JOBURG PRIDE SLAMS JACARANDA FM FOR DITCHING PRIDE
Joburg Pride has lashed out at Jacaranda FM, its previous radio media partner, for ditching it at the last minute on the basis that the annual LGBT event is no longer “a brand fit”. This has resulted in Joburg Pride being without a radio media partner for the first time in five years.
The Joburg Pride Board said in a statement that while the station’s motto might be ‘it’s lekker,’ Jacaranda FM “clearly does not believe that its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) listeners are ‘lekker’”.
The Board expressed “its regret and disappointment” at the last-minute withdrawal of Jacaranda FM as the event’s media partner and questioned the station’s commitment to its LGBT listeners, based on the broadcaster’s justification for its decision.
“We’re surprised that Jacaranda FM sees fit that at around 10% of its audience is not worthy of consideration,” commented Joburg Pride Chair Tanya Harford. “The LGBT community represents a not-insignificant proportion of the wider South African society and, in turn, the station’s listenership. This is a slap in a face to our community.”
According to the Board, following last’s year’s successful partnership with Jacaranda, it embarked on discussions with the station earlier this year to once again work together to promote the annual event.
Joburg Pride claims that while meetings between the two parties in the first half of the year were fruitful, in July the Board was unexpectedly informed in a meeting and then via e-mail by the station that the event was now no longer a “brand fit”.
The non profit organisation said that this was a considerable blow as it gave it less than two months to approach other media partners before it’s October 6 event. Joburg Pride added that members of the Board repeatedly requested meetings with Jacaranda management in an effort to get further clarity on the decision.
Jacaranda finally agreed to a meeting on September 20, in which, according to the Board, Station Manager Kevin Fine claimed that the decision to end the partnership with Pride had been taken at the end of 2011. Joburg Pride said that Fine was unable to explain why Pride was not informed then nor why discussions had continued into July 2012.
“He apologised that Jacaranda was in the wrong for having backed out so late in the day and blamed the station’s marketing manager for the situation. Despite this, he refused to reverse his decision, or to take organisational responsibility for commitments made by his team. He again affirmed that Joburg Pride was not a ‘brand fit,’” claimed the Pride statement.
“We’re admittedly outraged to have been strung along by Jacaranda until the last minute, adding unnecessary burdens to our efforts to put on a world class event, but the most galling issue of all is their prejudiced justification,” said Joburg Pride Board Member Kerry McMaster, who attended the meeting. “It shows an unsophisticated stance that is out of line with our democracy; one in which LGBT people are constitutionally guaranteed of equality.”
The Joburg Pride Board called on Jacaranda’s parent company, Kagiso Media, to explain to the LGBT community how its radio station’s position fits into Kagiso’s stated vision to “build communities for good”.
Joburg Pride also claims that at the September 20 meeting, Fine told McMaster and fellow Board member Fulvio De Stefanis “to not be so sensitive,” leading De Stefanis to retort that the LGBT community has no option but to be sensitive in the face of continued discrimination and violence against its members across the country. “Imagine, Mr. Fine stating that other minority communities such as Jewish people, or disabled people are not ‘a brand fit.’ This would be deservedly seen as outright prejudice,” said De Stefanis.
According to the Board, the Jacaranda incident highlights the importance of the theme of this year’s Joburg Pride: Protect our rights. “While Jacaranda’s stance is a relatively subtle form of homo-prejudice,” said the Board, “many LGBT South Africans are faced with more aggressive forms of discrimination. In a recent two month period, at least ten LGBT South African lost their lives in circumstance believed to be related to their sexual orientation.
“It’s in this context that thousands of defiant LGBT South Africans and their friends and family will take to the streets of Rosebank on Saturday October 6 for the 22nd Joburg Pride Parade, the oldest and largest on the African continent. This will be followed by a festival at Zoo Lake Sports Club, where the community will celebrate its diversity and colour; showing all of South Africa that it is indeed very ‘lekker’ to be gay,” concluded the Board.
