In the mid 1980’s hate crimes against blacks and Latinos were escalating in Los Angeles County.
During that time, under the watchful eye of radio executive Jack Adamson, I was thrust into doing a sixty second daily radio commentary on KBIG-FM radio. I had never done commercial radio in my life.
It was heard twice a day. Once during morning drive and again during afternoon drive time. It was called the California Report by Dr. Roger Hendrix.
I wrote and delivered the commentaries.
At first it was very difficult. I was criticized for sounding like I was reading an academic paper. Then I was even criticized by the Anti Defamation League for suggesting Jews controlled New York. And Senator Dennis Deconsini of Arizona openly criticized me for being too politically conservative.
I could have been taken off the air for any one of those complaints. It was a disaster.
But Jack stuck with me. I was still given free reign to say whatever I wanted to about future trends in California and how it connected to the world.
Things improved in the ensuing years as I took “my lumps, learned my lessons, and got on down the road.”
And then something remarkable happened. In 1987, the station was contacted by the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, and told I received The John Anson Ford Award for my commentaries on California’s minorities.
It was given for bringing about a better understanding in helping to bring down the rising incidents of black and Latino hate crimes in Los Angeles County. Only two of us received the award: KTLA-TV and the California Report.
I was grateful.