The always outspoken and entertaining Stephen A. Smith will be in Detroit this week for a special gala, and he’s bringing ESPN’s “First Take” along with him.
Smith is slated to speak at the WGPR Historical Society’s fundraising gala celebrating diversity in media on Saturday night (Sept. 10) in Detroit. WGPR-TV was the nation’s first Black owned and operated television station, and it’s now a broadcast museum. Amyre Makupson, Arn Tellem, Greg Kelser, and Mayor Mike Duggan are also scheduled to speak at the event.
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On September 9 (Friday), Smith will broadcast his two-hour show, “First Take,” from the old WGPR-TV studio before a live audience. Detroit native Jalen Rose will also record his show and there will be a youth rally to launch a new generation of Black Journalists.
Funds raised from the event will go toward the expansion of the William V. Banks Broadcast Museum & Media Center, which was founded by the WGPR Historical Society on the site of the former TV 62 studios at 3146 East Jefferson in Detroit. The location is on the National Register of Historic Places and a Michigan Historical Marker was placed at the site in 2016.
“We are excited about further developing the role of the William V. Banks Broadcast Museum in training and providing inspiration to the next generation of African-American media professionals,” said Joe Spencer, president of the WGPR Historical Society. “When WGPR-TV62 began broadcasting in 1975, we launched the careers of many minority journalists, including Stephen A. Smith’s current boss at ESPN, David Roberts. David began as an intern at TV62, and now he is a senior vice president at a major network. That shows you the impact of WGPR.”
Tickets to the September 10th WGPR Enduring Legacy Celebration are $150 each, or a table of 8 for $1200, and can be purchased at Eventbrite or through the WGPR Historical Society’s website at www.wgprmuseum.org.