...

SO: VOTE WITH YOUR MONEY OR YOUR MOUSE...

Here's my view on WHAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH:

'MARCIA - your page is such a ---------- ' (insert fave 'Christianese' phrase here)

'I love DANNY D's show. It has X, Y and Z...'

You know why? Don't just tell MARCIA, or your best mate. Tell THE VOICE!! Buy the newspaper. Visit the page on the website, email the radio or TV station. Let them know what you think!

The newspaper editor or programme controller needs your feedback to assess the impact of the show or page. DJs, presenters or writers can only say so much to their bosses about how things are going. That's where YOU come in...

End of soapbox moment. On to MARCIA's new page in the voice.

>

>

Tell THE VOICE!!

SECOND TIME AROUND...

LINKS/CREDITS

HOME