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07-10-06 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
SENATOR SAVED DALLAS AUSTIN FROM DUBAI PRISON: Utah Republican Orrin Hatch swoops in after receiving call on the bat phone.
*The latest twist in the Dallas Austin Dubai debacle is proof positive that the entertainment industry is as much about who you know as it is who you are.
As the producer sat behind bars in a United Arab Emirates jail on drug charges, his attorneys were sending an SOS out to U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Republican from the Mormon-heavy state of Utah. On Saturday, his staff released a statement confirming that the lawmaker called the ambassador and consul of the United Arab Emirates in Washington on Austin's behalf and helped to secure his release.
But why Orrin Hatch?
Apparently, the politician carries much weight in the UAE. According
to the New York Times, he supported the Dubai-based DP World this year in
its bid to manage several American ports.
Despite being Dubai-friendly, Hatch, like Austin, has ties to the
record industry. While Austin has spent his career crafting hits for the
likes of TLC, Usher, Madonna and Pink, the senator has been busy writing and
recording hundreds of religious and patriotic songs. Hatch's spokesman Peter
Carr was unsure if the pair ever had any personal dealings with each other,
but he did confirm that both employ Atlanta entertainment lawyer Joel A
Katz.
Katz and Washington attorney Joe Reeder traveled to Dubai to try to
secure Austin's release, The Times reported in a story published Saturday.
Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones also intervened as character references, the
paper reported.
Austin was arrested May 19 and convicted of drug possession for
bringing 1.26 grams of cocaine into Dubai. On Tuesday, the 34-year-old was
sentenced to four years in jail, only to be pardoned and released hours
later by Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
In a statement, Hatch said he was "grateful to the leaders of Dubai
for agreeing to provide a workable and compassionate solution for this
situation." He also said he was confident Austin "will learn from this
experience."
CHAPPELLE'S 'LOST EPISODES' DEBUT: The first of three new episodes premiered Sunday fashioned out of abandoned material.
*Comedy Central began its new abbreviated season of "Chappelle's
Show" Sunday with an announced introduction of host Dave Chappelle and a
shot of an empty stage.
It was the network's way of poking fun at Chappelle's decision to
leave behind his $50 million contract last year, as well as an assortment of
filmed material that Comedy Central has packaged into three new "Lost
Episodes" - the first of which premiered last night.
"This isn't a designed farewell," Neal Brennan, the show's co-creator
who pieced them together told the Associated Press. "There's no cliffhanger.
These were just three out of what was supposed to be 10 - and the other
seven never happened."
Cast members Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings joke about
Chappelle's departure right away in the show's opening. Meanwhile, the first
sketch could double as a commentary for Chappelle's disillusionment with the
way people around him have reacted to his success.
As previously reported, the scene shows the comedian getting an
advertised $8 haircut at the barbershop, but the price is suddenly jacked up
when a TV in the shop reports of his huge payday. Suddenly the haircut is
$11,000.
Chappelle also gets a prediction from a dying man: "You didn't have
to do two more seasons. No matter how good the show is, they're only going
to say it's not as good as last year was."
A second sketch shows Chappelle exacting revenge on people who
mistreated him before he was rich.
"What I worry about is that everyone is going to look at it like a
'CSI' episode, examine every show and say, 'Oh, that's why Dave did that,'"
Brennan told AP. "There are no clues. The thing that people forget is, I
came up with half the ideas. And it's not like I knew he was going to
Africa. Does it give you a look into my psyche?"
Comedy Central President Doug Herzog said there were a lot of long
discussions at the network about what to do with Chappelle's abandoned
footage.
"Once we saw the material, we thought it was fantastic," he said.
"When you're in the comedy business, as we are, it's very hard to walk away
from great material. It's so hard to find to begin with. We knew the
audience wanted to see it. And I don't want to sound crass, but we had
already paid for it."
ESSENCE FEST SAYS 'HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM': Organizers lament traffic issues; plus editorial changes at Ebony and Jet.
