November 2nd, 2008

Obama & Black Business?

Black Press Business/Economic Feature Week of November 2, 2008
BUSINESS EXCHANGE
By William Reed

In the September 2008 issue of EBONY Magazine, Johnson Publishing’s boss broke from company tradition and endorsed Barack Obama for President of America.

Chicago-based Linda Rice Johnson carries a lot of clout. She heads the world’s largest African-American-owned and-operated publishing company. With established businesses in publishing, cosmetics, television production and fashion, Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) brands, such as EBONY and JET magazines and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, are considered staples among African-Americans.

For the first time in JPC history; EBONY officially endorsed a presidential candidate. Company President Linda Rice Johnson called this election the “most crucial in our lifetime” and that “During this campaign, Barack Obama’s brilliant and innovative views on the issues have been more in line with the thinking of Black America”. To commemorate “the historic presidential election,” JPC brands created a special line of EBONY and JET Obama apparel and accessory merchandise products. Sales of the products may be the way Johnson’s company intends to make requisite money from the campaign.

Black Enterprise publisher Earl G. Graves Sr. called it “our moment of history.” He said, “This opportunity may not come again in our lifetimes… there’s no way we’ll get another shot at the White House for decades to come… and our concerns as citizens will be off the table, perhaps permanently.”

Ms. Johnson, Mr. Graves and broadcast maven Cathy Hughes represent the leading black businesses in the communications industry. Other members of the Black Media were enamored with Barack’s run, didn’t feel they got any love in return. Local black newspaper and broadcast owners voiced enthusiasm at the prospect of a black man becoming US president. But, though they expected to be beneficiaries of the most lavish campaign advertising budget in history, black newspaper owners didn’t fare well from Obama’s campaign.

But, when they were getting the milk for free, why would’ve Obama operatives feel the need to buy the cow? Black newspaper owners said they were locked out of Obama’s $90 million dollar advertising budget that their reporters were often ignored. Publishers such as Lenora Carter of Houston’s Forward Times said that candidate’s handlers thought that “black people are so anxious to get a black president that we’ll support him no matter what. So why waste money on us?” She said “I have bills to pay” and that Obama’s campaign operation showed “total disrespect for the black press”.

While most Black Americans were giddy about the campaign, black newspaper owners groused about their lack of business opportunities. They complained that they got no ads, weren’t even considered as mediums to get messages out for the campaign. Houston Forward Times publisher Carter said, “He came here in early March and nobody black could get to him”. She said, “Blacks set up a headquarters for him here in the 3rd Ward. He never visited it, and ignored requests to visit the black radio station, which was just six blocks from where he stayed.”

The Obama campaign bypassed local black newspaper operations with paid staff that opened campaign offices in black areas. They hosted neighborhood barbecues and “dropped in” barbershops and beauty salons. Campaign operatives simply sent voter-information press kits to black media outlets. But, BET and TV One were in the $4 million buy to run Barack’s half-hour television infomercial.

Linda Johnson’s father could tell blacks in the media business a thing, or two, about press access and power. John H. Johnson overcame the racial barriers to become the personification of black media power. He never endorsed in a presidential campaign, but regularly held court with American Presidents. In 1996, he received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from Bill Clinton.

Obama is going to have to do like every other politician and appease his campaign supporters. In his first 100 days as Barack offers visions of his top priorities he should convene a forum where he uses the Black Media to give his administration’s interest and intent on the “Black Perspective”, along with withdrawing troops from Iraq and addressing universal health care and energy and climate change

William Reed – www.BlackPressInternational.com

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