Showing posts with label black media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black media. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

BYRON ALLEN'S ALLEN MEDIA GROUP WINS SIGNIFICANT LEGAL VICTORY IN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION-BASED LAWSUIT AGAINST MCDONALD'S

Byron Allen's Allen Media Group (AMG) divisions Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. ("Entertainment Studios") and Weather Group, LLC ("Weather Group") won a significant legal victory in federal court on Friday, September 16, 2022. The AMG lawsuit initially filed on May 20, 2021 against McDonald's Corporation ("McDonald's") seeks $10 billion in damages for racial discrimination. According to the lawsuit, McDonald's intentionally discriminated against AMG divisions Entertainment Studios and Weather Group through a pattern of racial stereotyping and refusals to contract in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and the California Aruh Civil Rights Act, Cal. Civil Code § 51.5. On Friday, September 16, 2022, defendant McDonald's was denied a Motion to Dismiss by Judge Fernando M. Olguin of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The case will now proceed to trial before a jury in May 2023.

McDonald's is the world's leading global food service retailer with over 39,000 locations that generate over $100 billion in annual revenue. African Americans represent approximately 40 percent of McDonald's U.S. sales, with McDonald's taking billions of dollars each year from African American consumers. Per the lawsuit, of its approximately $1.6 billion annual advertising budget, McDonald's spends less than approximately $5 million each year on African American-owned media, and it has refused to advertise on Entertainment Studios networks or The Weather Channel since Allen acquired the network in 2018. Per the lawsuit, the McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski makes approximately $11 million per year, which is more than double what McDonald's spends per year on ALL of Black-owned media combined.

The lawsuit (case number 2:21-cv-04972-FMO-MAA Entertainment Studios Networks, Inc. et al v. McDonald's USA, LLC) alleges that McDonald's refusal to contract is the result of racial stereotyping through McDonald's tiered advertising structure that differentiates on the basis of race. The primary advertising tier for McDonald's is referred to as "general market" and it constitutes the vast majority of McDonald's advertising budget. McDonald's, however, created a separate "African American" tier with a much smaller budget and less-favorable pricing and other terms. McDonald's contracts with a separate ad agency, Burrell Communications, for this African American tier, thereby creating separate and unequal tracks for Black-owned media companies to earn advertising revenue. McDonald's has created a discriminatory environment that is separate but not equal.

According to the lawsuit, McDonald's relegated Entertainment Studios to the less-favorable African American tier even though the companies own and operate television networks that have general market appeal and do not specifically target African American audiences. McDonald's does so because the companies are owned by Allen, an African American. Through this stereotyping, McDonald's prevented Entertainment Studios and Weather Group from accessing McDonald's general market advertising budget and deprived the companies of advertising revenue that otherwise would have been paid if McDonald's treated the companies the same as similarly situated, White-owned companies.

Numerous key points from the court ruling (see attached PDF) that are favorable to the AMG/Entertainment Studios/Weather Group position include, on page 11 of its opinion, the court recognized that racist comments by senior executives—even if not directed to the plaintiff—can evidence racial bias to support a racial discrimination claim under Section 1981. The lawsuit alleges that senior McDonald's executives, including its current CEO, made racially derogatory comments that evidence a culture of racial hostility within the company.

"This is about economic inclusion of African American-owned businesses in the U.S. economy. McDonald's takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. The biggest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between White corporate America and Black America, and McDonald's is guilty of perpetuating this disparity. The economic exclusion must stop immediately," said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. "McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski got caught sending racist text messages and McDonald's has been sued by the Black franchisees, the Black executives, the Black employees, the Black vendors, and 52 percent of the McDonald's stockholders recently voted to hire a third-party firm to investigate McDonald's for civil rights violations. This is historic!!! The overt and systemic racism at McDonald's is undeniable and indefensible. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's Chief Marketing Officer Morgan Flatley, and the Board of Directors must be fired."

"As alleged in our complaint, McDonald's has engaged in pernicious racial discrimination in violation of federal and state law," said counsel for Mr. Allen and his companies, David Schecter and Skip Miller, partners in Miller Barondess, LLP. "We are confident the jury will recognize the injustice that has occurred here and will award significant damages. We are looking forward to our day in court."

Saturday, June 04, 2022

Rep. Hank Johnson calls on U.S. government to spend more with Black Press

Four years after D.C. Democratic Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton publicly condemned federal agencies after a Government Accountability Office report revealed they spend very little of their advertising dollars with Black-owned media, another member of the Congressional Black Caucus has openly aired the concerns.

“The federal government spends billions of dollars a year in paid advertising. However, the federal government’s process for allocating advertising dollars fails to recognize and value the unique relationship that Black-owned media have with their audiences,” Georgia Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden.

Co-signed by Norton, Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Val Demings (D-Fla.), and 34 other members of Congress, the letter pointed out that the standard process for spending federal advertising dollars consists of giving a prime contract to a large White-owned advertising agency with the stipulation that the agency includes a multicultural agency as a subcontractor.

