Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Front Page with Dominique DiPrima

As I frequently mention here, I love the KJLH Front Page show.

It's L.A. based, though you can listen on the internet. It's hosted by Dominique DiPrima, a long-time community activist, radio personality, and change agent.

It comes on at 4:30 am L.A. time, which I know is kinda early for a lot of folks... but I'm a morning person and I can be very productive while listening to the show until 6 am.

I love the direction Dominique DiPrima has taken the show since she became primary and lead host of the show late 2005.

While I've always liked the show because there's not a lot of black talk radio in Los Angeles, I am relieved that we don't have to listen to all the conspiracy theorists who usually had nothing to back their arguments up, or the "doctors" who prescribed all sorts of questionable practices for health issues. Some of those pre-Dominique guests and topics sometimes turned me off to the show.

And I love the fact that Dominique challenges the long-standing homophobic comments that past guests and callers made freely. Prior to Dominique, guests like our friend and ally Jasmyne Cannick, a frequent gurest on the show, would have to engage in verbal warfare just to get a point across about black gay and lesbian issues.

And Dominique also helps the primarily black and brown audience understand that coalition building, understanding our similarities AND differences, and being concise with our comments is important when trying to make a point. I love how she keeps callers on task and topic and time.

Just wanted to share someone who is doing great things to inform black and brown L.A., and who also makes sure we get progressive news and critical thinking in the morning. I love learning, and the Front Page radio show indeed serves as the radio university of black and brown Los Angeles.
fs

13 comments:

Fresh said...

Wow...I forgot about chick! She's from the Bay and used to have show when she was just a teen on an NBC affiliate, I believe.

Anonymous said...

The Front Page was much better when it was hosted by Carl Nelson and Jamal Goree. After Jamal left, the show started going down hill. Now that Carl is gone, I don't even bother to listen to the show.

Anonymous said...

After Jamaal left the front page the Front Page the show took on the feel of Sunday school. When Ms. Diprima took over, the show turned into Teen Summit.
I am into serious Black discourse.When we get ourselves together then we can discuss how we can do business EQUALLY, not just ride the coattails of our Hispanic brethren even though unlike in Ms Diprima's experience the Hispanics in my area "Los Angeles" seem to have no interest in working with our community unless that effort benefits them singly and not both equally.
Ms. DiPrima needs to move on to other more multicultural pastures.
JMO

Anonymous said...

This show is not the same without Carl Nelson and Jamal Goree. I used to love to listen to this show, but now it no longer worth listening to, I many others who feel this way. Unfortunately, a great show has been ruined.

Anonymous said...

The best thing I can say about Mrs. DiPrima as the host of Front Page is she is very polished. Objective she is not. She coddles those who agree with her and never chides them for presenting opinion as fact. However, dissenters are badgered, cut-off, harrassed and accused of having personal agendas. Cases in point: some wierdo named "Big Money" call in frequently. He's a "friend" of the show and gets carte blanche to say whatever he wants for as long as he wants. He doesn't cite facts, he uses conjecture and on top of that, he speaks poor english. On the other side of the aisle is a caller named "Ken". Because Ken challenges DiPrima and callers like Big Daddy, he is barely allowed an edge-wise comment. She talks down to him, ridicules his comments and challenges the sources of the facts and statistics Ken cites. But... the job of the radio talk host is to provoke and that she does very well. I miss the days when the purpose of dialog was to learn through an open and honest exchange.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the previous bloggers. Font Page was a better show when it was facilitated by former hosts. It promoted and encouraged dialogue while addressing issues that were of interest to the listeners. Its ok to provoke but to show partiality aids in limiting the ideas and comments that may otherwise be considered reasonable or insightful by listeners. Should Ms. DiPrima be the individual making that decision? Most of the time I listen and am frustrated by her attack on listeners, really hoping she would give some callers a chance to express their thoughts. Although the show is following the talk radio format, I remember Front Page being a show that was unique, appropriately giving the floor and respect to not only guest speakers but also to callers.

Anonymous said...

