WTOP WON'T SAY 'REDSKINS'
Radio Station Heeds Native Americans' Distaste
By Leonard Shapiro, Washington Post Staff Writer
The name "Redskins" has been banned from WTOP [1500 AM] radio
broadcasts, along with references to the Braves of Atlanta (and anywhere
else) and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the station's general
manager confirmed last night.
"We have been using a name that has been offensive to Native
Americans," Michael Douglass said. "If it is our policy not to use
offensive names, then it follows we feel we have to extend that to
Native Americans. It's the minority group that determines what's
offensive, regardless of what the majority wants."
The policy ... was implemented this past week and reported in
Saturday's [= March 14] editions of The Washington Times [newspaper].
Douglass said discussions on the issue began during the baseball
playoffs and World Series when Native American groups staged protests
and indicated they did not want their race used as logos and symbols for
sport teams. [text deleted]
WTOP is the first Washington area media outlet not to use the team's
longtime name. The Oregonian newspaper in Portland decided recently to
ban "Redskins," "Braves" and "Chiefs" from its pages.
[Pat] Anastasi [, managing editor], who joined the station less than
a month ago, said he is still in the process of writing a formal policy,
and banning team names will be on a "case-by-case basis."
[rest of text deleted]
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yours, David Bridge
BITNET: DAVID@SIMSC