PRI, August 11, 2009
Just like mainstream media, African American publications and media outlets are struggling. Fans of “Ebony” and “Jet”—two of the oldest black magazines—are urging friends not to cancel their subscriptions. But despite more than two million subscribers, owner Johnson Publications has had to mortgage its historic Chicago office building.
Minority broadcasters have asked the Treasury Secretary for what amounts to a temporary bailout, and in Massachusetts, the long-time African American newspaper “The Bay State Banner” closed until it received a bridge loan from the city of Boston. During that time, it missed one of the biggest race-based stories of the year: The arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Kai Wright is senior writer for TheRoot.com, a webzine focused on black politics and culture published by the “Washington Post.” {snip}
Wright believes part of the reason black media is struggling financially is due to advertisers shifting their shrinking advertising dollars from Black consumers to Latino consumers.
{snip}
As for the roles that the national magazines like “Ebony” and “Jet” play in the African American community, Wright says they are cultural touchstones, but younger generations feel they are outdated, {snip}.
Christopher Smith is communications professor at the University of Southern California. He thinks the national magazines are losing relevance because of the class divisions within the black community, as well as generational differences.
“‘Ebony’ and ‘Jet’ really emerged in that post-World War II era when black Americans coming out of World War II were just beginning to feel a little bit that they could be a part of the mainstream. And ‘Ebony’ and ‘Jet’ spoke to that mainstream aspirational aspect, but now you have a whole post-affirmative action generation who now don’t really feel the need to pay homage to those touchstones the same way that previous generations did.”
{snip}
Original article
(Posted on August 14, 2009)
Comments
Most industries are foolish to advertise specifically to blacks anyway, regardless of the competing Hispanic market. The restaurant industry? Why? So you can get “patrons” who don’t tip their servers, are overly demanding, and cook up ways to get free meals? (I know, I was a waitress) The movie industry? So you can have loud, disruptive movie goers drive off the other ticket holders? Retailers, so they can have more concerns about shoplifting? Nothing but headaches. Maybe in something like fast food where you can get them out relatively quick and the can’t steal. Otherwise, black patrons aren’t worth it, and I’m guessing those who read black-centric magazines are likely to be worse than those who read mainstream magazines.
There are several things working against “Black” media- the proliferation of sources and the internet,integration - means more Blacks read multicultural sites or publications and the low percentage of Blacks who graduate from high school and the high school graduates who cannot read on a level that allows them to understand the articles, plus a self absorbed youger group that has even more of the entitlement mentality than their parents.
The absurdity of this nonsense, just keeps gets better and better; black “dominance” fantasy publications (much like once black dominated neighborhoods or prison blocks) are now being drowned in a brown flood. Keep in mind, that blacks in their unrestrained and arrogant ignorance have been hooting and chirping with delight for the last 50 years, about when “whitey” will be a minority in the USA, as if that would make them the “majority;” now that it is close to a reality, they are in a puffy Afro-panic.
‘O lordy, we is losin’ our white guilt privileges…’
And they are, since white guilt can only be spread so thin to accommodate all of the “aggrieved” and “entitled” of color either born here, or allowed freewheeling entry into the country. Indeed, the ebony fools born here have managed to set and abuse a precedent of considerable proportions when exploiting “white guilt,” but these newcomers are not oblivious to it. Hence, they reap an ever growing percentage of that American harvest of sorrow and weakness.
And these “enrichment” outlanders have a second advantage that blacks have never considered, a guiltless guile and racial solidarity that equals (or even surpasses) their own!
As the old saying goes: “Be careful what you pray for…”
“Wright believes part of the reason black media is struggling financially is due to advertisers shifting their shrinking advertising dollars from Black consumers to Latino consumers.”
This may be partially true but the fact is that while blacks demand media parity, most blacks could care less about black media. Blacks are always insisting that IF they had their own black newspapers, their own black magazines, their own black radio stations, their own black networks that THEN blacks would be an informed citizenry.
It’s all a pipe dream.
This is not surprising. I always wonder why companies spend time and money to make sure they do not offend blacks considering they do not have any money. You can’t make much money if your advertising is limited to Colt45 or grape soda anyway.
There are many white organizations, internet sites and publications that might be struggling too. Compared with the scene ten years ago the growth has been very impressive. It would be a real setback for whites to lose what has been achieved. Check out the links section here and see if there is something you’d like to support.
I sell media and I can tell you the print pie is shrinking badly. Most of the huge ads that auto dealers, real estate companies and grocery stores have run has been usurped by online advertising. That is they have websites and e mail lists that they are using instead of shotgun media like Jet that is supposed to hit an entire demographic.
Print has become so fragmented due to other publications. Look at the proliferation of local specialty magazines in the last 10 years. That the money can only go so far. Many of the dollars have shifted to broadcast shows like Entertainment Tonight, Oprah, CSI that all court black viewership. This is also happening to white publications look at the problems our newspaper industry is suffering from.
When Jet started out they were truly unique but with the advent of BET, black radio stations and mainstream media actively courting black readers and viewers they are feeling the strain.
Why should the Feds or the City of Boston bailout publications of any kind? If anything violates freedom of the press, that’s it. This shows the constitutional ignorance of blacks and white politicians like Mayor Menino of Boston. Nothing but a big fat payoff to a voting block.
