In the book, Radio in the Global Age the author, David Hendy, makes the claim that, “no one aspect of radio can be fully understood without some reference to three interrelated aspects of the medium”. These three interrelated aspects are: the ways in which radio is produced, the form and the content of radio programming, also known as texts, and the reactions to and interpretations of these texts by the consumers or the listeners. Additionally, discussion regarding the type of music that is played on the radio is incomplete without a simultaneous discussion of the economic forces which are at play within the media and music industries. He also states that it is vital to consider the manner in which people listen to the radio and extract meaning from the programming.
Broadly speaking, Hendy uses the same structures used by many other academics who have studied popular music and television except for one key factor. This factor is that he has discussed the consumption of radio, the manner in which listeners engage with it, before he has moved on to discuss the meaning which is interpreted from radio as well as its wider cultural impact. This is because he believes that listeners in radio can also be considered producers due to the manner in which their listening habits alter what is being produced for them to listen to. Davonte Walker is aware of the manner in which his listeners are active participants in the production and popularity of his radio show. This is why he engages with his listeners in the manner which he does and why his show has seen a consistent increase in popularity.
Davonte Walker Opening Doors for Rising Talent
Davonte Walker is a DJ, entrepreneur, journalist and published author who has made a name for himself through his radio program the Dwalk Show. He continues to challenge the status quo in the radio and entertainment industry through his creation of a platform for talented artists across a range of genres. Through this work he has grown to become a sought after name as a media personality by breaking new ground and providing a voice for people across a multitude of industries. He has mainly focused on the worlds of fashion and entertainment. Additionally, he was recently added to the team of the Flint Courier News where he interviews artists and clothing lines on his radio show.
Walker graduated from the Ross Medical Education Center at which he trained to become a pharmacy technician. He has also attended the International Academy of Flint. He has honed his skills as a media personality over the years and his many interviews. Walker has interviewed well over 1000 artists and over 500 clothing lines and other businesses. In addition to this he has placed over 50 businesses and artists into the news and subsequently the limelight through the events which he has hosted.
Walker has been able to create a niche for himself in the media world due to the unique nature of his radio show. This show focuses on a particular set of individuals and industries. He interviews artists and businesses on his show which is live on Friday nights on Facebook and then played on radio 96.7FM in Detroit on Saturday morning. Walker’s business, Shops on Saginaw hosts over 50 businesses which he has featured on his radio show. He has interviewed famous personalities such as RMC Mike, Krispy and Life Kidd amongst many others. He is also the first and only person who has interviewed the father of the renowned actor Terry Crews. This interview took place on 92.1FM in Flint and he has also appeared on 94.3FM in Flint as well as 1420AM in Flint.
In addition to his success on radio and as an entrepreneur, Walker is also a published author. He has written an inspirational piece titled, From The Ground Up. He is continuing to pursue his passion for helping other people grow. This has inspired the launch of a new business venture called The World Marching Band of Hip Hop. He also hosted an event in November of 2021 which allowed the artist, Jaraiyia Alize to perform her song, The Gwoat, about professional boxing champion Claressa Shields. This was a captivating performance and fulfilled a dream for the artist.
Final Thoughts
Davonte Walker is opening doors for rising talent in his community by hosting this talent on his radio show. In addition to this, he is also selling the goods of some of the individuals which he has interviewed in his shop. In this way he can help to directly financially assist rising talent in both the music and the fashion industries. This is in addition to the exposure which he is providing through the Dwalk show.
