The Reincarnation of Neocolonialism in Black America

by

Sherman N. Miller

 9/6/1989

     Some American industries exploit technology to devaluate the knowledge requirements for entry level jobs in order to utilize the nation's poorly trained labor pool.  The use of icons on cash registers in the fast food industry epitomizes American management's disdain with the poor educational skills of today's entry level employees.  But are some ethnic groups paying a heavy

price for Mainstream America's attempts at circumventing mediocrity?

     Mainstream America's efforts to pussyfoot around mediocrity are also sending faulty symbolic messages.  These false symbolic messages taint the perception of an ethnic group and they become counterproductive to its quest to obtain socioeconomic parity. I shall substantiate my contention by highlighting a case where Black America has fallen victim to the reincarnation of

servitude.

     Traditional black radio is now hearing death rattles. Blacks have abdicated control of their black radio stations to Mainstream Corporate America.  Black radio program management has been relegated to field hands on corporate plantations.

     Jack (The Rapper) Gibson of Orlando, Florida, who is known as the Dean of Black Radio, dumps his emotional bucket when asked to highlight the state of black radio today.  "Black radio is going out of space if they don't take control. ... White consultants are telling us how to program to my people."

     Gibson hosts an annual convention at the Atlanta, Georgia Airport Marriott Hotel that he calls, "Jack's Family Affair." This annual event functions as a quasi-black radio trade association.  It is attended by the "Who's Who" in black radio.

     Everyone with whom I spoke at Jack's Family Affair harbored great disdain for the white consultants.  Even a white fellow from California did not have kind words for the white consultants.  Gibson sees white program consultants as, "Black 9 to 5 then they become white again."

     Convention attenders gave me a disquieting feeling when I listened to people lament about the ill-fated format of black radio stations today.  The absence of public service announcements and news was pointed out.  People deplored the new practice of using unrenowned black disc-jockey clones to displace local black radio stars who are highly respected throughout their

listening audience.

     John Hardy, a retired black radio announcer who resides in San Francisco, California and one of the original 13 fellows who helped Gibson get set up, reminisced about the high caliber of black disc-jockeys in yesteryear.  During his comments Hardy's face became etched with embarrassment for the sad state of black radio today.  He says black disc-jockeys had to meet stringent

Federal Communication Commission qualifications to be on the airin the old days.

     Chuck Conway Sr., who hosts a black classic gospel music show on W.A.B.Q. AM in Cleveland, Ohio and another Gibson confidante, echoed Hardy's quality feelings.  He says that he screens clergy who appear on his show.  Conway claims he does not put "Jack-A-Leg" (uneducated) preachers on the air.

     The most distressing revelation at the Jack's Family Affair was to learn that black radio has written off the 35 to 65 years old population in the black community.  Black Radio has no time for playing historical records by such people as Bobby Blue Bland.

     If we examine the implications of the present modus operandi in black radio, we can devise schemes to resurrect this black medium.  First, the advent of the white consultant highlights the importance of quality education in preserving a people's freedom.

     The white consultant symbolizes black radio program executives failure to evolve into the "Information Age." Corporate decisions today are made on the basis of statistical data, so those people who generate and exploit this data (rightly or wrongly) are now the power mongers. 

     Therefore, white consultants are merely agents for national advertising executives, who push statistically undergirded formats at black radio stations that purportedly enhance their rating.

     The national black civil rights leadership must see that blacks become equitably represented in the ranks of radio consultants for both black and mainstream radio stations.  They need to challenge advertising agencies to show that their consultants living in New York can lay out meaningful formats for Los Angeles radio stations on the basis of sterile statistics.

     The black leadership must point out to advertisers that there are billions of dollars in potential sales that have been written off by not encouraging the 35 to 65 years old market segment to listen to black radio.  They should also argue that this age 35 to 65 group is an excellent niche market for a host of products.

     The black leadership must charge both national advertisers and the management of black radio stations with contributing to the maintenance of dope pushers as the role model for poor black children.  These executives should be fostering the evolution of the strong black radio personalities of yesteryear, with their big cars, pockets full of money, and so on, to become counterpoised to the pusher man. 

     Cannot the advertisers be charged to examine the market potential for their product portfolio in the black community if billions of dollars in Black America are not tied up in drug addiction?