THE LATEST NEWS
Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of August 23 - 29
Meet The Browns the only cable show drawing black viewers in the millions

(September 1, 2010) While other TV programs wind down with the last episodes of season re-runs, the TBS Tyler Perry comedy, Meet the Browns, continues to attract more than two million viewers every week. The Wednesday night show runs in a back-to-back, two-hour block that last week attracted a total of 7.6 million viewers...
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BET's 'Changing Lanes' brings the reality of NASCAR racing to black audiences

By Viv Bernstein
The N.Y. Times
(August 31, 2010) A few clicks on the Web site of Black Entertainment Television leads viewers to a short Nascar tutorial filled with information about popular drivers, racetracks and salaries. It may seem odd to find a sport so closely tied to white Southern men featured on a Web site devoted to African-American entertainment, but it represents Nascar's latest...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Aug. 23 - 29
With no black nominations, African-American TV viewers shun Emmys

(August 31, 2010) For the last week of August, the viewing habits of black audiences were fairly predictable; Football was the most popular programming and the Emmy Awards was among the least popular. The 62nd Emmy Awards, which had not a single black nominee, had 737,000 black viewers -- 13 percent fewer than tuned in last year's show...
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Carol H. Williams receives honor from U.S. Dept. of Commerce

(August 28, 2010) Carol H. Williams, president and CEO of Carol H. Williams Advertising, was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, San Francisco National Enterprise Center. "Ms. Williams' business principles and distinctive insights and leadership continually set her apart from other advertising agencies," said Salvador Enriquez, chief of...
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Rainbow PUSH urges Burger King to re-hire black and Hispanic ad agencies

(August 27, 2010) The Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC), headed by the Rev Jesse L. Jackson, issued a statement last week asking Burger King to reconsider its plan as quoted in news accounts to drop advertising assignments to it African-American and Hispanic ad agencies of record.

The PUSH demand comes after the New York Times quoted Burger King's top marketing executives as saying they believe the expertise of ethnic ad shops is not necessary because...
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NABOB to hold its 34th Annual Fall Broadcast Conference Sept. 15 in D.C.

The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) holds its 34th Annual Fall Broadcast Conference will take place September 15 - 17, 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C.. NABOB is the only trade association representing the interests of the 245 Black owned commercial radio stations and 8 commercial television stations around the country. Its member stations serve as the voice of the many communities in which we operate.

The conference will present panels and presentations from an array of experts focused on developing...
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Former GlobalHue president establishes StrategicSense consulting firm

(August 28, 2010) Gustavo Razzetti, a veteran agency manager and strategist, has announced the launch of his strategic consulting firm, StrategicSense. He will help bridge the gap between advertising agencies and marketers that want to grow the business tapping into the fastest growing segments: Hispanic and African American consumers. The firm's services will...
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Lagrant Communications to mark 20th anniversary with series of service projects

(August 25, 2010) Lagrant Communications, an integrated multicultural marketing communications firm that specializes in the Hispanic and African American consumer markets, will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Sept. 1.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Dallas and Princeton, N.J., the firm will mark its second decade with yearlong community service projects that are aligned with the agency's corporate social responsibility initiatives of education, health care, and arts & culture...
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Nielsen: African-Americans talk, text more on cellphones than any ethnic group

(August 25, 2010) According to a new analysis of cellphone usage by The Nielsen Company, African-Americans spend more time on average talking and texting than any other ethnic group. The voice and text results are compiled from one year (April 2009-March 2010) of mobile usage data gathered by Nielsen, which analyzes the cellphone bills of more than 60,000 mobile subscribers each month in the United States. Nielsen found that African-Americans use on average more than...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of August 16 - 22
TBS comes out of the summer with growing popularity for Meet The Browns

(August 25, 2010) As summer draws to a close, and younger viewers have less control over family view, black households are returning to their old favorites on cable. TBS, which has always counted on Tyler Perry's comedies to draw a margin-winning audience for the network. During the third week of August, TBS increased its lead as most watched cable network on the Top 25 by nine percent...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Aug. 16 - 22
Will it take black audiences to save the NFL on TV this season?

(August 24, 2010) Summer vacation is over, school's open again, and families are getting back to their old habits -- like watching football. NBC's Sunday Night Football pre-season match-up between the Vikings and the 49er's was the No.1 show of the week in black homes, with nearly two million tuning in. Whites households were also just as loyal in their viewing of that game and made No.1.

