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influential listeners use Johnson’s show to demonstrate how the collective voices
of the KKDA-AM audience and others in the community can make things happen,
as in the case with this call from Texas state Senator Royce West. West came on the
program to discuss a new law that helps telephone customers who are behind in
paying their bills: ‘T was able to amend a bill that requires telephone companies —
now listen to me, Wilhs — it requires telephone companies to divide those bills
between the local service and long-distance service,” West said. If a person is
behind in paying for long-distance service, the telephone company is not permitted
to cut off local service. West told the audience.
Final Stage: Motivation to Keep on Going
Bandura’s final stage, motivational processes, looks at motivation as the key
factor in ensuring that behaviors are reinforced. His schema, which develops
external, vicarious, and self reinforcements, makes these expected outcomes an
“important influence on future enactments.” (Tan, 248) Johnson’s interactive show
skillfully involves reinforcements of many kinds that are suggested by this model:
the social approval coming from external sources; the satisfaction experienced
vicariously when other listeners solve problems, and the internal rewards from
having acculturated the values and behaviors Johnson models.
Johnson’s influence with people in Dallas’ Black community extends beyond
his KKDA-AM morning program. He often speaks at social functions, with effects
that sometimes spill over onto the airwaves. The owner of a small catering business
says he was about ready to quit before hearing Johnson speak but now has renewed
determination: “Ever since then all I’ve been saying is Lord, have mercy, just
continue to give me strength...But I just wanted you to know I really appreciate
what you shared that night.”
Johnson was honored in 1997 by the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black
Communicators with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was for his many
community service activities since arriving at KKDA-AM in 1975 (Adams-Wade,
June 3, 1997).
Discussion: The Past as Future
Willis Johnson sees himself as the inheritor of a great tradition. He speaks
intensely and earnestly. “I grew up listening to a guy by the name of Matt Walker
in Tyler, Texas, on KZEY, and his diction wasn’t the greatest, his English wasn’t
the greatest, but he was a great com m unicator” (W. Johnson, personal
communication, Oct. 22, 1999).
Dowe remains optimistic that KKDA-AM can continue to provide its unique
service to the African-American community of Dallas-Fort Worth. “I think [KKDAAM can survive] as long as we have the support of K-104 and KRNB. I think