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Merchandise for Disney's 'Princess and the Frog' already a hit at stores

November 18, 2009) Weeks before the theatrical release of Disney's upcoming animated feature The Princess and the Frog, the excitement for film-inspired merchandise is already building in a big way as anticipation for the film intensifies. Since its launch just a few weeks ago, retailers report that the merchandise has already begun out-selling other Disney Princess items by double digit percentages.

More than 45,000 dolls have sold in less than...
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AMA Foundation creates award in honor of advertising professor Jerome Williams

(November 17, 2009) The trustees of the American Marketing Association Foundation (AMAF) have established a multicultural mentoring award in honor of Jerome D. Williams, the F. J. Heyne Centennial Professor in Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.

The Williams-Qualls-Spratlen Multicultural Mentoring Award...
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Adrenalina agency creates micro site to look beyond 2010 Census implications

(November 16, 2009) Seeking to infuse its digital innovation strategy with a dose of real-world perspective, Adrenalina, a leading multicultural advertising and marketing agency that is part of the MDC Partners network, said today it is mounting a next-generation multicultural micro site aimed at unleashing the power and influence of U.S. Hispanic and African Americans.

Dubbed TheCountThatCounts.com, the micro site serves to buoy the...
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Coors Light announces sponsorship of XXXVI State Farm Bayou Classic teams

As an official sponsor of the XXXVI State Farm Bayou Classic, Coors Light announced today that it will donate $10,000 each to Grambling State University and Southern University’s scholarship funds.

Coors Light has supported higher education and the mission of Historically Black Colleges and Universities since...
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Sahara Media launches HoneyMag.com 2.0 with more interactive, video features

(November 16, 2009) Sahara Media Holdings (SHHD.OB), a New York City based digital media company, unveiled today the redesign of digital lifestyle portal HoneyMag.com. New enhancements include improved interactive features, user-friendly functionality and a sleek, modern design. The redesign also includes the launch of HoneyTV, a new video portal featuring breaking news, gossip, celebrity interviews and user generated videos.

The HoneyMag.com 2.0 platform also extends the site's social media components via...
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EBONY's year-end issue celebrates its Power 150 and launches a new look

(November 15, 2009) Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Co. has announced that starting with the December/January issue, EBONY magazine will begin unveiling numerous changes in the iconic brand.

Most evident among the new features is a change in the magazine's logotype. Gone are the white type characters set on a red rectangular background that have been the publication's logo since its introduction 64 years ago. The word EBONY is now...
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Bill Cosby gives marketers a lesson in how to achieve social media success

By Kenneth Hein
Adweek.com
(November 12, 2009) Bill Cosby held a "virtual town hall" on Oct. 19 to discuss issues that face the African-American community and support his latest album, "Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati: State of Emergency."
Since then, Cosby has taken social media by storm. The event, held at Ustream, generated 1.3 million views, placing behind only President Obama's inaugural address and...
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Ford Motor Co., One Solution create product placement partnership for Taurus

(November 12, 2009) Ford Motor Company and One Solution, the integrated corporate marketing arm of Radio One and TV One, have joined together in a partnership to promote the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus and the all-new episodes in November of Unsung, TV One's acclaimed, original series of one-hour biographies that celebrates the...
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American Legacy magazine reports ad sales trending up despite economy  

(November 12, 2009) RJR Communications, Inc. today announced that advertising pages and revenue for its flagship magazine, American Legacy has increased. As a majority of national magazines continue to experience declining ad pages and revenue, American Legacy has seen its ad pages and revenue grow in 2009.  

"We're excited about our ad page and revenue growth in 2009 despite the economy and the major changes taking place in...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Wk. of November 2 - 8
NFL, TBS return to the top of the cable chart after steady rise of BET

(November 11, 2009) TBS resumed its reign over the cable viewing habits of black households after falling to BET's rise on the programming charts. Without BET's airing of The Game or awards show, Tyler Perry's comedies prevailed right behind perennial favorite, ESPN's Monday Night Football.

TBS was the week's most watched cable network, with...
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Donald Trump partners with TV One on new reality show starring Omarosa
 
(November 10, 2009) Real estate and entertainment mogul Donald J. Trump has partnered with TV One on a groundbreaking new reality series to debut in the Spring of 2010.