But the Thursday night game on Fox between the Patriots and the Falcons was not as popular...
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Black Enterprise magazine launches iPad edition with Toyota as sponsor

(August 24, 2010) Black Enterprise, the nation's premier business and wealth building resource for African Americans, announced that a digital edition of the publication designed exclusively for the Apple iPad will be now available for download. The release makes Black Enterprise the first African American-owned and operated magazine to provide its content through the iPad app.

The initial offering of its 40th Anniversary Collectors Edition...
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Veteran CBS News correspondent Harold Dow dies apparently of asthma attack

(August 24, 2010) Longtime CBS News Correspondent Harold Dow died suddenly Saturday morning, August 21, of an apparent asthma attack.

Dow has been a correspondent for "48 Hours" since 1990 after serving as a contributor to the broadcast since its premiere Jan. 19, 1988. Dow was also a contributor to the critically acclaimed 1986 documentary "48 Hours on Crack Street," which led
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Burger King to raise ad spending on black consumers after cutting black agency

(August 24, 2010) In an article appearing last week in the New York Times, Burger King executives announced that they were re-assigning advertising accounts handled by ethnic advertising agencies to general market agencies. The shift was being made because top executives at the quick service restaurant chain believe that younger African-American and Hispanic consumers don't necessarily view the world as ethnically divided, but rather as "a melting pot."

"We felt the right decision for Burger King is to...
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Steed Media Group debuts "Producer 10" highlighting successful black males

(August 23, 2010) Atlanta-based Steed Media Group, publisher of the popular urban lifestyle weekly newspaper Rolling Out, has teamed up with Ford Motor Company to create a new multi-media custom publication to support the launch of the 2010 Ford Taurus. Producer 10 is a new lifestyle magazine that explores the lifestyles of African American males, including their "survival, intelligence, charisma and transformation...
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AAF announces 2010 Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards winners

(August 19, 2010) The American Advertising Federation's 2010 Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards winners have been chosen. The honorees are companies and individuals that have demonstrated successful multicultural marketing efforts. The awards luncheon & forum which will take place on September 29, 2010 at the New York Athletic Club.

The AAF's Mosaic Awards will be presented in conjunction with AAF's District Two Diversity Achievement Awards. The Diversity Achievement and Mosaic Awards luncheon & forum...
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Arbitron sponsors ANA Multicultural Awards; Deadline for entries is August 30

(August 19, 2010) For the second year, radio will be included as a category in the Arbitron-sponsored Association of National Advertiser's (ANA) 10th Annual Multicultural Excellence Awards competition. This category recognizes the best work in the Hispanic, African-American and Asian categories for reaching multicultural consumers through radio.

The deadline for entries is August 30, 2010. Entries are open to both client-side marketers and advertising agencies. For more information, go to...
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Provision by Maxine Waters in financial reform law creates inclusion for minorities

From Tribune News Service
(August 16, 2010) Tucked into the Wall Street reform measure was a little-noticed provision pushing for more diversity in the disproportionately white and male world of finance, and its potentially far-reaching implications have set off alarm bells among conservatives and some in the financial sector. The provision pushes all federally regulated financial firms that do business with the government and their subcontractors to hire more women and minorities and also calls upon federal agencies to...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of August 9 - 15
TNT finds traction with black audiences with Hawthorne and Memphis Beat

(August 18, 2010) TNT has begun to build a following among black households thanks to its medical drama, Hawthorne, starring Jada Pinkett Smith. As the only cable program featuring a black actor as the lead character, Hawthorne (No.5 on this week's Top 25) has paved the way for the growing popularity of Memphis Beat (No.3) and Rizzoli & Isles (No.7). None of TNT's new drama's enjoy the kind of popularity with white viewers that they have found with black cable watchers...
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Burger King extends consolidation of agency assignments to ethnic accounts

By Stuart Elliott
New York Times
(August 17, 2010) Two months after consolidating some major advertising assignments, the Burger King Corporation is paring its agency roster again, this time affecting agencies that specialize in marketing to African-American and Hispanic consumers. The changes, to be announced on Tuesday afternoon, are indicative of a trend that has accelerated as...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Aug. 9 - 15
Final days of NBC's 'Law & Order' gives network a boost in summer ratings

