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JEPenny Communications Group, Houston, TX (2025)

04/16/2019

What To Do About the Media in Black America
Vol. III

We have gotten past "Black History Month" in the standard fashion with a march across the William Prentice Bridge in Selma, tributes to a series of outstanding black Americans by national, regional and local media. There was also an effort on social media to recognize lesser known civil rights fighters, authors, and inventors. I could not help but notice the effort of many friends to participate in the process with independent research, pointing to local black Americans in their area that made a personal sacrifice toward overcoming racial and social injustices in our society.

It's critical for us to take a look at the impact of social media (facebook, twitter, etc...) on our community. Let me get this out of the way first. Social media should never be confused with journalism. It is not journalim! Anything appearing on social media is, at most, personal opinion, including those of this writer. Journalism can be defined as writings and speech resulting from research from multiple sources. This process results in factual information. Otherwise it is simply an opinion when written or commentary when spoken.

There is a lotof commentary occuring in broadcast media that often goes unnoticed. In fact, there are cable television networks that provide a lot of commentary presented as news programming (CNN, FOX, MSNBC). Local television stations are often guilty of covering their news stories with follow-up commentry. My greatest concern is that many in our community may be guilty of allowing his or her opinion regarding a given story to be shaped by the commentary rather than the journalist fact.

The "R. Kelly Story" is a good place to begin to take a look at the significance of this matter. I will not restate the "Kelly" story. It's likely, if you are reading this blog, you are already aware of the story. I'll pick up the story with the Gayle King interview on CBS. I would be negligent if I failed to give Ms King credit for an outstanding job with the interview. Segment of which were aired on all television networks (March 13th) and included on all local television stations within their local broadcast. The interview is the story, not the commentary that often followed.

There are other stories that can be written or visually told that can be associated with the "R. Kelly" story. However, each tory must stand on it own merit. Mr. Kelly is not guilty of any crime until found guilty in a court of law. This it not to say that we can't form an opinion; base it on factual information and not the commentary that often follows.

I understand the we, as black Americcans do not have a good track record of receiving justice through the court system in many cities, states, and regions opf this country. It is almost certain that this factors into any opinion you may form.

Let me suggest a politive toward the use of social media, one that may enhance the concept of a greater black community. Let us began to post and talk about those things and ideas that advance our being as a people. Stop telling me about where you attend church. Tell me what your church is doing to improve the community. Advance the idea of supporting black businesses by posting or highlighting those black businesses that perform at a high level, and inform us of those that are falling short. We all understand that we are not a perfect people, so we can no longer pretent that we are. We have fools, criminals, and thugs in the midst of our commuinity.

What if black businesses supported other black businesses? Here is an example. If local black businesses in the Houston metropolitan area supported our local black press through advertising, the local black press could improve its coverage of event that impact lives in our community; gateway employment opportunities could become available for reporters, photographers and account executives. Graduates from Historical Black Colleges and Universities could become the major benefactors.

The black press is not dead, it's asleep. We can blame the black press and ourselves for its current status. We have yet to learn how to invest in ourselves. I think it is a matter of trust. A lot can be changed if we began to think COMMUNITY first and SELF second. We are approching a holy weekend. What about "doing unto others and we would do unto ones self", and becoming our brothers keeper. What about simply changing the way we think about each other.

04/13/2019

What To Do About the Media in Black America
Volume ll

The black community is a major consumer of television and sports programming. We purchase products advertised during sports programs, and all across the television spectrum. It should be economically feasible for the black ommunity across the United States to have a cable television channel that features sports from Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

This will accomplish several things. First, it will raise the visibility and improve the perception of historcically black higher education institutions. This would result in an increase in enrollment across the spectrum. Second, the sports programs on HBCU campuses would have an opportunity to advance the recruitment of quality athletes. Third, attendance at HBCU sporting events would improve, increasing revenues of the athletic departments.

