For Immediate Release
November 12, 2018 New York, NY—It was with extreme disappointment and dismay that we heard President Trump demean American Urban Radio Network’s White House Correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief, April Ryan last Friday. For more than two decades April Ryan has been one of the few African American journalists covering the White House holding both Republican and Democratic administrations accountable on issues impacting people of color. American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) is the largest radio network in the country reaching African Americans. As our White House Correspondent April asks tough questions illuminating issues critical to our audience. Last week the President revoked access to the White House for CNN’s Jim Acosta and threatened to do the same with Ms. Ryan after labeling her “a loser” in remarks before departing for Paris.
“We condemn these personal attacks as a campaign of intimidation putting April Ryan at risk as well as the entire press corps” said Chesley Maddox-Dorsey, CEO of AURN. In addition to Ms. Ryan, over a 48 hour span last week the President also attacked two other prominent African American female journalists, Abby Phillip of CNN and Yamiche Alcindor of PBS.
“On this Veterans Day we recognize that African Americans have participated in every fight to protect and defend the United States. Many in our audience have family members who have given their lives to uphold the foundations of a democratic civil society and we treasure the reality and the spirit of a free and robust press representing all of the people of these United States” said Maddox-Dorsey.
We will continue to strive even harder to ensure that our audience is able to enjoy the foundations of a democratic civil society. AURN’s April Ryan helps Americans engage with and learn from—almost as if they were there themselves–the powerful and revered US Presidency and team. She is a reporter committed to the exemplary standards required of all media outlets but further refined by her training, her experience and her work at the White House.
AURN’s President of Program Operations and Vietnam Veteran, Jerry Lopes says it best, “We, like all Americans, have a vested interest in the success of the office of the Presidency and the person who occupies it.” Let us all move forward together for the good of our country. and as a nation we shall overcome”.
