THE LATEST NEWS
Target Market News, R. L. Polk & Co. form agreement on African-American auto data

(February 8, 2010) Target Market News has announced it has signed an agreement with the premier provider of automotive information and marketing solutions, R. L. Polk & Co. to receive monthly data on African-American new car purchases. This marks the latest collaborative effort between the two companies to forge a better understanding of African-American consumers' impact on the automotive industry.

"We're excited about Polk's continued support in extending its expertise in auto industry research to those engaged in...
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Walgreens initiative gives recognition of black vendor partners in February

(February 5, 2010) Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain, today introduced its new Community Corner program designed to highlight the successes of minority-owned businesses. This first-of-its-kind supplier diversity initiative is designed to allow consumers to easily identify and purchase products produced by diverse...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of January 25 - 31
Grammy Awards attracted more black households than in '09, but Idol declined

(February 4, 2010) Music competitions topped viewing in black households for the last week in January. The first three spots on the Top 25 favorite black shows is the same as it was a year ago. The Grammy Awards drew 4.8 million black viewers, up 14 percent from 4.2 million in 2009. American Idol, however, lost audience compared with last year. The Wednesday show was again No.2 with three million black viewers, but down...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Jan. 25 - 31
Obama's first State of the Union raises CNN to Top 25 in prime time cable

(February 4, 2010) For his first official State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress, President Obama's remarks were highly anticipated. It was carried live on Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 9:00PM to approximately 10:20PM (ET) on 11 networks. The sum of average audience for those networks was 48,009,595 viewers, but was not recorded as part of their regular prime time offerings. The post-speech programs, however, were measured, and CNN was the only...
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BET to air critically acclaimed 'Ten9Eight' documentary Sunday, Feb. 7

(February 4, 2010) 50 Eggs Films today announced that BET and CENTRIC will broadcast the production company's newest film, TEN9EIGHT: Shoot for the Moon, on Super Bowl Sunday, February 7 at noon and February 8 at 8pm, respectively, as part of their special Black History Month programming. Throughout the month, BET and CENTRIC will pay homage to the remarkable accomplishments of African Americans during Black History Month with a superb lineup of...
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JET magazine unveils new logo, features and brand strategy

(February 3, 2010) JET magazine, the only national weekly African-American news magazine, announces today the most sweeping evolution in its history. The new brand strategy, said Johnson Publishing Co. officials, will make extensive use of  JET's connection with the Black community through timely information with a trusted point-of-view. Starting with the Feb. 15th...
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Boost Mobile debuts its first Super Bowl commercial using a bit of sports nostalgia

(February 2, 2010) Boost Mobile has built its position as a leader in telecommunications with marketing strategies heavily tied to urban music and culture. From its highly successful urban/hip-hop targeted 'Where You At?' ads to the recent, UNwrong'D campaign, the company has always sought to break new ground while breaking the rules.

Its latest innovation is its first-ever Super Bowl commercial, which will air during the first quarter of this weekend's Colts-Saints game...
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AT&T debuts 28 Days campaign with Web site, events for Black History Month

(February 2, 2010) AT&T has announced the launch of its 28 Days of inspiration campaign and Web site www.att.com/28days to celebrate the history, contributions and culture of African Americans this February, while at the same time looking to the future. The 28 Days campaign is an innovative program created by AT&T to highlight February as more than a reflection of the rich past, but an unimaginable footprint to what the future holds beyond Black History Month in the...
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Cable industry marks Black History Month with "Black Experience on Demand"

(February 2, 2010) In recognition of Black History Month in February, the nation's content providers and cable companies are providing digital cable customers with On Demand access to hundreds of programs and movies, specifically focused on the Black experience and history.