Mambaonline has contacted Jacaranda FM and has requested a response to Joburg Pride’s claims and for clarity on the station’s position towards the LGBT community and its LGBT listeners in particular.
Oh shame, Pride lost their radio sponsor… So what! What about other radio stations or alternative media sources? Maybe Jacarada though that supporting a parade where sexuality is flaunted in the public eye that it would alienate 90% of its other listeners that the cons outweighed the pro’s. Dont get me wrong, I believe in the rights of the gay community and celebrating your pride, but in a democratic country where gay marriage and relationships are accepted why do we still need to take to the streets, drink and party.
Lashing out at Jacaranda just makes it more difficult for LGBT to be accepted.
If you poke the hornets nest you gona get stung!
FACEPALM!!
Oh shame, Pride lost their radio sponsor… So what! What about other radio stations or alternative media sources? Maybe Jacarada though that supporting a parade where sexuality is flaunted in the public eye that it would alienate 90% of its other listeners that the cons outweighed the pro’s. Dont get me wrong, I believe in the rights of the gay community and celebrating your pride, but in a democratic country where gay marriage and relationships are accepted why do we still need to take to the streets, drink and party.
Lashing out at Jacaranda just makes it more difficult for LGBT to be accepted.
Your comments smacks of internalised homophobia and inadequacy. I would suggest that the gay community should be the hornet’s nest – and that Jacaranda might be stung. Think about you pre-conceived ideas here… Your comments on Pride also suggest you’re another privileged guy out of touch with the rest of LGBT south africa…
Not a very insightful thing to say. The Pride Parades world wide are about showing the world that we exist and also showing other people trying to “come out” that they are not alone, among other things such as continuing a decades old tradition, honoring past freedom fighters and taking a positive stance against discrimination. Yes, we are priviledged to live in a country that grants us the same rights and diginities, such as marriage, so it may seem like a pointless affair, but how do you think we got to this point? There are countless brave members of the LGBT community present and decades past, who raised awareness, one method being through peaceful demonstrations such as the parades. Also, do not be so naive to think that the fight is over, we need to keep fighting to preserve what we have. Complacency is a subtle corruption, and before you know it, we are back 50 years and regarded as sub-citizens of this country. South Africa is streaks ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to human rights, but the nation is still far from being completely accepting.
Dude, just because YOU are out and accepted in your small little world around you does not mean everyone in SA has that freedom. Are you so selfish that you do not care about a lesbian girl in a township being raped and killed because she is gay? Or a gay man that is killed violently and beheaded because he is gay? Do you feel nothing for the hatred still being spewed across SA against gays, or threats that our rights “should be removed from the constitution”? Yes, we have more freedoms than in many other countries, hence it is our DUTY to stand up for our rights, take to the streets and fight for those who do not have the freedom and acceptance that you enjoy.
Who listens to Radio Jacaranda anyway? Their presenters have the most dreadful accents and voices anyway. With 1000’s of internet radio stations catering to every genre, the choice is endless. Google “Tune in” and see what they have to offer.
Considering the recent proposal by ruling party to have the gay rights addendum removed from the constitution pride is as important as always, and it need to grow and stand for something instead of just a giant party weekend. I do not have a partner as my lifepartner passed away a few years ago, but should I meet someone again someday and I comes to that, I for one, would like to have a choice to be able to make a commitment to that person legally, and know that if anything happens to me he will have the same rights as any other heterosexual partnership if I am not there anymore. Can’t you say the same?
This is rich coming from Jacaranda when their breakfast presenter is a “moffie” – Why don’t they tell him to get lost…..seeing that LGBT is not a suitable fit for the station. Never a dull moment in Media…..Ja.Fm sucks anyway!
I am a gay celeb myself and fully understand that Jacaranda kicked Pride on the ass. Many gay people today are druggies and no decent station should support such animals. As a gay guy I see all the wrongs in this community and fully understand such actions like the Jacaranda incident. I do not care what my fellow moffies say, but each one of us know a bunch of mof druggies! Give Jacaranda a Bells!!!