Black Church Group Calls for NPR Boycott Over Show’s Axing

NPR reports that a national organization of African-American churches is calling on members to forgo donating to the radio network to protest its cancellation of a daily news-talk show aimed at minority listeners.

The public broadcaster announced last week that it would cease producing “Tell Me More” this summer and eliminate 28 jobs as part of an effort to shrink its $6-million budget deficit.

“This cancellation disheartens us deeply,” said the Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the National Black Church Initiative, which includes 34,000 churches serving 15.7 million worshipers. “ ‘Tell Me More’ is a brilliantly formatted radio program that showcases a multitude of viewpoints. … NPR has abandoned the African-American community, and we must turn a deaf ear to you.”