The future was now. And the revolution has been Tweeted. The mainstream print industry is under a digital assault, so what's to become of Black publications?
"There's no such thing as real-time, there's only the millisecond," states Munson Steed, publisher of Rolling Out, a national urban weekly. "Everything else is history. When you read the weeklies and the monthlies, you've already heard, saw, and received it on Twitter. And a lot of people don't want to say that."
A lot of people don't want to recognize that African-American publications are at a crossroads either.
Recently, the Columbia College Association of Black Journalists presented a dynamic panel of print media professionals to dialogue with Columbia journalism students about the current and future state of Black media.
The discussion was moderated by CCABJ president, and journalism student Jorian Seay. The panel included Steed, Kathy Cheney, (Chicago Defender), Candi Meriwether, (Jet magazine), Frances Moffett, (Gloss e-zine), and Mary C. Johns, (We The People Media).
One topic focused on the legacy of John H. Johnson, (founder of Ebony magazine, the preeminent publication for African-Americans).
Johnson, a shrewd businessman, once stated that the "only way to get ahead in this world is to live and sell dangerously. You've got to live beyond your means. You've got to commit yourself to an act or vision that pulls you further than you want to go, and forces you to use your hidden strengths."
The moderator questioned if there was a John H. Johnson in this time to pick up the torch.
As the panelists pointed to him, Steed pointed to new media success stories Chuck Creekmur, co-founder and CEO of Allhiphop.com, and blogger Necole Bitchie, two entrepreneurs who have sustained dominance and profitability.
Ironically, the two future Johnsons, Steed recognized were not print media entrepreneurs.
"The future in terms of growth is clearly mobile," he explained. "When you talk to advertisers, they want to know if you're mobile; [they ask] 'Do you have apps or games?' As we go into a four-day workweek, there will always be growth in games. Video On Demand is the future, that's why we bought [Hip Hop on Demand] a VOD network. At some point, we're all going to be able to VOD whatever we want, because it's just downloading. APPs, mobile, anything you're already talking about, can and is already alive."
The struggle to add depth and positive images of African-Americans is an issue that exists in both print and digital platforms. Equally problematic is that positive stories don't generate much interest or traffic on the web, according to the panelists, so content producers must rely heavily on gossip, salaciousness, and/or celebrity to attract eyeballs.
"You are challenged to write solid, good, urban content, but we don't get any traffic with that," Steed quipped. "When you're talking about mediatakeout.com, 60 percent of that traffic is coming from women with college degrees."
Add the overall browning of America, (and more mainstream publications integrating African-Americans into their pages), and the necessity of ethnic niche publications is also up for debate.
Meriwether addressed the relevance of African-American publications in this burgeoning multicultural, (arguably) post-race society.
"I think that our content is evolving, as is our mission, as is our audience," Meriwether stated. "One of the questions asked about Jet magazine, Ebony magazine [is of] relevance, are they still necessary? And it's asked about Black colleges and anything that is purely African-American.The whole world being multiracial, I don't want to be segregated anymore. I'm African-American, I don't want to have to come to Jet to read about African-Americans because we have a Black president, we're everywhere."
Meriwether continued, "Part of the history of African-Americans in this country stems from protest. And whether or not there is a still a need for protest, and for someone to talk about the problems that have not been resolved, speaks directly to the mission of African American publications, like mine and some of the others. And whether or not we're living up to that, I would love to let the audience, the reader decide. The challenge is to get African-Americans ... to see there is still a need for that kind of voice, in our culture, in Latino culture, in all cultures."
Unfortunately, on the other side of the instant digital space is a dwindling paycheck for those working in the print industry.
Gloss, a bi-monthly e-zine, does not compensate its contributors, and such platforms are best bets for journalism students who are seeking to get their clips published and widely distributed, Moffett stated. In fact, the bimonthly schedule was built with the volunteer workforce in mind.
"We chose to be bi-monthly because a lot of our writers are in school," she said. "We don't want to take a lot of their time, and we have extended deadlines for them to submit."
The panelists urged the students to find work in the creative side of the industry (public relations, marketing, i.e.); to develop their skill sets to include digital platforms; learn a foreign language; and to open a second line of income if they want to earn a decent living.
"I think the challenge for your generation is not to cave to mediocrity," Steed said. "You should want to be the best."
Photos by Billy Montgomery/Columbia College, used with permission for this Huffington-Post blog entry.
Follow Zondra Hughes on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ZondraHughes
Amy DuBois Barnett: Experience the New EBONY
Ebony/Jet has graced our black communities ever since they were found decorating coffee table tops of many households’ as classics, just as trusted stores such as [url=http://www.shoestores.com]Stout's[/url] and Gold blatt’s were filled with shoppers . It was undoubtedly a respective influence on the history of black people and I don’t think Mr. Johnson meant selling his legacy he worked hard to build, when he said “sell dangerouslyâ€.
I understand that the name of the game has always been money, yet my concern lies with the psychical existence of black history iconic paraphernalia, (or the lack thereof). With the internet taking over, there is less in actual printed historic memorabilia’s to prove our existence. More importantly, how will we be able to show the fruits of labor to our children’s children?
Critically thinking, I ask if there is a lack of respect for the blood sweat and tears that were suffered along the way of earning legendary status. As I look around, I see less emphasis on the value of founder- ownership. Possible attributing factors may be the economy, or the desire to rise quickly into another social status, but the lesson that any founder tries to teach is not preserved.
