THE LATEST NEWS
Reality show to chronicle life of 'Jones' publisher and magazine's expansion

(March 19, 2010) Next month, Centric, BET's newest network, will debut "Keeping Up With The Joneses," a reality show centered on Tracey Ferguson, founder and editor-in-chief of Houston-based "Jones" magazine. The five-year-old publication is considered the "it" guide for the African-American perspective on the city's high society and fashion.

The show will follow Ferguson as she navigates her home life as a single mom of two, her interactions with Houston's elite, and the day-to-day business challenges as she make plans...
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American Minority health Network announces changes in executive officers

(March 17, 2010) AMHN, parent company of America's Minority Health Network, Inc., announced that due to its expanded network operations, its Board of Directors effected changes in its officers and directors of the Company.

Robert Cambridge, who previously served as the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer will now serve as the...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of March 8 - 14
Without the NBA, TNT hangs on to black viewers with movie offerings 

(March 17, 2010) The second week of March was, for the most part, typical for the cable habits of black households. TBS dominated the head of the Top 25 chart with Tyler Perry's dual comedies. TNT, however, did not carry games from the NBA. Instead it offered the movie, Dreamgirls, and notched its usual viewership for the week of two million...
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Mikki Taylor, Essence Beauty & Creative Director, retires after 30 years

(March 17, 2010) Today, ESSENCE announces the retirement of its esteemed Beauty & Cover Director, Mikki Taylor. Taylor, who celebrated her 30-year anniversary with ESSENCE on February 5, has distinguished herself as a trailblazer within media circles, and is renowned for her contributions as an editor and brand ambassador influencing industries from fashion and beauty to Hollywood. As of March 31, Taylor will contribute to ESSENCE as Editor-at-Large and work closely with...
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E3thos.com to stream 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

(March 17, 2010) E3thos.com, an online portal dedicated to delivering urban video content, announced today that they will enable live video streaming of the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament on their site at www.e3thos.com/sports. As part of its efforts to bring the most up-to-date video content to its audience, e3thos.com will be playing full 2010 NCAA
coverage including...
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Steed Media launches Creative Urban Studio unit to produce spots for Gillette

(March 16, 2010) The weekly urban lifestyle newspaper, rolling out, has added new capabilities to offer advertisers. Under the umbrella of Steed Media Group, it has established Creative Urban Studio to produce commercial spots and, the company says, when coupled with its print services will give marketers' campaigns a 360 degree marketing approach.

The most recent campaign produced by Creative Urban Studio is the Gillette Fusion MVP Prime Time Tour...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of March 8 - 14
The Good Wife breaks up Idol's dominance of Top 25 black programs

(March 16, 2010) CBS had its best showing of the season with black audiences, thanks to the growing popularity of  The Good Wife. The legal drama attracted nearly two million viewers and beat out two of the three airings of American Idol. It captured the No.2 spot for the first time, thanks to the airing of...
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BET's Debra Lee seeks to improve black women's images with leadership talks

By Krissah Thompson
Washington Post
(March 13, 2010) This week 130 successful black women -- influential in politics, entertainment and nonprofits -- at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to talk about portrayals of black women in the media, the problems facing black girls in urban schools, the state of the black family and other weighty issues.

The sponsor of this gathering of African American alpha women: BET...
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NABOB's awards dinner to honor legends in music, politics, broadcasting

National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters will hold its 26th Annual Communications Awards Dinner on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

"NABOB is proud to have this opportunity to celebrate our achievements as we come together to build a stronger future for people of color in our industry." said Jim Winston, NABOB Executive Director. "Last year was a significant...
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Black Press Week forum to cover issues, honor history of black newspapers

(March 11, 2010) Black Press Week, the annual celebration of the nearly two centuries-old mission of Black-owned newspapers, will be fueled this year by the fact that the 183-year-old civil rights institution is continuing to plead its own cause even as it fights for the rights and honors the achievements of others.

"When Mr. Russwurm and Mr. Cornish said, 'We wish to plead our own cause. For too long have others spoken for us', they began publishing the very first Black newspaper on March 16, 1827," says...
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New date for Radio One annual conference call for investors is March 31

(March 11, 2010) Radio One, Inc. announced that it will hold its annual conference call for investors, analysts and other interested parties to discuss its results for the fiscal year 2009 on March 31, 2010 instead of the previously announced date of March 18, 2010.

