THE LATEST NEWS
RadioShack announces search for a new advertising agency

(January 5, 2009) RadioShack Corporation today announced that it has begun a review of advertising agencies for the creative portion of its business. The search seeks to identify candidate agencies capable of delivering creative concepts that are truly break-though, both in retail and consumer electronics. RadioShack reported advertising expenses of approximately $220 million for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.

The company has hired the Santa Monica, California agency review consulting firm, Select Resources International (SRI), to help them conduct the review. All inquiries about participation...
Story continued...

Author Kimberla Lawson Roby signs rights deal with Lifetime TV

By Georgette Braun
From RRStar.com
Don't be surprised if you're watching a Lifetime TV show one day soon and you think the story line sounds familiar.

If it's about a woman whose seemingly perfect life is suddenly upended the very day she wins the lottery, the show is based on the book, "One in a Million."

Local author Kimberla Lawson Roby, 43, of Boone County sold the rights to that 2008 novella last month to Lifetime Television Networks. About 100,000 copies of the hardcover...
Story continued...

Shanel Odum, former Vibe editor, named editor-in-chief of online Honey Magazine

(January 5, 2009) Sahara Media Holdings, Inc. has hired Shanel Odum as editor-in-chief of Honey Magazine. Prior to joining Sahara, Ms. Odum held various positions at VIBE Magazine from 2005 through 2008.

As editor-in-chief of Honey Magazine, Ms. Odum will be responsible for overseeing content, as well as building the Honey brand and providing a voice for Honey's multicultural...
Story continued...

Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 22 - 28
'Monday Night Football' took top spot; BET was most watched cable network

(January 2, 2009) During the last week of the year, ESPN's "Monday Night Football" grabbed the No.1 spot of the most watched show in black cable households. Even though the Christmas holiday meant a 32 percent drop in Top 25 viewers from the previous week, the NFL game had about 100,000 more black viewers than last week's match-up. BET took the second and ...
Story continued...

Urban Detroit TV station, WADL, sues rep firm for multi-million dollar ad shortfall

By Wayne Friedman
MediaPost.com
(December 30, 2008) The Detroit station that paid an unusual upfront fee of $1.5 million to national sales rep firm Petry Media now says it was promised $10 million to $12 million in advertising.

According to Dody Johnson, director of marketing/public relations for WADL Detroit, Petry promised to hit a goal of at least $10 million. According to court documents, the deadline for Petry to achieve those ad sales ranged between October 2008 and...
Story continued...

Black TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 22 - 28
CBS's '60 Minutes' top show with black viewers; also takes week's top network

(January 2, 2009) Christmas week delivered a rare gift to CBS. The network's "60 Minutes" show claimed victory over NBC's "Sunday Night Football" in a head-to-head battle for Sunday primetime black viewers. [The NFL game was the week's top program with white viewers]. What helped CBS win over black viewers for its weekly newsmagazine was the show's sole topic: President-elect Barack Obama....
Story continued...

Bay area publisher and Oakland Black Expo producer, Diane Howell, dies at 58

(December 27, 2008) Dr. C. (Cecelia) Diane Howell, publisher of Black Business Listings newspaper, producer of Black Expo, Ltd., and Executive Director of the non-profit, SEEDS (Self-Empowerment though Education, Entrepreneurship, and DreamS), passed away on Christmas Eve at Kaiser Hospital in Oakland from complications from pneumonia.  She was 58 years old.

Renowned throughout the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area for her steadfast commitment to the African American...
Story continued...

NAACP's fourth report on television industry measures shortfall in diversity

(December 24, 2008) The NAACP Hollywood Bureau has announced its latest findings in a new report titled "Out of Focus, Out of Sync--Take 4" that shows the entertainment industry, particularly television, continues to fall seriously short in achieving diversity. NAACP officials warned that without quick action to reverse the bleak statistics cited in the 40-page report, the industry could face political action.