I remember seeing a display for discredited black inventors who were discredited because they sold. I'm simply saying that the self created legacy itself should not have a price tag.
Hip-hop is not about music - its never been about music. Hip-hop began as a medium for disenfranchised young blacks who found they could use rhyme to express the frustruations, angst, anger, hurt, and disappointments they experienced in their daily lives as black people in the United States - and the world ended up listening when they hadn't listened before. Simply put, people from around the world found they could relate. That's why Allhiphop.com was able to find success and remain in the game for so long. They served an under-served, target audience.
Think how powerful the Tea Party could really be if it included this audience :-)
The last GREAT Black publication was "EMERGE". Thanks in part to George L. Curry, that mag had a hard-hitting, critical analysis approach to the things that seriously affected Black people. And its writers were the BEST in the business in regards to the Black perspective on domestic and world issues.
After "EMERGE" folded, we have not had a mag since that takes the Black community and its views seriously.
If why a Black woman can't get a man, NeNe's temper tantrums,or what Halle wore last night are considered "serious issues", then maybe we (SOME of us anyway) deserve the current publications we get.
Blacks have long been disconnected from knowledge of, engagement and participation in the Innovation Economy, which is fueled by high-growth entrepreneurship, high-risk capital investment and STEM-educated innovators. The next decade of the 21st century is a crossroads for Black America. Either we will fully participate as equity citizens in the global Innovation Economy or we risk being relegated to class of less-educated, less-productive citizens standing flat-footed on the 20th century battlefields for constitutional citizenship.
Today, Black America must capitalize upon its assets, develop an infrastructure of private capital investment in our own high-growth entrepreneurs across all industry sectors and significantly boost our competitiveness in the battles for market share. We cannot continue to remain 1% of the total media market. And we certainly cannot sustain a total Black-owned business productivity that equals less than 1% of total GDP each year.
Sure, we have some super stars in the entrepreneurial world. By and large, however, we do not produce high-growth employer companies (firms up to five years old) that are responsible for ALL net new job growth since 1980. (Kauffman Foundation)
Our visionary exponential economic growth begins with knowledge, both through educational channels and media.
But what media are producing Black Innovation sections?
How many Black-owned media outlets are devoted to educating our people on the Innovation Economy?
We're prepared to help: http://blackinnovation.org.
Thank you for sharing...
Thank you for supporting print media!
"ASNE Study: American Newsrooms Almost 90 Percent White"
http://blog.seattlepi.com/zennieabraham/2011/04/09/asne-study-american-newsrooms-almost-90-percent-white/
So, a quick Google search found an answer from writer Eric Deggans, he writes:
"My quippy answer lists mainstream journalism groups such as the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Society of News Editors, which are dominated by white people."
Here's the link: http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/article1024263.ece
Harold Michael Harvey
www.paperpuzzle.net
Thank you for the info, will check out your book!
Print media has a tough time evolving into a hybrid species or innovative product but content matters.
There are good ideas for print publications and with the growth of black Venture Capitalists a good salesman could launch a fresh powerful product. When everyone else is stagnate the time is ripe for a break out.
My suggestion would be make it cosmetically fashionable and I'm not talking traditional here or cover photos of iconic hiphop artists or sepia stills of Dr King I'm talking cutting edge fashion.
Snoop Dog has increased his stock with not just black audiences but a mainstream audience. His hiphop lyrics are not all of his cash cow, he's a modern day flawed philosopher with mass appeal. I'd ask him to explain how he feels about some 20 current topics both black and American history and do it while he poses next to our monuments in DC.
That's not something you can twitter, that's a must read.
Spread the article through the mag and populate the middle with hard stories on national news updates and investigations. Finish the last few pages with glitz and celebrity jazz.
Snoop recreated his image without losing his authenticity, either he's a genius or he has an awesome publicist or both.
Sounds like a magazine name SNOOP SCOOP, owned by none other.
Wow. I'm loving it. Yes, Snoop is a genius, and yes, he does have an awesome publicist, to boot!
Thank you for your comment.
As for Jet, I'm looking forward to the direction Mitzi Miller takes it. I love what Amy has done with Ebony. The content is of substance and the stories are of importance.
Thank you for your comment. I think if we take the long view, the Chicago Defender reaches well into the nooks and crannies of the African American community and reports stories and angles that may be overlooked by other publications--even Teesee's Town covers Black society like no other; and there is value in that. Much like you, I am awaiting Mitzi Miller's magic, and I'm very impressed with the dream team Desiree Rogers and Linda Johnson Rice have built.
For example, when I teach American Literature and include literature by Native Americans or African Americans beyond the ocassional short stories, poems, or exceptional novel, students start raising questions. They can become upset and complain that they want to learn "American" literature. If you teach the captivity writings of the late1700s and early 1800s, written mostly by white women and include the slave narratives of enslaved Africans who have been captured and brought to this country, students raise the question about that literature. Both groups were kidnapped and write about their experiences. Their writing became best sellers during their time of pubilcation. Both genres are very well written and give us insight to the literature, literacy and history of that time.
Our experiences as human beings are "colored" by our shades. To be blind to those experiences is to deny the humanity of us all.
I think that is what we're all becoming. =0)