From 1900 to the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1940’s African-American (Black) periodicals and newspapers thrive in almost every major Black City because the main stream press still either ignored African-Americans or portrayed them stereotypically, often as the perpetrators of crimes. “Black News” if included appeared in segregated “Afro-American” sections. Even as celebrities or sports stars
who received mainstream coverage were used to reinforce stereotypes about African-Americans. The discovery by white publications of the drama surrounding the Civil Rights Movement marked a period of decline for the Black Press. Mainstream newspapers, news magazines, radio and television networks, which had greater resources than Black papers, could cover more stories than black papers. By 1955 only 31 African Americans worked on mainstream papers. In television, it was not until 1962, when Mal Goode joined ABC, that a national network hired its first African-American correspondent. Coverage of black issues didn’t change until the late 1960’s. after riots in black ghettos forced mainstream editors to reevaluate the role of black journalists. They quickly realized that they needed black reporters to get accurate stories regarding black communities. In the early 1970’s, mainstream newspapers and TV began to heavily recruit African American Journalists. By the mid-1970’s over one hundred African-American Journalists were working in mainstream publications all across the USA. By the1990‘s, 400 African-American worked for newspapers. Yet in Twenty First Century America, African-Americans continue to experience cultural bias on almost every level of the syndicated media despite more & more African-American becoming Editors, Managers and Human Resource Executives. The tone of their input in the press is over all, dominated by white expression in mainstream media. The decline of Black newspapers means that a countervailing voice is almost non-existent. Many African-American Journalists and Publishers alike find themselves walking a fine line between journalistic ideas of objectivity and advocacy. Faced with isolation in news rooms, fragmentation and concerns for their overall effectiveness. The recent success of an African-American being elected to the highest office of our land, gave birth to healthy debate and discussion among all cultures concerning race. However new, rekindles a spirit to speak from a social-economic expectation that ethnic consumer marketing strategies are better formulated in an environment tailored in it’s own identity and perspectives. By the year of February 2017 Brick City & Mile City News will have been distributed to more than 75% of African-American Readership within the counties outlined in Our mission, Our Focus; and or a circulation of 96% of that goal operating in 17 of the 21 municipalities. Reclaiming A Black Legacy of Reporting.
