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Amos Brown

Source: WTLC-AM Photographer / WTLC-AM

Our colleague, long-time media manager, radio host and columnist, Amos Brown, will be honored on-air today on AM-1310 “The Light.” The community will have the opportunity to call (317) 239-1310 from 1 – 6 p.m. today to share their memories and pay tribute to Brown. Brown died on Friday, November 6, while visiting his family in Chicago. He collapsed in his family home and died from an apparent heart attack at the age of 64. Known as a community activist, Brown used his platforms, the Afternoons with Amos show and his column “Just Tellin’ It” in The Indianapolis Recorder newspaper to speak his truth to power and take leaders and newsmakers to task regarding their impact on Indianapolis and the Indianapolis African-American community, in particular.

Brown used his microphone often to challenge politicians on-air on their stances and shed light on their activities. He also used his love of numbers to tell the story of this city and state through demography, so citizens knew how Indy ranked and measured up in a number of categories–usually on social issues where his beloved community saw struggles or amazing growth. Because of that love of demographics, he was able to serve as a member of the National Census Advisory Committee on African-American Populations.

Brown held the distinction of being the longest-serving African-American media manager in the Indianapolis market. He became station manager of WTLC back in 1981 after beginning his radio career at the station in 1976 and moving up through the ranks. It was there, that he launched Indy’s first black-oriented daily radio talk show called “The Noon Show” in 1992. He held the post of station manager and talk host, until he transitioned to Hoosier Radio and TV in 1994. There, he turned his love of the talk show into a television show, launching first WAV-TV’s Six Thirty PM and later The Amos Brown Show. Radio One, Inc. later acquired Hoosier Radio and TV, and then later WTLC-AM/FM. The latter acquisition brought Brown “home” figuratively speaking. He rejoined his WTLC family.

He was also a community leader who took his role as a community ‘servant’ to heart. He worked diligently on behalf of the United Negro College Fund, Riley Hospital for Children, and the Mozel Sanders Foundation’s Thanksgiving Dinner hosting a luncheon to raise funds for the meal that feeds thousands at the holiday and being one of many voices at a two-day radio-thon which also supported the dinner. He was a long-time advocate of Indiana Black Expo and Circle City Classic, as well. However, he may best be remembered for his advocacy in the area of getting out the vote. Brown believed in bringing the candidates and their platforms to the consciousness of the African-American community and doing what he could to increase participation of the African-American community at the polls and thereby increase the African-American community’s power through the use of the ballot. From being a sough-after moderator, master of ceremonies and roast master -to- just showing up at events to see what went down so he could talk about it on-air or in his column -to- showing his lighter humorous side, dancing through the Circle City Classic parade route (high-fiving and shaking his thing to the delight of parade-goers) through the downtown streets of Indy, Brother Brown, as some called him will be missed. Brown was a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and held an honorary doctorate from Indiana’s only predominately black college, Martin University. He held many honors, including the Sagamore of the Wabash (Indiana’s highest honor), several CASPER Awards from the United Way/Community Service Council, and the National Association of Broadcaster’s (NAB) Crystal Award for Community Service. Brown was a two-time NAB Marconi Awards finalist (one of the highest honors in the broadcasting industry) and was inducted into the Indiana Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

Remember, join us on AM-1310 The Light today from 1 – 6 p.m. to honor Indy’s own, 40-year legendary broadcaster, Hall of Famer, Amos Brown.

### (@1067WTLC) ###

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