Entitled, "Omarosa's Ultimate Merger," the show will put a cadre of 12 successful bachelors through...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of November 2 - 8
Football, Rihanna smack down World Series for attention of black TV viewers

(November 10, 2009) The N.Y. Yankees may have won their record-setting 27th World Series with a Game Six victory, but that sports drama was watched by only two million black TV viewers last week. Nearly two million more viewers than that tuned in the...
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BET.com news producer, Tracy Stokes, dies from kidney failure at the age of 37

By Ed Wiley III
BET.com
(November 9, 2009) The journalism world and Black Entertainment Television lost a true professional and friend Sunday afternoon when BET.com news producer Tracy Stokes succumbed to complications from kidney failure. He was 37 years old.
 
According to his mother, Lilly Stokes, a retired teacher living in North Carolina, Tracy died at 4:07 p.m. Sunday at Wake Med Hospital in Raleigh. He had...
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Flowers Communications promotes Ron Childs to Vice President, Media Relations

(November 9, 2009) Ronald E. Childs has been named Vice President, Media Relations, for Chicago-based Flowers Communications Group (FCG), it was recently announced by the agency.  Childs, 50, formerly served as media relations director for the top-rated multicultural marketing communications firm. For several years now, his department has managed all local, national, international and social media outreach for the agency's entire client roster...
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Burleigh Hines, pioneer reporter for many Chicago news outlets, dies at 77

By Maureen O'Donnell
Chicago Sun-Times
(November 9, 2009) Burleigh Hines, a versatile reporter who spent more than three decades on the air for WBBM radio and television, died Sunday.

Mr. Hines, 77, was a pioneering African-American print, radio and TV journalist who combined a courtly, respectful demeanor with a strong belief in justice...
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McDonald's marketing chief tells ANA audience that ethnic insights set the curve

(November 6, 2009) Neil Golden, chief marketing officer of McDonald's USA, told a conference of industry executives that the global food chain used its insights and expertise in marketing to African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians to provide direction and strategy for its efforts in the general market. "Ethnic segments are leading lifestyle trends," Golden...
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National Urban League and Wells Fargo launch African American issues initiative

(November 6, 2009) The National Urban League announced that it has entered a three-year, multi-million dollar partnership with Wells Fargo to address challenges within the African American community, starting with a focus on sustainable housing and community stabilization.

During its first year, the multi-faceted relationship will include ...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Wk. of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1
BET wins battle with TBS to take No.1 show, most watched cable network title

(November 4, 2009) BET's programming additions and adjustments are paying off with consist viewing from black households. For the last week of October, BET claimed the No.1 show with nearly 3.5 million viewers for the BET Hip-Hop Awards. It beat out ESPN's Monday Night Football -- the usual top-rated show in black homes and the week's No.1 program in white households -- by more than one million...
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Clear Channel Chicago forms African-American network with stations group

By Phil Rosenthal
Chicago Tribune
(November 4, 2009) In a bid to take advantage of the fact that three of its Chicago radio stations are estimated to reach more than 1.2 million African Americans weekly, Clear Channel Radio Chicago is unifying WGCI-FM 107.5, WVAZ-FM 102.7 and WGRB-AM 1390 under a single advertising banner.

Formation of the Clear Channel Chicago Urban Network marks a significant change for the media conglomerate in that...
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Uptown Magazine names publishing veteran John Rollins regional ad director

(November 3, 2009) Uptown Magazine, the only luxury lifestyle publication for the affluent African American, has hired John Rollins as Regional Advertising Director. Rollins will be responsible for sales management and growth in local markets including NYC, Atlanta, DC, Charlotte and Chicago.