“However, the prime contractor controls how much money goes to the subcontractor and how that subcontractor spends that money,” Johnson wrote.

“This routinely results in a smaller fraction of federal dollars going to the subcontractors. And, when the subcontractor does get to spend money, it is usually directed to spend that money with Black-targeted media and not with Black-owned media.”

He asserted that “successful Black businesses hire and promote Black Americans at a much higher rate than other businesses. They are, consequently, the key to building successful Black communities.”

In 2018, Norton commissioned a GAO report that revealed that the federal government spent more than $5 billion on advertising over five years. Still, Black-owned businesses received only $51 million, or 1.02 percent of those funds.

“I will work with minority publishers to press [my colleagues] in Congress to demand greater spending on minority-owned outlets to reach minority audiences that most traditional outlets do not,” Norton stated during a 2018 news conference with members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association on Capitol Hill.

“The GAO report showed, as we expected, that the federal government has a long way to go to ensure equal opportunities for minority-owned news outlets,” Norton continued.

“As the nation’s largest advertiser, the federal government has an obligation to provide advertising opportunities to news outlets and media companies owned or published by people of color.”

In April, dozens of federal agencies launched plans for more equity to open federal programs to more people and reduce racial disparities caused by government decisions.

“Advancing equity is not a one-year project. It’s a generational commitment,” Biden stated. “These plans are an important step forward, reflecting the Biden Harris administration’s work to make the promise of America real for every American, and I mean every American.”

In the Johnson-led letter, members of Congress have issued a request for Biden Administration to investigate and report back complex data on “the process by which they grant advertising contracts, and how they oversee those contracts after they are granted.”

“The federal government spends billions of dollars a year in paid advertising. However, the federal government’s process for allocating advertising dollars fails to recognize and value the unique relationship that Black-owned media have with their audiences,” Johnson wrote.

[SOURCE STLAMERICAN]

Friday, March 25, 2022

Black News Channel to Shut Down

Black News Channel has ceased operations two years after its initial launch, network president Princell Hair announced in an internal memo to staffers Friday.

BNC, which launched in February 2020 right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, will no longer deliver live programming as it plans to file for bankruptcy, according to Hair. The network will air previously recorded segments at least through the end of the month, said network officials.

“Unfortunately, due to challenging market conditions and global financial pressures, we have been unable to meet our financial goals, and the timeline afforded to us has run out,” Hair said in the memo. Hair also said the network was forced to endure “painful workforce reductions at all levels of the network” in an effort to achieve the goal of a “break-even” business.

“Please know that I am very thankful for all of your hard work and deep commitment to our mission. We have differentiated ourselves, and your achievements over these last two years should be an immense source of pride that you will carry throughout the rest of your careers," Hair said.

The network, co-founded by J.C. Watts, Jr., positioned itself as the only 24-hour news service targeted to African-American viewers when it launched with more than 50 million viewers in February 2020. BNC’s accessibility had grown to reach more than 250 million touchpoints, with carriage deals with such distributors as DirecTV, Comcast, Spectrum, Dish Network and Verizon Fios, according to the network.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

New Black Anime Website Launches

Over the past decade, anime has become a sweeping sensation in the United States, especially in the African American community. This has sparked a desire for more black anime characters to be seen and for their stories to be told in the visually captivating art style that originated in Japan. Answering the call is Black Streak Entertainment. Their new website blackstreakanime.com puts the studio’s African American anime centric comics, manga, and merchandise on display for the world to indulge.

“We are answering the internet’s growing desire to see more black anime characters and black comics,” says Terry L Raimey, CEO and Co-Founder of Black Streak Entertainment. “We have been anime fans for decades, so it’s wonderful that we can tell stories from our African American perspectives using this amazing art style.”

“As a black manga artist, it’s important for me to present both black female anime characters and black male anime characters in ways that have never been seen before,” says Justin Raimey, President and Co-Founder of Black Streak Entertainment. “This means being creative and stepping outside the box that black manga characters and black superheroes are usually placed in.”

Black Streak Entertainment’s diverse black anime properties include The Legend of Tsakanin, an action adventure fantasy comic inspired by West African mythology; Black Quest, a medieval fantasy themed side-scrolling beat ‘em up video game; Dusty Dirty Days, a comedy manga starring two dust bunny sisters turned landlords in a shady neighborhood occupied by insect residents; and Fiji Random, a comedy manga about a teenage game addicted slacker and her wacky high school misadventures.

Learn more about Black Streak Entertainment at https://blackstreakanime.com/. A portion of every sale will be donated to African American youth organizations.

Monday, January 06, 2020

Black News Channel to launch during Black History Month

BLACK NEWS CHANNEL TO LAUNCH DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Tallahassee, Florida—December 31, 2019--Black News Channel (BNC) announced today that it has updated the launch of the nation’s only African American news network to Black History Month on February 10, 2020. Network executives previously announced plans to launch to an audience significantly larger than its original projections. The Black History Month launch provides the time necessary to build out the distribution platforms, apps, and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate this historic event.