"At a time when the country is excited about the election of the first African-American president in U.S. history, it is unthinkable that minorities would be so grossly under-represented on broadcast television...
Story continued...

RushmoreDrive.com offers users new e-mail service, top searches feature

(December 22, 2008) RushmoreDrive.com, the black targeted search engine, announced it has added two new features: a listing of their Most Popular Searches and an Email Service.

The new "most popular searches" feature is a listing of the top keywords collected by the search engine throughout the past year. Searches are organized into categories including Top News Searches, Top Male and Female Celebrity Searches, and Top Job Searches. Among the top celebrities were Steve Harvey and...
Story continued...

Black TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 15 - 21
'Sunday Night Football' is No.1 but CBS dominates Top 25 with 14 shows

(December 24, 2008) "Sunday Night Football" again gave NBC the No.1 spot on the week's Top 25 chart of broadcast programs among black viewers. The pre-game show delivered third place for NBC. CBS' "Without A Trace" took second place. The top show among white households was CBS' "NCIS."

CBS increased its domination as the week's most watched network by...
Story continued...

Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Dec. 15 - 21
'House of Payne' remained cable favorite heading into Christmas holiday

(December 24, 2008) For TBS, "House of Payne" is the gift that keeps on giving. As the Christmas holiday approached, the Tyler Perry sitcom was easily ranked the top cable programs with first, second and third place rankings.

TBS again was the week's most watched cable network among black households with...
Story continued...

Washington Informer Mandela special wins Best Media Supplement Award

(December 24, 2008) The Washington Informer newspaper captured the award for Best Media Supplement at the inaugural Excellence in Ethnic Media Awards for Washington, D.C. The awards program was presented by New America Media and the American University School of Communication...
Story continued...

MTV scraps 50 Cent reality show for programs for the 'Obama generation'

From EURWeb.com
(December 22, 2008) In the midst of declining viewership among its core audience of 12- to 34-year-olds, MTV hopes to stop the bleeding by adding 16 new reality shows as part of its biggest programming overhaul ever, reports Variety.

While MTV pioneered reality series with 1992's "The Real World," that genre has become ubiquitous, so the network is offering a slate that --for the first time -- avoids the backbiting and bickering of most nonfiction fare and embraces stories of personal achievement...
Story continued...

Eugene Morris receives American Legion Award 

(December 22, 2008)The American Legion Dorie Miller Post #915, one of the largest predominantly African American, American Legion posts in the United States, and one of the largest American Legion posts in Chicago and the State of Illinois, has named Eugene Morris, founder and CEO of E. Morris Communications, Inc., as their choice for the 2008 Distinguished and Honored Guest Award. In addition to being honored at the recent Post 5th Annual Veterans Day Benefit, Mr. Morris delivered the keynote address for the evening. 

Commander Robert L. Davis of Dorie Miller Post #915 applauds the Post and...
Story continued...

Reading too much into race when selling black books

By Carleen Brice
Washington Post
(December 21, 2008) December is National Buy a Book by a Black Author and Give It to Somebody Not Black Month.

Wondering whether it's a joke? Well, it is and it isn't. I've got my tongue firmly lodged against my cheek, but I'm really hoping that this holiday season you'll buy a book by a black author and give it to somebody who isn't black.

Because as a black author trying to reach a wider audience, I believe that this guerrilla marketing effort...
Story continued...

Flowers Communications Group joins IPREX network of PR firms

(December 18, 2008) Flowers Communications Group (FCG), an award-winning multicultural marketing communications company, has joined IPREX, the worldwide corporation of independent public relations firms.

Founded in 1991 and based in Chicago, FCG built a nationwide reputation for its work in the African-American market before launching FCG Latino, a full-service Hispanic practice, in 2006.

To work in these two market segments with maximum efficiency, the firm has pioneered an analytical tool called...
Story continued...

TV One collaborates with partners on Civil Rights era special, 'Let Freedom Sing'

(December 18, 2008) Brainstorm Media, Time Life, TV One and MarVista Entertainment announced today the production of 'Let Freedom Sing': How Music Inspired the Civil Rights Movement, a full-length documentary featuring iconic songs of the period.