*Apparently, Houston is no New Orleans when it comes to handling
traffic for the annual Essence Music Festival.
Organizers, who decided to move the event to Houston this year from
its usual location in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina damage, say the
Texas city was unable to maintain the flow of traffic around the city, which
frustrated staffers and participants involved in the three-day extravaganza
last weekend.
"Houston will have to address mobility problems that hampered Essence
Music Festival fans before the city will be considered to host next year's
event," organizers said Thursday, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Jordy Tollet, president of the Greater Houston Convention and
Visitors Bureau, said his office did everything it could to address
transportation concerns. "Everything Essence asked, we did it," Tollet said
according to Journal-isms.
The Essence folk, however, were not happy at all.
"It was a difficult city to navigate and that can't be ignored,"
Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications Inc, told Journal-isms.
"The end result was a general lack of systems to manage the sprawl. Houston
underestimated the enormity and significance of this event."
"Had the city or county invested more we could have had a different
result," she continued. "If a $126 million economic impact doesn't register
there's nothing more that can be said."
*In other black magazine news, Bryan Monroe, president of the
National Association of Black Journalists, has been named the new vice
president and editorial director of Ebony and Jet magazines.
Monroe's appointment marks the first time in history that the two
publications, owned by Johnson Publishing, will share one editor.
"I am going to spend my initial time just learning, because I come
from the newspaper side of things," the former assistant vice president for
news at Knight Ridder Inc. told Journal-isms. "I've got to learn a lot
about magazines. I'm so excited and honored that I'll be continuing a great
legacy with Ebony and Jet and Johnson publications."
COURT WRESTS CONTROL OF DEATH ROW: Judge authorizes takeover of Suge Knight's troubled label.
*Although the glory days of Death Row records have been long gone,
the final nail in the coffin occurred in a courtroom on Friday when a
federal judge authorized a bankruptcy trustee to take over ownership.
The one-time home to multi-platinum artists Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and
Tupac Shakur had become a ship without a captain, according to U.S.
Bankruptcy Judge Ellen Carroll, who stated "it seems apparent there is no
one at the helm."
Knight, 41, told a court in May that he only had $11 to his name
(along with about $28,000 in material possessions). He also testified that
the last time he checked the label's financial records was at least 10 years
ago.
Knight's lawyer Daniel McCarthy argued Friday that his client was
still "at the helm" of Death Row, which has since been renamed Tha Row, and
had been working on securing distribution deals for the label's catalog.
"Please give him some time to do that," McCarthy asked the judge.
Knight was a no show in court Friday--a fact his creditors' attorneys
emphasized as proof of his absence "at the helm."
Knight also skipped a meeting with his creditors earlier in the week
after injuring himself in a motorcycle accident last Sunday. Knight was
"under doctor's orders not to even go out," his lawyer said. Another
scheduled meeting with the creditors was missed after Suge said he had
experienced a death in his family.
Meanwhile, trustee owners of Death Row may take whatever assets are
left and convert them into cash to pay off the creditors.
BASSETT AND FISHBURNE TOGETHER AGAIN: Cinematic duo to star in revival of August Wilson's 'Fences' in Pasadena, CA.
*Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne are well on their way to
becoming the modern day African American version of Katherine Hepburn and
Spencer Tracy (minus the secret romance of course).
While Hepburn and Tracy filmed nine movies together in a span of 25
years, Bassett and Fishburne have just signed on to star in their fourth
joint project - a revival of August Wilson's acclaimed drama "Fences" at
California's Pasadena Playhouse (39 South El Molino Ave).
"I spoke with Angela about playing Rose (Troy Maxson's wife) and she
was quite intrigued by the idea," Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director
Sheldon Epps told Playbill Online. "We spoke about actors who could fill the
immense shoes that are Troy Maxson - one name came to mind for both of us
and it was Laurence Fishburne. After seeing Laurence's towering performance
in "Without Walls" at the Mark Taper Forum I went backstage to congratulate
him and asked him if he would join us to bring August's most profound play
back to the stage."