Rollins has a storied history in the music publishing industry. As Founding Publisher of Vibe Magazine, he...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1
NY vs. Philly World Series drama gives Fox a home run with black viewers

(November 3, 2009) Maybe it's because the terrible economy has us looking for a win anywhere we can find one. Or maybe it's that two of the nation's biggest markets have teams that are drawing upon a huge fan base. Whatever the reason, baseball is enjoying record-breaking TV ratings in an age of endless media options. The World Series between New York...
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National Urban League's Marc Morial to be 'profile partner' for 2010 Census

(October 28,2009) Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, has been chosen by the U.S. Census as a National Profile Partner.  In his role, he will work with the Census and create outreach strategies to increase overall participation in the Census among African-American communities. The Urban League is...
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MMTC study shows minority ownership of radio stations unchanged in two years

From RadioInk.com
(November 2, 2009) A study by Professor Catherine Sandoval of the Santa Clara University School of Law -- partnering with SCU School of Law Professor Allen Hammond and Minority Media and Telecommunications Council Exec. Director David Honig -- found that minority radio ownership has remained virtually flat over the past two years: A 2007 Free Press report...
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Radio One continues rebound with second consecutive profitable quarter
 
By Thomas Heath
Washington Post
(October 30, 2009 ) Radio One posted its second consecutive profitable quarter Thursday, sending the broadcaster's shares up sharply and signaling a possible turnaround in the local media business.

The Lanham company said it earned $14.2 million (25 cents a share) in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $266.1 million ($2.81) a year earlier. The results for the year-ago...
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America's Minority Health Network completes 100th video installation

(October 30, 2009) AMHN, Inc., parent company of America's Minority Health Network, Inc., announced today that its network reached its first milestone by completing its 100th installation. America's Minority Health Network, Inc. is a place-based provider of digital video education for medical practices that primarily serve minorities.

America's Minority Health Network, Inc. has established itself as...
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NNPA Chairman confronts GM,  Ford for lack on black newspaper ads

By Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA News Service
(October 28, 2009) It is estimated by the Chicago-based research firm, Target Market News, that African-American consumers will have spent $2.8 billion on new General Motors cars in this year alone.

According to industry statistics, GM's models, which include Chevys, Cadillacs, Saturns, Buicks, Pontiacs, and GMC trucks, represented...
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Johnson Products Co.  launches 'No Excuse, Stop the Abuse' campaign

(October 26, 2009) Johnson Products Company (JPC) a formidable force in the personal care industry, has unveiled an aggressive initiative to help an advocacy organization in Chicago combat domestic violence against women. The centerpiece of the "No Excuse! STOP the ABUSE!" initiative is the installation of a unique, first-of-its-kind Gentle Treatment Beauty Center within...
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BET.com to host scripted comedy series beginning next week

By R. Thomas Umstead
Multichannel News
(October 28, 2009) Black Entertainment Television will launch a  scripted comedy series via the web beginning Nov. 3.
The 10-part short form series, dubbed Buppies, stars Tatyana Ali (Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air) as a young, socialite publicist trying to recover from a broken relationship, said BET Networks digital media president Denmark West (pictured) Tuesday afternoon during a NAMC Conference panel session. BET.com will stream the series, with...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of October 19 - 25
'The Game' continues to deliver a ratings bonanza for BET

(October 28, 2009) The drama continues as BET's "The Game" inches closer to overtaking the No.2 consistently most watched cable show among black audiences, Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." BET's new franchise is leading the channel's format turn-around towards more scripted programs.

With no Tyler Perry comedies to compete against, BET easily...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of October 19 - 25
Baseball is very, very good to Fox's appeal with black viewers in big markets

(October 27, 2009) When the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angles battled for baseball's American League Championship title, the winner was Fox. The network re-captured second place on the Top 25's most popular networks in black households with all five of its chart-making programs being Major League games coverage.

CBS remained the most...
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Rep. Fattah urges venture capitalists to increase investment in urban markets

(October 26, 2009) Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Urban Caucus, told the nation's leading urban-market venture capitalists that investing in minority communities in the United States is smart business as well as a route to national economic recovery.

Fattah was the keynote speaker at the banquet and gala of the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC), which held its 39th Annual Meeting and Convention...
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Ad Council, U.S. government launch ads promoting adoption of black children

(October 27, 2009) The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Children's Bureau and AdoptUsKids, announced today the launch of a campaign designed to encourage the adoption of African American children from foster care.

According to the Administration for Children and Families, there are currently 496,000 children in the foster care system and...
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ESSENCE named to Advertising Age A-List of top 10 magazines for 2009

(October 26, 2009) ESSENCE magazine received special industry recognition recently as a magazine that reaches beyond the printed page to build a future as a finely-honed media brand. The publication was ranked No.6 on the 2009 Advertising Age Magazine A-List!  This honor underscores the influence of ESSENCE's audience and indicates the brand's authority as the place 'Where Black Women Come First.'