'Let Freedom Sing' will trace the interaction among the music, the movement and the people involved. It begins in the era between the wars when segregation was often brutally enforced in Southern states, and when jazz and blues evolved from songs sung by African-Americans in church and in the fields. It will feature never-before-seen...
Story continued...

RushCard, unit of Rush Communications, reaches $2 billion in transactions

(December 18, 2008) RushCard announced today it has managed over $2 billion in deposits and spending transactions for its members, and has implemented programs like Spend Tracker, RushPATH to Credit and Free Text Alerts.

RushCard members have access to all the conveniences of a Visa debit card, including the ability to make purchases and pay bills online, rent a car, and book hotel accommodations. Direct deposit allows members to avoid...
Story continued...

Cable TV Ratings for Week of December 8 - 14
'Payne' tops 'Monday Night Football' and leads TBS' continued popularity in cable

(December 17, 2008) TBS' "House of Payne" remains the most popular program with black cable TV viewers. Using new episodes and its winning back-to-back Wednesday night scheduling, Tyler Perry's sit-com is closing out the year with record setting ratings. ESPN continues wage a head-to-head battle with TBS for Wednesday with its NBA line-up, and managed to attract about one million viewers for each of its back-to-back games.

TBS was the easily the...
Story continued...

UPTOWN Magazine announces increases in distribution, circulation and frequency

(December 16, 2008) UPTOWN Magazine, the luxury lifestyle publication for affluent African Americans, announced its expansion into the Charlotte market, effective with the February 2009 issue. As part of the expansion, UPTOWN Magazine will increase its frequency to six times a year. The circulation and rate base will increase to 200,000, with a pass-along rate of 800,000.

Founded in 2004, UPTOWN Magazine delivers luxury lifestyle, fashion, political and entertainment...
Story continued...

BET expands its offerings in 29 African countries through multiple platforms
 
(December 16, 2008) BET Networks has announced that it is now offering BET in 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa on multiple platforms, expanding the channel's international reach that already includes the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. Through the GTV agreement, BET will be seen in 21 countries, and with the agreement with MultiChoice, BET will initially launch on DStv in 11 countries...
Story continued...

TV Ratings for Week of December 8 - 14
'Sunday Night Football' re-claims top spot; CBS repeats as top network

(December 16, 2008) A million more black households tuned to "Sunday Night Football" than did last week and returned the NBC sportscast to No.1 on the Top 25 chart of broadcast TV shows for the week. CBS' "60 Minutes" moved up to second place, thanks to the lead-in NFL game of Chicago v. Jacksonville. CSI gained a half million more black viewers with the addition of newest cast member, Laurence Fishburne and took...
Story continued...

BET, TV One planning major coverage of Obama Presidential Inauguration

By R. Thomas Umstead
MultichannelNews.com
(December 15, 2008) African-American targeted networks BET and TV One for the first time will join mainstream cable-news networks in offering full coverage of next month's presidential inauguration.

While final programming lineups were still being finalized at press time, executives from both networks say they're planning unprecedented, around-the-clock coverage of the day-long festivities surrounding the Jan. 20 swearing in...
Story continued...

Litton Entertainment to launch weekly 'The Brian McKnight Show' next fall

(December 12, 2008) Litton Entertainment has announced that it will launch "The Brian McKnight Show," a new one-hour weekly variety series set to debut Fall 2009. McKnight, a multi-platinum award-winning singer, musician, producer and arranger, is known for his silky style, breezy charm and smooth vocals.

"Brian McKnight's vision for this show fits the tone of a nation that wants to be entertained and uplifted," said Dave Morgan, Executive Producer of the series and President/CEO of Litton Entertainment. "He's a magnet for huge stars, his natural television personality is combined with the skill to shoulder a hit show, and he's got talent to spare. We think television needs a fresh, hip face predisposed to succeed with millions and millions...
Story continued...

