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Update: 7/11/03: Chat Online With Olivia Fox from Noon to 2 p.m. Click here. 6/13/03: We touched base with Ms. Fox regarding her return to radio on the DC-area's popular station, WPGC 95.5 FM. Fox, who is expecting her first child, also agreed to allow us to conduct an interview once she finalizes her plans. We will bring you the interview and occasional updates on her career as they become available. 1/24/03: Steve Harvey has agreed to broadcast from the BEAT, Dallas, Houston, a move that will put him one step closer to possibly taking Russ Parr's coveted spot on the syndication block. 12/19/02 Ms. Fox's publicist returned our call on December 17 to say that her Web chat was very successful and received so many hits that the Web site was maxed out with "friendly support" and just a few trashy messages. The site has seen a spike in traffic since Ms. Fox left Radio One. Correction: Black Press Magazine originally reported in error that Qasas Corp. is the Web designer of Ms. Fox's site. Qasas Corp. Is the Web designer for Russ Parr's Uptoparr.com Web site. |
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Welcome to Black Press Magazine Industry News..., the voice for minority media professionals, executives and companies committed to media diversity. Quick
Facts: Initial Public Response: "Due to the decision of management at Radio One, Inc. I am no longer employed with the Russ Parr Morning Show. I have always and will continue to maintain the integrity of all women. Look for me on a new station coming real soon. Thanks for all the years of support." - Olivia Fox. Career:
Radio tour includes WDKT in Charleston, SC, WHUR, in Washington, D.C.,
WILD in Boston, and WKYS. |
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“The
Web chat was
During
the six years
“Too
many people
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DC Livers for Black Press Magazine Though many will be glad to see this year come to end, to be sure no media company will be more excited to put 2002 behind it than Radio One, Inc. It's been a bruising year for the Black radio network. But, ironically, it has been Radio One giving itself its own bruises, more like self-sabotage. Radio One's once popular owners, Cathy Hughes and her Ivy-League son, Alfred Liggins, have found themselves on the lips of more people than their public relations firm can handle. This year alone, Radio One has been the subject of an in-depth ABC News investigative report on what some equate to legalized payola. They have seen their publicly traded stock drop, and their popularity in the Black community plummet to dangerous levels. Radio One recently launched a new Web site, but it lacks any depth or excitement that one would expect from such a company. The sterile approach to reaching the public online is proof positive that Radio One is the ultimate practitioner of what we call, Oreo Journalism. Their outward image is one of a Black operated radio network, but despite their impressive stable of radio stations, Radio One has whitewashed the Black radio market nationwide. No doubt about it, Radio One is a powerhouse. According to their Web site, Radio One, which was founded in 1980, is “the country's seventh largest radio broadcasting company, and the largest urban radio company with some 65 stations in 22 markets. Thirty-six of [Radio One's] stations (26 FM and 10 AM) are in 14 of the top 20 African-American radio markets. The company also program five channels on the XM Satellite Radio system.” Calls and emails to Radio One's general counsel, Linda Vilardo, were not returned. Fox
out But, by far, what will have many talking for the remainder of this year is their less than brilliant decision to oust one half of their most popular syndicated radio program. Olivia Fox has been a part of the Russ Parr Morning Show — and a popular one at that — for so long that her name was incorporated into the jingle. Yet, Radio One decided to give her the ax after joining the show in July 1996. No one was more surprised than Olivia Fox, who released an online statement to get her side of the story before the public. “Due to the decision of the management of Radio One, Inc, I am no longer employed on the Russ Parr Morning Show.” Fox wrote on her Web site, OliviaFox.com. “I have always and will continue to maintain the integrity of all women. Look for me at a station real soon. Thanks for the years of support.” All around Washington, DC, from billboards in Union Station to bus advertisements in Wheaton, at presstime, Russ and Olivia were still being promoted as the ultimate morning team. Their ratings seemed to support the ads. Fox's departure has been felt around the country, though not every one is sad to see her go. One listener with the screen name SHARONK, posted a comment on the Uptoparr.com Web board, that read: “The truth is Olivia basically was going behind Russ's back and attempting to takeover the show. She wanted her name in the jingle [sic] not as a side kick but equal to Russ. She wanted equal pay to what Russ was receiving, and she was attempting to negotiate [sic] this behind Russ's back. Radio One felt that someone like this could not be trusted so they sent her packing her bags.” Rumors of a difficult, abrasive attitude had surfaced before Fox departed Radio One. The Washington Post hinted that Fox's comment to “maintain the integrity of all women,” was her way of taking a shot at Hughes, who is said to have disliked Fox's humor. Black Press Magazine's emails to Fox for comment were not returned until December 17, but those who know her