"By aggregating Cable On Demand content around an important theme like Black History Month and making it easy to find on the interactive guide, we're able to offer...
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BET Networks will present celebrity concert and telethon for Haiti on Feb. 5

(January 28, 2010) BET Networks, a division of Viacom will present a nationally televised concert and celebrity telethon aimed at several organizations providing immediate relief in Haiti, including Yele Haiti, CARE, Project Medishare and Children's Safe Drinking Water. The two hour telecast concert entitled, "SOS Saving OurSelves - Help for Haiti," will be hosted by Queen Latifah, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Pharrell and held at the...
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Essence Magazine launches yearlong celebration of its 40th anniversary

(January 28, 2010) ESSENCE will mark its 40th anniversary in 2010; beginning a year long celebration in honor of African-American women during Black History Month.   Specifically, ESSENCE will commemorate its 40th anniversary with initiatives aimed at helping Black women put themselves first, including new ESSENCE magazine features, Essence.com content and a series of special "ESSENCE Presents" events...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of January 18 - 24
Monday night becomes the new battleground for black cable viewers

(January 26, 2010) TBS continued to dominate the Top 25 chart of favorite cable shows among black viewers with its back-to-back Tuesday night block of Tyler Perry comedies. However, prime time Monday night is becoming a hotly contested arena for cable channels. With only CBS' "CSI: Miami" and...
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Harris Publications to launch 'Juicy,' a celebrity magazine for black women 

By Erik Sass
MediaPost.com
(January 27, 2010) However bad the state of the magazine industry and economy in general may be, there's always room for one more celebrity gossip title. At least that's what Harris Publications is betting with the launch of a brand-new newsstand-only celebrity magazine titled Juicy. Launching with a circulation of...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of January 18 - 24
Fox network rides playoff football, 'Idol' to season's biggest ratings week

(January 26, 2010) The Top 25 favorite shows in black households for the third week of January looked a lot like the week before. Football, American Idol, and CSI took the leading spots -- except the NFL was on not on CBS but Fox. And it wasn't just any football game. It was the final prime time match-up before Super Bowl on Feb. 7, and those...
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BET Networks releases comprehensive study, 'African Americans Revealed'

(January 26, 2010) BET Networks today released "African Americans Revealed," a comprehensive report on today's diverse black American population that dispels the myth of a monolithic group through segmented insights. According to the findings, the importance of family, relationships, empowerment, spirituality and access to education and opportunity is still a common thread throughout...
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Sanders\Wingo agency names Trenzio Turner Senior Vice President and Partner

(January 25, 2010) Sanders\Wingo, one of the country's leading innovative urban marketing agencies, is pleased to announce Trenzio Turner has been named Senior Vice President and agency partner.
 
A five-year member of the Sanders\Wingo management team, Turner has been instrumental in the organization's growth and success including leadership on the AT&T consumer products and wireless business.  Prior to joining...
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Pine Sol stumbles in addressing one stereotype and blunders into another
 
By Pepper Miller
Adage.com
(January 25, 2010) I'm not one for creating New Year's resolutions. But I do like to reflect on the previous year and make decisions about what my focus will be to positively move forward. So, as I was winding down 2009 and thinking about the new year and a new decade of multicultural marketing, one of the last commercials that I viewed was Pine Sol's "Intensity."...
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Cox, Matthews introduces DiverseBooks site to market scholarly titles

(January 21, 2010) Cox, Matthews, and Associates, Inc., the publisher of DIVERSE: Issues in Higher Education, has announced the launching of its new website, DiverseBooks.net. The company positions the site as "the premiere online shopping source for books from publishers of scholarly works," offering a comprehensive list of titles on issues related to diversity in higher education. Books on...
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African-American newspapers added to GenealogyBank.com's database

(January 22, 2010) GenealogyBank, a leading online provider of newspapers for family history research, announced that it will be adding over 280 fully-searchable African-American newspapers with coverage from 1827 to 1999. GenealogyBank released the first 61 newspapers in this new series earlier this month, including coverage from 20 states...
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GlobalHue's Don Coleman expands scholarship for aspiring entrepreneurs

(January 22, 2010) Donald A. Coleman, Chairman of GlobalHue, the nation's largest minority-owned, full-service marketing communications agency, has announced the Coleman Entrepreneurial Scholarship (CES) program is expanding its scope for its second year. The program provides scholarships to deserving African-American and Hispanic college students majoring or concentrating in entrepreneurship...
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FCC's minority radio and broadband workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 26

(January 21, 2010) The FCC will hold a workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 26th entitled "Broadband and New Media Strategies for Minority Radio."