The revival is slated to begin previews Aug. 25 and open Sept.1 for a
run currently scheduled through Oct. 1.
"This is our way of honoring August - and also the brilliant Lloyd
Richards, the director who helped create many of his plays," Epps said. Both
playwright Wilson and his constant collaborator Richards passed away in the
last year.
"Fences" will follow-up the appearances of Bassett and Fishburne in
this year's film "Akeelah and the Bee," 1993's "What's Love Got to Do With
It" as Ike and Tina Turner and 1991's "Boyz n the Hood" as the divorced
parents of lead character Tre Styles.
Fishburne's theater resume includes a Tony Award for August Wilson's
"Two Trains Running" and recent a recent Broadway turn in "The Lion in
Winter." Bassett has appeared in the original Broadway staging of "Joe
Turner's Come and Gone" and in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
Tickets to Fences at the Pasadena Playhouse are available by calling
(626) 356-PLAY. For more information, visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org.
NAOMI'S LATEST VICTIM TELLS HER STORY: Ana Scolavino describes model as 'the ugliest person I have met.'
*The latest victim of a Naomi Campbell beatdown is speaking out in
detail about her alleged attack. In an exclusive interview with News of the
World, former housekeeper Ana Scolavino described how her ex-boss would
humiliate her and other staff members on a daily basis.
"She is so crazy you never know when she will hit out. Anything can
send her into a frenzy," Scolavino tells the paper of her three months with
the supermodel. "There is not a single nice bone in Naomi's body. She is a
psychotic monster. On the catwalk she might look beautiful-but apart from
her face in person she is the ugliest person I have met."
Campbell was charged with assault in the alleged attack, which
Scolavino says occurred after the runway diva accused her of stealing a pair
of jeans. During Campbell's June 27 court appearance in Manhattan, her
lawyers said a plea deal was on the table. The judge agreed to adjourn the
case until Sept. 27.
Meanwhile, Scolavino says she was hired in January to work as a maid
in Campbell's New York penthouse at a rate of about $17-an-hour. The
following is Scolavino's own account of what happened on that March day just
before Campbell allegedly clocked her in the head with her diamond-encrusted
Blackberry phone:
"Naomi came home from Europe raging about the state of the house and
that there were clothes everywhere. But that was typical Naomi. One minute
she'd shout at you, 'Don't dare touch my f***ing clothes' then the next she
was rampaging around screaming they'd not been put away.
"She pointed her finger in my face and told me I was 'f***ing
useless' and a 'fuck*** thief' who had stolen her jeans. Her face was all
contorted like a mad witch.
"Oprah Winfrey was due to come round and as ever Naomi was blaming
everyone else for her inability to cope.
"I offered to help her find the jeans and tidy up but this just
enraged her more. When I went upstairs to look for them she followed me,
screaming: 'What the f*** are you doing?' That was it for me. I turned round
and in a calm voice told her I was quitting. She gave me this evil look I
will never forget.
"My heart was pounding. I was terrified of what she was going to do
next so I went to get down the stairs and out of there. The next thing, I
felt a searing pain in my head. Then her silver mobile phone fell next to me
on the floor. I don't know if Naomi had thrown it at me or come up behind me
and hit me with it.
"I put my hand to my head and felt blood pouring out. I knew I had to
get out before she went for me again. It was then she charged down and tried
to stop me. She put her arms round me and screamed that I had to stay.
"I kept saying, 'Get off, Naomi, I am leaving.' Not once did she
attempt to get something to stop the bleeding. Then a male friend of hers
who was in the house came over and told her to get off. He kept saying, 'Oh
my God, Naomi, what have you done?'
"I told her to get out of my way so I could go to hospital but she
begged me to see her private doctor, obviously so no one could see what she
had done. It was then I dashed out."