In acknowledgement of this honor, ESSENCE President Michelle Ebanks presented a commentary on targeted media...
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Tom Joyner Foundation, Ford team up to drive support to HBCUs

(October 25, 2009) This fall, Historically Black College & University (HBCU) football fans will have more than on-field rivalry to focus on. Ford, in partnership with the Tom Joyner Foundation, is challenging HBCU students, alumni, faculty and friends to conduct test drives at local Ford dealerships to support their alma mater. Each validated test drive will result in a donation to the Tom Joyner Foundation up to $250,000. The entire program is geared toward raising funds for HBCU's and falls in line with Ford's efforts in improving...
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BET to premiere the 2009 BET Hip-Hop Awards Tuesday, Oct. 27

(October 24, 2009) On Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 8 PM ET BET will broadcast the premiere of the 2009 BET HIP-HOP AWARDS with host Mike Epps. Taped in Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Civic Center, the 2009 BET HIP-HOP AWARDS celebrates the biggest names in the game -- both on the mic and in the community. Jay Z and Young Jeezy kick off the show with a performance...
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Pew study: African-Americans more likely to use Twitter than any other segment

(October 23, 2009) According to a just released study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, African-Americans are more likely than any racial or gender group to use Twitter or another status update service.

Pew found that 26% of African Americans online use Twitter or other service. The percentage for all groups was...
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Target Market News to host 2009 African American Internet Marketing Summit

(October 21, 2009) Target Market News has announced it will host the 2009 African American Internet Marketing Summit on Thursday, Nov. 19th in Chicago at the Wyndham Hotel downtown. The all-day conference -- the only such gathering of its kind in the nation -- will feature some of the industry's leading executives and companies in marketing, advertising, media, technology and research.

”Think of this as the 2.0 version of our 2008 Internet Summit...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Oct. 12 - 18
BET proves it can deliver big audiences for another season of 'The Game'

(October 21, 2009) Since saving the popular comedy series, "The Game" after being cancelled by the CW, BET has scheduled back-to-back airings of the show to prove to producer CBS Television that a fourth season would worthwhile its investment. It will be hard for CBS to ignore the ratings generated. BET attracted the kind of consistent...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of October 12 - 18
TV's winners and losers emerge as black viewing habits get locked in

(October 20, 2009) Black TV viewers seem to have made their choices about the new season and it may be time to sort out the winners from the losers among new shows. CBS's additions to its line, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Good Wife, continue to be favorites in black...
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BET to air original docu-series, 'The Michael Vick Project' in 2010

(October 21, 2009) DuBose Entertainment and BET Networks will give viewers an unprecedented look into the life of Michael Vick, with a new original docu-series tentatively titled, THE MICHAEL VICK PROJECT. With Michael Vick's consent, the eight-part series, produced by DuBose Entertainment, MV7 Productions and Category 5 Entertainment, will follow the iconic and polarizing...
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Research shows marketing opportunity among African-American new car buyers

(October 18, 2009) At the recent Rainbow PUSH Tenth Annual Automotive Symposium held in Detroit, industry executives engaged in a series of panel discussions that examined how the economy affected African-Americans' roles as customers, dealers and suppliers.

A presentation of new research data showed African-Americans -- even during the severe economic recession -- were contributing significantly to the auto industry's recovery...
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Steve Harvey and State Farm collaborate on free digital content campaign

(October 18, 2009) Starting this week, State Farm will present comedian, author, and radio personality Steve Harvey in a series of animated digital shorts in which he offers his comedic insights on a range of life topics. The content, offered and shareable from all digital screens, is meant to make relevant and meaningful connections between Sate Farm and consumers and that will resonate particularly with African-Americans...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of October 5 - 11
BET takes most watched network of the week title by filling TBS void

(October 13, 2009) With TBS' House of Payne and Meet the Browns on hiatus the first week of October, BET easily moved into the most watched cable network title. It increased its audience over the previous week by more than 30 percent, but still had to settle for...
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ESSENCE.com survey of black men finds them more optimistic in Obama era

