Why WBEZ should save Worldview

Ali Abunimah Media Watch 24 June 2019

I have joined with more than 1,500 individuals and dozens of organizations to call on Chicago’s public radio station WBEZ to reverse its decision to end the long-running global affairs program Worldview, hosted by Jerome McDonnell.

This may appear to be a local issue, but I believe that this misguided decision is emblematic of so much that is wrong with the current media landscape.

It would be a huge loss for people everywhere who care about informed discussion of global affairs, especially exploration of Middle East issues from many perspectives and experiences.

Here’s why I hope that WBEZ CEO Goli Sheikholeslami and other managers will listen to the people who have signed the petition at Change.org and a second one at saveworldview.org – as well as the dozens of groups including the American Friends Service Committee, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Chicago Fair Trade, Chicago Religious Leadership Network, Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, Kovler Center for torture survivors and Oxfam America.

I wholeheartedly agree that “Worldview has never been more vital, especially at a time when the very survival of our planet requires us to be deeply engaged in the world.”

Sometimes infuriating

It’s not that I agree with every guest Jerome has brought on in the more than 20 years I’ve been listening to the show. There have been more occasions than I recall when I’ve sat in my car infuriated by what I was hearing from, say, an Israeli government spokesperson or a US official.

But I know that I can rely on Worldview to provide in-depth discussion you simply won’t get regularly on any other local program.

I’ve been a guest on the show many times, and Worldview’s rich coverage of Palestinians and Israelis has recently included interviews with Ahmed Abu Artema, the Palestinian writer who inspired the nonviolent Great March of Return protests in Gaza, and veteran Israeli journalist Amira Hass, a daughter of Holocaust survivors.

What’s particularly valuable about Worldview is its power not just to inform, but to inspire positive action.

Recently, Whitney Young High School was designated as Chicago’s first Fair Trade School – a recognition of how it educates students about fair trade, a movement to ensure that goods worldwide are produced ethically and sustainably.

This started with Worldview, when Whitney Young teacher Anne-Michele Boyle Quinlan heard Jerome’s interview with Nasreen Sheikh, the founder of the Local Women’s Handicrafts sewing collective in Nepal.

“I was immediately captivated,” Boyle Quinlan recalled. “I searched and found WBEZ Worldview’s host Jerome McDonnell on the Internet, emailed him requesting his help connecting me with Nasreen so that she could share her story with my students.”

From that connection, Sheikh came to the school.

“After hearing Nasreen’s story, my consumption habits have been forever changed, as have many of my students’,” Boyle said.

But more important, the students are educating themselves and mobilizing their communities around fair trade, positively influencing our city and planet.

No substitute

WBEZ has announced that from the fall, Worldview will be replaced by a new general purpose local talk show, and that it will air the BBC World Service program Newshour.

Amid the growing backlash over the decision to cancel Worldview, WBEZ Vice-President Steve Edwards told The Chicago Tribune that “Our new program seeks to connect Chicagoans to each other and the wider world.”

“Many of the elements people have come to rely on are things we will feature in our new program, from global cultures and immigration to the impact of events outside Chicago on Chicago.”

But such talking points do not disguise that the occasional segment cannot replace the type of in-depth exploration and conversation we get from Worldview.

You certainly won’t get it from more syndicated NPR programming: the national network’s coverage of global affairs unfailingly echoes Washington establishment and think tank orthodoxy.

And you won’t even get it from the BBC. In a searing article for the London Review of Books in December, veteran World Service journalist Owen Bennett-Jones admits how beholden the BBC is to those in power.

“The vast bulk of its output merely turns around sanctioned news from officials, corporations and NGOs, or curates stories generated by other news organizations,” Bennett-Jones writes. “Most BBC journalists neither break stories nor see it as their job to do so.”

But even if this were not the case, what is the point of WBEZ playing BBC programs that I can easily stream online? Why should I contribute to my local public radio station to give me something I can get anywhere else?

What I want – what I consider worth paying for – is unique, valuable, vibrant and thoughtful local programs, specifically Worldview.

“I have always understood that one of the singular values of NPR and WBEZ is that they are freed from the constraints of Nielsen ratings and are able to narrowcast on issues of public importance,” Doug Cassel, emeritus professor at Notre Dame law school and long-time human rights commentator for Worldview, says.

“It would be a great loss if an invaluable program like Worldview were to be sacrificed on the altar of numbers maximization.”

I could not agree more, and I hope that WBEZ will see what a great asset Worldview is to the Chicago community and to the world.

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Comments

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David Kraft replied on

This decision is heinous. I intend to find out when the next WBEZ license renewal date is, and go to the FCC required public hearing to testify that WBEZ is not serving the needs of its listening audience as required, and should not have its license renewed if they cancel WorldView.

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Barbara Ghoshal replied on

I find so much repetition on WBEZ...I assume because it's cheaper to repeat the same Fresh Air (or whatever) episode three or more times in a few days than to provide mind-expanding original content. Could WBEZ let us know if we (the 86,000 listeners) are underfunding them? Is the reason Worldview is being dropped because of money, or because of the expression of multiple views, some of which are offending someone with large influence at the station? It just seems like a weak, cowardly misuse of resources to remove this remarkable program and the honest, authentic, talented, original Jerome McDonnell.