The conference call is now scheduled for Wednesday, March 31, 2010 10:00 a.m. EDT. To participate on this call, U.S. callers may...
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Nielsen: Drop in black, Hispanic media advertising in '09 less than overall market

(March 12, 2010) According to a report released today by The Nielsen Company, spending on African-American and Spanish language media declined 7.3% and 4.7%, respectively, in 2009. The declines are consistent with the trend in overall advertising, although the drops aren't as deep. Last month, Nielsen reported that ad spending fell nine percent in 2009, despite significant increases in Cable TV.

African-American Ad Spending
Spending on African-American media saw a similar decline of 7.3% in 2009. The decline was paced by decreased spending in Network TV (-72%) and National Magazines (-33%).

Increased spending on Cable TV helped balance out the losses. Advertisers spent 35% more on African-American Cable in 2009, thanks to added spending by...
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Black lawmakers grill U.S. Census Bureau over ad spending in black media

By Pharoh Martin
NNPA News Service
(March 11, 2010) During the recent Congressional hearing to discuss what many contends is an insufficiently funded Black advertising campaign of Census 2010; the U. S. Census Bureau's media-buying agencies were blistered by a charge that they allegedly played unfair politics with Black newspaper publishers. These charges have resulted in an ongoing probe into why the Census allocated so little to count African-Americans...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of March 1 - 7
In a week of less cable viewing, TBS attracts its usual loyal audience 

(March 10, 2010) The Top 25 list of favorite cable TV shows in black households had a significant drop for the first week of March, as the usual lineup faced competition from The Oscars on broadcast TV. TBS, which returned to its regular schedule of Tyler Perry comedies, took the top four spots on the chart. As usual...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of March 1 - 7
Black nominees, winners at The Oscars deliver all-time high audience for ABC

(March 10, 2010) With anticipation that the film, "Precious" might deliver multiple African-American winners at this year's Academy Awards, black households watched Hollywood's biggest night in record numbers. More than four million black viewers tuned in to the special, topping last year's audience of 3.0 million and taking the No.1 spot on the week's most watched program. ABC network's Red Carpet pre-awards coverage pulled in 2.6 million viewers for the...
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Moguldom Media debuts AtlantaPost.com aimed upscale black audience

(March 8, 2010) Moguldom Media Group, a new media company operating multiple black-targeted Web sites, has announced the launch of The Atlanta Post, an online destination targeting the business, financial, political, and lifestyle interests of high-income African-Americans. The nationally-focused site is complemented by four local editions targeting Atlanta, Chicago...
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Beauty products extend reach to ethnic consumers with green product line

By Sarah Mahoney
MarketingDaily.com
(March 5, 2010) It's certainly no news that the demand for ethnic beauty products has been exploding, with annual sales of hair, makeup and skincare products now totaling $2.7 billion a year, says a new report from Packaged Facts. But what's less obvious, author Timothy Dowd tells Marketing Daily, is "the stunning popularity of the use of 'natural' or 'organic' claims with this audience." And just as impressive are the number of companies reaching out with products that are viewed as ethnic-suitable rather than ethnic-specific...
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BET planning for the return of Ed Gordon in a news show and specials

By Richard Prince
Journal-isms
(March 8, 2010) Ed Gordon, who came to national attention as the anchor-host of news and interview shows on Black Entertainment Television two decades ago, is returning to BET. Under the arrangement, Gordon will do news specials and a regular show that is "in development," Gordon told Journal-isms on Monday.

The Detroit native, now 49, joined BET in 1988 and is perhaps best known for interviewing such celebrities as Nelson Mandela...
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Jamie Foxx, Ludacris team with CDC on black targeted effort against HIV
$45 million campaign focused on social media, Web

(March 4, 2010) Award-winning actors and recording artists Jamie Foxx and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges are joining other celebrities and African-American leaders to promote "i know," a social media effort launched today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The "i know" effort will provide new channels for African-American young adults to talk openly and often about HIV, both online and off.

The effort is part of CDC's Act Against AIDS campaign, a five-year, $45 million national communication campaign which...
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Survey: Blacks' sleep patterns differ significantly from other ethnic groups
More likely to watch TV, engage in religious practice

(March 8, 2010) The 2010 Sleep in America poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reveals significant differences in the sleep habits and attitudes of Asians, Blacks/African-Americans, Hispanics and Whites. It is the first poll to examine sleep among these four ethnic groups.

