PUSH May Picket and Press for Boycott of KCBS-TV : Jesse Jackson Cites ‘Inadequacies, Injustices’ Affecting Minority Employees and Viewers

PUSH, the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s civil rights organization, may picket and urge a boycott of CBS-owned KCBS-TV here to remedy what Jackson on Friday called “inadequacies and injustices” affecting minorities who work at the station or watch its programs.

But he said no date has been set yet for such actions by his group. That will be discussed today at a meeting of PUSH officials in Los Angeles, he said. PUSH says it is already is boycotting four other CBS-owned stations in New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Chicago.

Jackson spoke in a telephone interview after he and three local officials of PUSH met with executives of KCBS-TV, including David Percelay, vice president and station manager.

Jackson said he requested the meeting to “reiterate our concerns” about what he called the lack of minority representation at KCBS. He also sought, he said, information on its employment record with respect to blacks, other minorities and women, particularly in management, anchor and reporting positions, and in areas of policy-making and program decisions.

‘A Cordial Exchange’

A KCBS spokeswoman said the station had no comment on Jackson’s warning of a boycott.

“We agreed to attend (the meeting) and listen to his concerns,” she said. “It was a cordial exchange, and we expressed our view that we’ve acted responsibly in our relationships with the minority communities we serve as a local television station.”

She also said the station gave information about KCBS’ minority employment record to Jackson’s group for study.

Melanie Lomax, a local PUSH representative who attended the meeting, said that KCBS officials promised to provide more information on the station’s employment record by the end of this month and that, once that is done, PUSH will seek another meeting.

‘Written Proposal’

At that time, she said, the group “would make a written proposal that addresses our concerns and hopefully would resolve this matter.”

Jackson said the aim of PUSH is to get all five CBS-owned stations to reflect--both within the stations and in their programs--the “demographic makeup” of the areas they serve, including representation of minorities in the two standard ratings used by the stations.

CBS officials, while acknowledging that minorities were not well-represented in management in the past, say that PUSH’s complaints are unfounded now, and that it is committed to improving minority employment throughout the company.

Jackson, who disputes that, said delegates from PUSH chapters in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Chicago will meet with him next week in Chicago to “work out a national plan for boycotting until we receive equity in employment.”

Jackson was in Los Angeles to attend a benefit banquet for needy children.