I uesd to love KJLH
''The Front Page Family''
and especially
when carl & jamal ran it]
Now that Dominique DiPrima
has fully taken over we
were TOTALLY TURNED OFF
and whe ''tuned out''
from time to time i re check
to see if Dominique DiPrima
has been COMPLETELY REMOVED
we will wait until the new
repalcement host takes her
place but as long as
Dominique DiPrima is still there
we will TUNE OUT ''the front page''
until she GOES AWAY !!! Please !!

Anonymous said...

This young lady is disrespectful, rude and abnoxious. I wonder if Mr. Wonder hired her due to her father " Amiri Baraka".....she does not have a sense of Los Angeles African American needs which I surmise is why she has constant cohost. Surely the campuses of UCLA, USC and Cal- States offer intellectuals who ar better prepared to continue the work of Jamal and the other brother that relocated to Florida. Mr. WONDER please DISMISS gthis child. "people perish for a lack of knowledge." hotep

Anonymous said...

The Front Page used to be an extremely interesting and informative Afrocentric show, prior to the arrival of the self absorbed Ms. Diprima. She's rude, cuts callers off, and exhibits a simple-minded sarcasm, when callers disagree with her. Basically she seems to be the "useful idiot/hand puppet" for the racist imperialism of the La Raza organization, much to the detriment of the Black community of Los Angeles.

Anonymous said...

The Front Page used to be an extremely interesting and informative Afrocentric show, prior to the arrival of the self absorbed Ms. Diprima. She's rude, cuts callers off, and exhibits a simple-minded sarcasm, when callers disagree with her. Basically she seems to be the "useful idiot/hand puppet" for the racist imperialism of the La Raza organization, much to the detriment of the Black community of Los Angeles.

Anonymous said...

As an intern at the Beat back in the mid 90's I got to see her behind the scenes. Week to Week she developed, produced and hosted 'street science'. Granted I was on the street team and did a thing or two on the Tre Black show, I can still say she was a magnetic force to be around. Knowledge is power, and she taught me that. I bet today she wouldnt remember me but people who impress upon you a passion for change, change the makeup of who you are. It's great to hear she is still keeping it true to the community.

Anonymous said...

I have been a Front Page Family member since its inception the day after the Rodney King verdict. I must say the show was better with Ricco and Carl and once Ricco left it just turned into a conspiracy theroy- blame the white man for everything trash dump.

When Mrs. Diprima arrive I was happy to see someone speak up on behalf of women and gays but she began blamming the "white man" too. My problem with the show is that she does not seem to read the paper or listen for "hot topics" outside of racism. She says things and they are not true. For example she discusses public school issues such as the drop out rate, testing, nutrition, the arts programs that I know she did not research because the facts are all wrong. Maybe she does not have a staff to help out on these matters but to an informed mind she just sounds uninformed. I am surprise that the Radio station has not been sued over these untruths.

There is so much more to discuss on a talk show with the news wires going daily. Everyday is now "Hot Topic", "Wild Topic" and/or anything goes. Mrs. Diprima needs at least three talking point per day with reseached information.

Eventhough Mrs. Diprima constantly puts down Larry Elders, Bill O'Riely, etc. she needs to take a lesson on how to host a talk show that would engage the community in a boarder conversation besides bad credit, Amer-I-can, (in praise of gang members) this so-called white supremacy and over priced health food stores.

I once upon a time was proud of how the sister stood up to all the putting down that was taking place when she first came aboard. Even Carl and Greg allowed and encouraged her to be demeaned on the radio. She stood strong. Now sisterfriend, elevate yourself and listen to other notable host to see what they do to go national.

In closing and most importantly, you know you are not doing well when you have that "Numbers-brithday forecastguy on, he really the bottom of the pit.

Much Love,

Kay Ann
Inglewood, CA.

Regina said...

Hello, I love frontpage. I listen every morning and Dominque is doing a great job. I enjoy her intellect, and some people just can't take the truth.

Please tell me the name of the President Obama speech that you play every morning; I love it and I would love to hear the whole speech.

Keep on doing what you do Dominque, Regina.