Why my radio station is ‘taking a knee’ over ECU band protest

I was raised to be respectful of the American flag and I still put my hand over my heart when the flag passes or when the national anthem is played. And I suppose that’s one of the reasons why I love Fayetteville, North Carolina, the city that proudly proclaims itself “The Most Military Friendly Town in the U.S.”  

I served in the U.S. Army Reserves during Desert Storm. And, in 1995, I realized my dream of radio station ownership by purchasing WFAY in Fayetteville. WFAY was, and is, a small radio station and those first years were tough.

I was on-air in Fayetteville on 9/11 and personally reported that planes hit the twin towers in New York City, another crashed into the Pentagon, and that a fourth plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field.

I saw first hand how the military at nearby Fort Bragg worked overtime during those dark days. And starting on September 11th, 2001, WFAY resurrected a practice that used to be followed by many radio stations but one which, by then, had been abandoned by most: we played the national anthem every day at 12:00 noon.

So when about a dozen members of the East Carolina University marching band refused to play the national anthem or ‘took a knee’ during the performance of the anthem at this past weekend’s football game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina, I saw it as a shameful action.

And when I saw statements by ECU administrators after the game that seemed to me to support the actions of the band members, it added to my frustration. So, on Tuesday, I announced that WFAY would ‘protest the protest’ by not carrying the following (this) weekend’s game.

While contemplating that decision, I thought about my belief that local Radio should be reflective of the local community. What is fully acceptable on Radio in New York City, for instance, won’t necessarily work in a small town like Fayetteville.

And when I think about Fayetteville, my thoughts naturally turn to Fort Bragg. The troopers of Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division say they jump out of perfectly good airplanes for a living. And the special operators based at Fort Bragg are silent about exactly what it is they do for a living.

I also thought about the Army wives (their term) who are employed at WFAY and their husbands who are overseas. I spoke to the local business owners who sponsor the game broadcasts. And everybody that I talked to agreed that WFAY should send a message by not airing the following week’s game.

I made my decision based on what I felt was right and what I felt was reflective of our local community. I didn’t intend for this decision to enter the national debate.

But I’m finding that my decision to not carry this weekend’s ECU game has struck a chord with people who disagree with the national anthem protests that were started during the NFL preseason by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

While there are a few veterans who have voiced support for Kaepernick’s protests, I have received dozens of telephone calls and emails from current service members, veterans, and members of the general public, who support the station’s decision.

Chris, who says he was a paratrooper at Fort Bragg 25 years ago, emailed to say there are many other ways the band members could have worked to serve their communities. Jim sent an email to say he hasn’t watched an NFL since last Super Bowl and salutes me for standing up for what is right. And Paula wrote to say there are better ways than using the national anthem as a platform for protest.

I’ve worked hard from those early days before and in the aftermath of 9/11 when I owned just one stand-alone radio station in Fayetteville. My company, Colonial Media + Entertainment, now owns radio stations in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Olean, New York; and Bradford, Pennsylvania. I recognize that I have a powerful megaphone in those communities. It’s a responsibility that I take very seriously.

While I support the right of the band members to protest, I also have the right to make my voice heard. So WFAY will be ‘taking a knee’ for this weekend’s East Carolina football game.

Jeffrey M. Andrulonis is the Chairman and CEO of Colonial Media + Entertainment.

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