The ‘social left’ and community radio

I’ve thought about the question of should people support community radio stations like 4ZZZ.

My answer is, I have renewed my subscription. But, of course, people have to make their own decisions.

This may surprise some people given my chequered history with the station since 1976.

On International Women’s Day I broadcast 2 speeches by radical feminists about the transgender issues. 4ZZZ will not brook any critique of Trans people occupying women’s spaces. Some wild statements were made about me getting advice from a 4ZZZ board member on this issue but that is incorrect. No one on the board would talk to me as to why Paradigm Shift (4ZZZ fm 102.1 Fridays at Noon) was suspended.

I think the Trans issue is important, but, overall, it is not a political question affecting all human beings. For example, lifestyle choices by individuals are not politics.

Some people on the Left are confused, they think personal gender preference is more important than issues of class relating to war, of access to food, shelter, and work. Democratic rights that affect everyone.

I had no choice but to resign from 4ZZZ as an announcer because the Paradigm Shift that I anchored (with others) for over ten years is a political broadcast. We wish to change the world.

Curiously the people who ran the station in the early days of 4ZZ never sought to use what skills I have as a broadcaster and activist. For example, it was I who provided the people at IWD ’21 with the PA system owned by LeftPress that enabled women to press their concerns on a range of issues relating to poverty, work and housing in the public arena. I have received no complaints from the women who organised the various events held on International Women’s Day.

However Zed management did allow Andy to continue with Paradigm Shift, 4ZZZ fm 102.1 Fridays at Noon.

Andy is doing a good job on Paradigm Shift … listen in on Fridays at Noon or on demand.

In the great scheme of things what I think matters little … my beliefs are political not personal. We (Paradigm Shift and Justice for Palestine) did manage to convince the station to boycott the Eurovision song contest in 2019. I held up this banner when the organisers of Eurovision (SBS) were selecting their contestant at Eurovision in Tel Aviv in Israel. Then I placed the banner in the front window of 4ZZZ lit up by a light box made by a comrade from this and many struggles. It stayed there for some time until someone at Zed turned off the light box and took it down.