The workshop is set for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the FCC Commission Room, and is open to the public. It will be available for online viewing for those that register.
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Jan. 11 - 17
VH1's new celebrity reality series finish strong among cable's Top 25 shows

(January 21, 2010) The second full week of January saw very little change from the previous week in black households' cable viewing preferences. VH1 had winners with Fantasia For Real and Let's Talk About Pep. Both shows debuted in the fourth and fifth positions respectively on the Top 25 chart of most popular cable shows among black viewers...
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Lexus to debut new black targeted GX commercial during BET Honors Feb. 1

(January 21, 2010) Lexus is among the sponsors for the third annual BET Honors, hosted once again by actress, Gabrielle Union. Taped on January 16 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the show airs on Monday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m./ 8 p.m. Central, and features Ryan Leslie, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, India.Arie, Patti LaBelle. The honorees are Queen Latifah, Sean "Diddy" Combs, educator Ruth Simmons and neurosurgeon Keith Black.

During the ceremony, Lexus will debut its commercial for the launch of the newly redesigned GX...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of January 11 - 17
CBS overwhelms competition with biggest week on Top 25 of the season

(January 20, 2010) Thanks to the NFL's divisional playoff game between the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts, CBS crushed the Fox juggernaut, American Idol to capture the first and second place spots among the Top 25 TV shows in black households. That was just the beginning of CBS' assault during the second full week of...
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Macy's 'Celebrate You' theme for Black History Month empowers consumers

(January 19, 2010) This February, in celebration of the remarkable contributions made by African-Americans, Macy's commemorates Black History Month with special events that celebrate the individual. In honor of African-Americans past and present who have made an impact in their communities and have inspired others to be their best selves...
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Tom Burrell, ad visionary, examines the marketing of the myth of black inferiority

(January 19, 2010) Recently there has been a collage of disturbing images saturating the media: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's racially insensitive comments about Barack Obama; Chris Brown's abuse of Rihanna; Tiger Woods' adultery with numerous white women; the controversy surrounding the Black pathology on display in the film Precious. These images are disturbing but not surprising, according to advertising visionary Tom Burrell, author of the groundbreaking BRAINWASHED: Challenging the Myth of...
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Coalition of minority organizations voice concerns with FCC on Net Neutrality

(January 15, 2010) Leaders from 23 national organizations representing the African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American, and Disability communities yesterday called upon the FCC to address their concerns that the impact of the proposed network neutrality regulations on unserved and underserved communities has not been adequately studied. The joint letter was filed with the FCC in response to the...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of January 4 - 10
BET's Celebration of Gospel takes No.1 cable show with 2.5 million viewers

(January 13, 2010) The year got off to a very good start for BET. With Monday Night Football done for the season, the usual No.1 cable show in black households is no longer a certainty. BET's Celebration of Gospel easily claimed the top spot on the chart with2.5 million viewers...
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BlackPeopleMeet.com launches free online magazine to help black singles

(January 13, 2010) One of the most successful online dating site for African-Americans, with nearly one million unique visitors each month, knows a thing or two about bringing its members together in the quest for love -- and now all Black singles can benefit from the latest tips, trends and topics that are unique to them.