don't believe her personality was a factor in the network's decision. “[Olivia] told me today that she never heard about her so-called 'attitude problem' before the dispute [with Radio One],” Black radio expert Kevin Ross admitted. Still, Ross feels that if anyone can rebound from a situation like this it is Fox. “Olivia is good at marketing herself,” said Ross, an executive at RadioFacts. “Like Snoop Dogg, who got really smart when it came down to his last two minutes, Olivia has always been amazing at marketing herself and her professional potential.” Ross is right. Fox would do well to follow the lead of rapper Snoop Dogg, who has reinvented himself into a mega-corporate icon. He has a Snoop action figure, clothing line, and a hot, new television show. “Marketing ability can go beyond the basics, like her Web site does more than what's called for. A lot of radio people are afraid to do more because the stations feel that if they work for them, they can’t work for anyone else. You’re basically a slave [to the radio station],” Ross pointed out. “At Radio One, things are sometimes different. There are some program directors that don’t have a problem with it, but most do. It’s not advisable to do it where the PD can see it. It’s usually on the down-low,” Ross said. But, now that Fox out of the way, Radio One may be signaling the industry that they are ready to make some big moves. And if Fox did rub Hughes the wrong way, it is doubtful that there is anything she can do to reverse their relationship. Still, Radio One could be following the broken model set by Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson. After he terminated the network's most popular host, Tavis Smiley, Johnson painted the fired host as a stubborn man who was hard to work with. The tactic backfired and Johnson wound up in the interview chair trying to win support from angry fans. It didn't work for BET and it will likely not work for Radio One, unless the Steve Harvey actually replaces the Russ Parr Show. “What Hughes has done is phenomenal. From sleeping in a radio station, losing her house and living there, she's really built a solid business,” Ross said with admiration in his voice. “But, there is a lack of training and resources for PDs that has led to questionable behavior. Radio One has been a little harsh on the PDs, which was documented in the Los Angeles Times about six months ago. Radio One's narrowing of the powers and using the indies (independents who pay for music to be played on-air), makes radio conglomerates feel they are paying high prices for records that aren’t always played,” Ross said. “Independent [recording] companies get left out. For example, Radio One just had a Hummer deal with Priority/Capitol Records. Priority/Capitol had to purchase the Hummer and give it away as a promotion. The radio conglomerates are eating up their promotional dollars, and in the end it hurts the industry.” So
does that mean the industry ready for Olivia Fox? Ross doubts that Fox will ever become a maid in Manhattan, but he says time is of the essence. “In this economy, if you give people enough time [off air], they are willing to come back as a cleaning lady,” Ross said. And Fox has been quick to squash rumors that she will be tuned out of radio completely after losing her gig with Radio One. As proof of her impressive marketing skills, Fox hired a great Web design firm to create her Web site. Behind the scenes they worked diligently to make sure the site was ready for the influx of visitors. They even set up a live one hour chat to give Fox a chance to speak her mind about the termination, her plans for the future and to thank her fans. But in doing so, Fox did much more. By putting the chat on her own Web site, she retains sole copyright of all the material. Said another way, Fox will control how the information about her departure will be doled out, at least when it comes to the chat. To be certain, Fox will need Radio One long before they need her. As the nation's powerhouse for Black (urban) radio, Radio One is a solid player in the radio industry. Though their business practices and their social commitment to the Black community are often questionable, Radio One is here to stay. Fox's own press release was full of proof that the radio veteran is stunned and hurt by the severance. Radio vets in the 60s and 70s seemed to have a lot of fun. Back then, the [radio] owners were more concerned with getting advertising and they let the PDs have the station. Those days are gone, so Olivia will need a new plan,” Ross said, who was an announcer in the mid 80's through the late 90's. “In radio, if you offend the wrong person, then conference calls are made. Everybody thinks their business is their own, but people know. You’re not going to go up if everyone already knows what goes down. Cathy Hughes had some dirt in her closet and she was trying to keep it up. She recently told the Los Angeles Times "clean up the industry starting with my stations.” And since Radio One has the money and name recognition and Fox doesn't, things could get rough before they get better. Over the six years that she co-host the show, which was nominated for the Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Award, Fox says that she helped the show win several national awards, including "the March of Dimes award for "Best Morning Drive Show for Washington, D.C.", being voted the #1 Morning Show in Washington D.C. by the Washingtonian Magazine and Impact Magazine’s #1 Radio Personality of the Year" award,” Fox said in her press release. She felt that her accomplishments deserved more money, but Radio One didn't buy it. Although