Colombian-born Scolavino, whose head wound required five stitches at
a local hospital, says she had been a victim of Campbell's bad temper from
day one.literally.
Describing the morning after she was hired, Scolavino said: "I'd
arrived at 7:45 a.m. and was in the kitchen when she woke and screamed,
'Ana, where is my f***ing juice?' I had no idea what juice she was talking
about so she stormed to the kitchen and told me every morning she would need
me to mix the juice of two lemons, some paprika, cayenne pepper and water.
It looked vile but apparently it helps keep you thin. She drank liters of
the stuff and as far as I could see barely ate, which just made her even
more irritable as she was starving all the time.
"There was always something which would set her off. If she was going
away all her clothes had to be packed a certain way with tissue between each
item. Once she screamed at another maid and sacked her after she put a pair
of her jeans in the wrong case. We just spent our life walking on eggshells.
In Naomi's world we were all, in her words, 'f***ing useless'."
MIJAC ACCUSED OF HIRING SCHAFFEL TO ADOPT BOYS: Businessman suing pop star says he was once told to retrieve kids in Brazil.
*A businessman suing Michael Jackson for unpaid loans, royalties and
other debts blurted out to the court Friday that the pop star once requested
his help in adopting boys from Brazil.
F. Marc Schaffel, Jackson's former associate, dropped the bomb
suddenly while testifying about his background in the gay porn industry.
During defense questioning about his personal ties in Brazil, he denied that
the purpose of one trip was to recruit talent for gay videos. Jackson's
lawyer, Thomas Mundell, then asked if he had an interest in a company known
as Latinboys.
Schaffel bristled and said he did not, then blurted out: "The main
purpose of my trip was Mr. Jackson wanted to adopt some boys."
Even Schaffel's lawyer Howard King was shocked by the sudden
outburst.
"It's not really relevant to this case," King told reporters outside
court. "I thought we were not going to go there. We've tried to be
upstanding."
Mundell said it was the first time he had ever heard of such
allegations against his client, even throughout the pretrial investigations.
"It was an effort to smear Mr. Jackson with a remark that could be
interpreted to hurt him in light of the case against him last year," Mundell
said. In June 2005, Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges.
Schaffel had testified earlier that in 2001, Jackson sent him to
deliver $300,000 to a "Mr. X" in Argentina and that he went to Brazil to
withdraw the money from a personal account he had there. But Schaffel never
disclosed what the payment was for, and in a videotaped deposition of
Jackson that was played Friday, the singer denied that he ever sent Schaffel
to deliver money to Argentina.
Meanwhile, Schaffel's original lawsuit of 3.8 million has dropped
down to $1.6 million.
COLIN POWELL BRIEFLY HOSPITALIZED: Former Sec. of State fell ill after
dining with Bill Clinton.
*Colin Powell is blaming the altitude for his wooziness and brief
hospitalization during a dinner with former president Bill Clinton and
others recently in Aspen, Colo.
According to Powell's secretary, Peggy Cifrino, the former Secretary
of State felt lightheaded, "stumbled a bit and sat down" before paramedics
were called. She said he blamed the city's high altitude for causing his
illness.
The 69-year-old stayed at the hospital for a few hours, Cifrino said,
where doctors examined him to check his overall health.
"He's doing great," she said.
The following day, Powell was on time for a panel discussion at the
Aspen Ideas Festival showing no signs of having been ill the night before.
FILM/TV BITS: Banks bans airbrushing; Perry's hot-selling DVDs; South Africa
soap tackles AIDS.
*Tyra Banks has made an announcement. According to Sky News, the
supermodel has made it known that she will no longer tolerate digital
enhancements and editorial retouches to her image when she appears in
magazines layouts. Her rep said: "Modeling is an unreal business, but Tyra
wants to make it more real. She always tried to get heavier women to take
part in 'America's Next Top Model' - although the industry continues to
reject them and the few that get through are magically transformed into
waifs by magazines."