Race and the Web: Going after niche markets or practicing digital segmentation

By Angela Benton
From TechCrunch.com
(December 12, 2008) The release of Blackbird, an African American focused web browser sparked quite a bit of controversy this past week. The TechCrunch post about it elicited reactions from both sides of the aisle [It has 275 comments and counting].

Some argued for the value of niche audiences while others debated that the idea of a Black browser is in and of itself separatism, racist even. But catering to niche audiences online is nothing new. In fact, browsers that focus on a...
Story continued...

Live radio roundtable to examine auto industry crisis on African-Americans

(December 15, 2008) The auto industry financial crisis will be discussed from an African-American perspective in a live roundtable on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 from noon to 1:00 p.m. ET on the weekly program, "On Wheels with Warren Brown." The show airs on WMET 1160 AM in Washington, D.C., and live on the Internet at www.wmet1160.com/schedule/on_wheels/

The panel will address critical and broader implications that are not being covered in the media or discussed widely on Capitol Hill, including how the auto industry crisis affects...
Story continued...

NPR's announced layoffs include "News and Notes" show, veteran black staffers

By Richard Prince
Journal-isms
(December 11, 2008) National Public Radio is canceling "News & Notes" and "Day to Day" effective in March, and the network is reducing its work force by 7 percent, NPR announced on Wednesday.

A projected $2 million deficit for fiscal year 2009 has become $23 million with the downturn in the economy, the network said...
Story continued...

ICABA launches a multimedia network for black professionals and entrepreneurs

(December 11, 2008) Prominent business leaders, Black professionals and entrepreneurs convened in South Florida last month for the launch of ICABA, a new multimedia brand that seeks to identify, connect and activate accomplished Blacks around the world.  During the launch reception, ICABA unveiled an integrated marketing platform that includes a multifaceted Website with a social networking component, print directories and signature...
Story continued...

Ebony, Jet partner with Google to digitize six decades of publishing history

By Wailin Wong
Chicago Tribune
(December 11, 2008 ) For years, Johnson Publishing Co. kept past issues of Ebony and Jet in bound volumes and on microfilm. If someone needed an old article or photo, staff librarians would unearth it from the archives.

The Chicago-based media company that was a pioneer in covering black history and pop culture made a huge digital leap Wednesday, unveiling a partnership with Google Inc. to digitize the archives of Ebony and Jet magazines, making them searchable on the technology giant's...
Story continued...

Cable TV Ratings for Week of December 1 - 7
'House of Payne' crushes NFL football and makes TBS week's top cable network

(December 10, 2008) TBS brings the "Payne" and dominates black households' cable viewing during the first week of December. The Tyler Perry sit-com captured first, second and third on the Top 25. ESPN's "Monday Night Football" had to settle to fourth place.

Thanks to "Payne," TBS was easily the week's most...
Story continued...

Blackbird, a custom Web browser tapping African-American interests, is launched

(December 9, 2008) Blackbird is a new web browser designed for the African-American community that has advanced Web 2.0 features built into the browser. The new Internet tool was developed by 40A, Inc., a company founded by three African American entrepreneurs, Arnold Brown II, Frank Washington, and H. Edward Young, Jr.

"Blackbird was originally the brainchild of Arnold Brown, who wanted a way to tie all black content online into one...
Story continued...

TV Ratings for Week of December 1 - 7
Big football weekend puts 'The OT' at No.1; CBS still most watched network

(December 9, 2008) A number of highly anticipated match-ups in week 14 of the NFL season helped to deliver a hugh black audience for Fox's post-game primetime show, "The OT."  The week's No.2 most popular program in black households was NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

CBS was again the most watched network among black...
Story continued...

Barack Obama's first interview following Presidential win is Ebony cover story

(December 8, 2008) The very first interview President-elect Barack Obama gave following his November 4th victory was to Ebony magazine, and it is the centerpiece of the January 2009 issue.