It is my understanding that a group of former athlets are making an effort to purchase a group of television stations in the United States. I support this idea. However, there are many obstacles, outside the scope of economics, that must be overcome for this effort to be successful. If the purchase is successful and thjis group of stations forms a new television network with major cable access, the birth of HBCU sports may have a chance. It may however be a better idea for a group to form a joint venture for purchasing an existing cable channel. ESPN Classic would be my first choice, changing the name to ESPN-HBCU. This would establish a clear line for program distribution. New programming is essential. The rebroadcasts of past events will not generate sufficient advertising dollars necessary, or larger enough market share of viewers. Those with the financial ability to advance the black footprint in media must consider developing new programming, and in television terms that means production.

I applaud the productions offered by ESPN and NBCS during the previous football seasons. However, one has only to took back to the cablecast of the 1985 "Bayou Classic" to see how it should be done. There is a lot of truth in the statement, "black college sports in more than a game, it's an event". HBCU sports coverage should reflect this concept. Most viewed the 1985 game as a delayed broadcast on BET. The production was through Home Sports Entertainment Television (Houston), now FOX Sports Southwest. There must be the ability to provide live coverage of HBCU sports. This is a sensitive area for me, as I served as producer for football cablecast of hBCU game on HSTN (Houston) in 1985. There were two very important games that year, the "Bayou Classic" and "SWAC Championship" game between Alcorn and Mississippi Valley State on a Sunday afternoon in a packed Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.

There must be a production truck or trucks, along with producers that understand the concept of presentation for black college sports as an event. The ESPN-HBCU Sports Network could become a reality. This network should also provide coverage of baseball, softball, volleyball, track & field championships (SWAC/MEAC/CIAA). From a business perspective, sports boadcast operations should be within established guidelines set forth by the commissioner of each conference and agreed to by all parties. Each campus must also have the video capability to develop prgrams for the local community well beyond the world of sports. Imagine, just imagine a cable channel that provides news about black ccommunities across the U.S. from a black sperspective.

From a media perspective, we have become bigger than a neighborhood. We have become a community of blacks living in neighborhoods all across America. We have a reach that continues to help shape this country. The root of who we are is beyond how we are often precieved by other ethnic groups. However, we must continue the process of building, including the concept of COMMUNITY.

I have spent most of my adult life working in some area of media, mostly in radio and television, with an emphasis in higher education. Most of my learning process occurred in a hands-on environment. I went back to school and acquired the theory associated with the business. From my perspective, nothing was more important in my development process than the years spent professionally involved in the application process (business). I think one learns the media business by doing the media business. You cannot acquire the professional level of skill and technique seated at a desk reading a text book. I'm saying this to support the idea of a change in the approach used to teach mass communication at Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

First, the institution must appreciate the costs associated with having a Department or School of Mass Communication. The cost for equipment can exceed a million and a half dollars and it also must be maintained. Yes, a univeristy can establish a quality program for less, if limited in program design and well focused. Great care must be given to match equipment with faculty and established program goals. No one program can teach everything. The industry is always in a state of change. There is also a problem in the need for terminal degreed faculty without any progessional experience. Yes to the terminal degree for graduate work, but give me an edior to teach editing, a video photographer to teach video photographer, etc... Please, someone to teach news writing with experience as a reporter for radio and/or television. The requirement for any of these positions should be a minimum of five years experience and an undergraduate degree.

Second, the established curriculum must reflect the priorities outlined in the mission statement of the mass communication program. It is not likely that any two programs from different institutions will look the same, or offer the same courses. The program must be designed to provide the student with an opportunity to advance to the level of a first year professional employee, and provide senior level internship in a select concentraton, or area of study. Every effort should be made to assist the student internship selection process; providing the greatest employment possibility following graduation.

Third, the Department or School of Mass Communication must make every effort to provide support to other units on campus and none-profit elements of the local community. Every HBCU has a recruitment team. it would be helpful for the video production unit to assist in the development of videos to support the recruitment effort. The journalism unit should help in the development of brochures and other recruitment handouts. We have yet to recognize and express to each other that nothing is accomplished in the media business as an individual. There is always someone in suppoert of a project or story under development. Success will only come when we learn the importance of team work. Yes, the academic environment is competitive, but we can learn and compete together. It's the only way we can grow.

