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Radio One to launch black talk network

R

rsmalpha

Thank, God!

I'm so sick and tired of not having African Americans sharing their thoughts and opinions on the news of the day.

I look at a city like Dallas where there isn't a single African American talk show host.

WILD to air new African-American talk-radio network

By Clea Simon, Globe Correspondent | October 29, 2005

QUINCY -- Two powerhouses of urban radio are teaming up to launch an African-American-centered talk-radio network, the cornerstone of which will be programming hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Baltimore-based Radio One, the nation's seventh-largest radio company, and Reach Media, which owns and syndicates the highly successful ''Tom Joyner Morning Show," aim to roll out the network after the first of the year. Radio One owns a controlling interest in Reach Media.

http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2005/10/29/wild_to_air_new_african_american_talk_radio_network/
 
> Thank, God!
>
> I'm so sick and tired of not having African Americans
> sharing their thoughts and opinions on the news of the day.
>
>
> I look at a city like Dallas where there isn't a single
> African American talk show host.
>
> WILD to air new African-American talk-radio network
>
> By Clea Simon, Globe Correspondent | October 29, 2005
>
> QUINCY -- Two powerhouses of urban radio are teaming up to
> launch an African-American-centered talk-radio network, the
> cornerstone of which will be programming hosted by the Rev.
> Al Sharpton.
>
> Baltimore-based Radio One, the nation's seventh-largest
> radio company, and Reach Media, which owns and syndicates
> the highly successful ''Tom Joyner Morning Show," aim to
> roll out the network after the first of the year. Radio One
> owns a controlling interest in Reach Media.
>
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/200> 5/10/29/wild_to_air_new_african_american_talk_radio_network/
>

Some cities carry Bev Smith from the American Urban Radio Network. (AURN) She is very good. I think she is on 9p to mid eastern.
 
Do your homework!

Old news. This same article was posted on this board last October 29th.
http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board.php?Post=575948&Board=newstalk

The news was also posted on the broadcast industry news websites at that time. You are "sharing your thoughts and opinions on the news" of more than two weeks ago.

And if you are not hearing Black talk show hosts, you are not listening very hard. As Shadow points out, Radio One is launching the second Urban talk syndication "network." American Urban Radio Networks has been doing well with Bev Smith, as Shadow pointed out, among others. Tom Joyner has also been doing well in national syndication for several years. Five Blacks currently appear on Talkers' magazine "Heavy Hundred" list for 2005.

Dallas may be the exception, but most other large and major markets have at least one (sometimes more) Urban talk stations. These stations, for the most part, have all Black staffs. You say you "look at" a city like Dallas, which implies you don't actually live there. Are you just looking for something to complain about? Or maybe you just want radio stations to put Blacks on the air, regardless of talent, qualifications or ability to draw and audience. Actually, radio stations bend over backwards to hire Blacks and members of other "protected" minorities. The problem is many other industries, including TV, are also bending over backwards and radio is just not competitive: Not as glamorous, not as well paying.
 
Re: Do your homework!

> Actually, radio stations bend over backwards to hire Blacks
> and members of other "protected" minorities. The problem is
> many other industries, including TV, are also bending over
> backwards and radio is just not competitive: Not as
> glamorous, not as well paying.

Radio doesn't "bend over backwards" for any minorities. Reach Media and Radio One are black owned companies and most urban stations owned by non-Black owned groups are in markets with a high per centage of African-Americans. The fastest growing segment of the radio business (actually the only growing segment) are Hispanic stations. Revenue generated by Spanish language stations grew by 7% last year. (overall growth was less than 2%) They aren't "bending over backwards" they're chasing a hot market.

The radio industry could care less about minorities (what do you mean by "protected minorities?") After dropping all liberal talk programs in the early 1990's, in response to the growth of Rush Limbaugh and stable of conservative talk radio clones that developed over the past decade, they carried virtually no liberal talk radio until Air America launched in 2004 using private money.



<P ID="signature">______________
http://talkingradio.blogspot.com/</P>
 
They're not bending over backwards to 'hire' minorities...

They're bending over backwards to make it 'look' as if they're looking for minorities, as that is all the FCC/EEO regulations require.
 
Re: Do your homework!

You do your damn homework.

Bev Smith's show is not a network...it's a show. Other than her show, AURN is not syndicating other talkers.

Tom Joyner's show is not a network...it's a show. Beyond the four hours, there is nothing else to program.