“Black History Month is an appropriate time to launch the Black News Channel”, Bob Brillante, co-founder and CEO for BNC shared. “We are committed to make sure that when our viewers tune in they are witness to a quality viewing experience.”

J.C. Watts, chairman and co-founder for BNC added, “Our technicians, crew and launch partners are working overtime to make sure that the additional pieces are in place to provide our African American audience with the programming that tells more of our story in a way that is not provided by current news outlets. We will make history together as we launch February 10, 2020 to more than 70 million homes and devices.”

BNC plans to release more information in January about how and where customers can view the network’s programming.

###

About BNC

Black News Channel is an independent network that is minority owned and operated, and it will be the nation’s only provider of 24/7 cable news programming dedicated to covering the unique perspective of African American communities. BNC is the endeavor of the network’s visionaries and co-founders, Chairman J.C. Watts, Jr. and CEO Bob Brillante. BNC will provide access to information and educational programming to meet the specific needs of this growing and dynamic community that is a major consumer of subscription television services. BNC will provide an authentic, new voice that represents African Americans in mainstream media and fosters political, economic, and social discourse; the network will be one voice representing the many voices of African Americans. BNC’s programming will illuminate truth about the unique challenges facing urban communities and help close the “image gap” that exists today between the negative black stereotypes perpetuated by mainstream media news and our enterprising African American communities.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Chicago Defender cease print publication, moves iconic news content to digital platform



The Chicago Defender, launched in 1905 by John Sengstacke Abbott, was originally a four-page, six column handbill. Producing news of interest to the black community, it became a vocal advocate for issues of the day, including the migration north, anti-lynching legislation, and for integrated sports.  And it was the first newspaper to have a section devoted to children, the Bud Billiken Page.  The Defender had its ups and downs, its slowdowns and rebirths across the century.
It was at one point the largest African American newspaper in the world and the first to achieve national distribution in the country. It went from a weekly publication to a daily, and back to a weekly. John Sengstacke, nephew of the founder, took over the paper.  He was a mover and shaker in the community:  he brought together the publishers of African American newspapers and organized them into the NNPA; he acted as a counsel to presidents, and was instrumental in advocating for integration in the armed forces. After his death in 1997, who the paper was bought by Real Times Media.
The Defender was always in the forefront of the struggle for racial equality in Chicago and beyond, and it continues that role today and will in the future.
The Chicago Defender is now embracing the next generation for media, moving toward a digital platform. Real Times Media, which acquired the Chicago Defender in 2003, announced that on July 11 the paper will evolve from a printed newspaper and relaunch as a digitally-focused content platform dedicated to online editorial, premiere events, custom publishing, and archival merchandising.
“It is no secret that the media and publishing landscape has shifted drastically and the pace of change continues at dizzying speeds,” said Hiram E. Jackson, chief executive officer of Real Times Media. “That is why, over the past few years, we’ve made significant investments in digital media. The Defender already has a digital daily edition, one that reaches hundreds of thousands of readers weekly.  We are just continuing that trajectory for the Defender.”
Real Times Media is an innovator in the African American news and entertainment space. “For more than 10 years we have developed new ways of reaching and touching our community, particularly through targeted events,” said Jackson.
Readers of the Chicago Defender will be able to get their news daily online, rather than waiting for the weekly paper to come out.  Research has shown that those who look to the Defender for news, entertainment and information want the flexibility of receiving that content when and how they want it and digital is the preferred format.
 “We understand that to some of our loyal readers, this rite of passage is a painful one. However, we are committed to preserving the legacy of the Chicago Defender and are excited to be making this bold step to ensure its vitality for the next 100 years,” said Jackson “We remain committed to being an iconic news organization, but we must double-down in the areas where we are seeing growth. Ceasing print operations allows us to do that. And readers of the Defender are now all over the city, reaching them online is a win-win for all of us.”
“The Chicago Defender will lead the way in reinvigorating news delivery for the African American press, one that makes business sense in this digital age,” said Jackson.  “This trailblazing move will allow the Defender to not only continue, but to thrive. All of us at Real Times Media are excited about this next act.”
Although the Chicago Defender will no longer print a weekly edition, it will continue to highlight pivotal moments via special print editions to create more capacity to actively engage with the community.  With this transition, the publication will retain its existing editorial and management staff and continue to offer its signature events — Men of Excellence, Women of Excellence, the relaunch of Who’s Who in Black Chicago, and activities surrounding the Bud Billiken Parade. Additionally, the money saved by not producing a print edition will go back into developing more content on a daily basis.
Currently the Defender prints 16,000 weekly papers, but it has almost half a million unique monthly visitors to its website.
 “There is so much opportunity for the Chicago Defender, on a digital platform, to grow nationally and become a premier player in the African American media space,” adds Jackson.


