BROADCAST TELEVISION AND RADIO IN African American Communities

African Americans rely on free, local television and radio broadcast stations more than most other demographics. Over-the-air TV and radio, multicast networks and targeted programming provide a vital and irreplaceable resource for African American families and communities throughout the country.

Broadcast Television African American Over-the-air Broadcast Television Reliance The number of broadcast-only households in the United States continues to rise, increasing nearly 16 percent from 2016 to 2017.1 This includes nearly 27.8 million TV households receiving over-the-air broadcasting each quarter. Of that number, nearly 3.9 million are African American homes, representing over 8.3 million African American over-the-air viewers.2

Nationally, 15.7 percent of all TV homes rely exclusively on broadcast signals to receive their television programming.3 Looking at markets with high density African American populations, the chart below demonstrates how African Americans significantly outpace the general population in reliance on over-the-air broadcasts.4,5 In Detroit, for example, one-third of African-American homes rely on broadcast-only TV, while only 14 percent of all households in the market are broadcast-only. 6,7 Additionally, in many U.S. cities, a large portion of broadcast-only homes are African American, including Memphis, New Orleans and Baltimore, representing 63 percent, 42 percent and 47 percent, respectively. 8,9

African American Broadcast Only TV Penetration in Markets

Detroit Chicago St. Louis Dallas Miami Memphis Nashville Richmond 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

African American Broadcast Broadcast Only TV Homes Only TV Homes African American TV and Radio Broadcast Station Ownership African Americans are important stakeholders in the broadcast industry, with majority ownership in 180 television and radio stations in the U.S.10 African Americans have majority ownership in 12 full-power TV stations, which is one-third of all the full-power stations owned by racial minorities and eight low-power stations. Additionally, African Americans hold attributable ownership, or non-controlling interest, in 218 full-power and 123 low-power TV stations.11

In broadcast radio, African Americans own a controlling stake in 87 AM and 72 FM radio stations and have a non-controlling stake in 240 AM and 334 FM stations.12

Increasing African American Broadcast Station Ownership The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the future of broadcasting through a commitment to education and advancing the diversity and community service efforts of the broadcasting industry.

NABEF offers a number of professional development programs and initiatives to achieve this mission, including the Broadcast Leadership Training Program, Media Sales Institute, Leadership Development Program and many more. The Broadcast Leadership Training Program is targeted to senior-level broadcast managers who aspire to advance as group executives or station owners. Since 2001, the Broadcast Leadership Training Program has produced 306 graduates, of which 111 are African American. More than 60 percent of these graduates have been promoted one or more times since participating in the program. To encourage diversity in broadcasting, NABEF offers fellowship opportunities to women and people of color.

The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) is the first and largest trade organization exclusively representing the interests of African American owners of radio and television stations across the country. The association was organized in 1976 by a small group of African American broadcasters who desired to establish a voice and a viable presence in the industry and to address specific concerns facing African American broadcasters.

More information about these two groups is available at nabef.org and nabob.org, respectively.

African American Programming on Digital Multicast Affiliates Digital multicasts are additional channels offered by local TV broadcasters to provide targeted programming for local communities. An example of a multicast network is Bounce TV, which runs across 127 digital multicast channels throughout the U.S.13

Bounce TV launched in 2011 as the nation’s first over-the-air broadcast television network dedicated to African American viewers. Bounce reaches 82 percent of all US TV households and is available in 95 percent of African American TV homes.14 It offers original series, films, live sports events, documentaries and faith-based programs.15

The multicast network World Channel, which runs on 167 channels, hosts programming geared towards the African American community,16 and features broadcasts such as “AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange,” a program produced by Black Public Media, which aims to provide through series, documentaries and short films a cultivated perspective of the African continent and diaspora.17 African Americans and Broadcast Television African Americans have enriched broadcast TV for decades. “The Nat King Cole Show” premiered November 5, 1956, on NBC, making Cole the first African American to host and star in a television variety show. Fast forwarding to today, black series regulars continue to have prominent roles on broadcast television. Currently, 18 percent of series regulars on scripted broadcast programming are played by African American actors.18