*Banks' rumored boyfriend, Tyler Perry, is making another mint in the
DVD realm with sales of his latest releases: "Madea's Family Reunion" and
the stage productions of "Madea Goes to Jail" and "Why Did I Get Married."
All three Lionsgate titles, released June 27, have combined for sales of of
3.6 million units, which also placed the discs in the Top 10. "Madea's
Family Reunion" alone sold over two million units in the U.S. during its
first week in stores. "To every one of you that passed the bootleggers and
went to legitimate stores and bought the videos, I just want to say thank
you," Perry said in an e-mail newsletter. "Because you did that, I am able
to stay in business." Perry's five previously-released catalog stage plays
also benefited from the interest in the new DVDs, as sales of "Diary of a
Mad Black Woman, "Madea's Class Reunion," "Meet the Browns," "I Can Do Bad
All By Myself" and "Madea's Family Reunion" jumped more than 500 percent
from the prior week, selling more than 150,000 units.
*In a first for South Africa's television soap operas, a character's
current HIV virus will develop full-blown AIDS. Nandipha Matabane, a
character on the daytime drama "Isidingo," has been kidnapped, raped and had
her baby lost in a bomb blast throughout her fictional life. Eventually, she
was diagnosed with HIV before launching a glamorous new career as a
television host. In hopes of breaking the stigma that surrounds the disease,
producers have decided to give Nandipha the deadly virus. "There is a sense
in many ways AIDS has gone off the boil in its public profile and how
seriously people take it," Greig Coetzee, head writer for the series, told
Reuters. "People either ignore it, or have a fatalistic approach. We want to
show that people can live with AIDS and manage it, even if they are sick."
MUSIC BITS: Heron sentenced; Marleys tour; Pharrell's 'Mind' release;
Fiasco's 'Food'; Dupri's preference.
*In Queens, New York, activist Gil Scott Heron was sentenced to two
to four years in prison for violating a plea deal on a drug charge, reports
the New York Post. The 56-year-old musician, poet and singer - best known
for his 1970s anthem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" - violated the
deal by leaving the drug treatment center he was placed in, the New York
Post reported Thursday. Heron, who is HIV positive, said he left because the
in-patient rehab clinic stopped giving him his HIV medication. The
prosecution also noted Heron once left treatment for an appearance with
singer Alicia Keys.
*Bob Marley's sons Stephen and Ziggy will reunite next month as
co-headliners of the second Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae (RRR) Festival, a
17-city tour that kicks off Aug. 6 at the Reggae on the River Festival in
Redway, Calif. The five-hour outdoor event will feature music, food, street
vendors and supporting acts Bunny Wailer, Latin rock band Ozomatli and Muzik
Mafia member John Nicholson, each of whom will perform a full set as well as
collaborating with one another.
*Pharrell Williams will finally release his debut solo album, "In My
Mind," on July 25 via Star Trak/Interscope. The disc will include his
current single "Number One," a collaboration with fellow producer Kanye
West, and his previous single "Can I Have It Like That," featuring Gwen
Stefani. The set also sports guest appearances from Robin Thicke and Slim
Thug. Also beginning July 25, fans of his production work can purchase the
digital album with bonus instrumentals of all tracks exclusively at iTunes.
*The release date for Lupe Fiasco's debut album, "Food & Liquor,"
featuring his current single "Kick Push," is now Aug. 29 via his own record
label First and Fifteenth Entertainment (FNF), which is distributed through
Atlantic. The set's original release date of June 27 was scrapped once
tracks leaked onto the Internet. Born Wasalu Muhammed Jaco, the
self-described nerd grew up in Chicago's housing projects listening to
Thelonious Monk - because rap's curse words went against his strict Islamic
upbringing. "My dad used to blast N.W.A., and I'd be so embarrassed I would
duck down in the car," Fiasco told Billboard. But a chance hearing of Spice
1's humor in "187 Proof" changed his mind about gangsta rap. "That was dope
to me," Fiasco says. "I liked West Coast hip-hop, but I guess that's because
I was brought up on that with my dad." "Food & Liquor" is executive produced
by Jay-Z, whom he met when the mogul's Roc-A-Fella records considered giving
him a deal.
