Temple University radio silences Mumia Abu-Jamal

Death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal is being silenced once again, some charge, this time by Temple University.

The Philadelphia radio station WRTI, owned by Temple University, canceled its contract with Pacifica Radio at 9 a.m. Monday, just before commentaries by the convicted killer were to be aired on the newsmagazine, "Democracy Now!," said Julie Drizin, executive producer of the program.

As a result of the cancellation by Temple University, Pacifica Radio also lost 12 other affiliates that receive programming in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware through WRTI. The commentaries began on "Democracy Now!" Monday, and will run into next week.

"Democracy Now!," is a daily political talk show featuring controversial issues. It is now aired on 29 radio stations across the country, after the loss of WRTI, Drizin said.

Abu-Jamal, a former radio journalist, was convicted and sentenced to death for killing a police officer in Philadelphia in 1981. Since then, international support has arisen for Abu-Jamal and his claims that he was framed because of his political beliefs. The outrage led to the Committee to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal being formed at Penn State eight years ago.

George Ingram, associate vice president for university relations at Temple, said he had considered dropping Pacifica Radio for a long time in favor of showcasing local concerns and playing more jazz music. The news of the network carrying Abu-Jamal's commentaries just hastened his decision to cancel the contract, he said.

There is no doubt Temple canceled the contract at this time to prevent Abu-Jamal's voice from being heard, Drizin said. Temple should not dictate what goes on their airways, she said.

"This is an outrageous form of censorship," she said. "This is what happens when people act out of fear and cowardliness for trying to avoid repercussions for doing the right thing."

Abu-Jamal's commentaries, recorded in October, have nothing to do with his case, which is in appeal, said John Black, adviser to the Committee to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal said. His commentaries are concerned with current issues such as prison life, racism, sexism, the criminal justice system and the death penalty, Black said.

Abu-Jamal's commentaries were played at Penn State on WPSU-FM (91.5) in 1995, Black said. The broadcast was not protested until after it began, and Penn State allowed the station to finish airing the commentaries, he said.

Abu-Jamal is a professional journalist whose voice is sharp, clear, and is worth hearing, Black said.

"Mumia is the only person on death row whose voice has been heard," he said. "We support his right to be heard."

This is another case of someone who is innocent being silenced, said Tony Spencer, co-president of the committee.

"This is just another attempt to silence him so more people don't become outraged," Spencer (junior-sociology) said. "It's just disgusting."

This is not the first time Abu-Jamal's commentaries were canceled, Black said. In 1994, National Public Radio, another network, did not allow Abu-Jamal air time because of protests from Philadelphia's police union.

"I do not want to live in a country where police have control over what gets played on the air," Black said.

Residents of Pennsylvania have a right to hear a man that is going to be executed in the name of their state, Drizin said.

This may be the last set of commentaries recorded by Abu-Jamal because of a new law, instated by the Department of Corrections, prohibiting journalists from interviewing prisoners in state correctional institutions, Drizin said. The law began 10 days after Abu-Jamal's last commentaries were recorded.