The Defender’s final weekly issue in print is scheduled to hit newsstands on July 10, 2019. The brand will seamlessly begin publishing daily content of interest to the Chicago community on July 11 at www.chicagodefender.com.


NABJ Names Karen Attiah 2019 Journalist of the Year


WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2019) –“Bold, fearless and timely” are words used by fellow journalists to describe the work of Karen Attiah, the 2019 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Journalist of the Year.
 
The annual award recognizes a black journalist who has amassed a distinguished body of work with extraordinary depth, scope and significance to the people of the African Diaspora.
 
The Journalist of the Year Award will be presented to Attiah duringNABJ’s National Convention & Career Fair, which will be held Aug. 7-11 in Miami, Florida. More information is available at NABJConvention.com.
 
Attiah is the Global Opinions editor for The Washington Post, where she commissions and edits commentary on global issues from a variety of international writers and often writes on issues relating to race, gender and international politics, with a special interest in Africa. Attiah is a previous winner of NABJ’s Salute to Excellence Award in Digital Commentary and is the recipient of the 2019 George C. Polk Special Award. She recently received an honorary doctorate from Dickinson College for her contributions to the field of journalism.
 
 
“NABJ is proud to recognize Karen Attiah as the 2019 Journalist of the Year,” said NABJ President Sarah Glover. “Karen has courageously used her commitment to her craft to provide thought-provoking commentary and insights that have led to positive dialogue and the visibility of issues that have not only impacted people of color and minority communities, but also journalists around the globe. I’m especially proud to see how Karen has propelled the tragedy of her writer’s death into a purpose-driven calling to further the cause for press freedom.”
 
In 2018, Attiah was celebrated for raising her voice and using the power of her pen to bring attention to and offer ongoing coverage of the murder of fellow Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Attiah’s reporting of Khashoggi’s death helped bring international coverage to the political persecution he faced as a journalist, which caused him to flee Saudi Arabia in 2017. Her work also inspired ongoing global dialogue about protecting the role of the free press.
 
"This is a huge honor to receive the NABJ Journalist of the Year award. To be invited to be in the company of black journalists, writers and storytellers who have broken barriers and paved the way for me to be in this field is nothing short of incredible,” said Attiah, upon being notified of her recognition. “But most importantly, after the murder of my colleague and friend Jamal Khashoggi, this recognition is a humbling call to action –that I must help to honor his legacy by speaking and writing against oppression and injustice around the world."
 
In her acclaimed editorial “'I can’t breathe’: The power and tragedy of Jamal Khashoggi’s last words,” Attiah provides a sobering description of how her fellow columnist’s last words eerily echoed the last words of Eric Garner. She highlighted the devastating “cruelty with which lives, and dreams, have been asphyxiated” at the hands of “people in power.” Garner died in 2014 in police custody, after an NYPD officer put him in a chokehold.
 
Attiah has leveraged her platform to bring light to systematic issues that gravely impact the black community worldwide. In the editorial “Christine Ford, Anita Hill and the dangerous myth of the strong black woman,” Attiah wrote about how institutions have historically mistreated black women when it comes to sexual abuse and exploitation by using “perceived strength” as an excuse to not see them as “vulnerable or effective witnesses to their own pain,” even in the era of “me too.”
 
Attiah has also used her writings to underscore the importance of diversity in media. In her editorial “Why did it take Vogue 125 years to have a black photographer shoot a cover?" she discussed the challenges black photographers face in a predominantly white industry and also emphasized that the importance of diversity in powerful publications should become a norm and not just a milestone.
 
“Karen has been a tireless force—as editor, writer and video journalist—to bring new voices, diverse viewpoints and critical issues to our readers and viewers,” said Fred Hiatt, Washington Post Editorial Page editor. “Last year, in the face of a state-sponsored murder that represented personal loss to her as well as professional loss to all of us, Karen refused to bow or be cowed. She helped ensure that the crime would not be forgotten or excused but that, on the contrary, it would become a marker in the struggle for free expression everywhere.”
 
Attiah will receive the Journalist of the Year Award at the NABJ Salute to Excellence Gala during the NABJ Convention on Saturday, Aug. 10, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa. The awards ceremony is the only event in the United States that honors exemplary coverage of African/African-American people or issues exclusively. The Salute to Excellence Gala also highlights the work of media organizations and individuals involved in print, broadcast and online journalism, marketing and communications.
 
Click here to purchase tickets or register for the #NABJ19 Convention.
 
Media Contact:
 
Kanya Stewart
Director of Communications
kstewart@NABJ.org


Friday, June 28, 2019

Rickey Smiley To Replace The Tom Joyner Morning Show In January 2020


June 28, 2019 – Today on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, Tom introduced listener favorite Rickey Smiley as the successor to the morning anchor position established by Tom over the course of 25 years. Joyner, who is retiring at the end of the year, acknowledged that Smiley has established himself as a trusted leader on-air and in the community with his current show, captivating audiences with his authentic humor but also his unique perspective on topics important to his audience. Smiley also announced that Eva Marcille and Gary Wit Da Tea would be among the on-air cast members joining him to broadcast out of the Dallas studios beginning January 2020. Additional details about the show will be shared in the coming months. 