(August 16, 2010) Black households have long been fans of NBC's franchise, Law & Order, and they're coming back for a final look at their favorite episodes as the Criminal Intent and SVU editions air on broadcast TV for the last time. CBS managed to barely hold on to the most watched network...
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OwensMorris agency names Kenny Johnson VP Branded Events and Promotions

(August 13, 2010) OwensMorris Communications has announced that Kenny Johnson has joined the agency as Vice President, Branded Events and Promotions. Johnson is part of the leadership team for the newly created Experiential Marketing arm at OMC. "We're excited to have Kenny with us," said Faith Morris, CEO and chief strategist of OwensMorris Communications...
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'Live From The Essence Music Festival' to premiere Aug. 29 on TV One

(August 12, 2010) TV One Night Only: Live From The Essence Music Festival, a two-hour musical extravaganza featuring the best performances from the country's largest celebration of African-American music and culture, will premiere on TV One Sunday, August 29 from 9-11 PM ET...
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Yankelovich, Burrell release multicultural study showing economy's impact

(August 11, 2010) Striving for the American Dream has always been a goal for many Americans, but today three-quarters of African-Americans (75%) and Hispanics (76%), along with over two-thirds of Non-Hispanic Whites (68%) believe "the American Dream is more of a dream than a real possibility for most people," according to a new multicultural study from The Futures Company...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of August 2 - 8
TBS adds Tyler Perry movie and draws more black viewers than any network

(August 11, 2010) TBS added Tyler Perry's theatrical film, Meet The Browns, to its lineup and boosted its black audience viewership to the highest of any broadcast or cable outlet. The movie gave TBS an additional two million black viewers in its battle to keep summer viewing up and it surpassed CBS' total black audience during the first week of August. TBS claimed 11.9 million black viewers for...
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Desiree Rogers named CEO of Johnson Publishing Company
Her first hire is Rodrigo Sierra as SVP of marketing

(August 10, 2010) Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., announced today that Desiree Rogers has been named chief executive officer of JPC. Rice will continue as chairman.

"Desiree has a proven track record of successful business leadership," said Linda Johnson Rice. "She is a longstanding confidant and a savvy businesswoman who is committed to the strategic growth of Johnson Publishing Company. I look forward to working...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Aug. 2- 8
The return of football kicks NBC to No.1 position on the Top 25

(August 10, 2010) Summer is almost over, and as it has always done, NFL Sunday Night Football has taken over television in black households with pre-season action. Of the 11.4 million that tuned in to NBC to see the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, 2.3 million, or 20 percent, were black households...
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Ross Love, one of radio's largest black owners and former P&G vp, dies

(August 10, 2010) Ross Love, one of radio's most successful and trailblazing entrepreneurs, died of an undisclosed caused at a hospital in Cincinnati hospital the morning of August 10th. He was 64 years old.

Love moved into radio ownership in 1995 after leaving Procter & Gamble where he was vice president of marketing. The first acquisition for Love and his partners was WDBZ "The Buzz," Cincinnati's most popular black AM radio station. Over the next six year, his company, Blue Chip Broadcasting, would purchase 19 more stations
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Syd Small, a pioneering owner in radio broadcasting, dies unexpectedly at 72

(August 9, 2010) Sydney "Syd" L. Small, one of the nation's pre-eminent African-American broadcast owners for more than three decades, died suddenly this past weekend in New York. He was 72 years old.

His death was confirmed by Access.1 Communications where he was chairman and CEO. Further information about his passing was not immediately available. The company owns radio stations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Louisiana, also has television stations in Atlantic City and...
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Mary J. Blige breaks sales record with pitch for her My Life fragrance on HSN

(August 9, 2010) HSN, a leading multichannel retailer, announced that its exclusive launch of Mary J. Blige's My Life fragrance on July 31 drove the sale of more than 60,000 units with about 6 hours of air time, shattering fragrance records at HSN for units sold and placing the launch among the most successful in the prestige fragrance market...
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New Ford African-American Web campaign taps announcer James Brown

By Karl Greenberg
MarketingDaily.com
(August 6, 2010) Ford has tapped CBS sports announcer James Brown for a new ad push directed at African-American consumers. The corporate effort contains an "All-In" theme line. As part of the campaign, via UniWorld Group, Brown appears in a series of Web videos touting Ford product quality, technology, the community and...
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Tracey Cooper to oversee news section of BET.com following staff layoffs

