MILWAUKEE — Across the country, black-owned media has served as a voice to the community, and an avenue for racial progress. That's the role WNOV Radio has played ... ever since it was founded over 50 years ago as Milwaukee's first black-owned radio station.
"You know black-owned, operated, and remains that today, so that's always been important to me. We're just trying to take that baton and move forward with it," said Darren Deboe, the new Program Director of WNOV.
Jerald Jones owns the station that recently underwent a re-branding.
"We have not lost any of the programming that we've had. This is probably the only station that I could speak to that gives you all of the different genres of music. We have reggae, we have jazz, we have gospel, we have blues, we have southern soul mixed in there," said Deboe.
WNOV Radio has been a pioneering voice in Milwaukee since 1972 and with this re-branding, they're hoping to capture the essence of its longstanding impact and community engagement.
The community engagement comes from the new lineup of hosts that includes Kweku Amosi and Kwabena Antoine Nixon.
"I've always loved radio, since I was a boy, radio has been a part of...it's the soundtrack to my life," said Nixon.
Originally from Chicago, Kwabena is a nationally known spoken word poet, an award-winning author, community educator, and motivational speaker. His show "On the Porch with Kwa: Conversations, Classics, and Community" airs Monday through Friday from 3-5 pm.
"More so than hope, the faith that I will one, show that there's a different city of Milwaukee, than what's being shown on a consistent basis, two to bring back that feel that we had on the community, three to have discussions and conversations around the best of what we are and come up with solutions," added Nixon.
Also a part of the lineup is Dr. Kweku Amosi, host of "Nyumba Upendo" which means House of Love. It airs every Wednesday from 11 am- noon.
"My focus is on mental health. So, I'm a licensed psychologist, so what I wanted to do was bring mental health because it's so taboo. So, to try to remove some of the stigma," said Amosi.
He's not only a licensed psychologist, he's also a motivational speaker, has worked in clinical and sport psychology for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, been a team psychologist for the Milwaukee Bucks and most recently joined the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee as a Psychological Services Provider.
"We don't want to speak in jargon above people's heads, but we want to be able to speak in an everyday language that makes sense," said Amosi.
Like many people in this community, they have fond memories of listening to WNOV throughout the years.
What was the WNOV you remember growing up? Boy I tell you DJ Ski, now known as Earl Stokes, Jerry B., Rob Hardy. I mean all those guys, even Rockman Jr., said Deboe.
"You know I remember being on a bus coming home on a cheese from Samuel Morse, we would listen to the top five. You know growing up Homer Blow, it's like certain things that just stay in your mind," added Amosi.
All those names help make up the history of this heritage station and now the new lineup of hosts have a responsibility to continue the mission of connecting generations of listeners.
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