Broadcasting in Mainstream Media
At the end of January 2001,
something started on a Los Angeles radio station that had never been heard -
GO VEGAN WITH BOB LINDEN began broadcasting an uncompromising and
controversial message of kindness to animals that endorsed not eating them,
not wearing them, not experimenting on them, not hunting them, and not
enslaving them in "entertainment" such as circuses, rodeos, bullfights, and
captive animal parks, as the means of addressing global problems including
war, violence, disease, world hunger, poverty, climate change,
deforestation, resource depletion, water shortage, soil erosion,
desertification, habitat destruction, energy crises, and the suffering and
killing of billions of innocent animals.
"When the program first went
on the air, I figured I would do two or three shows, and radio station
owners and managers would hear it, and say 'we can't have this show on the
air offending just about all of our other advertisers'", program host Bob
Linden said, "and I'm happy to say, after 11 years, the radio station owners
and managers haven't listened yet."
GO VEGAN WITH BOB LINDEN from
501c3 non-profit GO VEGAN RADIO began as a suggestion by KRLA Los Angeles
radio producer Suzanne Lishon who met Linden when he was at the station
promoting a vegan festival in Southern California that he was organizing
called Worldfest-LA. Lishon, noting Linden's background in animal rights and
commercial radio management and on air (Program Director at WQCD / CD-101
New York, WJZE / JAZZY 100 Washington DC, KIFM San Diego, KNUA / "The Sound"
Seattle, WWWl Miami, KESI / Star 106 San Antonio, KKLZ Las Vegas, KEZO /
Z-92 Omaha) proposed creating a program on her station that Linden would
host and produce. Linden said this was to be one of the most interesting
challenges in his career, having never heard a vegan radio show, "what would
it sound like, and how can a show about animal suffering be entertaining,
and how do we not depress an audience so people aren't reaching for razor
blades?" Somehow, the program quickly became popular, generated high
ratings, a loyal worldwide following, won critical acclaim from many
including the LA Times media critic, and even a "Shining World Hero Award"
for Linden from the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association.
Since its first days on KRLA, GO VEGAN WITH BOB LINDEN immediately began
airing in San Francisco, and then became the first major network show,
broadcast nationally on Air America, and XM, and CBS, and Clear Channel
radio stations, and on iTunes, archiving hundreds of shows at
www.GoVeganRadio.com .
Linden expressed his gratitude to all of his many guests, whom he calls a
"parade of heroes", and to all of the advertisers of vegan products and
donors who help make the program possible by paying for the broadcast
airtime. "Way back in another century when I was a radio Program Director, I
would have broadcast a program of such significance as this, as a free
public service. But recognizing that times have changed, and with
deregulation and consolidation, it becomes necessary to purchase airtime to
gain media access, if that's what we have to do for the animals, and
improved human health, and environmental sustainability, then let's do it."
Linden said radio stations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle
want to join San Francisco and Portland radio stations in broadcasting this,
the first vegan, animal rights radio program in mainstream media ever.
Tax-deductible donations may be made payable to
GO VEGAN RADIO
PO
Box 475414
San Francisco, CA 94147
or by clicking DONATE at
www.GoVeganRadio.com
Bob@GoVeganRadio.com 818-623-6477