03/17/2019

A number of errors were noticed in the "What to do About the Media in Black America" blog and said blog has been deleted. Once the errors are corrected a new blog will be posted.

03/12/2019

What To Do About The Media in Black America
Vol. 4

We have gotten past "Black History Month" in the standard fashion with a march across the William Prentice Bridge in Selma, tributes to a series of outstanding Black Americans by national, regional and local media. There was also an effort on social media to recognize lesser known Cival Rights fighter, Authors, and Inventors. I could not help but notice the effort of many friends to participate in the process with independent research, pointing to local Black Americns in their area that made a personal sacrifice toward overcoming racial and social injustices in this society.

It's critical for us to take a look at the imp0act of social media (face book, twitter, etc...) on our community. Let me get this out of the way first. Social media should never be associated with journalism. It's not! Anything appearing on social media is almost aways tated as a personal choice, including those of this writer. Journalism can be defined as writings and speech that is a result of research from multiple sources. This pprocess results as factual information. Otherwise it is is simply an opinion when written or commentary when stated. There is a lot of commentary occurring on broadcast media that often goes unnoticed. in fact, there are cable television networks that provide a lot of commentary, presented as news programming (CNN, FOX, MSNBC). Localk television stations ae often guilty of covering their news stories with a follow-up commentary. My greatest concern is that many in my community may be guilty of allowing his or her opinion regarding a given story to be shaped by the commentary rather than the story.

The "R. Kelly Story" is a good place to begin a look at the significance of this matter. I will not restate the Kelly Story; it's likely that if you are reading this blog; you are already aware of the story. I'm picking up the story with the Gayle King interview on CBS. I would be negligent if I faliled to give Ms King credit for an outstanding job. It is awardwinning! Segments of this interview was aired on all television networks (March 13th) and included on local television station newscast. Segment of the interview have also appeared on social media. The interview is the story, not the commentary that often follows. There are other stories that can be written or visual told that can be associated with his story. However each story must stand on it own merit. Mr. Kelly is not guilty of any crime until said guilt is proven in a court of law. We as Black Americans do not have a good history of receiving justice in the court system in many cities, states, and regions of this country. It is almost certain that these factors into any opinion you may form.

Let me suggest a positive approach toward the use of social media; one that may enhance the concept of a greater Black community. Let's began to post and talk about those things and ideas that advance our being as a people. Stop telling me about where you attend church on Sunday. Tell me what your church is doing to improve the community that surrounds it. Advance the idea of supporting Black businesses by posting or highlighting those Black businesses that perform at a high quality level, and informing us of those that are fall short.

What if Black businesses supported other Black businesses? An example, if local Black bsiness in the Houston Metroolitan Area supported our local Black press through advertising support, the local Black press could improve upon their coverage of events and local government. The Black press could employ more reporters, photographers, account executivies, ect... This would provide groundbreaking experiences for graduates in journalism from our Historical Black Colleges and Universities. The Black press is not dead; it's asleep. We can blame the Black press and ourselves for its current status. We have yet to learn how to invest in ourselves in a collective way. I think it is a matte of trust. A lot can be changed if we began to think community first and self second.

# # #

01/21/2019

What to do About the Media in Black America
Vol. 3

Black History Month is comng! I would like to think of February as Black Community Month, with emphasis on COMMUITY. When we look at each other what is it that we see. I see kinship. A society of people that others often group as one, all the same. I'm going to roll with that, in hopes that it will cause us to think differently about ourselves. From a media perspective, we have become bigger than a neighborhood, we have become a community of Blacks living in neighborhoods all across America. We have a reach that continues to help shape this country. We can improve upon our methods by improving upon our way of thinking. Let's make the education process work for us better that it has in the most recent past, using new tools and methods.

