African-Americans need more decision making power and a greater footprint in media ownership. The climate for black media ownership remains turbulent.Common knowledge is that media ownership is the key to telling African-American stories in ways that are culturally-relevant and inspiring. In today’s media climate, ownership is more important than ever at a corporate level where a few companies own several major televisions, print, online, and radio properties. From my research I learned that the Federal Communications Commission used to give tax provisions that were designed to increase minority ownership of broadcast properties yet it has been eliminated. Earlier this year according to the FCC all major networks and 90 percent of the top 50 cable networks are owned by five companies. These same five companies control much of the prime time television market and its production forces. Media powerbroker Oprah Winfrey is the only BLACK own.
This timeline will help further illustrate the diversity of African American interests. It gives us HOPE. Enjoy!:)
25 years of Blacks in media
1970
The Hollingsworth Group Inc., led by Ed Lewis and Clarence Smith, launches Essence, a magazine for African American women.
Earl G. Graves Publishing Co. publishes the first issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine.
1972
A conference on minority broadcast ownership leads to the formation of the National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters.
Percy Sutton and Clarence Jones organize investors to buy New York's WLIBAM. The acquisition establishes Inner City Broadcasting, which today is the nation's largest black-owned group of radio stations. Inner City now owns cable television, video and music production properties as well.
1973
The National Black Network, the nation's first black-owned radio news network, begins broadcasting to 40 affiliates.
1975
Detroit's WGPR-TV becomes the first black-owned television station in the U.S.
The National Association of Black Journalists is founded.
1978
The Federal Communications Commission adopts tax certificate and distressed sale policies that result in increases in the number of minority-owned broadcast properties. In 1995, Congress would eliminate the tax certificate policy as part of a conservative assault on minority business development policies.
1980
The first black public broadcasting TV station, WHMM, begins broadcasting from Howard University in Washington.
Black Entertainment Television, a cable television programming company, is founded by Robert L Johnson. In 11 years it will become the first black-owned company traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
1981
Pamela McAllister Johnson is named publisher of the Ithaca (N.Y.) Journal, becoming the first African American woman to run a non-black-oriented, mass circulation newspaper.
Don Barden founds Barden Communications. Fourteen years later, he would sell Barden Cablevision, the Detroit cable franchise making up the bulk of his business, for more than $100 million.
1983
Robert C. Maynard purchases the Oakland Tribune, making him the first African-American publisher of a major metropolitan daily newspaper.
1985
Ebony Man, a magazine started by Johnson Publishing Co. for black men, is launched. EM ultimately outlasts its only direct competitor, MBM: Modern Black Men, launched a year earlier.
J. Bruce Llewellyn leads a group of investors to launch Queen City Broadcasting Inc., set up to acquire network television broadcast properties.
1988
W. Don Cornwell, along with partner Stuart Beck, launches Granite Broadcasting Corp. After going public on the NASDAQ exchange three years later, Granite becomes the top performing media stock of 1994.
1989
Emerge, a black newsmagazine, is launched by Wilmer Ames with the help of the Time Warner's magazine division. Two years later, it is acquired by Black Entertainment Television.
1990
Johnathan A. Rodgers is named president of the CBS Television Stations Division.
1994
Dime Bancorp. CEO Richard Parsons is named president of Time Warner, the nation's largest media conglomerate.
1995
Ebony magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary as BE and Essence celebrate their 25th. Meanwhile, BET celebrates its 15th anniversary.
Dennis Hightower is named president of Disney's television division.
COPYRIGHT 1995 Earl G. Graves Publishing Co., Inc.
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