Black talk radio station WURD in Philadelphia has ended its relationship with host Andrea Lawful-Sanders in the wake of criticism the station has endured after Lawful-Sanders acknowledged using pre-determined questions from President Joe Biden’s campaign team for her July 3 conversation with the embattled leader.
In a lengthy statement, Sara Lomax, president and CEO of WURD Radio, said the station and Lawful-Sanders “have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.” Lawful-Sanders did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.
WURD and Lawful-Sanders faced criticism in journalism and political circles when it came to light that Lawful-Sanders was sent pre-written questions from Biden campaign officials and agreed to use four of the questions provided. Lomax emphasized that the station had no knowledge of Lawful-Sanders’ discussions with Biden’s team and that her decision ran afoul of the station’s journalistic standards. The 14-minute interview, posted July 4, remains available on WURD.
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It’s not unusual for political public affairs officials or corporate communications executives to provide background and talking points to journalists for high-level interviews. But pre-written questions and confirmation that specific queries will be used is against the norms of mainstream U.S. news media outlets. Given the swirl around Biden and his fitness for office at age 81, the revelation that Lawful-Sanders and others agreed to such highly irregular interview terms contributes to the perception that mainstream and liberal news media outlets have sought to shield Biden’s age-related problems from the public.
“WURD Radio remains an independent voice that our audience can trust will hold elected officials accountable,” Lomax wrote. “As Pennsylvania’s only independent Black-owned talk radio station, WURD Radio has cultivated that trust with our audience over our 20-year history. This is something we take very seriously. Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions jeopardizes that trust and is not a practice that WURD Radio engages in or endorses as a matter of practice or official policy.”
Lomax noted that WURD has enjoyed unfettered access to Biden’s White House in the past without making any compromises.
“Earlier this year when WURD Radio was invited to the White House on February 26 to host a day-long live broadcast featuring interviews with cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking officials, we agreed with the explicit understanding that we were not constrained to their suggested topics or talking points. We were clear that our hosts would ask difficult and provocative questions of their own determination based on the needs and interests of WURD’s listening audience — Black Philadelphians,” Lomax wrote. “This is a hallmark of WURD Radio’s local, state and national coverage, day in and day out.
“Black media matters. As always, we will listen, dialogue and engage with our community, bringing credible information, experts and insights to address the needs, concerns and interests of our people. This is essential as Black Philadelphians gear up to be a pivotal player in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime.”
In addition to her work on WURD, Lawful-Sanders runs a self-help and career coachingbusiness called A Lawful Truth Enterprises, according to the company’s website. She describes herself as a “divine muva diva” who works with college students and professionals to “strengthen and develop their leadership skills that will make them more competitive in today’s workforce. She Leads dynamic workshops that encourage and promote leaders to ascend with confidence. Muva Diva believes the world needs more creative thinkers who can quickly adapt to their environments, thus generate more revenue for their businesses and meeting personal and client goals.”
Here is Lomax’s full statement:
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On July 3, the first post-debate interview with President Joe Biden was arranged and negotiated independently by WURD Radio host Andrea Lawful-Sanders without knowledge, consultation or collaboration with WURD management. The interview featured pre-determined questions provided by the White House, which violates our practice of remaining an independent media outlet accountable to our listeners. As a result, Ms. Lawful-Sanders and WURD Radio have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.
WURD Radio remains an independent voice that our audience can trust will hold elected officials accountable. As Pennsylvania’s only independent Black-owned talk radio station, WURD Radio has cultivated that trust with our audience over our 20-year history. This is something we take very seriously. Agreeing to a pre-determined set of questions jeopardizes that trust and is not a practice that WURD Radio engages in or endorses as a matter of practice or official policy.
Earlier this year when WURD Radio was invited to the White House on February 26 to host a day-long live broadcast featuring interviews with cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking officials, we agreed with the explicit understanding that we were not constrained to their suggested topics or talking points. We were clear that our hosts would ask difficult and provocative questions of their own determination based on the needs and interests of WURD’s listening audience — Black Philadelphians. This is a hallmark of WURD Radio’s local, state and national coverage, day in and day out.
Black media has a long history of advocating for the interests of the Black community dating back to 1827 when the first Black newspaper, Freedom’s Journal, was founded. Our outlets deserve to have a seat at the table especially because mainstream media has historically ignored, marginalized and stereotyped Black people in their coverage. A recent Pew Research Report examining Black Americans’ experiences with the news found “almost two-thirds of Black adults (63%) say news about Black people is often more negative than news about other racial and ethnic groups.”
This practice of de-legitimizing Black voices continues today. WURD Radio is not a mouthpiece for the Biden or any other Administration. Internally, we will commit to reviewing our policies, procedures, and practices to reinforce WURD’s independence and trust with our listeners. But mainstream media should do its own introspection to explore how they have lost the trust of so many Americans, Black Americans chief among them.
This experience will strengthen WURD as we seek to grow from this incident. We will continue to be the unique platform that provides Black people a place where we can speak and be heard in our own voice – on our own terms. We follow in the footsteps of Frederick Douglass who aptly wrote in the first edition of his North Star Newspaper in 1847: “It has long been our anxious wish to see, in this slave-holding, slave-trading, and negro-hating land, a printing-press and paper, permanently established, under the complete control and direction of the immediate victims of slavery and oppression.”
Black media matters. As always, we will listen, dialogue and engage with our community, bringing credible information, experts and insights to address the needs, concerns and interests of our people. This is essential as Black Philadelphians gear up to be a pivotal player in one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime.
(Pictured: Andrea Lawful-Sanders at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival in 2021)
