*LOS ANGELES — EURweb’s recently published special report, “The Stolen Dial: Golden Age of Black Radio’s Rise & Fall,” is earning praise from Black radio veterans who say the feature captures a pivotal chapter of American media history that too often goes untold.
Written by former radio personality, broadcasting executive, and author Diane Blackmon Bailey, “The Stolen Dial” blends historical research with firsthand industry insight to chronicle the evolution of Black radio—from its emergence as a cultural lifeline to its influence on music, politics, and community before corporate consolidation dramatically reshaped the industry.
Industry Veterans Applaud the Project
Among those praising the project is longtime radio executive Frank P. Barrow, whose career in Black radio spans more than six decades.
“I’ve been in Black radio since the ’60s, and it’s the most thorough exposé of Black radio I’ve read,” Barrow wrote after reading the feature. “This is fantastic…I hope it goes viral.”
Former Bailey Broadcasting Services executive Greg Johnson also applauded the project, saying it accurately reflects an era he experienced firsthand while working for the company from 1987 to 1996.
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“This resonates deeply,” Johnson wrote. “Standing on the team Lee (Bailey) and Diane built remains an exciting and contemplative time in my career. It is indeed the ‘golden era’ of Black radio.”
Johnson said the article reminded him of Bailey Broadcasting Services’ mission to preserve Black culture through radio while serving Black audiences and advertisers.
“Lee and Diane taught us the importance of Black radio,” he wrote. “We fought to preserve culture. To give voice to Black entertainment news—or as we said, ‘infotainment.’ To be a powerful vehicle for advertisers seeking to impact the economically viable Black consumer market.”
Johnson added that he personally witnessed the changes documented throughout Blackmon Bailey’s feature.
“Yes, we saw directly how corporate radio stepped in and systematically unraveled the fabric of Black radio,” he wrote. “Thank you for this important piece, Diane Blackmon Bailey. Excellent! And thank you for the opportunity. Great time in my life!”
Reader and music exec Demmette Guidry echoed those sentiments with a simple but heartfelt message: “Thank you for this, Lee!”
A Firsthand Look at Black Radio’s Legacy
“The Stolen Dial” traces nearly a century of Black broadcasting through historical research, images, and firsthand perspectives, documenting the DJs, station owners, engineers, programmers, and entrepreneurs who transformed radio into one of America’s most influential cultural institutions.
Drawing on her own broadcasting experience, Blackmon Bailey examines not only the personalities behind the microphone but also the business leaders, innovators and behind-the-scenes professionals who helped Black radio become a trusted voice in communities across the country.
More Than Nostalgia
More than a nostalgic look back, the feature explores how ownership consolidation, changing business models and evolving technology transformed the landscape of Black radio while raising timely questions about representation, local programming and Black media ownership.
The enthusiastic response from industry professionals suggests the article has struck a chord with many who helped shape that history. Their praise reflects not only appreciation for the depth of Blackmon Bailey’s research, but also recognition that preserving Black radio’s legacy has never been more important.
Read the Full Feature
As readers continue discovering “The Stolen Dial,” EURweb invites broadcasters, former radio personalities, programmers, engineers and music fans to join the conversation by sharing their own memories of Black radio and the stations and personalities that shaped their communities.
Read Diane Blackmon Bailey’s complete special report, “The Stolen Dial: Golden Age of Black Radio’s Rise & Fall,” exclusively on EURweb:
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MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: The Stations That Built Black Radio: Selected Golden Age Black Radio Stations (1947–2000)
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