NSF's Sleep in America poll found that more than three-fourths of respondents from each ethnic group agree that...
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REACH Media names Reggie Denson Vice President for ad sales in Midwest

(March 3, 2010) REACH Media Inc., a cross platform media company founded by radio and TV personality Tom Joyner, has announced Reggie Denson as the vice president of ad sales for the Midwest region. Denson will oversee all marketing and sales strategies for REACH Media in the Midwest and will be based in the company's Chicago office.

"I'm thrilled to join REACH and work for such an innovative businessman like Tom Joyner," says Denson.  "The Joyner brand is among the most powerful in media and we can...
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Paul Johnson to head Essence Midwest sales; Danielle Brown to account director

(March 3, 2010) ESSENCE has promoted Paul Johnson to the position of Midwest Director and Danielle M. Brown to the position of Account Director of ESSENCE. The announcement was made today by Essence Communications president, Michelle Ebanks. Both Johnson and Brown will continue to report to ESSENCE National Sales Director, Colin Mitchell.

As Midwest Sales Manager, Johnson was responsible for developing more than $1.5 million in new digital revenue for...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Feb. 22 - 28
TBS takes its Tyler Perry juggernaut and makes it mo' better  

(March 3, 2010) TBS took a good thing and made it better. In addition to the six hours of back-to-back Tyler Perry produced comedies it airs on Wednesday night, the network added a Saturday and Sunday schedule for Meet the Browns and House of Payne. Twelve of the week's time slots made it on to the Top 25 cable favorites in black households, including...
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Study from Joint Center shows higher broadband adoption rates among blacks

(March 3, 2010) Middle and upper class African Americans and Hispanics are rapidly adopting broadband and are greatly narrowing the overall digital divide, according to a new study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a research and policy institution that focuses on minority concerns and issues. The study found that 94 percent of African Americans...
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Don Butler returns to GM as Cadillac's Marketing VP in management shakeup

(March 2, 2010) GM North American President Mark Reuss unveiled a revamped North American leadership team yesterday with changes that impact marketing, sales and communications positions. Reuss split sales from marketing and announced a new team of vice presidents.

Among the announcements made was the appointment of Don Butler to U.S. Marketing Vice President for Cadillac.  Butler is returning to GM after a stint as Vice President of...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of February 22 - 28
NBC can't shake black viewers' loyalty to CBS, Fox with Olympics

(March 2, 2010) While the Winter Olympics were an overwhelming ratings success for NBC, the games did not gain the network any new fans among black households. All seven of the week's nightly Olympics broadcasts made it to the top ten of most popular programs in white households, but only Tuesday's airing made in on to the black Top 25 chart -- and just barely.

Fox scored the trifecta with The NAACP Image Awards finishing third with an audience of 1.8 million behind the ever...
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Flowers Comm names Tony Balasandiran new media specialist, debuts weekly blog

(March 1, 2010) Flowers Communications Group today announced the launch of its new weekly blog, BLOOM to contribute thought leadership and best practices to the constantly evolving social media landscape, particularly as it relates to multicultural communications and ethnic consumer segments. BLOOM will provide information and spark discussion on hot topics, breaking news and other...
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TV One marks sixth year by passing the 50 million households benchmark

(March 1, 2010) TV One, has surpassed the 50-million household subscriber mark, according to the March 2010 Nielsen universe estimates. The six-year-old entertainment and lifestyle network for African American adults, is now available in more than 50.1 million U.S. households, according to the March 2010 estimates.

Recent TV One launches include Cox Communications in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ; Bright House Networks in...
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Hispanic advocacy groups meet with Comcast, NBCU on merger concerns

By Bob Fernandez
Philadelphia Inquirer
(March 2, 2010) Hispanic civil rights and advocacy groups met in Philadelphia yesterday with top executives at Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal Inc. to discuss Hispanic media issues related to the proposed $30 billion merger of the cable company and the entertainment giant. The meeting was part of the full-court press by Comcast and NBC to court favor with special-interest groups that might oppose the merger in Congress and...
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Comcast, NBC grilled by Congress on lack of blacks in programming and news