By Richard Prince
Journal-isms
(July 30, 2010) BET officials say that Tracey Cooper, a senior consultant for BET.com, will oversee the "On TV" and News sections of BET.com in the wake of a reorganization that saw six people, including Editor Tanu Henry, laid off this week. Cooper has been director of content for Interactive One, a division of Radio One...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Wk. of July 26 - Aug. 1
Cable TV regains black viewers as it continues to battle broadcast re-runs

(August 4, 2010) In the battle over whose re-runs are better, cable TV has regained the interests of black viewers. The appeal of TBS' Meet The Browns should not be underestimated, as it is still drawing two million-plus viewers when most shows are glad to clear 800,000. Offerings like TNT's Hawthorne, and even the much maligned Jersey Shore on MTV, are capturing...
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Safeway names Jonathan Mayes SVP of Government Relations, Public Affairs

(August 4, 2010) The grocery chain, Safeway Inc., today announced that it has appointed 16-year veteran Jonathan Mayes to Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Public Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy. "Jonathan is an exceptional leader and has successfully...
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General Mills expands its Feeding Dreams programs to honor heroes in 10 markets

(August 3, 2010) General Mills is expanding the reach of its Feeding Dreams program from four to 10 southeastern markets to recognize black community champions who selflessly volunteer to improve their neighborhoods. Now in its third year, Feeding Dreams highlights community champions who invest their time, energy and talents to make improvements at the local level. Their compassion for their ...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of July 26 - Aug. 1
CBS takes three spots on Top 25 chart of black households TV favorites

(August 3, 2010) Thanks to its two police drama franchises, CSI and NCIS, CBS was able to claim the No. 1, 2 and 3 spots on the Top 25 chart of most popular TV shows in black homes. Re-runs of the series were more popular than summer replacement fare like ABC's Wipeout, even when there were only three shows that had more than a million viewers...
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Kimberly Hulsey named Senior VP for distribution, strategy for TV One

(August 2, 2010) Kimberly Hulsey has been named senior vice president of distribution and strategy at TV One. In this position, she is responsible for managing key distributor relationships to maximize distribution for TV One's SD and HD networks, developing strategy for broadband, on-demand, and mobile platforms, and optimizing marketing strategies to achieve distribution goals and maintain partner satisfaction. Prior to being named to this position...
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Louisiana launches new iPhone app for its African American heritage trail

(August 2, 2010) The Louisiana Office of Tourism recently launched a new iPhone app for Louisiana's African American Heritage Trail at the ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans. This is the first app of its kind for tourism in Louisiana, and visitors attending the festival were the first to experience its features. "The festival was a perfect backdrop to launch the app, and...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of July 19 - 25
Disney challenges TBS for most cable viewers during summer or re-runs

(July 28, 2010) Younger black viewers are challenging their parents for the remote control during prime time and are giving a boost in audience to shows like Disney's Hannah Montana. Still, the usual favorite are capturing the most viewers, and TNT's summer entry Hawthorne continues to gain in watchers. TBS held on to...
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Washington Informer marks Urban League 100th year with publication

(July 28, 2010) The National Urban League commissioned the Washington Informer newspaper to create a commemorative publication as part of its 100th anniversary conference taking place in D.C. this week. Carrying the title, "I AM EMPOWERED," the 32-page magazine was a unique chance for the NUL to support and partner with the Black Press during its centennial convention, said Ron Burke, Informer director of advertising and...
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Time Warner Cable adds TV One channel to roster in Rochester, NY

(July 28, 2010) Time Warner Cable customers in Rochester, NY, can look forward to a new national network added this week to their Digital Cable lineup. On July 28th, TV One launched on channel 341.

TV One bills itself as the premier "real life" and entertainment network for African American adults. Featuring popular sitcoms, critically acclaimed dramas...
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Vickie Burns is named Vice President, News at KNBC in Los Angeles

(July 28, 2010) Vickie Burns has been named Vice President, News for KNBC, it was announced today by Craig Robinson, KNBC President and General Manager. In this role, Burns will lead the day-to-day news operations of KNBC and will oversee content production and distribution across all digital platforms. Burns will start at the station on August 16th and will report directly to Robinson...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of July 19 - 25
ABC's 20/20 takes No.1 ranking among TV shows in black households

(July 28, 2010) One of the interesting results of television's re-rum season is the vastly different viewing habits of blacks and whites. During the regular season, there are more similarities in tastes, especially for the talent competition shows. But during the summer, the habits of black households take a very distinct departure from that of white...
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Bob Johnson urges dialogue and reforms on growing black/white wealth gap

(July 25, 2010) In an address to Members of Congress and participants attending a Congressional Black Caucus meeting, Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, called for a national discussion about the growing wealth gap which he referred to as a "wealth gap Tsunami threatening African American families."

