NOW VIEWINGReception
HomeJourneyCollectionsStoriesPathsMusic RoomGamesExploreMapDebateNews
Debate & reception

CommentaryContested

Radio DJs were culture brokers

One side

Announcer as neutral host

The other

Selector/gatekeeper

What was argued

Radio personalities translated sound-system energy into broadcast routines: dedications, pull-ups, countdowns, interviews, dubplates, request lines and national catchphrases.

The records this concerns

Barrington "Barry G" GordonRadio disc jockey / selector roleDancehall radio breakout

Commentary

Do broadcast bans backfire?

One side

Censorship as counter-productive publicity

The other

Necessary broadcast standards

A documented observation stated as contested interpretation: many commentators argue that banning a dancehall record from radio raises its street and sound-system profile, making censorship counter-productive publicity, while others maintain that broadcast standards remain necessary regardless of side effects.

Read the argument →

All debate & reception →