*Jermaine Dupri likes the badonkadonk, which may be a problem for his
newly slimmed-down girlfriend Janet Jackson. "Jermaine loves Janet whether
she's fat or skinny," a source tells People magazine. "Ideally, though, he
prefers her with a little meat on her bones." The couple is said to be
meeting with wedding planners and sampling dishes for their upcoming
nuptials, but Jackson reportedly won't go near the food. "Janet wouldn't
even taste a morsel of wedding cake that was given to her to try," the
insider reveals. "She's that committed to her diet, but Jermaine feels she's
being too extreme." According to the source, Janet told a friend, "I want to
be a sexy bride."
SPORTS BITS: LeBron signs contract; two college football deaths; Jackson,
Washington join Fed Cup; Miami Heat Championship DVD available.
*NBA star LeBron James has finally agreed to the five-year $80
million contract extension offered by his team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The
all-star agreed to the deal Saturday, stating: "I am very excited and happy
to be re-signing with the Cavaliers. Staying in Cleveland ... provides me
with the unique opportunity to continue to play in front of my family,
friends and fans. I look forward to working toward bringing a championship
to our great fans and the city of Cleveland."
*Two college football players died in separate incidents last week.
Georgia Southern wide receiver Teddy Craft died Thursday after suffering
critical injuries in a motorcycle crash two days earlier, and New Mexico
State linebacker Shana Leaupepe, who was set to be a starter this season,
was killed in a drive-by shooting Saturday in Long Beach, Calif. Craft, 22,
died at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah after a
collision with another motorcyclist threw him from his Suzuki GSX motorcycle
just outside the Statesboro city limits. Craft, who led the Eagles in
receiving yards and touchdowns last season, was a starter since 2003 and led
West Los Angeles College with 56 tackles in 2004, helping his team to a
conference championship.
*African American tennis players Jamea Jackson and Mashona Washington
will play for the United States against Belgium in the Fed Cup semifinals.
The absence of both Venus and Serena Williams, due to Grand Slam fatigue and
injury respectively, have given Jackson (ranked No. 58_ and Washington (No.
120) the opportunity to participate. Last weekend, Jackson scored a personal
best at Wimbledon by advancing to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the
first time in her career. She was also the last American left in the
tournament during its fourth round of play. She and Washington will join Fed
Cup teammates Vania King and Jill Craybas for the best-of-five series
against Belgium July 15-16 in Ostend, Belgium. They'll face Wimbledon
finalist Justine Henin-Hardenne, semifinalist Kim Clijsters, Kirsten
Flipkens and Caroline Maes on an indoor hard court.
*Warner Home Video and the NBA have teamed up to release the official
collector's edition DVD, "Miami Heat: 2005-2006 NBA Champions," available
for $24.98 beginning July 18. The package includes more than three hours of
the best moments from the regular season, the Playoffs and The Finals along
with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews of players, coaches
and NBA experts. Fans can pre-order the championship DVD online at
www.NBAStore.com or through the Miami Heat's Web site at HEAT.com, for
delivery.
EVENT CALENDAR: O'Jays in Canton; Alonzo's 'Summer Groove' in Florida; NABJ Awards in Indy.
*The dream began in Canton, OH, and now Eddie Levert, Walter
Williams, Sr., and Eric Nolan Grant - known collectively as The O'Jays -
return to their hometown to host the Second Annual O'Jays Celebration
Weekend, July 14-16. The celebration will feature a Scholarship Banquet,
Celebrity Golf Tournament, a free O'Jays concert, a family reunion-style
gathering and the rededication of O'Jays Parkway in Northeast Canton. Other
events include talent showcases, and such children's attractions as games,
rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and free hot dogs, popcorn and cotton
candy. Proceeds will benefit The O'Jays Scholarship Fund. Confirmed guests
include Steve Harvey, Evander Holyfield, Johnny Gill, Clifton Davis, Omarosa
and Biz Markie.