By Richard Prince
Journal-isms
(February 26, 2010) A day after a scolding from black members of Congress about NBC's insufficient diversity, the network Friday declared that "from interviews with political newsmakers to our roundtable discussions, 'Meet the Press' is committed to having a more diverse group of voices on the show whose opinions and expertise reflect, not just the news of the day, but the cultural, economical and political...
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Tom Joyner plans for online school to cater to historically black colleges

By Jessica De Vault
Fayetteville Observer
(February 27, 2010) Tom Joyner, the radio host for the "Tom Joyner Morning Show," informally announced plans Friday to launch an online university program for students at historically black colleges and universities.
Joyner, during his speech at the Fayetteville State University Chancellor's luncheon, said the online school would be called...
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Radio One decides not to move its headquarters to Washington, D.C. site

(February 26, 2010) Radio One, Inc. announced today that it has decided not to lease space at the residential/office complex to be constructed by Four Points, LLC at Seventh and S Streets, N.W., DC.

Alfred C. Liggins, III, Radio One's CEO and President commented, "We understand the significance of revitalizing the Shaw neighborhood and are grateful to the District of Columbia for having allocated significant funds to assist Four Points in...
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Arbitron issues annual study, Black Radio Today 2009 with PPM data for first time

(February 25, 2010) Arbitron Inc. announced today that the Black Radio Today 2009 study has been released and are available to the public in PDF form through its Web site at www.arbitron.com. Also just released is Hispanic Radio Today 2009. Both of these studies feature Portable People Meter data information for the first time. "Ethnic formatted stations reach millions of listeners...
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TV One launches on Verizon FiOS TV video on demand service

(February 23, 2010) Verizon and TV One have announced that TV One has launched its video-on-demand offering on Verizon's FiOS TV service. FiOS TV subscribers can celebrate Black History Month with a variety of special VOD programming from TV One, which targets African-American viewers.  The offerings include the history of black fashion and the role of the Ebony Fashion Fair; the true story of singer Roger Troutman and his band, Zapp; and the history of the civil rights movement, with performances from Aretha Franklin...
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Terrie Williams Agency, Ad Council team up on black mental health campaign

(February 23, 2010) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, working in collaboration with the Ad Council and the Stay Strong Foundation, have launched a national public service advertising campaign designed to raise awareness of mental health problems among young adults in the African American community...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Feb. 15 - 21
Jill Scott in 'Sins of the Mother' gives Lifetime a million and a half black viewers

(February 24, 2010) One of the encouraging things about Black History Month is that it's always going to be a window of opportunity when media and marketers feel there's an opening to do something targeted to African-Americans that hasn't been before. The Lifetime Movie Network saw such an opening for...
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IMAGES USA, The Futures Co. debut first multicultural millennials study

(February 23, 2010) Millennials, those born between 1979 and 1993, are a generation of optimistic leaders, more concerned than previous generations about making a difference in the world they've inherited.  However, according to a new study released by IMAGES USA and The Futures Company (formerly Yankelovich, Inc.), a closer look shows African- American and Hispanic millennials surpass their White peers regarding concerns with community involvement, and their ability to...
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4BlackYouth.com gives students a site with comprehensive success tools

(February 24, 2010) Success4Youth, LLC has announced the launch of 4BlackYouth.com, an online social network and portal for African-American high school and college students. It also offers marketers a unique opportunity to be involved with the academic success of black students...
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Business Wire, Black PR Wire host media and PR best practices Webinar Feb. 26

(February 25, 2010) In recognition of Black History Month and in celebration of their continued partnership, Business Wire and Black PR Wire will launch their 2010 Minority Leadership Series. This series will be used to showcase the best of multicultural services and practices used by business professionals in the country. The series will also provide networking opportunities for small businesses and
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Black TV Ratings for Week of February 15 - 21
Winter Olympic games are must-see TV for everyone except black viewers

(February 23, 2010) It seems that the Winter Olympics are among the favorite TV fare for everyone except black households. The games from Vancouver were the top four programs in white homes last week, and six of the week's seven Olympic TV broadcasts were on the Top 25 for Hispanic viewers...
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New weekly syndicated radio show, Cafe Mocha, targets African American women

(February 22, 2010) Grammy-Awarding winning hip-hop artist MC Lyte and sought-after comedienne Loni Love (Chelsea Lately Show) are taking to the airwaves with the premiere of the new, nationally syndicated weekly radio show, Cafe Mocha, scheduled to launch this month. Cafe Mocha, the brainchild of award-winning media veteran Sheila Eldridge, will be syndicated by...
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Magic Johnson says discussions with JPC didn't reach 'definitive agreement'

(February 22, 2010) Earvin "Magic" Johnson released a statement today saying someone from Magic Johnson Enterprises really had been speaking with someone else at Johnson Publishing Co. about something, but that nothing had come out of the talks.