Fox agreed to Radio One’s offer to up her compensation for 2003,
it was her decision to ask for “increases in the years to come that
would be commensurate with her contribution to the popular morning shows”
that forced Radio One to remove the deal from the table. Russ
Parr Speaks In a statement released on his Web site, Uptoparr.com, Russ said, “As you all know by now, Olivia Fox is no longer on the [Russ Parr Morning] show. I would like to say that Olivia Fox is one of the most talented people I have ever worked with in radio. I will miss working with her. I will not comment on the details behind her not being on the show any longer. It is human nature to be curious when things like this happen and I totally understand.” Historically, situations like Parr's haven't had a happy ending. That's not to say that Parr's show can't make it work, but it will be an uphill battle to win the support of advertisers and affiliates who have invested in the show — and all those billboards. “In radio, there is no loyalty. People will miss Fox for a couple of weeks, two weeks to a month, but there is no guarantee that it will last more than that,” Ross says. “Others will be glad she’s gone for whatever reason. The future of the Russ Parr will depend largely on what Russ does with the show, and what Radio One allows him to do.” Steve
Harvey may replace Russ Parr “There is some question as to whether Steve Harvey will be doing a syndicated show and where he will be placed. It is said that Russ himself is now in contract negotiations,” Ross said. This wouldn't be the first time that Radio One has shaken up the Black syndicated radio industry. Last year, Radio One snagged The Tom Joyner Morning Show from Howard University's WHUR. The station was caught off-guard and hasn't fully recovered, but they have replaced Joyner's show with a new black male/female duo, Doug and Lorna. Still some in the industry and close to the parties have cast doubt on the swap of Harvey for Parr. "I can't comment on Russ' personal business with his contracts," said James Lumpkin, Managing Executive for Qasas Multimedia and Entertainment. "[But as] far as Steve [Harvey] goes...in my humble opinion, I doubt that it will happen. Steve has projects he's working on in Hollywood, and he juggles those with his radio gig, so it wouldn't be feasible to to have him do a coast-to-coast syndicated radio program." "If
I'm not mistaken, [Harvey] would have to move to Texas in order to compensate
for the time differences, and I doubt that would happen. But this is my
opinion and not based on anything I know about Radio One," Lumpkin
said. Radio
in the hood “You
have to go where you are productive and hire who produces,” Ross
says with passion in his voice. “Stations have to get the best people
who can do the best job. It is not realistic to say that I can be as creative
and productive as I am now if I still lived in the neighborhood where
I grew up.” Ross is quick to shoot down the notion that Radio One has to do everything that Black people want. “I’m caught in the middle on that one. There are things that Radio One should do and they shouldn’t do. A Black company shouldn’t just do Black things; they should expand. They should be dedicated. Their format doesn’t also have to be Urban,” he said. For instance, he says, Radio One is doing a magazine, an interactive Web site, and producing talent. “They’re taking advantage of the urban industry. In Atlanta, they’re doing a 24-hour Gospel station, but they’re not ignoring Hip Hop, which a lot of companies did.” Still, Ross says, even if Radio One doesn't change Black radio has to. “For years, I was stuck at these small Black radio stations and mistreated. At the BEAT, where I worked with Tavis Smiley, I was treated so much better. I didn’t have to run to the bank with my check, and I didn’t have the jealous PD who wouldn’t hand in my timesheet. When you’ve tried to be dedicated and you’re treated like dog crap on somebody’s shoe, you realize you’re better than this. There is no community focus on radio anymore,” he said. “The Telecommunications Act was the beginning of all of this, but now it's easier to tax the stations. It’s monopolizing and it’s payola—but legal. Stations are paid, so it's a different ball game,” Ross concluded. “Black
radio has got to change, and PDs have got to regain their power. PDs know
their markets better than anyone else, especially indies. If you get to
a certain age, your tolerance is not the same, so there has to be a collective
effort of PDs and announcers to form a team to determine the industry's
standards. “The politics of radio is not offending advertisers, and Radio One is playing it safe. In general, that is hurting the market because there is too large a price to pay for it,” Ross said. “Urban stations have an obligation to the community, but I don’t like shows that create platforms for bitter people and bitter Black folks. If there is no solution, why bother?” It's too soon to tell how Olivia and Russ will rebound from this latest set back, but it is clear to see that whatever they decide, they have the world ahead of them and the fans firmly behind them. Want to read more about sources quoted in this article? Click the links. RadioFacts |
“Radio
One is the country's seventh largest radio broadcasting
“The
truth is Olivia basically was going behind Russ's back
“Men
or women don’t want to hear a woman leading in the morning.” |
| ©2002 Industry
News ..., a publication of the Historical Black Press Foundation.
www.BlackPress.org.
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