A major example of inherent blackness and culture as product is BET. BET began about 20 years ago focused on black viewers, a group largely ignored and under-served by mainstream marketers and media alike. For a time BET was Black America’s only TV outlet for black humanity, creativity and commercially viable entertainment. But in a desire to expand, BET has adopted a more “universal” strategy.
As network execs touted in April 2005, their goal is to make BET a network for all ethnicities, particularly those in the coveted 18-34 demographic, not just the African American community. The most obvious manifestation of this is BET’s tagline. In the late 1990s BET phased out its once proud “Black Entertainment Television” theme in favor of a hipper “Black Star Power.” In 2005, Black Star Power got flipped into even more universal “It’s My Thing.” And with these changes have come more mainstream-friendly fare, more slapstick urban comedies and movies, fewer heritage-driven shows and the cancellation of news and public affairs programming such as BET Nightly News and Lead Story, and of course an increased emphasis on near X-rated music videos and hiphop-related programming.
Still black activists, politicians, educators, and viewers alike have decried the downward trend in BET’s programming. But as a business BET is more answerable to its shareholders and marketing partners than anyone else. And despite those complaints, founder Bob Johnson and current owner Viacom continues to push black stereotypes around the world. Why? Because BET’s ever-expanding audience and overwhelmingly mainstream marketing partners cosign it—the more they dumb down, the more their audience and ad revenues grow...
Such is The Hustle.
But BET is not alone in this. Before black consumers see a movie, a TV show, hear a radio show, buy an album, or read the latest mag, those vehicles must be pre-sold to distributors, retailers, and advertisers. And if those decision makers don’t like it or don’t think it will sell, then those “properties” as they’re called, won’t see the light of day.
Consequently, so-called ‘black radio’ walks the same path with cookie-cutter mainstream-friendly play lists, general-market savvy on-air personalities and often-degrading antics. More and more, black magazines are tailoring their content to “appeal” to mainstream advertisers and distributors as well as be more “sensitive to the tastes” mainstream readers. And of course Hollywood tailors even its most “urban” movie and television properties in hopes of achieving crossover success. And while this hustle generates income from advertisers like my former clients, it continually hurts minority artists and communities by putting us all in little black boxes. But as BET and others have learned, The Hustle is too profitable to be knocked regardless of the cultural costs.
As network execs touted in April 2005, their goal is to make BET a network for all ethnicities, particularly those in the coveted 18-34 demographic, not just the African American community. The most obvious manifestation of this is BET’s tagline. In the late 1990s BET phased out its once proud “Black Entertainment Television” theme in favor of a hipper “Black Star Power.” In 2005, Black Star Power got flipped into even more universal “It’s My Thing.” And with these changes have come more mainstream-friendly fare, more slapstick urban comedies and movies, fewer heritage-driven shows and the cancellation of news and public affairs programming such as BET Nightly News and Lead Story, and of course an increased emphasis on near X-rated music videos and hiphop-related programming.
Such is The Hustle.
But BET is not alone in this. Before black consumers see a movie, a TV show, hear a radio show, buy an album, or read the latest mag, those vehicles must be pre-sold to distributors, retailers, and advertisers. And if those decision makers don’t like it or don’t think it will sell, then those “properties” as they’re called, won’t see the light of day.
Consequently, so-called ‘black radio’ walks the same path with cookie-cutter mainstream-friendly play lists, general-market savvy on-air personalities and often-degrading antics. More and more, black magazines are tailoring their content to “appeal” to mainstream advertisers and distributors as well as be more “sensitive to the tastes” mainstream readers. And of course Hollywood tailors even its most “urban” movie and television properties in hopes of achieving crossover success. And while this hustle generates income from advertisers like my former clients, it continually hurts minority artists and communities by putting us all in little black boxes. But as BET and others have learned, The Hustle is too profitable to be knocked regardless of the cultural costs.
Everyone wants to talk about the number of
African-American viewers and their spending power.
Now is the time to put up or shut up.
Bring the blue-chip advertisers and the powerful programming
that does us right!
—Oscar Joyner, president of Reach Media
African-American viewers and their spending power.
Now is the time to put up or shut up.
Bring the blue-chip advertisers and the powerful programming
that does us right!
—Oscar Joyner, president of Reach Media