Without being straight forward about the details, the former NBA star tried to put to rest a...
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TV One high def added more than 4 million HD households last year

(February 21, 2010) TV One High Def added more than 4.5 million subscribers in 2009, bringing its subscriber count to 5.5 million since the high definition simulcast real-life and entertainment channel for African American adults launched in mid-December 2008. Recent TV One High Def launches include such key markets...
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Munson Steed, 'Rolling Out' publisher, named director of Madison Ave. Initiative

(February 21, 2010) Rev. Al Sharpton, president and founder of the National Action Network, has appointed Munson Steed as Director of the Madison Avenue Initiative (MAI), a program under NAN that addresses fairness in advertising. The formal announcement will be made at NAN's upcoming national convention in April. Since its inception, the MAI has addressed the needs of minority-owned companies that do not receive their fair share...
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Lee Moss Media signs Web ad deals with Procter & Gamble, Census Bureau

(February 21, 2010) Lee Moss Media, a marketing, public relations, and diversity recruiting firm, announced new advertising contracts for their flagship web site, HBCUconnect.com. Procter & Gamble has come onboard to promote their Tide brand, with an ad campaign that features tennis star Venus Williams. Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau has signed on to promote their initiative to have more...
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Celeste T. Harwell named to Director of Fashion sales post for Essence

(February 18, 2010) Essence Communications has named Celeste T. Harwell to the position of Director of Fashion for ESSENCE, it was announced today by Michelle Ebanks, president of ECI. Harwell will be responsible for driving advertising revenue and developing promotional partnerships within the fashion industry and will report to ESSENCE National Sales Director, Colin Mitchell. "We are extremely excited to have Celeste join our team and...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Feb. 8 - 14
NBA All-Star weekend takes title of most watched for cable's Top 25

(February 18, 2010) TNT was delivered a big ratings win with the NBA's All-Star Weekend, and black viewers were the main reason why. Of the six million-plus who tuned in to the All-Star game last Sunday night, more than half the audience was black households. That's an increase of eight percent over last year's black audience.

TBS has basketball's annual event to thank for...
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Tiger Woods makes a public apology in his first on camera appearance

By Dave Sheinin
Washington Post
(February 19, 2010) Tiger Woods made a subdued but at times emotional return to public view Friday morning, apologizing profusely for his marital infidelity, chastising the media for intruding upon his family's personal life, acknowledging having undergone rehabilitation to address his behavior and vowing to return to professional golf, perhaps this year. In a 13 1/2 -minute statement, televised around the world...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of February 8 -14
Beyond opening event, Winter Olympics get cold shoulder from black viewers

(February 17, 2010) The Winter Olympics traditionally have never been big with black TV viewers, and this year is apparently not going to be the exception. The Opening Ceremony, which typically draws the largest audience, attracted 1.6 million black viewers, and made No.8 on the chart of Top 25 shows for the week. But that wasn't even close to the 2.9 million Fox's American Idol had...
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PPM Coalition disappointed by court ruling but not deterred in Arbitron battle

(February 16, 2010) After being handed a setback by the New York State Court, the PPM Coalition still hopes to get Congress to address its issues with Arbitron's rating system. The group says that the methodology employed in the Portable People Meters discriminates against black and Hispanic broadcasters because the samples are not representative of...
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Johnson Publishing Co. officials deny negotiation talks with Magic Johnson

(February 17, 2010) Executives with Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Co. have denied that there are negotiations taking place regarding a sale or partnership with businessman and former NBA star, Earvin "Magic" Johnson. A report published last week by the Bloomberg news service quoted Eric Holoman, president of Magic Johnson Enterprises, as saying "There have been discussions" with the nation's largest African-American owned publishing company, but "there's no definitive...
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Coalition of 23 groups seeks action from FCC chairman on minority telecom issues

In a letter addressed to the Federal Communications Chairman, Julius Genachowski, a coalition of 23 minority organizations requested immediate steps be taken on current proposals to stem the loss of minority ownership throughout the telecommunications industry.