Johnson cited the recent Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University study, among other studies, which conclude "the wealth gap between white and African American families has more than quadrupled over the course of a generation...
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The 10th Power of Urban Radio Forum to feature top corporate marketing CEOs

(July 27, 2010) Kizart Media Partners (KMP) and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) will host a forum of CEOs from Fortune 1000 corporations, ad agencies, media buying firms and major media companies at this year's 10th Annual Power of Urban Radio Forum (PURF) at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC , Thursday, September 16, during the 40th Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation...
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Ariel survey: Blacks more optimistic about economy and stocks as best investment

(July 23, 2010) Despite being hurt by the recession, African-Americans are considerably more optimistic than Whites, with 75% of Blacks describing themselves as "hopeful" about the current U.S. economy, according to the 2010 Ariel Black Investor Survey. In comparison, just 41% of Whites describe themselves as hopeful. Only 46% of Whites feel their personal financial situation will improve over the next year, contrasted with 68% of African-Americans...
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Clear Channel donates two more stations to MMTC minority ownership initiative

(July 24, 2010) Clear Channel Radio will donate two additional stations to the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council (MMTC) through the MMTC-Clear Channel Ownership Diversity Initiative, an ongoing program to expand ownership and training opportunities for minorities, women, and other underserved groups. Also today, Clear Channel and the MMTC announced that two of four AM stations previously donated to MMTC...
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NAMIC calls for nominations for Executive Leadership Development Program

(July 26, 2010) The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) is now accepting nominations for its Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), presented in partnership with the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. Targeting upper middle managers of color (directors with a minimum of two years at that level and above), the 2010-2011 cadre will be the program's tenth. The Executive Leadership Development Program takes place...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of July 12 - 18
TBS' comedies draw the largest black audience of any regular programming

(July 21, 2010) Some programs may be finding it difficult to keep their regular viewers interested in re-runs, but not TBS. The popularity of Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns" rolls on through the dog days of summer, and are the only regular fare that's attracting nearly two million black viewers. Other programs that appeal to the younger members of the household are...
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Census: Black-owned businesses growing faster than any other group

(July 21, 2010) The number of minority-owned businesses increased by 45.6 percent to 5.8 million between 2002 and 2007, more than twice the national rate of all U.S. businesses, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, the number of black-owned business increased by 60.5 percent  during the same period. The total number of U.S. businesses increased between 2002 and 2007 by 18.0 percent to 27.1 million.

These new data come from the Preliminary Estimates of Business Ownership by Gender, Ethnicity, Race and...
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FCC Commissioners urge minority entrepreneurs to focus on new media

By John Eggerton
Broadcasting & Cable
(July 19, 2010) Minority communications entrepreneurs should be focusing on opportunities in new media, said FCC Commissioners at a D.C. conference Monday, and those commissioners said they are willing to help. The other side of that equation is that the opportunities in traditional media are on the wane, they suggested.

That came at a standing-room only Q&A with a majority of commissioners...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of July 12 - 18
CBS continues to benefit from popularity of its line-up during re-run season

(July 19, 2010) The summer continues to challenge broadcast TV networks, as new cable offerings and other leisure activities grab the attention of viewers. Popular mid-week re-runs still draw black viewers, along with new episodes of reality and competition programs. But few shows were able to attract at least a million watchers...
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Ebony Magazine, Univ. of Chicago to host live webcast roundtable on education

(July 20, 2010) On Wednesday, August 11, Ebony Magazine and the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute will co-host an Education Roundtable at the University of Chicago's International House, one aspect of the University of Chicago's commitment to the welfare of the community and to diversity in business relationships. A panel of the nation's most distinguished voices on education will discuss the public education crisis and how...
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BET Networks names Robi Reed VP of Talent and Casting, Original Programming