Joyner reflected on his accomplishments and the future“I’m happy to see the landscape of Urban AC morning radio continue to expand with Rickey, and I’m proud of the doors the Tom Joyner Morning Show opened. Twenty-five years ago, there was no template for a syndicated Urban radio show and we worked hard to prove that we could successfully produce and market a national platform that would entertain, inform and empower African-American listeners. We broke some ground, raised the bar for what audiences expected from Black radio all while partying with a purpose. Yeah, we’ve done a lot but there’s still a lot left to be done. I’m confident that Rickey’s activism along with his love for radio, the community, and HBCUs, will pick up where we left off.” 

Making the announcement public, Rickey Smiley shared his excitement“It’s an honor to continue the legacy of my boss and frat brother Tom Joyner. Not only has he been a friend to my family and me over the years, but we consider him family. Tom’s mentorship has instilled in me valuable wisdom that I will carry with me through this new morning show.” 

  
David Kantor, Reach Media and Radio One CEO, acknowledged the collaboration, “Tom changed the entire urban radio marketplace. He entertained and educated multiple generations of listeners over the last 25 years. While there is and will always be only one Tom Joyner, we are excited that Rickey will be moving to Urban AC in January. Like Tom, Rickey’s talent, community consciousness and commitment to his audience will serve his listeners well.” 



Wednesday, April 24, 2019

AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (AAFCA) ANNOUNCES THE FIRST ANNUAL AAFCA TV HONORS



The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) today announced the creation of the AAFCA TV HONORS, an annual awards fete celebrating outstanding achievement in television.  The first annual event will take place as a luncheon on August 11th at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey and will hand out honors in seven categories, as determined by AAFCA’s awards committee including:
Drama of the Year
A drama series, limited series, documentary series, television movie or otherwise that stands out for its quality and cultural significance
Comedy of the Year
A comedy series, limited series, television movie or special that stands out for its quality and cultural significance
Discovery of the Year
This award may be given to an actor, creator or project that stands out as a groundbreaker or gamechanger in the television landscape
Actor of the Year
An actor whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary
Actress of the Year
An actress whose work during the calendar year has been extraordinary
Icon Award
Recognizes a veteran of television who has forged a path in greatness
Inclusion Award
Recognizes a network or production entity that demonstrates a powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion
Recipients of the honors will be announced on June 6 via press release and on AAFCA’s website.
The AAFCA TV Honors joins the organization’s existing awards events that take place in the first quarter of each year — the AAFCA Special Achievement Luncheon which honors extraordinary individuals working in both film and television who represent the best of the entertainment industry including journalists, executives, storytellers and performers and the AAFCA Awards, now in its tenth year, which recognizes outstanding achievement in film.  Dates for both of these events will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited to expand on our established tradition of celebrating excellence across the Hollywood landscape,” stated AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson, “It’s a thrilling time for television in terms of quality and influence, especially as networks take huge strides forward in reflecting diversity and inclusion in their programming.  This new wave of innovative, thought-provoking storytelling is inspiring and deserving of celebration.”
ABOUT AAFCA
Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora. The organization’s primary mission is to cultivate understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contributions of African descended talent to cinematic and television culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined breakthroughs of future generations.  AAFCA members are a geographically diverse cross-section of journalists, covering all genres of the cinematic arts, while representing multiple mediums – including print, TV, radio broadcast and online. Collectively, they reach a worldwide audience in excess of 100 million. As a non-profit organization, AAFCA is committed to numerous educational and philanthropic efforts, particularly those that foster and celebrate diversity and inclusion. For more information on AAFCA and its programs visit http://AAFCA.com.


Thursday, March 28, 2019

Only black reporters allowed in Georgia mayoral race event

Organizers of a meeting to discuss an upcoming mayoral race in Georgia barred reporters from attending — unless they were African-American.

The Wednesday meeting at a church in Savannah was held to try to unite the city's black community behind a single candidate for mayor in the Nov. 5 election. Signs at the door said "Black Press Only!"

White reporters were denied entry, while at least two black reporters and the publisher of a local African-American newspaper were allowed inside, the Savannah Morning News reported . Television cameras and recording devices were also prohibited.

The newspaper said the Rev. Clarence Teddy Williams, who organized the meeting, declined to discuss the entry policy.

Van Johnson, a Savannah city councilman and one of three black mayoral candidates to have announced campaigns so far, attended the Wednesday meeting at Bolton Street Baptist Church. Johnson said afterward he relayed "my vision for an inclusive Savannah, a progressive Savannah."

Asked by a local TV station about only black reporters being allowed inside, Johnson said: "It's not my meeting. Again, I was asked to come give a statement, and so I came and I gave a statement."

Louis Wilson, who says he's running for mayor again after an unsuccessful 2015 campaign, also attended the meeting.

