Black Business Must Learn to Compete in an Integrationist Era

By

Sherman N. Miller

 9/6/89

     "What is truth?" 

     The truth debate still entertains philosophy students today. But a practical answer to this question lies in one's perception of the truth.  In reality, perception and truth can be counterpoised, yet a person will act on his or her perception.

     Black Radio now finds itself caught in the chasm between perception and truth.  Disc-Jockey George "Boogaloo" Frazier, a confidante of Jack "The Rapper" Gibson, the Dean of Black Radio in the United States of America, posed the dilemma.  He claimed that he once had an advertising log filled with local advertisements but a national ratings groups told him his listening audience did not exist.

     Boogaloo's contention suggests that local and national advertisers were either targeting different audiences or the national rating groups do not fully appreciate the local market. 

     There are two national rating groups, "Arbitron and Birch," for radio stations.  Discussions on these rating groups with attenders at Jack Gibson's annual gathering of the Who's Who in black radio, brought 2 schools of thought. 

     Birch is believed to give black radio stations the higher ratings, thus the best opportunity for national advertising dollars.  Yet everyone readily acknowledged that the national advertisers do not view Birch's credibility juxtaposed to Arbitron. 

     Jerry Boulding, President of The Urban Network of Burbank,  California, says that Arbitron is a division of Control Data Corporation.  He left the impression that Abitron's access to marketing data and their expertise overwhelms Birch.

     I pinned people down on the key differences between the Abitron and Birch ratings styles.  I was told that Birch uses a telephone interviewing technique.  On the other hand, Abitron mails out questionnaires with 5 dollars for completing them.

     As an Urban Agent for the University of Delaware, I once directed a survey in the Model Cities area (a depressed area) of the City of Wilmington, Delaware. We employed the personal interview technique for our study. Thus, I worry about the issue of data bias in areas where literacy is suspect and research groups rely solely on questionnaires being mailed back.

     The battle over ratings is presently hurting black radio because ignorance is now the key impediment to parity in the economic mainstream. Black radio now suffers from the classic short-term focus problem that plagues American industry in our new world marketplace.  Black radio failed to develop the business acumen to compete in a non-segregationist market where advertisers demand scientific proof that their advertisements are reaching their intended audiences. 

     The name of the game in radio is advertisements, but black radio must get serious consideration when business plans are drafted.  Doc Remer of Criss-Cross Industries in Calabasas, California stated black radio's dilemma hence:  "Blacks are not included in the plan." 

     As Mainstream American industry cried out for help, black radio now needs an infusion of technical expertise to survive. Historical black colleges and universities have many technically trained faculty members who can supervise a research study to resolve this crisis of rating systems for black radio.  Perhaps Atlanta University and/or Howard University will take the lead in providing black radio with the technical skills needed for its survival into the 21th Century.

     Who will step forth with the technical assistance needed to help Black Radio become competitive in the economic mainstream?