Since “attorney general” eric holder has abdicated his “oath of office” and has openly declared that “civil rights” are for (certain) minorities ONLY, I have taken back my constitutional rights and urge all like-minded whites, asians and other non-protected races to do the same. AN of post #1 is absolutely correct about blacks. In my business, their patronage is NOT welcome. I would rather do with the small loss of potential income than deal with them. “Public accommodation” laws can be gotten around without too much trouble. Housing laws can be gotten around by developing networks outside the traditional “real estate” networks.
“Wright believes part of the reason black media is struggling financially is due to advertisers shifting their shrinking advertising dollars from Black consumers to Latino consumers” Yes but why? Could it be because blacks have no money because they don’t work? Could it be that advertising to someone who doesn’t have money is pointless? Maybe the publications were not whitey hating enough or there wasn’t enough black victim articles. Perhaps the blacks in the articles were achievers setting a standard that makes other blacks uncomfortable. If they wont ask real questions they wont get real answers.
Simple! Sue all non exclusive black mags and media for racism. This should raise more than enough funds to support these publications for centurys.
Anonymous:
Country music on the store’s PA system will work. Heavy metal would, too, except a few blacks non-thug and non-ghetto like heavy metal. On the other hand it would turn away enough middle aged and elderly whites.
The only reason anyone advertises to Black Americans is to appeal to the politically-castrated White Americans who still think diversity is good. A possible exception is fast food, a cornerstone of the Black American diet. But even then they advertise toward an ideal that most rarely see, well mannered, cheerful black people. Black Americans have had their culture hijacked by the “Thug” movement (and it has been exactly like a movement too) till there is barely any REAL respect to be had for them even in their own ranks. For them respect is something you impose, not something earned through virtue. So it’s no wonder their media is finally collapsing, but was it ever really off the ground to begin with? Or was it shored up by white “feel good” money?
“The biggest is , apparently that fewer than half of younger Blacks can read the publications so they are lost to simple programing.’
I think Oldman’s got it. With affirmative action, even blacks with Masters and Bachelors degrees can’t read well enough to pass the simple teacher’s exams that require only about a 10th grade reading level. Ebony, Essence and Jet are written to the same reading level as Time, Newsweek, etc and so many black “professionals” such as teachers, upper level civil servants and even attorneys cannot read well enough to get though Ebony, Jet, Essence etc.
Blacks were luxury items in 1861, and the same holds true today. Only a wealthy country can afford to support a huge population of destructive deadbeats. As our economic situation deteriorates, I think people will realize that we can’t really afford to have blacks living among us.
Tim Kennerly wrote:
“This is also happening to white publications look at the problems our newspaper industry is suffering from.”
I don’t know what “white publications” you’re talking about Tim. If you’re referring to the newspapers as “white”, surely you must realize that, both literally and figuratively, the only parts of those that are “white” are the parts that are empty of print.
You can only laugh at the grim humor in this. Blacks are LOSING OUT to Hispanics in every area. Yet collectively too dumbed down to understand what’s happening! Jesse Jackson’s (that name reminds me of something else…) Rainbow Coalition fell flatter than a pancake. Admissible or not, Mexicals despise American Blacks. Whomever coined the phrase “Africans are a failed race” hit the nail right on the head.
Should Hispanics ever gain political power enough to control our country; the Afro-Americans will be the biggest losers.
The answer to this “problem” is obvious to me. Since blacks have all but taken over the main stream media in all its forms, the exclusively black publications are perceived by blacks to be superfluous. Blacks love an audience and since white society has been cohersed, conned and brainwashed into accepting and giving creedence to blacks basically setting the pace in entertainment, blacks just revel in all the attention they are receiving, especially since Obama (blacks) took the White House.
12 — Question Diversity wrote at 11:41 AM on August 15:
“Heavy metal would, too, except a few blacks non-thug and non-ghetto like heavy metal. On the other hand it would turn away enough middle aged and elderly whites.”
> Not this middle aged, almost elderly man! Last year, played Led Zeppelin for an older friend, a female who was 69 and only heard the likes of Johnny Cash and a couple other country singers, loves Elvis and “church music,” as she puts it. I played it loud. She liked it very much. I was surprised, but not that much, knowing this woman as I do to be open minded and interested in music in general. Also, I find CW often boring, repetitious and real “Johnny come lately’s” when it comes to acquiring styles. But I would rather be forced to listen to CW any day, (not that bad) then rap or hip-hop, that is for sure. (And I like the older CW fine when it verges on folk like Johnny Cash and The Carters).
I place my business ads on Hispanic publications because there are more of them and I really get results. I have been advertising in two local Hispanic newspapers and my business has grown so much that I am opening other store! The black publications in my area are small and all they write about is how much they have been held down by whitey.
This is not surprising. I always wonder why companies spend time and money to make sure they do not offend blacks considering they do not have any money. You can’t make much money if your advertising is limited to Colt45 or grape soda anyway.
Yes and no. When you correct for income, blacks are more conspicuous consumers. Obviously correcting for income is just an exercise, but it does highlight the fact that a black of a given income will spend more and save less of his income than someone of another race and the same income.
They sell more cognac in Detroit than anywhere else, or at least they did way back when Amren posted the article.
Print media in general is dying, in part because of the recession but mainly because the advertizing is moving to the internet. For the most part, I say, “Good riddance!” The mainstream news publications have been anti-white for years. All favor mass immigration, illegal immigration, and affirmative action. My local newspaper scarcely printed a word about the most important presidential campaign of 2008 — Ron Paul’s. The hobby magazines are now largely irrelevant with web sites devoted to every conceivable interest.
