Presenter suspended pending mediation
ABE Schwarz was officially suspended from J-AIR, the Jewish community radio station, on Sunday because he didn't consent to an agreement that explained his duties as a J-AIR presenter.
ABE Schwarz was officially suspended from J-AIR, the Jewish community radio station, on Sunday because he didn’t consent to an agreement that explained his duties as a J-AIR presenter.
Schwarz was not allowed into the studio on Sunday night, for the second time in three weeks, for his show, Tikkun Olam Hour. The two parties are now entering formal negotiations to resolve the matter.
The saga started last month when Schwarz breached the station’s guidelines because he forgot to tell listeners that a view he expressed on his program was his own, and not that of the station.
When Schwarz didn’t respond to emails or phone calls he was not allowed to go on air for his September 24 show.
At the time, J-AIR apologised for how it had handled the issue.
J-AIR president Sean Meltzer told The AJN, “Mistakes were made by us. We’re just volunteers trying to run a community radio station for the community.”
On October 1 Schwarz was allowed on air again, and apologised during that show for his previous mistake.
But last week J-AIR contacted Schwarz again and wanted him to consent to an agreement which outlined his duties as a presenter on the station.
The AJN understands that Schwarz was willing to agree, but he did not reply to J-AIR management in the prescribed time.
As a result, his program on Sunday night was not allowed to go ahead and Schwarz was told his show had been temporarily suspended.
The parties are set to enter into mediation later this week.
JOSHUA LEVI
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