2008 Woodie Awards
End of Ben and Ben Radio
Juan Bernal
Issue date: 10/9/06 Section: News
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"The Ben and Ben Show" strived to inform students about Rollins' athletics and other on-campus events. According to the hosts, they designed the show to be interactive with its listeners through a Facebook group (which had over 300 people), exposure of local musicians, and interviews with student athletes and prominent individuals on and off campus. "The purpose of the show was to expose more students, especially the on-campus students especially to the radio station, because many of the shows on the radio aren't appealing to the students or their interest, so we tried to make a show that was a bit more interactive with the students," said Ben and Ben.
The crux of the disagreement centers on what WPRK management feels was content that was inappropriate, against FCC standards, stereotypical and offensive humor, and promoting off-campus, for-profit companies. WPRK states that it holds all DJs to high standards, and that being a DJ is a privilege, which comes with responsibility.
"There were some underlying issues that we had violated, but those issues were very vague," according to the hosts. But management feels "they used humor that was based on offensive and outdated stereotypes-a fault that runs directly contrary to the mission of the station as an advocate for minority voices."
WPRK goes on by stating, "The issue at hand is not one about censorship, but about responsibility."
Station management was also concerned about attention from the FCC, which is the Federal Government department charged with policing the airwaves. According to a WPRK statement, FCC regulations "prohibit the use of inappropriate language and offensive material." WPRK states that it is illegal to disregard these rules, and consequences could include the loss of the radio station.
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