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Dear Friends of WWMP. We thank you for signing the petition and supporting the campaign to reinstate the Workers on Wednesday Show on SAFM. We have submitted the petition to SAFM management but doubt that they will take it seriously now that they've started their own labour talk show without us and under a different name, namely "Labour Talk". In correspondence to SAFTU general secretary its become clear that they have done so for commercial reasons and have probably secured a sponsor for the new show that is not keen on content supplied by WWMP. We will assess and begin a broader effort with several partners to address the content of all SABC platforms in relation to its public mandate, especially how it serves the majority, namely working class people. Over time we will keep you informed and look forward to your future support in this important endeavour. Aluta Continua!
To: SAFM and SABC Management
Reinstate the Workers on Wednesday labour show on SAFM
To reinstate the Workers on Wednesday labour radio show.
Why is this important?
We were recently informed of the sudden termination of the weekly Workers on Wednesday (WOW) labour show by SAFM management. No substantive reasons were given, nor discussed with us - the show’s co-producers, a non-profit NGO, Workers’ World Media Productions (WWMP). This comes as a great surprise to us because the show has been running successfully with great listenership and participation for 15 annual seasons. The show was the product of an agreement between the SABC and the trade union movement during 2004 and was the only dedicated labour show on all the SABC radio and TV channels. Yet business has so many dedicated slots as well as features in current affairs and news broadcasts.
The historical irony is that the WOW show’s cancellation comes at a time of the COVID-19 pandemic when dedicated labour shows are even more necessary. This high-handed action is unacceptable. Moreover, it has caused us to revisit our concerns about the failure of the SABC to meet its public mandate and the exclusion of dedicated labour shows our immediate issue.