I have spent most of my adult life wrking in some area of the media, most in radio and television, with an emphasis in higher education. Most of muy learning process occurred in a hands-on environment. I went back to school and acquired the theory associated with the business. From my perspective, nothing was more important in my development process than the years spent professionally involved in the business. I think that you learn the media business by doing the media business. You cannot acquire the professional level of skills and technique seated at a desk, reading a textbook. You learn the job by doing the job. Seldon ever are any two days the same. I'm saying this to support the idea of a change in the approach used to teach mass communication at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

First, the institution must recognize the cost associated with having a Department or School of Mass Comminication. The cost for equipment can exceed a million and a half dollars and it also must be maintained. Yes, a university can establish a quality program for less. Great care must be given to match quipment with faculty and established goals of the program. No one program can teach everything. A major complaint I always had is the need for terminal degreed faculty with no professional experience. Yes to the terminal dgeree for graduate work, but give me an editor to teach editing, a aideo photographer to teach video photography. Please, someone to teach news with experience as a news reporter. The requirement for any of these positions should be a mininum of five years experience and an undergraduate degree.

Second, the established curriculum must reflect the priorities outlined in the mission statement of the mass communication program. It is not likely that any two programs from different institutions will look the same, or offer the same courses. The program must be designed to provide the student with an opportunity to advance to the level of a first year professional employee, and provide senior level internship in a select concentratioj, or area of study. Every effort should be made for the student to select an internship that has employment possibilities upon graduation.

Third, the mass communication department or school must make every effort to provide support to other units on campus and select elements of the local community. Every HBCU has a recruitment team. It would be helpful for the video production unit in the mass communication department to develop videos to support the effort. The digital unit in the journalism department should help in the development of frochures and other handouts. The effort put forth in the localo community should be in support of recgonized none profit organizations.

We have yet to recognize and express to each other that nothing is accomplished in the medua business as an individual. There is always soneone in support of the project or story under development. The academic environment is competitive. However, we can compete and learn together. It's the only way we can grow and remain ethical.

01/15/2019

What to do About the Media and Black America
Vol. 2

Let me begin with a look at television sports. Why televsion sports, because it presents the lease amoumt of resistance by the viewing public. It is important to recognize that there are only a few operations controlling all television telecast: NBC (NBCSN, cable, CBS SBSSN, cable), FOX Sports (FS1; Southwest, cable), and ABC (ESPN, cable). There are also major conference networks that cablecast events, including The Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference, The South East Conference, The Big Twelve Conference, The Pacific Twelve Conference, and The American Athletic Conference. There are also sub-conferences that have cable exposure, including the Ohio Valley Conference, Mountain West Conference, Conference USA, The Sun Belt, Big Sky, Southland, Pioneer, Ivy League, Missouri Valley, Middle East Athletic Conference, and South Western Athletic Conference. The least amount of television exposure for any of these conferences goes to the MEAC and SWAC. Both of these conferences are Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

A review of the 2018 television schedule for HBCU football reflects no exposure. There was limited exposure on one cable sports network (ESPN), cable casting more than two games. The NBC Sports Network presented the Bayou Classic, through an established long-term contract. The conglomerate of ESPN channels often delegates HBCU football and Men Basketball to one of its sub-channels (ESPNU and ESPN Classic). There are cable networks established with an emphasis toward programming for the Black audience, including Black Entetainment Television (division of Viacom), TV One (Urban One), and Aspire (Majic Johnson Enterprises). Not one of these cable channels provide any HBCU sports programming.

The Black community is a major consumer of television and sports programming. We purchase products advertised during sports programs, and all across the television spectrum. It should be feasible for the Black community across the United States to have a cable television channel that features sports from Historical Black Colleges and Universities. This will accomplish several things. First, it will raise the visibility and improve the perception of historically-black higher education institutions. This should result in an increased enrollment across the spectrum. Second, the sports programs at HBCU campuses should have an opportunity to advance the recruitment of quality athletic participants. Third, attendance at HBCU sporting events will improve, advancing the coffers of the athletic departments.

