Darrell & Wynna Faye

"Straight Talk" has been on the air at KOPN for the past twenty years. Radio audiences throughout mid-Missouri have been calling and telling how it is. "Straight Talk" airs at 4 PM every Saturday with phone lines always open for callers to speak their mind.

Wynna Faye Elbert, who has volunteered on the station's community advisory board and board of directors, decided to create the show so that certain issues could be addressed. Almeta Crayton, who is the current Columbia City Council Representative for Ward-1, joined the show subsequently.

"There was a concern that we didn't have anybody dealing with black issues." Each week, she invites listeners to give their opinions about local, regional and national issues. "People know that any issue that's current will be on the show," says Sarahbelle Jackson, who listens to the program regularly.

Topics on "Straight Talk" are always relevant such as discussions from 1991 about HIV and AIDS after Earvin "Magic" Johnson's revelation that he tested positive with HIV. In 1999 justice in New York and the Diallo case were hot topics. Local issues always keep the phones lit up.

Wynna Faye gets material for her show by reading, watching television and generally keeping her ears and eyes open. She recalls one discussion that she derived from a television show she had watched earlier that same day. "I saw Jim Brown on TV discussing how black people can empower themselves and control their destinies, so I just carried the discussion onto my show because it was relevant and timely."

Wynna Faye never schedules more than three shows monthly so she can leave room for rescheduling if and important topic comes up. "Straight Talk" is important to mid-Missouri because it airs valuable information and brings up important concerns. Local churches and organizations often use the show to publicize their events. Truly an asset to the Community, not just the black community but everyone who wants the "Straight Talk", Wynna Faye and Almeta bring the issues and your thoughts together.

The KOPN studio call-in line is: 443-TALK (573/443-8255).