This song is about the British journalist and presenter, Sangita Myska. On Friday more than 100 media personalities, activists, broadcasters and lawyers signed a letter in support of her, and there is a petition circulating (https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-sa...) that has more than 37,250 signatures requesting her reinstatement to her radio show at the commercial phone-in and talk station LBC – part of the dominant Global media consortium. Myska, an award-winning former BBC journalist, had her weekend show contract abruptly terminated and was ‘disappeared’ with no explanation on 20 April – suspiciously soon after a robust interview with an Israeli government spokesperson. The fact that no-one offered a plausible justification for her treatment, and that she was not allowed a final show, is in keeping with the brutal reality that the commercial media world (like others) is gagged by the plague of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).

Details of the background here: https://www.itv.com/news/2024-05-09/o....

The classic original by Blondie, of course, which puts a three-syllable female name at the centre of the song, felt a great fit – not least because one of Myska’s early interventions was a programme, “What’s In A Name?” (2012) that considers names, fitting in, and labelling. Debbie Harry sang the original in 1999 which was a No. 1 in the UK, written by keyboardist Jimmy Destri.

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LYRICS:

The others seem all there!
You’ve been kicked off the air
Ooh, it makes us wonder why
They’ve all signed NDAs
And it’s awkward cos no one can say
Ooh, degrading James O’Brien!

Ooh, don't you wanna hear her?
You wanna reach her on the phone?

Sangita
You’ve got a censor
Can’t explain, just dumped and maligned
It's been a
Bad spell for media
A corporation stifling rights

We've seen this thing before
It starts with one, then they’re at YOUR door
Don’t ask questions, don’t inquire
So Global should explain:
Is the Stasi coming back again?
If not that, then why d’ya fire her?

It’s not just about her…
Ooh, it’s the way the media’s owned…

Sangita
Did they mistreat her?
Petition that thousands have signed
We see ya!
Sangita Myska
There’s thousands concerned ‘bout your plight

Ooh, do her colleagues hate her?
Ooh, will she find another home?

She talked nice and was fair
Put tough questions everywhere
Ooh, it’s what more hosts should try

Sangita
They’ve got to free her
It’s insane she can’t speak her mind
Obscene - a
Free speech controller
We need a fourth estate that’s not blind

Sangita
You’ve got a censor
Can’t explain, just dumped and maligned
It's been a
Bad spell for media
A corporation stifling rights

[repeat]



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