(October 13, 2009) Almost one year ago, the historic election of Barack Obama to the most powerful position on the globe shattered conventional wisdom about race, culture and identity at its core.  However, has anything really changed since the election?  ESSENCE.com today announced the results of its online survey, "African-American Men in the Age of Obama," pegged to the one-year anniversary of President...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of October 5 - 11
Black viewers never grow weary of football, and NBC is grateful

(October 13, 2009) The Top 25 most popular shows in black households for the first full week of October show that African-Americans have decided what their likely preferences for broadcast prime time viewing are going to be. For the second consecutive week, NBC finished last among the big four networks in popularity. In fact, three of the four NBC shows...
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Caroline Racine promoted to director of diversity sales for Choice Hotels

(October 8, 2009) Haitian-American travel executive Caroline Racine is nimbly climbing the corporate ladder at Choice Hotels International. Racine, who ran the company's Caribbean Franchise Development efforts for two and a half years, is now director of Diversity Sales within the organization's global sales division, taking responsibility for the growing multi-cultural markets segment.

Diversity and Multicultural Sales is a new division within the company's Global Sales department and...
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Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 4
BET tightens the battle lines with TBS with big boost in Top 25 shows

(October 9, 2009) BET may have found a way to give TBS a run for its perennial title of most watched cable network in black households. Its reality show, Frankie & Neffe, starring the mother and sister of artist Keyshia Cole, had a million-plus audience for both of its airings. Paired with The Game, the two shows have given BET a popular two-hour block of...
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Lynne d Johnson named Advertising Research Foundation SVP, Social Media

(October 9, 2009) In a major expansion move, social media trailblazer Lynne d Johnson has joined The ARF as Senior Vice President, Social Media, it was recently announced by Robert Barocci, President and CEO.

In this new post, Ms. Johnson will focus on content, brand and social media development and strategy, and will...
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Washington Informer newspaper celebrates its 45th anniversary

(October 9, 2009) The Washington Informer, an award-winning newspaper, founded on the principles of storied newspaper publishers, Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwarm to inform its readers about events that directly affect the African-American community has reached yet another milestone in its history. 

Founded by the late civil rights activist, Dr. Calvin W. Rolark...
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Black TV Ratings for Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 4
Battle for the black viewer margin tightens among the four TV networks

(October 7, 2009) The new TV season is finding favor with black households, as they begin to settle into a pattern demonstrating their prime time preferences. Old favorites, like NFL football, have little to worry about, but the networks desperately need black viewers to make their shows winners in their time slots.

Further helping their battle for ratings are new shows like...
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Arbitron honors excellence in multicultural radio at ANA Conference

From Radio Online
(October 6, 2009) Arbitron congratulates Comcast and Grupo Gallegos, the radio grand prize winner, honored at the Multicultural Excellence Awards held at the 11th Annual ANA Multicultural and Diversity Conference in Phoenix. Arbitron said it worked closely with the ANA to introduce a new category in 2009 highlighting exceptional work in radio advertising.

This is the second year that Arbitron...
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Former Pittsburgh TV owner purchases AM radio station to serve black listeners

By Adrian McCoy
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(October 6, 2009) Pittsburgh broadcaster Eddie Edwards Sr. is buying WPYT-AM (660) and plans to launch a news and talk format aimed primarily at the African-American community.

Mr. Edwards announced at a news conference yesterday that he has filed the paperwork with the FCC to purchase the...
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R.L. Polk announces agreement with black auto dealers on marketing services

(October 6, 2009) R. L. Polk & Co. and the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) announced that they have established a working relationship that recognizes Polk as a preferred provider of automotive marketing solutions.

Among the services offered by Polk to NAMAD members are targeted direct marketing lists, lead scoring, email solutions, market analysis...
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Arbitron releases plan to increase sample of those aged 18-54 in all PPM markets

(October  5, 2009) Arbitron Inc. announced today its implementation strategy to increase sample sizes in its Portable People Meter (PPM) markets. The company now plans to increase sample targets by ten percent in the important advertising demographic of Persons aged 18-54 by mid-year 2011...
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American Airlines launching social networking site on sharing black culture

(October 5, 2009) American Airlines announced today it is launching a first-of-its-kind social networking site, BlackAtlas.com, which combines the best features of a travel site with the power of social networking to create a dynamic online community for travelers to share experiences unique to the black community. Author, filmmaker, television producer and world traveler, Nelson George (above), who will serve as the...
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