Regina Thomas, a former Georgia state senator and one of the incumbent mayor's black challengers, skipped the church gathering Wednesday. She said the meeting appeared divisive and was scheduled too early in the campaign. The deadline for candidates to sign up for the race is Aug. 23. Thomas said she also had a scheduling conflict: her Bible study group met Wednesday night.

[SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS]

Thursday, March 14, 2019

THE DL HUGHLEY SHOW Premieres March 18th on TV One



Noted comedian, actor and REACH Media Syndicated Radio host, DL Hughley is bringing his own brand of comedy and commentary to TV One with his new nighttime talk show THE DL HUGHLEY SHOW, premiering Monday, March 18 at 11/10C PM. The show will air four nights a week, Monday through Thursday.
Hughley is one of the most unapologetic voices of our time and does not shy away from controversy. THE DL HUGHLEY SHOW dives head first into hot topics of the day and dishes on the latest news, entertainment, pop culture and what's trending in social media.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to expand my radio show and bring it to a late night television audience,” said DL Hughley. “I want to talk about things that matter to our community and this show will mirror what everyone is talking about every day.”
Always insightful and informative, Hughley and his co-host Jasmine Sanders use humor to deliver everything from hard news to lighter fare. Featuring stories relevant to a rapidly evolving African American community, the one-hour show, which is a hybrid of Hughley's existing radio show and fresh content created specifically for a nighttime audience, will offer everything from covering the day’s major headlines and roundtable discussions to celebrity guest interviews and comedy bits.
“We are excited to grow our partnership with an amazing talent like DL Hughley, who’s already a part of our Urban One family,” said Michelle Rice, TV One General Manager. “DL will courageously shine a light on the issues facing black America with his unique brand of humor, intelligence and thought-provoking perspective.”
Shot in a stylized studio, the look and feel of THE DL HUGHLEY SHOW is patterned after a traditional radio show, adapted for television and will be taped in-studio four days a week from Burbank, CA.
THE DL HUGHLEY SHOW is produced for TV One by Pygmy Wolf Productions with DL Hughley and KP Anderson serving as Executive Producers. Sonya Vaughn and Charlie Gerencer serve as Co-Executive Producers and Jade Mills serves as Executive in Charge of Production. Melanie Massie serves as Talent Producer. For TV One, Susan Henry and Regina Thomas serve as Executive Producers in Charge of Production.
For more information about the DL HUGHLEY SHOW, visit TV One’s microsite at https://tvone.tv/show/the-d-l-hughley-show and check out exclusive, behind the scenes content.TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@tvonetv) using the hash tags #THEDLHUGHLEYSHOW, #TVONE and #REPRESENT.


Thursday, February 21, 2019

2019 American Black Film Festival to be held in Miami Beach June 12–16


The 23rd annual American Black Film Festival will be held in Miami Beach June 12–16, 2019. Learn more, get passes and tickets here: http://www.abff.com/ 
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is an annual event dedicated to empowering black artists and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent. Committed to the belief that diverse artists deserve the same opportunities as their mainstream counterparts, ABFF founder Jeff Friday conceived the festival in 1997 as a vehicle to strengthen the black filmmaking community by encouraging resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration. He ultimately envisioned it as a cornerstone of diversity in Hollywood.
For more than two decades the festival has been a platform for emerging black artists — premiering the early work and showcasing the talent of many of today’s most successful actors, producers, writers, directors and stand-up comedians — including Halle Berry (Monsters Ball), Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Will Packer (Girls Trip), Issa Rae (Insecure), Kevin Hart (Night School), Kerry Washington (Scandal), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II). ABFF is the pre-eminent pipeline for black artists in front of and behind the camera, and has significantly expanded the range of talent working in entertainment.
As “the nation’s largest gathering of black film and television enthusiasts” the festival attracts a broad audience of A-list talent, emerging artists, upscale consumers and industry stakeholders. Approximately 7,000 to 10,000 people travel to Miami Beach each year for the event. The five-day festival opens with the premiere of an upcoming Hollywood release followed by independent film screenings, master classes, panels, celebrity talks, live entertainment, and a variety of networking and hospitality events.
The ABFF’s dynamic programming continues to evolve. In recent years, it has extended beyond the inclusion of television-related content to launch the Business of Entertainment seminar series co-programmed with leading media and technology companies.
In 2017, the ABFF launched its Greenlighters Academy, a pipeline program for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities with an interest in pursuing corporate careers in film, television and entertainment media. The 2019 festival will introduce About Women, a global initiative focused on empowering and inspiring women of color in the film and television industry. ABFF will also unveil a new section showcasing films based on cause-related topics impacting communities of color.
The American Black Film Festival is a property of ABFF Ventures LLC (ABFFV), a multifaceted entertainment company specializing in the production of live events, television and film focused on African American culture. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company is a joint venture of Film Life Inc. and Black Enterprise, two prominent media and event companies, each with legacies of showcasing the best of African American culture and achievement.