The point here is they are launching a NETWORK...which means there is more than one show.

And get over your BS about "protected" minorities. My concern has to do with filling a void in the space.

And it amazes me that when we discuss minorities, folks like you are quick to use the word qualified, but that never comes up when discussing whites.

If you have no perspective on a black talk network, then shut up.


> Old news. This same article was posted on this board last
> October 29th.
http://> www.radio-info.com/mods/board.php?Post=575948&Board=newstalk
>
>
> The news was also posted on the broadcast industry news
> websites at that time. You are "sharing your thoughts and
> opinions on the news" of more than two weeks ago.
>
> And if you are not hearing Black talk show hosts, you are
> not listening very hard. As Shadow points out, Radio One is
> launching the second Urban talk syndication "network."
> American Urban Radio Networks has been doing well with Bev
> Smith, as Shadow pointed out, among others. Tom Joyner has
> also been doing well in national syndication for several
> years. Five Blacks currently appear on Talkers' magazine
> "Heavy Hundred" list for 2005.
>
> Dallas may be the exception, but most other large and major
> markets have at least one (sometimes more) Urban talk
> stations. These stations, for the most part, have all Black
> staffs. You say you "look at" a city like Dallas, which
> implies you don't actually live there. Are you just looking
> for something to complain about? Or maybe you just want
> radio stations to put Blacks on the air, regardless of
> talent, qualifications or ability to draw and audience.
> Actually, radio stations bend over backwards to hire Blacks
> and members of other "protected" minorities. The problem is
> many other industries, including TV, are also bending over
> backwards and radio is just not competitive: Not as
> glamorous, not as well paying.
>
 
Re: Do your homework!

Network? I would have thought Air America Radio's experience would have discredited that whole idea. A "network" is a syndicator with multiple shows and delusions of grandeur. Actually, you don't even need multiple shows: Rush talks about his "EIB Network" with only one show.

The point is there are several nationally-distributed Black-targeted talk shows already available, as well as local hosts on Black-targeted stations around the country. The product is available.

"Networks" like AAR and Salem end up on poor-performing, low-power stations which want or need to operate cheaply. These "networks" are 24/7 format services which allow stations run from a computer in a closet. Stations which have a presence and are competitive in their markets are to going have some local programming and are going to cherry-pick syndicated shows, not simply plug into some so-called network. (And, yes, they might take some of those shows from some syndicator calling itself a "network.")

Unqualified Whites: If you had been paying attention, you might have noticed that I (and many others) have talked about the "unqualified" (White) stand-up comedians getting on-the-job training in radio at Air America. Someone else commented today about hiring a (White) TV news type, with no radio hosting experience, to do morning drive in Minneapolis. There is a discussion on one of the TV boards about an experienced and highly qualified TV traffic reporter being dumped in favor of a younger, cuter, cheaper but inexperienced and unqualified recent college graduate in a major market (both are White).

The sad fact is many broadcasters do "grease the rails" for members of certain groups. "Sad" because these people are thrown into jobs for which they are not well prepared and as a result often fail. The broadcasters feel good because they are helping minorities, and they get to be right about hom minorities really are not qualified and can't cut it on their own.

The Rev Al is the greatest preacher I have ever seen (including Billy Graham in his prime). He also does a Sunday morning public affairs talk show in New York: As a talk show host, the Rev Al is not ready for prime-time. But apparently you think all that does not matter. Just hire somebody Black. And wanting to hear comments on the news of the day (as you put it originally) only from a Black host sounds racist.
 
Re: Do your homework!

> Network? I would have thought Air America Radio's
> experience would have discredited that whole idea. A
> "network" is a syndicator with multiple shows and delusions
> of grandeur. Actually, you don't even need multiple shows:
> Rush talks about his "EIB Network" with only one show.

I don't think there's an "EIB Building", though.

> "Networks" like AAR and Salem end up on poor-performing,
> low-power stations which want or need to operate cheaply.
> These "networks" are 24/7 format services which allow
> stations run from a computer in a closet. Stations which
> have a presence and are competitive in their markets are to
> going have some local programming and are going to
> cherry-pick syndicated shows, not simply plug into some
> so-called network. (And, yes, they might take some of those
> shows from some syndicator calling itself a "network.")

But these networks also sell their shows ala carte to other stations, which are often better than the ones they own. Michael Medved has a few non-Salem stations, for example. Just not many.
 
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