PROFILES
overnight radio program on WWRL/1600AM. Becoming an independent producer, she was doing shows for New Jersey Network TV and Cable’s TV3 when she was first asked to do a sit in on Pat Atwell’s sports show on WLIB/1190AM. The subject was boxing and Thompson’s vehement comments against the sport made the phone lines light up and increased her popularity. This led to her having her own call-in talk shows in various forms, including Urban Notebook for more than two decades. Among her most notable stories during this period were the first reports of the Tawanna Brawley case. As her on-air association with WLIB wound down, she started Universal Multimedia Systems, which produced TV and radio programming, developing a program called “Electronic Media Development for Learning” for teachers and administrators on how to use electronic media as an alternative to textbook teaching. This program was used by the State of New Jersey, as well as the Newark and East Orange school systems. Their story The combined knowledge and experiences of these two media giants is too vast not to be available to a new generation of activists and leaders, and the development of internet radio provided both with a venue for a collaboration that brings back the information side of black radio. A couple of years ago, Wayne Gilman invited Thompson to do a stand-in gig at a radio station in New Rochelle. The experience whetted her appetite for more. “I was in the zone; I felt like I was home,” she remembered. “I fell in love with radio all over again.” When she came home, she pitched the idea that she and Heningburg do a radio show together. “How are we going to do that?” he asked. “I know just the person,” she told him. She touched base with journalist, filmmaker and media activist Tylon “U-Savior” Washington, who heads up the Go Pro Radio Network. Together they put The Kae and Gus Show on internet radio a year and a half ago. Their first show featured former Governor Tom Keane and was taped and broadcasted from NJPAC “I wanted to launch the program in a prestigious venue,” Thompson said, “and without Tom Keane pushing for it, NJPAC never would have happened.” The Kae and Gus Show, which airs Wednesdays from 8 to 9 p.m. on www.blogtalkradio.com, is a nod to the golden age of black talk radio: folksy and casual, but extremely informative and always interesting. Recent guests include Thompson’s brother-in-law, Congressman Donald Payne and Jethro James, pastor of Newark’s Paradise Baptist Church. Perhaps the most thought-provoking show was the interview with a woman named Fatima, who was arrested on charges of being a drug mule in the Philippines and spent eight years in jail under horrendous conditions. “I like it, I love it,” says Thompson, obviously thrilled to be back on radio and with the feedback the show has received. www.thepositivecommunity.com
Correction
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n last month's Issue the captions to the following photos were unintentially switched. Here they are presented correctly. Rev Dr. Dale Irwin, president NYTS
Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt, associate elder of The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of Greater New York
February 2012 The Positive Community
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