(July 15, 2010) BET Networks announced that Robi Reed has been named Vice President of Talent and Casting, Original Programming team. Reed will report to Loretha Jones, President of Original Programming for BET Networks, and is based in Los Angeles. In her role, she will oversee talent and casting for scripted and...
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Interactive One, Urban Professionals host Digital Summit in New York July 21

(July 16, 2010) Interactive One, LLC has announced that it has partnered with the Council of Urban Professionals ("CUP"), a nonprofit that advances the social, political and economic interests of minorities and women, to host the inaugural Digital Summit in New York City on Wednesday, July 21st. Additionally, the National Association For Multi-Ethnicity In Communications (NAMIC) and the ADCOLOR Industry Coalition have joined as marketing partners to support the Digital Summit. The first comprehensive conference to...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of July 5 - 11
Lebron James gets 3 million black viewers to watch his 'Decision' on ESPN

(July 13, 2010) Out of the roughly 10 million curious basketball-loving cable viewers that waited weeks to finally see Lebron James announce he would be leaving Cleveland for Miami, one-third were black viewers. It's the first time ESPN claimed the No.1 show in black households that wasn't a live game.

As if they knew Lebronmania would provide the perfect theme for their new sports-based shows, VH1 scored a success with...
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Walton Isaacson ad agency receives Silver Telly Award for Lexus campaign

(July 13, 2010) The Walton | Isaacson ad agency was recently selected by The 31st Annual Telly Awards to receive a 2010 Silver Telly for its Lexus "Rushers" campaign. This is the second Telly Award the agency has received the honor.

The Silver Telly is the highest honor, judged by the Silver Telly Council which is comprised of top industry professionals that are past winners of a Silver Telly. The Telly Awards receive...
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Hispanic agency Marketvision develops African-American marketing division

From San Antonio Business Journal
(July 31, 2010) Marketvision, a San Antonio multicultural marketing agency, is expanding into the African American consumer market.

The company has assembled a team of dedicated account executives that will develop specialized campaigns for national advertising clients. Chereese Griffin, who has more than 18 years of brand management and packaged goods experience on both the...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of July 5 - 11
CBS continues to benefit from popularity of its line-up during re-run season

(July 13, 2010) Even though there has been a significant drop-off in overall audience for its shows, CBS still attract the most black viewers for its primetime offerings, even in re-runs. The network took the first three spots on the Top 25  most popular shows chart for the first full week of July, and six of the top ten.

CBS was easily the most watched TV network again, with 12.6 million black viewers watching...
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Jesse Jackson calls on Comcast-NBCU to increase ad spending with black media
Points to "trade imbalance" with black community

(July 12, 2010) Today, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., president and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, called on Comcast and NBC Universal to address the economic trade imbalance between Black-owned media and advertising firms which have been ignored in the hearings concerning the proposed merger of the two media giants.

"The current economic relationship between African-American-owned media and advertising firms and Comcast/NBCU has not been a part of the discussions taking place about this merger...
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Anne Sempowski Ward resigns as President, COO of Johnson Publishing

(July 12, 2010) Johnson Publishing Company Chairman & CEO, Linda Johnson Rice, today announced the resignation of President and COO Anne Sempowski Ward.

"Anne has been a significant asset to our company and led key, corporate-wide initiatives for EBONY, JET and Fashion Fair," said Johnson Rice. "During Anne's tenure, we underwent significant restructuring and reorganization of the company," Johnson Rice added. "Her contributions have helped to position the company for the future...
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McDonald's ties black, Hispanic culture to its marketing efforts

By Burt Helm
Bloomberg Businessweek
(July 8, 2010) The music industry has long sold black culture to white Americans. Now McDonald's (MCD) is doing much the same. It's taking cues from African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians to develop menus and advertising in the hopes of encouraging middle-class Caucasians to buy smoothies and snack wraps as avidly as they consume hip-hop and rock 'n' roll.

"The ethnic consumer tends to set trends," says Neil Golden...
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Comcast-NBCU pledges to add eight black, Hispanic independent networks

By David Goetzl
MediaPost.com
(July 8, 2010) Despite one senator's efforts, Comcast continues to have no plans to divest its stake in Hulu if a joint venture with NBC Universal is completed. But looking to appeal to legislators, Comcast pledged to add eight independent TV networks -- four each controlled by African-American and Hispanic interests -- to its cable system, while creating a $20 million fund to assist minority entrepreneurs...
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