Black-Owned Media Matters: The Power of Inclusion and Long Term Partnerships

The advertising and media industries are long on rhetoric promoting DEI and very short on action In a recent report authored by MediaVillage FounderCEO Jack Myers one of the primary recommendations is to reallocate media spending appropriately and disproportionately value ethnic media In the report Myers writes quotShift media budgets to BET TV One Univision Telemundo Essence OZY and other ethnically focused media companies In the process correct the systemic costperthousand inequities these media organizations have long been forced to acceptquotMr Allen who has spent the past decades consolidating one of the most expansive empires in media is keenly engaged in Blackowned media In that capacity he has been an outspoken advocate for diversity in the owner39s suite He sees the issue as one of empowerment via media spend with advertising agencies having the capacity to focus on Blackowned media That capacity has not led to opportunity and he is unapologetic when addressing what he views as bias against Blackowned mediaPulling no punches Mr Allen announces that quotBlackowned media is donequot after having been quotobliteratedquot He points the finger directly at what he calls quotsystemic racism on Madison Avenuequot Citing his own experiences and other insiders he says that most companies have been unwilling to make an economic commitment to Blackowned media quotVery few companies have a bucket that says Blackowned media is important and it is something we are going to lean in onquot says Allen quotso we are going to include this in our budgets and make sure the Black experience is engaged as it pertains to Madison Avenuequot Absent an economic decision that can drive dollars to Blackowned media the status quo remains tightly established to ghettoize Blackowned media implicitlyThe lack of diversity in advertising companies plays a significant role in the condition of Blackowned media Allen directly takes on how the lack of diversity adversely impacts opportunities for Blackowned media saying quotYou39re often pitching people who are tonedeaf and don39t understand the importance of Blackowned mediaquotAllen then goes on to make a distinction between Blackowned media and Black targeted media Black targeted media is often housed within predominantly majority agencies that recognize the importance of the Black consumer As a result any subsequent targeting remains within the dominant advertising model and by and large does not include Blackowned media Allen shared example after example explaining why Black targeted media39s perspective will often be inadequate compared to Blackowned mediaThe ability to understand and connect authentically with Black audiences is almost impossible using the lens of Black targeted media The necessary cultural currency is merely absent in those spaces relative to Blackowned mediaAccording to Allen the increased prominence of chief diversity officers might seem like a potential solution but those roles are not sufficient for real change Instead of a chief diversity officer Allen claims what is needed is a chief investment officer quotEvery Chairman and CEO in every major corporation in America needs to be a Chief Investment Officer They need to make sure their corporations that are pulling billions of dollars from our community are leaning in and investing in the Black community with Blackowned mediaquot states AllenDespite its checkered past the relationship or lack thereof between Blackowned media and the advertising industry still represents an opportunity Under the spotlight of social unrest and reckoning by Black advertising professionals there is a chance to move in another directionAllen cites a few steps that can be taken if corporations are serious about their commitment to Black lives 1 Lean in with budgets committed to Blackowned media 2 Move beyond doing just the quotminimumquot required 3 Recognize Blackowned media as a missed opportunity for authentic connection and 4 View the talent within Blackowned media as a conduit to foster new voicesA blueprint has been provided and it now remains to be seen if the power of Blackowned media will be leveragedAlso read Simon Applebaum39s review of Byron Allen39s comments on racism among advertisers and agenciesClick the social buttons to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Black-Owned Media Matters: The Power of Inclusion and Long Term Partnerships

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Philip McKenzie

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Black-Owned Media Matters: The Power of Inclusion and Long Term Partnerships

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