BlackPeopleMeet.com, one of the nation's leading online dating site devoted to African-American singles, has...
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In aftermath of devastating earthquake in Haiti, radio galvanizes support

From RadioInk.com
(January 13, 2010) Radio is reaching out to help the people of Haiti, where thousands may be dead after a powerful earthquake struck Tuesday. The capital city of Port-Au-Prince was devastated by the quake, and huge numbers of people have been left without shelter. Stations offering information and explaining where to donate, on their websites and on the air. Emmis Urban AC WRKS (98.7 Kiss FM) in New York has...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of January 4 - 10
Football, cold weather heat up black viewer ratings for all networks

(January 13, 2010) The frigid climate conditions for the first week of January were near perfect -- if you own a TV broadcasting network. There was plenty of football action on the airwaves to persuade black households to stay indoors, and three of the four major networks had games on in prime time. However, while only seven of the Top 25 shows were gridiron-related, evening schedule benefited from...
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Emmis files a lawsuit to keep D.L. Hughley at WRKS-FM and end deal with his agent
 
From Inside Radio
(January 12, 2010) Four months after launching his radio show on Emmis urban AC "Kiss FM" WRKS, New York (98.7), D.L. Hughley has yet to collect all the money he and his production company believe they're due from syndicator URBan Radio Communications (URC).  Emmis has gone to court looking to dump the syndicator but keep the host.

Last Friday, Hughley's attorneys told WRKS and URBan Radio that the...
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R.L. Polk presents first Loyalty Awards for brands purchased by ethnic consumers

(January 12, 2010) R. L. Polk & Co.'s 14th Annual Automotive Loyalty Awards were presented at the 2010 Automotive News World Congress in Detroit. Four new awards categories were presented including three new ethnic loyalty awards for auto brands that registered the highest percentage of customer loyalty with African-American, Hispanic and Asian consumers.

Honda captured the title in the newly introduced African American and...
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VH1 launches new original series, "Let's Talk About Pep," on search for Mr. Right

(January 11, 2010) "Let's Talk About Pep" is a real-life comedy following Sandra "Pepa" Denton of Salt-n-Pepa fame as she emerges from an over four-year romantic and sexual sabbatical to search for love again.

After being burned by bad boys one too many times, Pep decided to get out of the game for a while. She thought...
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Don Thompson promoted to President and CEO of McDonald's Worldwide

(January 11, 2010) Jim Skinner, Chief Executive Officer of McDonald's Corporation, today announced that Don Thompson, currently President of McDonald USA, has been elected to the role of President and Chief Operating Officer, with oversight responsibility for the company's 32,000 restaurants worldwide...
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Arbitron CEO resigns after Congressional committee says he gave false testimony

(January 11, 2010) The CEO of Arbitron Inc. resigned from the helm of the research firm today after a member of Congress issued a statement saying the executive may have "provided false testimony" during a full committee hearing on the impact of Personal People Meters on minority radio stations.

Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns (D-NY), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released a statement which said, "Today I received information...
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Pew study finds African-Americans have positive attitude about recent progress

(January 11, 2010) Despite the bad economy, blacks' assessments about the state of black progress in America have improved more dramatically during the past two years than at any time in the past quarter century, according to a comprehensive new nationwide Pew Research Center survey on race.

Barack Obama's election as the nation's first black president appears to be the spur for this sharp rise in optimism among African Americans. It may also be reflected in an upbeat set...
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Burrell Communications launches new agency for 18-34 multi-ethnic males
 
(January 11, 2010) Burrell Communications has announced the formation of a new agency, The subsidiary is called Threshold Nation, and it is designed to provide deeper marketing and advertising expertise on the multi-ethnic urban male consumer age 18-34.  According to a statement, Threshold is "dedicated to being in lockstep with the target with a focus on gathering specific intelligence celebrating similar psychographics within...
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Wesley South, pioneering Chicago radio owner and personality, dies at 95

By William Lee
Chicago Tribune
(January 10, 2010) Wesley W. South, 95, a longtime journalist who was a staple at the black-owned WVON radio station, died Saturday, Jan. 9, in his home in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, according to a statement from the station. Mr. South, who was the chairman emeritus of Midway Broadcasting Corp. and hosted the popular talk program "Hotline," was a pioneering voice in African-American talk radio...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Wk. of Dec. 28 - Jan. 3
Cable's last week of the year produces a familiar Top 25 of favorite shows