The Johnson Publishing Co. hopes that the issue it has built around that exclusive interview will expose millions to the editorial and graphic changes that have been introduced to the magazine over the last two years...
Story continued...

Bob Johnson explains business model for Urban Television venture

(December 8, 2008) Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies today outlined additional details of his proposed programming model for Urban Television, LLC, pending the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) approval of recently filed applications seeking share-time licenses that will enable Urban to broadcast programming on a digital channel of...
Story continued...

Civil rights lawyer, Cyrus Mehri, prepares to challenge ad industry discrimination

By Andrew Adam Newman
Adweek
(December 1, 2008) Black athletes, musicians and actors figure more prominently in ad campaigns than ever, but the chances that African Americans actually created those ads are pretty slim.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from January 2008, the advertising field -- defined as advertising and PR agencies, as well as media, direct mail and other operations exclusively devoted to creating and delivering ads -- is just 5 percent African American, 3 percent Asian and 8 percent Hispanic or Latino. Those numbers...
Story continued...

NABJ: Don't let newsroom layoffs push diversity efforts out the door

(December 5, 2008) The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is calling on the industry to keep diversity in the forefront of cost-cutting decisions made this week at Gannett Co., one of the country's largest media operations. Diversity is an essential component of success that companies and communities can't afford to lose.

Despite the seemingly unending layoffs and buyouts in American newsrooms, this week's dismissals at Gannett Co. mark an especially crippling blow to...
Story continued...

Cable TV Ratings for Week of November 24 - 30
'Monday Night Football' holds on to top spot; BET is week's top cable network

(December 4, 2008) There may have been 300,000 fewer black folks watching, but "Monday Night Footbal" still came away as the most popular cable show for the last week of November. The ESPN favorite got a bigger challenge this week from BET's "Keyshia Cole" reality show, which finished second.

BET dominated the Top 25 cable chart with 11...
Story continued...

TV Ratings for Week of November 24 - 30
Obamas top chart again with '20/20' interview; CBS is most watched network

(December 4, 2008) President-elect Barack Obama and wife Michelle remain media's hottest property by giving ABC's Barbara Walters the No. 1 spot for "20/20." The show had only half of the 4.7 million audience that CBS' "60 Minutes" posted the week before, but it had the biggest ratings.

CBS took the distinction of the week's...
Story continued...

The Urban Radio Summit to be presented in April by Target Market News

(December 3, 2008) Target Market News announced today that it will present The 2009 Urban Radio Summit in Chicago in April, the latest addition to its series of conferences. This newly formed annual event will bring together leading marketers, advertising agencies, research companies, syndication firms and Urban Radio broadcasters in a day-long conference exploring opportunities for tapping the $800 billion African-American consumer market.

Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News, said that The Urban Radio Summit will be an important addition...
Story continued...

Katz Media Group adds ICBC Broadcast Holdings to roster of clients

From Radio Ink
(December 3, 2008) Katz Media Group adds another post-Interep client, as ICBC Broadcast Holdings signs on for representation by Katz Radio Group in a long-term deal. ICBC was formerly repped by Interep's D&R and McGavren Guild.

ICBC owns and operates 17 stations in New York; San Francisco; Columbia, SC; and Jackson, MS, with flagship...
Story continued...

When will television offer programs with Obama-like characters?

By Greg Braxton
Los Angeles Times
(December 3, 2008) Long before he set out for the White House, President-elect Barack Obama sought to adjust the colors on America's TV sets.

Four years ago, fresh off his star-making keynote address at the Democratic National Convention, Obama challenged the television industry to live up to its responsibility as the country's "most powerful media" and accurately reflect the nation's population.

"TV ought to reflect the reality of America's diversity and...
Story continued...

Bob Johnson says new Urban Television concept based more on the Internet 12-3-08

BET Mobile partners with PlayPhone for distribution of digital content 12-2-08

UniWorld to move its New York headquarters from Manhattan to Brooklyn 12-2-08


Click here for more recent news stories and our news archive

Return to top of page

112908