RSS Feed
Newsletter
Former Critic Backs Johnson’s TV Network
January 16th, 2009Bid BET founder Bob Johnson is getting props from an unlikely source as he seeks approval from the Federal Communications Commission for a new urban TV network, reports Richard Prince in his Journal-isms online column. The National Association of Black Journalists, which has been highly critical of Johnson in the past, says that African-American ownership is important. “We’re trying to expand the footprint of African American ownership,” NABJ President Barbara Ciara told Journal-isms. “Clearly, it’s an opportunity to negotiate with him to broaden the news landscape. I would like to think people will learn from their past.” BET, under Johnson’s leadership, was roundly criticized by NABJ on more than one occasion, as Prince notes. For example, seven years ago, “BET canceled just about the only black-oriented news shows on national television: ‘BET Tonight with Ed Gordon’; ‘Teen Summit,’ a public affairs program; and ‘Lead Story,’ a Sunday journalist roundtable that originated from Washington.” But, as BET President Debra Lee said at the time, “The decision to cancel them was made by Bob and myself. These shows were losing money” — to the tune of $3 million to $4 million a year — “and we could not find advertisers to support them. There came a day of reckoning.” In addition, Prince writes, “Johnson in 2000 pulled the plug on BET’s magazines, BET Weekend, a 1.3 million-circulation Sunday feature magazine, and the serious-minded Emerge, which claimed 170,000 subscribers. That left the network with a reputation for being interested only in showing jiggling music videos.” Speaking on Johnson’s plans last Friday, NABJ’s Executive Director Karen Wynn Freeman said, “This is not BET. It’s the ownership piece that we feel strongly about.” Johnson will call his new enterprise Urban Television, LLC. He would like the FCC to give him permission “to share time on 42 stations owned by Ion Media Networks Inc., a successor to Pax TV, a family-oriented broadcast network that operated on several UHF channels,” according to journalisms. “Ion Media owns 49 percent of the venture; Johnson’s RLJ Companies, 51 percent.”
I MUST AGREE!! NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE COME ON SITE TODAY AND CHOP DOWN MR JOHNSON!! IT’S COMES DOWN TO MONEY AND SUPPORT!! IF WE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY DON’T SUPPORT OUR OWN THEN WHO WILL?? YOU CAN’T RUN A NEWS SHOW WITH OUT THE MONEY AND THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY.AND IT GOES BOTH WAYS IF YOU CAN’T GIVE THAT COMMUNITY WHAT IT NEEDS AS A NEWS SHOW AND MEDIA OUTLET THEN YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY!!
I totally agree with you Red Neck Hunter. Also, it’s a business that takes money and supporters to thrive. Black people need to expand our minds and our viewing choices to include watching (and reading) the news on a daily basis. This is a global world and those who ignore that factor by only watching music videos and reality television will be left behind in many ways.
My friends describe me a soft, kind and sincere guy with good looking. I would like to meet a beautiful black girl who knows how to treat his man on all sides. Feel free to contact me on the famous online hub http://KissMillionaireS.com I may be your destiny love
Please Mr. Johnson, can please bring another Urban Program to tv? BET has gone to HELL!!!!!
I was mad when the Cancelled the News Show. I use to watch that Every Night. I will admit I stop watching BET really once Free & AJ Left 106 n Park n when Tigger left Rap City Bassment. Keisha Cole n Brutha are the only thing I watch really beside the Adward Shows. We need another Black Own Station we only have 2 TVone n BET…
I agree with you RED NECK HUNTER, in order for any show to be sucessful,
it must have the support of the audients or it wont survive. Ed Gordon
was great and that news program was very imformative and fair ,it
showed the news from an african american prepective. Teen summit was
a must , it was a shame when they had to let those shows .I would love to
see Mr.Johnson return to t.v ownership and I pray that he would bring back quality news and good shows, Good Luck………..
It’s time for another form of programming in the black community besides BET. BET is for younger more uneducated audiences. We need something that shows the world a different view of black people. We as a people must realize that almost everything is global, therefore, we need to promote black people as positive, smart, and progressive. No more gansta, pimp acting, Judge Judy crap….
What was not mentioned was that the shows where loosing money do to poor production value, and the BET Skyjacked the advertising cost. The money the shows where bringing in where being allocated to other shows. at that time there where too concerned with Competing with MTV, than building its own fan base.
But i wish him the best. the final straw with me is when they brought on Hell Date!
zithromax – zithromax xenical – xenical levitra online – levitra buy ultram online – ultram buy fioricet – fioricet acomplia – acomplia buy prozac – prozac ativan online – ativan buy clomid buy prednisone
buy ambien – ambien diazepam online – diazepam buy wellbutrin online – wellbutrin buy alprazolam online – alprazolam buy prozac online – prozac order tamiflu – tamiflu lorazepam – lorazepam buy nexium online – nexium buy zoloft – zoloft buy klonopin online – klonopin