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Sheila Brady replied on

I give to WBEZ because of Worldview! Where else can I hear grassroots activists from the global south as well as international analysts with varied critical perspectives? It's great local programming that broadens the perspective of Chicagoans. It informs me of international events and cultural opportunities in our world-class city! If I miss it during the day, WBEZ's format lets me listen online later. So instead of giving us another canned BBC hour (sigh), let's have 'BEZ devote some resources to educating listeners on the value of a resource like Worldview!

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Mary Dudek replied on

I have been a WBEZ proud supporter for many, many years due to the courageous & broad programming that I can't get elsewhere. Jerome McDonald is an amazing humanitarian and his program reflects this and responds to the diverse interests of its listeners. Please reconsider this decision. Having a local source for this programming makes me a very happy Chicagoan.

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Jane F W replied on

What is happening at WBEZ? This makes no sense at all. It makes me wonder if there is an effort to silence whoever isn't following some corporate line. If Worldview goes, so do I.

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Florence Jerousek replied on

This show covers world issues that no one else explores in-depth. This is the kind of topic you expect from Public Radio and the reason I subscribe.

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Kathleen Williams replied on

As a contributing member of WBEZ for years, I'm rethinking my contributions. If members' opinions are being ignored, who is actually running WBEZ? Why is a public radio station concerned about ratings? Or, are they? Is the independent voice of Worldview stepping on sponsors' toes?
Worldview has presented a unique and independent voice, taught this listener much, introduced me to Fair Trade businesses in my community (Chicago), taught me about what is really happening in the world beyond what governmental talking heads would have us believe - and needs to be retained, er, brought back.
I can listen to the BBC on demand. I don't need WBEZ to do that. The same goes for On the Media and Fresh Air. I believe my modest contributions help support these programs, but am becoming discouraged by WBEZ's platform. Please bring back Worldview with the thoughtful, insightful, far reaching Jerome McDonnell.

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Edward replied on

I have been a long time loyal and financially contributing member to WBEZ. I heard the 1st broadcast of Worldview after Sondra Gair passed in 1994 and her program Midday was lost. Jerome McDonnell took up the mantle and has admirably kept the spirit of her show to inform, educate, and motivate people to ethical action and critical thought. Last week (9/21/19) I learned WBEZ is killing that legacy; their own legacy; and Chicago's last vestige to real broadcast journalism. The only question I have is, Why? Since there has been almost no coverage of the decision in their own programming, I can only assume, they are embarrassed to admit why. Was it ratings related? Was it internal politics? If so, who could possibly have a grudge against Jerome McDonnell? Was it subscriber numbers? What was it? Unless it was Jerome McDonnell's decision to end the show for personal or career related reasons, there is no "good" reason to have done it. I let my own subscription lapse in 2016 because I was disappointed with WBEZ 's programming changes. However, due to the recent attacks on news media by our political leaders, I was rethinking that decision. Now, however, it appears the attacks on real journalism and critical analysis of world daily events, arts, and affairs come from within the public radio organization. Let me blunt, WBEZ. If you let Worldview die, my interest and subscription potential dies with it. Without that daily news and world affair show, you offer nothing compelling enough to pay a subscription for.

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Chris Parson replied on

My wife and I have been High Fidelity donors for a number of years. I used to love Steve Edward's show when it was on. I hope that Steve will rethink the decision to cancel Worldview and keep it and Jerome on the air. It is a locally sourced show for which there is NO substitute. I suspect that $ is involved in the decision.

If the show is cancelled, we will cancel our High Fidelity membership and donation in protest and will urge others to do the same.

If the decision wasn't previously about $, well now it is!

Chris & Nan Parson

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jk replied on

Think we need this honest talk show now more than ever. And science Friday. Two important spokesmen talking about people all over the world. We learn and we grow. Only 8.5 more years to change everything and we'll need to hear about the changes. Worldview, it's in the name. We need to hear how the world is changing. May not be easy. Listen to the science, to the people. Thank you

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Kathryn replied on

I miss Worldview already and it just now went off the air. It was unique and honest and special. What were you thinking!

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David Kraft replied on

Dear WBEZ Station Management:
You may believe that you merely cancelled a radio show, beloved by many for 25 years. I believe that all you have done is to awaken a sleeping giant, and have filled him with a terrible resolve.
Actions, especially stupid ones, have consequences.

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Baci replied on

WBEZ is changing for the worst, cancelling Worldview is one of those changes. Bring it back, please, and listen to the voice of people who contribute to the radio as members, otherwise you do not have the right to ask us for money!

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Michael Sacco replied on

This is a terrible idea to dump a necessary and unique program. Dump 1A and bring back Worldview. BTW, love Jenn White!

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Robert Musker replied on

What a loss! Great information and inspiration. The main reason why I contributed.

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Rita McCabe replied on

Why would WBEZ drop its most unique and thoughtful program? Wide ranging always informative.
Jerome both broadened my knowledge of the world and the Chicago area. He will be so missed. Who ever made this decision should be demoted.

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Mary Anne replied on

I have commented on the loss of Worldview many times, to no avail. Programming on WBEZ has gotten weak. The new hosts for 1A are completely inadequate. Hair grooming problems? Dream interpretation? REALLY? Bring back Worldview and other substantive programing.

Ali Abunimah

Co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of The Battle for Justice in Palestine, now out from Haymarket Books.

Also wrote One Country: A Bold-Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. Opinions are mine alone.