Wednesday, June 06, 2018

Help this legendary black radio host get into the radio Hall of Fame


Joe "The Black Eagle" Madison is a radio talk show host and civil rights activist.   On his show he covers issues of interest to the black community that many on radio, or TV for that matter do not cover. For close to 40 years he has challenged his audience to do better and be politically and socially active. Now he has been nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame. To get in he needs our votes. 
So lets help this man who gives so much to his community get into the hall of fame by texting 600 to 96000. Let's give him so many votes that when he sees the tally he says something that makes him have to put money in the swear jar! 

George L. Cook III African American Reports.
Joe Madison is a groundbreaking radio personality and civil rights activist who has devoted his career to raising awareness about issues around the world, encouraging dialogue among people of different backgrounds, and raising money to support multicultural education and institutions. Known as“The Black Eagle,” Joe can be heard weekday mornings on SiriusXM’s Urban View.
While majoring in sociology at Washington University, Joe was an All-Conference running back and baritone soloist with the University’s concert choir.
As a young adult, Joe worked in urban affairs at Seymour & Lundy Associates and was active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). At age 24, he became the youngest executive director of the NAACP’s Detroit branch, then rose to the position of director of the NAACP Political Action Department in 1978 before becoming a member of the national board.
Joe’s radio career began in 1980 at Detroit’s WXYZ-AM. In the early 1990s, he joined an otherwise white lineup at WWRC-AM. There, he worked to develop crossover appeal while discussing racial and other issues with the station’s multiracial audience. In the late 1990s, Joe started his own online talk show before moving to Washington, D.C.’s WOL-AM. The popularity of this led to syndication on the Radio One Talk Network and its XM satellite channel.
Joe uses his show as a platform for inspiring action on critical issues affecting the African American community. In 2013 and 2014, he hosted a series about the 1960s civil rights movement, featuring guests like the Reverend Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon Johnson. In 2015, Joe set a Guinness World Recordfor the longest on-air broadcast, 52 hours, which raised more than $200,000 for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Joe has also brought international attention to the struggles of the Sudanese people through 90 days of peaceful protests outside of the U.S. Embassy in Washington, D.C. He delivered survival kits to refugees and freed Sudanese people being held as slaves. In 2015, he led a campaign to secure a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame for comedian, activist, and former St. Louisan Dick Gregory.
A Fellow of the William Greenleaf Eliot Society, Joe has generously supported scholarships, athletics, and the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University. He has interviewed students for admission to Washington University for over 20 years.
Joe lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Sharon. The couple has four children and five grandchildren.


Tuesday, January 09, 2018

Tavis Smiley returning with new inspirational series

Less than a month after PBS dropped Tavis Smiley's talk show following reported inappropriate relationships with subordinates, Smiley on Monday announced a deal to go back to work with a new series about inspirational stories.

The program, The Upside With Tavis Smiley, will be streamed online and shown on The Word Network, a religious-oriented cable and satellite channel directed at black viewers.

By fashioning a new program focusing on inspirational stories instead of more general interest news and entertainment, Smiley will sidestep the issue of whether his downfall would make celebrities reluctant to be interviewed by him. By striking a digital distribution deal with the media company AerNow and a little-watched cable network, he also will be much less visible.

But Smiley said he believed that going digital positions him well for the future. He also said he will attract a younger audience than he was getting at PBS, and that he also has struck a deal for international distribution for The Upside and his production company's inventory of interviews that he conducted in the past.

[SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER]

Wednesday, January 03, 2018

ESSENCE Magazine Is Black-Owned Once Again


Essence Ventures LLC, an independent African-American owned company, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired Essence Communications from Time, Inc.
Essence President Michelle Ebanks praised the decision, saying, “This acquisition of ESSENCE represents the beginning of an exciting transformation of our iconic brand as it evolves to serve the needs and interests of multigenerational Black women around the world in an even more elevated and comprehensive way across print, digital, e-commerce and experiential platforms. In addition, it represents a critical recognition, centering and elevation of the Black women running the business from solely a leadership position to a co-ownership position.”

‘Ownership by the people’

Ebanks will continue to head up the company and will be on the board of directors.
“The strategic vision and leadership that Michelle has provided to ESSENCE over the years have been exemplary, and we are thrilled to work with her and her talented team to provide the necessary resources and support to continue to grow the engagement and influence of the ESSENCE brand and transform this business,” said Richelieu Dennis, founder and chairperson of Essence Ventures.
“As importantly, we are excited to be able to return this culturally relevant and historically significant platform to ownership by the people and the consumers whom it serves and offer new opportunities for the women leading the business to also be partners in the business.”
“We remain committed to leveraging our resources to provide opportunities for other culturally-rooted entrepreneurs and businesses that further our culture and create economic opportunities for our communities. Our focus here will be on ensuring that Essence reaches its full potential via heightened capabilities, technology, products and touch points that super-serve the interests of Black women locally and globally. We look forward to helping generate new opportunities that create more value across the ESSENCE portfolio with unmatched content, commerce and international access for the millions of women it serves, as well as exceptional value for our advertising partners and content creators.”

