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Detroit Radio Rivals' Feud Ends Up w/Call to Police | Print |  E-mail
Friday, 14 August 2009

 

 

DETROIT NEWS

Mildred Gaddis

 

Radio host Mildred Gaddis briefly interrupted her morning program today and called the police when a fellow Radio One host with whom she's been feuding entered the station.

Police were called to the studios of WHCB (AM 1200) on Franklin near East Jefferson about 6:55 a.m. after staffers complained that an unauthorized person was in the building, said police spokesman John Roach. A squad car was dispatched, but the person -- identified as disc jockey Reggie Reg Davis -- was gone. Roach said he's unsure whether charges will be filed.

Davis, who cited a long-running spat with Gaddis as one of the reasons he planned to quit today at Hot 102.7 (WHTD-FM), said he entered the station about 6:45 a.m. to collect his things. He said Gaddis -- who can see anyone walking through the security door -- asked her staff to phone police.

Gospel music played when her show went off the air.

Davis said Gaddis' producer approached him when he walked into the station and told him he needed to leave. "I'm not doing anything, why do I need to leave?" he said.

Gaddis did not answer calls to her cell phone.

Davis has been the subject of controversy in recent weeks because of his campaign for city charter commission. He advanced to the Nov. 3 general election last week. He said he tried to pull his name from the ballot this summer, but it was too late. He has said he had an understanding with Radio One officials that he could campaign for the position. But company officials said he had to choose between his campaign and his radio job after they learned it was an elected position.

Davis, in today's Detroit News, blamed Gaddis for the flap.

But Dick Kernen, vice president of industry relations at Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, says Radio One had no choice.

"It's an FCC regulation that if someone running for elective office is on the air, everybody running against that person is eligible for equal time," Kernen said. "Radio One would have had to let everyone running against (Davis) have equal airtime."

Gaddis also has had her share of controversy with elections this summer, after council candidates went forward with claims that she charged them money to be interviewed on a local TV station.

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