KQRS’ Barnard, Traen to be reprimanded

By Molly Miron
Bemidji Pioneer

A three-minute exchange on the KQRS Radio Tom Barnard morning talk show resulted in a protest meeting Monday morning in Minneapolis with KQRS executives, Red Lake and Mdewakanton Shakopee Sioux elected officials and members of the American Indian Movement.

At issue were on-air remarks Barnard and co-host Terri Traen made during a broadcast last month after the Minnesota Department of Health reported that Beltrami County had the highest youth suicide rate in the state. The report also cited the high rate of suicides among Indian young people.

The hosts, whose show is in the shock-jock genre of radio, didn’t know where Beltrami County is located. They mentioned Bemidji and the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Then, Traen said of the Indian high suicide rate, “Maybe it’s genetic; isn’t there a lot of incest up there?”

She and Barnard also criticized the Mdewakanton Sioux, referring to the Mystic Lake Casino as “Mistake Lake” and making fun of AIM leader Clyde Bellecourt by calling him Clyde “Bellycourt.”

The KQRS morning show is among the most popular morning programs in the Twin Cities. It is known for delivering weird news, ethnic jokes and political diatribes.

In a telephone interview as he was traveling home to Red Lake Monday afternoon, Red Lake Chairman Floyd “Buck” Jourdain Jr. said the Indian Affairs Council sent a formal complaint to KQRS after the September broadcast, but Red Lake Nation, the Mdewakanton Sioux and AIM members decided they needed more response from the radio station and a face-to-face meeting.

Attending the meeting were Jourdain, Red Lake Secretary Kathryn Beaulieu, Ponemah Representative Glenda Martin and Red Lake Representative Donald May, Mdewakanton Sioux Vice Chairman Glynn Crooks, AIM Co-founder Bellecourt and other community members. Barnard and Traen did not attend the meeting.

Jourdain said KQRS President and General Manager Marc Kalman said the station will take the following measures:

-- Broadcast a public apology and send a written apology to Red Lake and Mdewakanton Sioux.

-- Give equal air time to positive issues involving the American Indian community.

-- Work to hire American Indian interns.

-- Continue airing public service announcements for the Native youth suicide hot line and suicide prevention program.

-- Invite members of the Shakopee Mdewakanton and Red Lake tribes to be on the morning show.

-- Reprimand Barnard and Traen.

“KQRS had a productive meeting today with the Native American community leaders,” Kalman said in a prepared statement. “We came to an amiable resolution and formed a good plan to build a positive relationship.”

“He expressed his embarrassment and apologized to the American Indian community,” Jourdain said.

However, Kalman did not dismiss Barnard and Traen as many of the Indian representatives had hoped.

“Everybody expected that,” Jourdain said.

He noted that NBC fired Don Imus after he referred to the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.” Making light of suicide is a much more serious offense, Jourdain said.

“Barnard and Terri Traen were making statements about life-and-death issues,” he said. “It’s totally irresponsible. What’s funny about a funeral? What’s funny about cutting a child down from the rafters?”

Jourdain said Barnard has been making racist and offensive comments on the air for years. For example, the Somali community protested Barnard and co-hosts mimicking Somali immigrants’ manner of speaking after a Somali taxi driver was murdered, and the Hmong community was outraged when he and his co-hosts made fun a teenage Hmong girl charged with killing her newborn son.

Jourdain said KQRS allowed Barnard to increase his abrasiveness after Howard Stearns’ show began airing in the metro area. Stearns pulled out, but Barnard continued his shock jock style.

“It went to an all-time high in tastelessness,” Jourdain said. “The attack is on all Indian people, and we have to stand up to these bullies and call them to task.”

However, Jourdain said he is reasonably satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

“I do because this is just the beginning,” he said. “There’ll be a follow-up meeting in January to see what progress has been made. We’re not going to tolerate this kind of activity.”

Major media markets won’t tolerate verbal assaults like Barnard and Traen’s, he said, and this state, which has the reputation of “Minnesota Nice,” should be equally appalled.