After a decade of covering issues of equality and opportunity in Detroit, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson has left WDET, the city's public radio station. According to The Detroit News, Henderson's departure follows the conclusion of a challenging contract negotiation, in which the station proposed reducing his "Created Equal" program to a weekly format, a change Henderson felt would limit the show's scope.
Henderson's show, which has been the station's most-listened-to local program, is now set to be discontinued. In a Facebook statement, Henderson expressed his disappointment with what he called the station’s "disinvestment" in the show. "Budgets are moral documents - statements of our values and priorities, reflections of the things we hold dear and those we see as expendable. WDET has chosen not to give Created Equal what it needs to thrive," Henderson wrote, as reported by Metro Times.
The station is undergoing various changes, notably the expansion of "The Metro" and the addition of new music programming, which is part of a wider strategy to invigorate local content. Notably, this push comes at a time when listener and member support is crucial to the financial stability of the station, especially before their Holiday On-Air Fundraiser. WDET General Manager Mary Zatina stated that the plan to implement these staffing and programming changes ahead of the fundraiser was made in the spirit of transparency, as covered by BridgeDetroit.
With "Created Equal" leaving the airwaves, the programming changes reflect WDET's efforts to adapt to a challenging financial environment. Henderson has stated that he will focus on other projects, including his work with BridgeDetroit, his role as host of "American Black Journal" on Detroit PBS, and his collaboration with Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley on the Great Lakes Civility Project. Henderson and Finley are also working on a book, scheduled for publication by Wayne State University in spring 2025, according to BridgeDetroit.
As Henderson concludes his 10-year tenure at WDET, the station plans to expand its local programming. This shift comes as Detroit, along with national media, faces challenges in addressing community needs amid inequalities and the economic pressures impacting journalism in the digital age, issues that were central to Henderson's program. WDET's local engagement will continue under this new approach, though it will no longer feature Henderson's daily discussions on equality and opportunity.
