Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2001 19:41:05 -0500
Subject: {FP} WBAI in Newsday & NY Daily News Thursday 2/15/01

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Newsday
(in the Flash! section, by Peter Goodman):

In a move that made a clean sweep of the original staff of "Wakeup Call", WBAI/99.5 FM's morning show co-host Amy Goodman and news anchor Robert Knight were removed Tuesday by general manager Utrice Leid. Since a "Christmas Coup" at the station in which locks were changed, security guards brought in and longtime volunteers banned, the morning show - the station's highest-rated program - has lost both its co-hosts, its news anchor, producer, and several writers and reporters. "I was informed by Utrice Leid that neither I nor Amy Goodman would be appearing any further on "Wakeup Call", Knight said yesterday. "She evinced the feeling that in her opinion the show was not working." Reached at the station yesterday, Leid refused to comment. There has been continual turmoil at the station since Christmas. Last week journalist Juan Gonzalez, co-host with Goodman of the award- winning news show "Democracy Now," quit on the air to protest what was happening. "Amy Goodman and I are the first ones to be removed without being banned," Knight said. "That's progress."

NY Daily News
Radio Dial column (by David Hinckley):

YESTERDAY'S NEWS: Robert Knight and Amy Goodman, the last two members of the Bernard White morning team on WBAI (99.5 FM), have reportedly been told that they are off that show.

Both have other shows: Goodman's daily "Democracy Now" at 9 a.m. and Knight's "Earthwatch" Thursdays at midnight.

Both have had tense exchanges with Clayton Riley, who was sitting in as morning host until this week. When a caller last week used the N-word - this is a sad fellow who calls regularly - Riley said to Goodman "One of your army." Goodman said she denounced such calls, and when Knight defended her to start his next newscast, the show cut to music.

Yesterday, for the February fund-raising drive, acting station manager Utrice Leid had motivational speaker and long-time radio host Les Brown helping out.