*NBA Champion Alonzo Mourning invites South Florida to celebrate the
10th Annual Tyson Foods Zo's Summer Groove (ZSG), July 13-16, to benefit
Alonzo Mourning Charities' network of organizations (including 100 Black Men
of South Florida, Children's Home Society of Florida, Honey Shine Mentoring
Program and the Overtown Youth Center). The five-day event features youth
basketball clinics, a golf tournament, concert, comedy show, gala dinner,
block party, all-star basketball game and numerous after-party functions.
Antoine Walker and Dikembe Mutombo are among the athletes scheduled to
tee-off at Thursday's City Furniture ZSG Golf Classic, while Steve Harvey
and J. Anthony Brown join headliners for Friday's Beck's Beer ZSG Comedy
Show at the AmericanAirlines Arena. Ludacris is also scheduled to perform
during the event. Ticket prices range from $20 to $60 and can be purchased
through Ticketmaster.
*Michele Norris of NPR's All Things Considered and Ed Bradley of CBS
News' "60 Minutes" are among the finalists for the National Association of
Black Journalists' 2006 Salute to Excellence Award, to be given out during
an August 19 event at the Indiana Convention Center as part of the NABJ
Annual Convention and Career Fair in Indianapolis. The annual awards
recognize exemplary coverage of African Americans or people in the African
Diaspora in print, television, radio, online, and photojournalism. A
Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Black Enterprise Magazine
Founder and Chairman, Earl Graves, while Atlanta's Cynthia Tucker will be
honored as journalist of the year. A complete list of the 2006 Salute to
Excellence Awards finalists is available on the NABJ website at
www.nabj.org.
NO. OF BLACKS IN TV NEWS DWINDLING: NABJ plans to address latest numbers at national convention.
*A study by the 2006 Radio and Television News Directors/Ball State
University shows that the percentage of blacks in local television news
continues to decline, and despite small increases in radio, the overall
representation of minorities in radio newsrooms plummeted by more than 8
percent in the past decade.
The numbers are one of several issues to be discussed at The National
Association of Black Journalists at the 31st Annual Convention and Career
Fair August 16-20 at the Indiana Convention Center.
"While we would hope to see an increase across the board among all
underrepresented groups, clearly the numbers show that's not the case," said
NABJ President Bryan Monroe in a statement. "As stations seek to diversify
their news staffs, such progress should not come at the expense of African
Americans. Fair and accurate coverage of African American communities must
remain a priority."
Overall, the survey showed an increase in minority journalists in TV
newsrooms, with journalists of color representing 22.2 percent of the TV
news workforce, up a full percent from 2005 - but the growth came almost
entirely from an increase in Hispanics and Asian Americans. Those increases
more than offset a 0.8 percent drop in African Americans. Minorities,
meanwhile, account for 33.6 percent of the U.S. population.
"The question is, what will the radio and broadcast industries do
with these numbers," said Barbara Ciara, NABJ's Vice President for Broadcast
and anchor/managing editor at WTKR-TV in Norfolk. "I hope this survey is not
an indication that the broadcast industry is just trading one race off for
another instead of making a true effort to really diversify our nation's
newsrooms."
Gains were reported in the number of African American television news
directors, and blacks were the largest group of minority news directors at
non- Hispanic TV stations at 4.2 percent. However 93 percent of general
managers of TV stations were white, and four out of five were men -
virtually unchanged in the past year.
"If there is no improvement in diversity among the people in charge
of overseeing hiring practices," said Ciara, "it makes sense that we
resemble a rocking chair - lots of movement yet never moving forward."
For more information about the NABJ convention or to register, visit
www.nabj.org or call the NABJ national office at (301) 445-7100.