It is my understanding that a group of former athletes are making an effort to purchase a group of television stations in the United States. I support this idea. However, there are many obstacles that must be overcome for this to become a viable effort, outside the scope of peronal economics. If the purchase is successful and this group of stations form a new television network with major cable access, the birth of HBCU sports may have a chance. It may be a better idea for a group to form a joint venture for purchasing an existing cable channel. ESPN Classic would be my first choice, changing the name to ESPN-HBCU. This establishes a clear line for program distribution, not placing the cart before the hourse. First run programming becomes the product. The rebroadcast of past television programs will not generate the advertising support necessary, nor a market share of viewers. Sports is one of the most pure forms of programing available, and can be achieved at minimum production cost. Sports can attract views across all demographics. I don't know if you have recognized the increased number of non-blacks participating in sports and in the band at Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

Those with the financial ability to advance the black footprint in media must also consider developing new programming, and in television ters, it's production. I applaud the productions offered by ESPN and NBCS during the previous football season. However, one has to look back to the cablecast of the 1885 Bayou Classic to see how it should be done. There is a lot of truth in the statement, "black colleg sports is ore than a game, it's an event". Event coverage should reflect this concept. Most viwed the 1885 Bayou Classic on BET. However, the game was carried live on Home Sports Entertainment (Houston), and so was the Mississippi Valley v Alcorn game (Jackson).

What is necessary after securing a program delivery source is the ability to provide live coverge of HBCU sports. This is a sensitive area for me, serving as producer for football cablecast of HBCU games on HSET (Houston) in 1985. There must be a production truck or trucks ,along with producers that understand the concept of black college sport events. The ESPN-HBCU Sports network should become a reality, just in time for the 2019 football season. The network should also provide coverage of men and women basketball, softball, volleyball, and baseball. The sport operation of each school should be within established guidelines set forth by the sommissioner of MEAC and SWAC conferences and agreed to by both organizations. Not all universities within each conference have a school or department of mass communcation. The universities that have said program should develop a strong video production capability. Support programs should come from said universities during off season. Just image a cable channel that provides institutional documentaries, original theater productions, and news. This approach will support the learning process for students and provide exposure for faculty.

01/11/2019

What To Do About the Media in Black America
Part One

I have spent most of my adult life associated with broadcasting. First as a dee-jay in radio, second as a television engineer and production team member, and third as an educator. I have a number of concerns, and as a result, the decision is made to voice some of them through the following writings. Question, do we as Black Americans understand how the media (radio, television and social media) impact and influence our daily lives, and how or what we can do to insure that we maintain some control over what is presented to us as a honest presentation. It's fair to think that we have no control. You are right if you think individually, but collectively we can be powerful. The Conergie Commission Report of 1967 indicated that importance of Black Americans, suggesting Public Television (WNET) as an avenue for involvement; followed by Bob Johnson (FCC Comissioner) and BET Television (cable).

I'm a graduate of a Historically Black University. Therefore, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are very important to me. I am convinced that these institutions are and have always been a major key necessary in the enhancement of media presence, ownership and attitude adustsments for American Blacks.

I will explain this theory throughout the writing of this "Blog", but let me begin with the idea of placing an operational communication program on every major "HBCU" campus. An operational communication program should focus on skill and technique development of undergraduate students with a heavy douse practical (hands-on) experience, guided by faculty/staff with years of professional experience. An operational communications program should operate across the scope of the institution, supported by junior/senior level students. It is not enough nor has it ever been enough to open a textbook (often outdated), read its content and then assume one is knowledgeable, ready to compete in the real world. Every HBCU has alumni in almost every major city. If every alumni chapter of every HBCU formed a line of communication within the city, state, and region, focused on community enhancement we could get some work done. The end result is a higher education graduate pool with skills and technique capable of midlevel management and program development, feeding back into institutions, regions, and states, as a community of Black folk, living in America.

01/07/2019

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