Monday, December 11, 2017

TV One Suspends Production of ‘NewsOne Now’

TV One, a cable network focused on African-American audiences, said it would suspend production of “NewsOne Now,” its daily morning news program anchored by host Roland S. Martin. The final live show is slated for Thursday, December 21.

The show, first conceived by TV One CEO Alfred Liggins, debuted in 2013, with a mission of offering a daily voice to African-Americans interested in important political and social issues.

“Providing a platform for Black voices is in the DNA of our entire company,” said Liggins, in a statement “We know there is a void in mainstream media and we plan to continue to be an outlet for Black news. Roland Martin will be a part of that plan.”

The program “struggled to attract a wide audience,” said Michelle L. Rice, the interim general manager of TV One, in a statement.”Like any other network, we had to make a difficult choice.” TV One began making adjustments to the show in recent weeks, but the show “did not gain traction with advertisers and viewers,” the network said. TV One intends to “restructure ‘NewsOne Now’ in 2018 under a new format that will better serve its audience and advertisers.” Some staff cuts took place as a result of the decision, the network said.

Martin is expected to stay on with TV One parent Urban One. “I am undoubtedly saddened by ‘NewsOne Now’ ending daily production,” said Martin, in a statement. “We set out to give America, specifically Black America, a show that spoke to our issues, concerns and unique perspective. And we did just that.”

[SOURCE: VARIETY]

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Black Celebrities, Athletes and Politicians Must Respect the Black Press

By Rosetta Miller-Perry, The Tennessee Tribune

Throughout history, the Black Press has been the best friend that Black celebrities, athletes and politicians have ever had. The Black Press often covers Black public figures from the very start of their careers, before they’re “discovered” by the mainstream media, all the way through to their ascension to star or leadership status. Before they became household names, had hit records, secured multi-million dollar contracts or became leaders in the United States Congress, it was the Black Press that was always there for their press conferences and events, often giving them extensive coverage when the mainstream media might only give them a brief mention in the B-section of their newspapers or 15 seconds at the end of an evening news segment.

When the mainstream media finally “discovers” these same Black celebrities, athletes and politicians and they attain a certain degree of fame and success, suddenly, they think it’s okay to snub the Black Press. Now they don't have time to give interviews to Black newspapers or magazines; there's no time to make the visits to Black radio stations, where they once made regular appearances; their (usually) White public relations and management staffers guard their time and appearances carefully, and shun Black-owned media.

This is a disgrace, because when things go bad and these Black celebrities want to get “their” side of the story out, the first place these folks run to is the Black Press. If there is a story about political corruption, infidelity or other alleged crimes involving a Black public figure, the mainstream media's attitude is usually “guilty until proven innocent.” It's the Black Press that usually takes the “innocent until proven guilty” approach, urging fairness and caution, telling readers, listeners and viewers to wait until all the evidence is in, frequently reminding folks of all the great things that their favorite hero did in the past.

The Black Press remains the advocate for Black celebrities, athletes and politicians, even now, despite the fact that so many of them seem oblivious to our existence. That is why, increasingly, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), the trade group that represents over 200 Black-owned media companies, that reach more than 20 million readers in print and online every week, is reminding these Black public figures that Black newspapers are their champions and defenders 24/7, and that we have backed them in good times and bad. While the classic case of a Black superstar, who ran away from the Black Press for years and then returned at the eleventh hour, remains O.J. Simpson, it is instructive to see how mainstream media is covering the NFL in the wake of Donald Trump’s garbage claims that the players are somehow "disrespecting the flag and the military" if they kneel during the playing of the national anthem, a claim that was and continues to be absolute nonsense.

The Black Press backed Colin Kaepernick's protest against oppression and police brutality from the beginning, and continues to do so. The Black Press supports Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett and other players who have responded positively in the wake of criticism. Black newspapers have printed the entire Star-Spangled Banner, including its verses supporting slavery including its verses supporting slavery, while many mainstream publications have bought into the Trump idiocy. When conservative newspapers and publications attacked ESPN commentator Jemele Hill for her tweets about Trump, it was the Black Press that offered unqualified support. We've been there through decades of attacks on Black leaders, and we remain vigilant to the constant character assassination and innuendos lodged against Black public figures at the local, state and national levels.

What the Black Press wants from Black celebrities, athletes and politicians is respect, fairness, transparency and the same access provided to mainstream media outlets. Don't just advertise in The New York Times or The Washington Post; also do business with NNPA member publications; continue to make appearances at Black radio stations; order subscriptions to Black publications, in print and online. Our subscriptions and advertising rates are more reasonable than those of the big corporate newspapers, and despite what some advertising firms say, we’re more trusted in the Black community than “general” market publications.

It’s time for the Black celebrities, athletes and politicians who say they value entrepreneurship and economic empowerment to do business with the Black Press.