"Minority television ownership has decreased by 50% since 1999. Minority radio ownership has declined by 9% just within the last three years," the letter cited. "Minority wireless and cable system ownership levels are near zero. Finally, minority radio journalism employment has plummeted to...
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Burger King reaches out to African-American basketball players with 'Next Big Move'

From Promo Magazine
(February 11, 2010) Burger King is changing the game. It has transformed what had been a series of production heavy, costly basketball events targeting young African American males into a nimble, mobile vehicle campaign that reaches these young people when and where they play the game. The changes allow Burger King to reach into...
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Kmart invites black women to 'Share the Word' through social media effort

(February 12, 2010) – Kmart is honoring the uniqueness of African-American women with the launch of its Share the Word program during Black History Month. The retailer will host in-store celebrity visits and tap into various social media platforms, as part of its month-long effort to engage Black women and celebrate their beauty, both...
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New site from Amtrak highlights African-American heritage destinations
 
(February 10, 2010) Amtrak today launched its new culturally-focused Web site -- MyBlackJourney.com -- just in time for Black History Month. The site serves as a comprehensive resource, connecting users to information about various destinations, rich with African American heritage.   
 
The new site includes information about Amtrak destinations, family reunions, weekend escapes and Amtrak's Travel Scholars program. Users may also link directly to information on current Amtrak promotions and discounts, as well as...
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Abe Thompson becomes Managing Principal of Captivate Marketing
 
(February 10, 2010) Chicago based, Captivate Marketing Group, announced that Abe Thompson will join the organization as a managing principal.
 
In this role Abe will serve as a strategic thought leader for Captivate Marketing Group and clients.  Abe will be responsible for working with the CMG team and clients to grow revenues, and to identify new...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of February 1 - 7
'Honors' captures No.1 and gives BET record-setting ratings week

(February 10, 2010) The third annual airing of The BET Honors on Feb. 1 delivered star-studded ratings for the network and a 245 percent increase for BET in its 9 to 11 PM time slot compared to the same period last year. The tribute to Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Keith Black, and Ruth Simmons finished as ad-supported cable's number one weeknight entertainment special for 2010.

BET barely missed taking the week's most watched...
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BET Networks participates in First Lady Michelle Obama's childhood obesity effort

(Feb. 10, 2010) BET Networks Chairman & CEO Debra Lee announced today that BET Networks will join the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, in her nationwide Let's Move (www.LetsMove.gov) campaign to address the problem of childhood obesity. BET Networks, and The BET Foundation will offer its combined resources to this initiative.

"BET Networks is honored to work with the First Lady and to be a part of the Let's Move campaign addressing the issue...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of February 1 - 7
Historic Super Bowl XLIV pushes CBS viewership to new heights on Top 25

(February 9, 2010) Super Bowl XLIV was clearly one of the most anticipated sporting events in years. But the second-half, come-from-behind, first-ever-Super Bowl win by the New Orleans Saints assured a historic ratings bonanza for CBS.

According to The Nielsen Company, Super Bowl XLIV attracted an average audience of 106.5 million U.S. viewers, making it the most watched...
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Former Who's Who publisher, Sunny Martin, embarks on new business venture

(February 8, 2010) Nearly a year after selling Who's Who Publishing Company, C. Sunny Martin has embarked upon a new mission and business venture. His goal is to encourage minority men and women to pursue entrepreneurship opportunities in the franchising industry.

In 2010, Martin has plans to hold a Minority Franchise Expo in three heavily minority populated cities including Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia and...
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Ford, PBS partner on 'For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots'
 
(February 8, 2010) Ford Motor Company is helping to tell the untold story of African Americans in the military as part of a partnership with PBS on the airing of "For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots." The partnership comes as Ford also hosts its Annual Black History Month Celebration in Detroit on Friday, Feb. 19...
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Nationwide unveils Black History Month work from general market ad agency

(February 8, 2010) Nationwide Insurance last week unveiled a program for Black History Month that, according to a press statement, "encourages consumers to get on line to share, build and capture important family history in celebration of the rich heritage and legacy of the African American family."

"Nationwide continues our commitment to support the African American community," said Mark Hara, vice president for Nationwide. "The Nationwide Family Heritage Tree Web site...
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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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