(January 7, 2010) Through the final week of 2009, cable viewing in black households remained steady, with viewers staying, for the most part, with their usual Top 25 favorites. The few exceptions came from the youngest members of the family, home for winter vacation, whose loyalty to the Disney channel was apparent...
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LAGRANT Foundation to award $125,000 in scholarships to minority students

(January 6, 2010) The LAGRANT Foundation (TLF) is now accepting applications for $125,000 in scholarships for the 2010/2011 academic year. Applications must be submitted to TLF by Friday, February 26, 2010 for consideration. Ethnic minority undergraduate and graduate students majoring in advertising, marketing or public relations are...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 28 - Jan. 3
Final week of 2009 pits CBS vs. Fox for title of most watched network

(January 7, 2010) The year ended with the season's most serious challenge to CBS' supremacy as the perennial most-watched network in black households. With NFL teams playing the final week of the regular season, interest in Fox's post game wrap-up show, The OT, was an all-time high. Nearly as many black viewers watched The OT (2.2 million) as viewed the week's usual No.1 program, NBC's Sunday Night Football (2.4 million). The airing of the Sugar Bowl...
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GlobalHue named new general market and multicultural ad agency of record for Jeep

(January 6, 2010) GlobalHue -- the nation's largest African-American owned full-service marketing communications firm  -- is now the new general market and multicultural creative agency of record for the Jeep brand, as announced today by Chrysler LLC.

The assignment was part of a larger announcement made by Chrysler Group LLC. which named individual advertising agencies to manage the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Truck brands. The contract with BBDO Detroit...
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Equals Three Communications selected as agency of record for Nutrition, Inc.

(January 6, 2010) Equals Three Communications, Inc., one of the nation's largest African-American-owned ad agencies, was recently selected as the Agency of Record for Nutrition, Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based food service and catering company serving government agencies and private sector entities throughout the Washington, D.C./Baltimore region. Equals Three will work with Nutrition, Inc. to create and implement a comprehensive marketing and communications program designed to...
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Tavis Smiley announces end of State of the Black Union symposium series

(January 6, 2010) The State of the Black Union (SOBU) symposium has been one of the most anticipated events for millions of African Americans during the last decade, but after 10 years of conversations, founder Tavis Smiley has announced the end of the series.

Smiley, the host of Tavis Smiley on PBS, said ending production of SOBU will allow him to concentrate on...
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TV One to premiere "Love That Girl!," a new sitcom starring Tatyana Ali

(January 5, 2010) TV One will feature the world premiere of an all-new African-American produced sitcom in a special three-night programming event Tuesday, Jan. 19 – Thursday, Jan. 21. LOVE THAT GIRL!, that stars Tatyana Ali and marks the exciting return to television of producer/writer/director Bentley Kyle Evans (Martin, The Jamie Foxx Show), who also created the series. Also participating as an executive producer of the four-episode, half-hour series is superstar comedian...
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Eunice Johnson, founding officer of Johnson Publishing Co., dies at 93

By Margena A. Christian
EbonyJet.com
(January 4, 2010) Mrs. Eunice Johnson, producer and director of the Ebony Fashion Fair and secretary-treasurer of Johnson Publishing Company, died of renal failure at her home in Chicago. She was 93.

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art will honor her...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of December 21 - 27
Christmas holiday delivers gift of a million  viewers to CBS network

(January 4, 2010) With more folks home for the holidays, TV viewing during the week of Christmas saw a big boost in black viewers for their favorite programs. While audience for the Top 25 shows was down 13 percent from the previous week, NBC's Sunday Night Football had...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 21 - 27
Christmas week viewing rewards Tyler Perry and The First 48

(January 2, 2010) There were few changes from the previous week in what black households watched as they prepared for the holidays. Viewing before and after Christmas did benefit some more than others. A&E's Christmas Eve marathon of The First 48 attracted nearly a quarter of a million black viewers for the...
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AT&T becomes second to drop Tiger Woods sponsorship after sex scandal

By Wayne Friedman
MediaPost.com
(January 4, 2010) Now a second sponsorship shoe has dropped for Tiger Woods. AT&T said it ended its multiyear deal with Tiger Woods, which started in February, after his sex scandal broke. AT&T has not used Woods' image much in its advertising since its deal began.

