Hi Friends,
I just wanted to take a quick moment to address a matter that has been affecting Toronto's LGBT community directly. As an artist who receives a good amount of airplay from the world's first commercially licensed LGBT station PROUD-FM, I am indebted greatly to them for their support all along.
It was recently announced that four of the station's most popular radio personalities were let-go. This has caused quite an outrage and if you look on Facebook, you will see that a page has been created called PROUD-FM, THE SHAME OF TORONTO. I am friends personally with some of the personalities who were let go, Shaun Proulx, Mark Wigmore and Patrick Marano, and it makes me very sad to hear that this happened to them. Understandably, I would be very upset if it were me too. These guys devoted so much of themselves to the station and truly cared about their listeners. Proulx particularly, lives and breathes what our community is all about.On the flipside, PROUD-FM regardless of what people say about its corporate reputation or its operational practices, in the end has always been here for our community in my opinion. I listen daily and how the station runs its operations is not my concern as a listener, much in the same vain I would not pay mind to these matters with any other radio station. I am not sure how people could come to the conclusion that they no longer have any interests of the LGBT community or that "they're purposely firing all the Gays", based solely on recent changes in personnel. A vast majority of the station's personalities still are in fact members of the LGBT community. I understand business is business at the end of the day and that the station feels it is justified in its actions. Programming Director Bob Willette is also a friend of mine and I know he too is constantly going above and beyond his duties to keep delivering for our community, even on his weekends.
Whatever the outcome, if it's not too late already, I ask that we all remain fair and make our evaluations of the situation after understanding the facts from both sides. I understand what it's like to be a fan and have the need to defend someone ad nauseum, yet I also understand that business is business and that sometimes when it comes to money and growth, personal feelings aren't always considered.
I will continue supporting PROUD-FM and continue also being supporters of my friends in that they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
xW