AT&T would join Accenture as the second big sponsor to drop its affiliation with Woods. In aggregate, Woods pulls...
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Study: Tiger Woods scandal may have cost sponsors' stockholders $12 billion

(December 28, 2009) Shareholders of Nike, Gatorade and other Tiger Woods sponsors lost a collective $5 to $12 billion in the wake of the scandal involving his extramarital affairs, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Davis. The losses are separate from - and potentially much larger than - damage to Woods' own earnings.

"Total shareholder losses may exceed several decades' worth...
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Boston's WGBH Radio debuts The Callie Crossley Show on January 11

(December 28, 2009) WGBH Radio announced today that The Callie Crossley Show, hosted by award-winning journalist Callie Crossley, will launch at 1pm on Monday, January 11, 2010 on 89.7, Boston's NPR Station for News and Culture. The hour-long program, central to WGBH's commitment to in-depth local coverage, will feature diverse topics of interest and importance in the region...
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Robert Bush appointed Advertising Director of the Philadelphia Tribune

(December 28, 2009) The Philadelphia Tribune, the nation's oldest continuously published African-American newspaper, has announced the addition of Robert Bush as Advertising Director.

"It is a privilege to be working with The Philadelphia Tribune and the very dynamic team Mr. Bogle has assembled. This is one of...
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Radio One releases results of recent annual shareholders' meeting

(December 28, 2009) Radio One, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROIA and ROIAK) reported the results of various proposals voted upon at its 2009 Annual Shareholders' Meeting held December 16, 2009 in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Terry L. Jones and Brian W. McNeill were elected as Class A directors to serve until the 2010 annual meeting of shareholders or...
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Percy Sutton, trailblazer in New York politics, media and business, dies at 89
 
By Douglas Martin
The N.Y. Times
(December 27, 2009)
Percy E. Sutton, a pioneering figure who represented Malcolm X as a young lawyer and became one of the nation's most prominent black political and business leaders, died in a Manhattan nursing home on Saturday, his family said. He was 89.

Entering politics in the early 1950s, Mr. Sutton rose from the Democratic clubhouses of Harlem to become the longest-serving Manhattan borough president and, for more than a decade, the highest-ranking...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 14 - 20
NBA, NFL capture viewers' interests in run-up to Christmas holiday

(December 25, 2009) The weather outside was frightful in the week prior to the Christmas holiday, causing black viewers to delay last minute shopping and camp out in front of their favorite cable shows. The big winner was sports, especially the premium NFL channel. Eight of the Top 25 most watched cable programs for the third week of December were...
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American Legacy Magazine looking for another investor relationship

(December 21, 2009) RJR Communications, Inc. announced today that it is seeking new investors for the company which includes its flagship publication American Legacy.  "We recently had a deal pending with an investment group that unfortunately could not follow through on their commitment and therefore at this time must discuss our investment opportunity with other interested parties" said Rodney J. Reynolds, founder and...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of December 14 - 20
TV viewing among black households cuts back as holidays approach

(December 22, 2009) As Christmas approached, viewers spent less time in front of the television and more time preparing for the holidays. Sunday night continued to be the evening with the biggest portion of the week's primetime audience (13 million), and viewing patterns remained much...
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Black Broadcasting Network launches nationally on Verizon FiOS TV VOD

(December 21, 2009) The Black Broadcasting Network (BBN), an African American owned and operated cable network is now available nationally on Verizon FiOS TV Video on Demand. The 24/7 network targets an underserved urban 18-34 demographic.

BBN programming will focus on popular entertainment and a variety of program genres featuring African American and...
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Ford names 'Taurus Top Ten' of those who make a difference

(December 21, 2009) Ford has selected ten outstanding finalists for the "Taurus Top Ten," a competition designed to shine a spotlight on individuals that are not only on top in their respective fields, but who also make a difference in the communities around them. One Grand Prize

Winner will take home an all-new 2010 Ford Taurus, receive a $10,000 donation to a charitable organization of their choice and win a trip for two to a high-profile professional basketball experience. Ford encourages the community to log on and vote at www.fordurban.com/taurustopten...
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SBA data show Black, Hispanic businesses shut out of stimulus loans

By Aaron Glantz
New America Media
(December 17, 2009) Loans handed out to struggling small businesses as part of President Barack Obama's stimulus package have largely shut out minority businesses -- especially those owned by Blacks and Latinos -- according to data provided by the federal government's Small Business Administration (SBA) to New America...
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Debbie Allen, Magic Johnson, headline Showplace Television's Fall 2010 lineup

(December 20, 2009) Showplace Television Syndication (www.showplaceonline.com) has announced three new and three returning popular E/I series for Fall 2010. Headline-making producers include legendary sports icon Magic Johnson and multi-award winning actress-director Debbie Allen.

My Parents, My Sister & Me stars Jasmine Guy and is produced by award-winning "Fame" actress, director and choreographer Debbie Allen. The first-run...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 7 - 13
Jacksons special, Heisman presentation gave usual cable favorites competition

(December 17, 2009) Cable viewing among black households during the second week of December saw the usual line-up of favorites heading the Top 25 list. A couple of specials, however, provided some competition. A&E's The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, drew more than one million black viewers for each of two airings. The drama leading up to this year's Heisman Trophy presentation...
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Dale Wright, pioneering journalist, former Johnson Publishing Co. editor, dies at 86

(December 16, 2009) Dale Raymond Wright, former associate editor of Ebony and Jet magazines, and Pulitzer Prize nominee, passed away in the Bronx, New York on December 13, 2009. He was 86 years old and had been in ill health for several years. Wright was the first African American reporter to work at the New York World-Telegram and Sun.

For 20 years, he owned and operated Dale Wright Associates, a public relations firm serving the needs of emerging and established New York area black businesses.

Services are scheduled for Benta's Funeral Home, 630 St. Nicholas Ave., at 141st St. in New York City on Saturday, December 19, 2009, at noon.
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Black TV Ratings for Week of December 7 - 13
Obama interviews draw big audiences, but football was still No.1 for the week

(December 16, 2009) President Obama got plenty of face time this past Sunday with interviews on ABC's special with Oprah Winfrey, Christmas at the White House, and CBS' 60 Minutes. Both shows, however, couldn't top the NFL's Vikings vs Cardinals game, which was the most watched show in black households for the week with 3.3 million viewers. Oprah's Obama special (which didn't even make the top 20 in white...
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Northern Trust Global Investments selects firms for emerging broker program

(December 15, 2009) Northern Trust has announced that its asset management arm, Northern Trust Global Investments (NTGI), has selected seven emerging and minority/women-owned broker-dealers for its list of preferred equity trading partners.

The equity trading firms, which met selection criteria including execution capabilities, technology platforms and capital commitment, are...
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FCC fills senior staff positions, including Chief of the Office of Workplace Diversity

(December 14, 2009) Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski has announced the appointment of Joel Gurin as Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and Thomas Wyatt as Chief of the Office of Workplace Diversity. Stuart Benjamin will be...
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BET takes reality gospel competition series 'Sunday Best' to Lagos, Nigeria

(December 14, 2009) BET marked its one-year celebration on Dstv (the digital satellite television platform on which BET is seen in Africa) with a unique opportunity; an open call to its best and most talented gospel singers to audition for a chance to be on BET's hit competition series, SUNDAY BEST.

The country of Nigeria enthusiastically answered the call as more than 1,000 hopefuls showed up to the...
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