Off screen, African Americans also hold important roles. Award-winning producer Shonda Rhimes, formerly with ABC, created some of television’s most successful dramas. For her work, Rhimes has been honored twice by Time magazine on their “100 Most Influential People in the World” list and was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2015. Kenya Barris created two successful shows for ABC, including “Black-ish” and its spin-off “Grown- ish;” the CW’s “Black Lightning” was developed by production team Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil and FOX’s “S.W.A.T.” is led by African American showrunner Aaron Thomas. In corporate offices, Channing Dungey is the current president of entertainment at ABC and one of television’s most powerful people.19 African Americans also continue to be critically recognized for their work on broadcast shows. Below are the African American Emmy nominees for the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards.20

Broadcast Award Winner Program Network

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Anthony Anderson Black-ish ABC Comedy Series

Outstanding Lead Actor in Sterling K Brown This Is Us NBC a Drama Series Outstanding Lead Actor in Jesus Christ Superstar John Legend NBC a Miniseries or a Movie Live in Concert

Outstanding Lead Actress in Tracee Ellis Ross Black-ish ABC a Comedy Series Outstanding Guest Actor in Sterling K Brown Brooklyn Nine-Nine FOX a Comedy Series Outstanding Guest Actor in Donald Glover SNL NBC a Comedy Series

Outstanding Guest Actor in Ron Cephas Jones This Is Us NBC a Drama Series

Outstanding Guest Actress in Tiffany Haddish SNL NBC a Comedy Series

Outstanding Guest Actress in Maya Rudolph The Good Place NBC a Comedy Series

Outstanding Guest Actress in Wanda Sykes Black-ish ABC a Comedy Series

Outstanding Guest Actress in Viola Davis Scandal ABC a Drama Series

Outstanding Guest Actress in Cicely Tyson How to Get Away with Murder ABC a Drama Series

Outstanding Supporting Actor Kenan Thompson SNL NBC in a Comedy Series

Outstanding Supporting Actor Brandon Victor Dixon Jesus Christ Superstar NBC in a Miniseries or a Movie Live in Concert

Outstanding Supporting Leslie Jones SNL NBC Actress in a Comedy Series

The Late Late Show Outstanding Choreography Chloe Arnold with James Corden CBS

Outstanding Costumes for a Jesus Christ Superstar Variety, Nonfiction or Paul Tazewell Live in Concert NBC Reality Program

Outstanding Writing for Amber Ruffin Late Night with Seth Meyers NBC a Variety Series

Michael Che, Sam Jay, Outstanding Writing for SNL NBC a Variety Series Stephen Glover, Jamal Olori

Outstanding Original Chancellor Johnathan Bennett, SNL NBC Music and Lyrics Kenan Thompson, Chris Redd

*At the time of this writing the winners had not yet been announced. Broadcast Radio Over-the-Air Radio Adoption by African Americans

Radio is a true media companion, with 32 million African Americans ages 12 and up listening to broadcast radio each week, and adults listening to over 13 and a half hours weekly.21 Additionally, there are 405 AM/FM stations dedicated strictly to urban contemporary music.22 Another 459 urban contemporary and hip-hop stations are streamed online or can be heard on HD radio.23,24 Below is a sampling of the number of radio stations in markets with a high percent- age of African Americans.25

Number of Gospel Number of Urban AM/FM or Inspirational AM/FM Nielson Market Radio Stations* Radio Stations**

Chicago 7 5

St. Louis 6 5

Memphis 6 5

Atlanta 6 3

Charlotte 5 10

Philadelphia 5 2

Richmond 4 2

Birmingham, AL 4 2

Dallas-Ft. Worth 3 4

*Includes Urban; Urban AC, Urban CHR, Urban Contemporary and stations that play these formats in addition to non-Urban programming **Includes Gospel, Black Gospel, Southern Gospel and stations that play these formats in addition to non-Gospel or Inspirational programming.

Urban One is the largest radio broadcasting operation geared primarily towards African Americans. Founded in 1980, Urban One owns or operates 57 urban radio stations in 15 markets, reaching 82 percent of Black America.26 One of its programs, “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” is the nation’s number one syndicated urban morning show, reaching more than 8 million listeners every week in more than 115 markets.27

African American Radio History Urban radio has always played an important role in African American communities. WDIA-AM in Memphis, Tenn., was America’s first urban radio station programmed by African Americans for African Americans. Founded in 1947 with programming exclusively targeted to African American listeners, WDIA is still a premier station in the Memphis area and continues to serve African American listeners.28

In 1949, WERD-AM in Atlanta, Ga., made radio history when Jesse B. Blayton Sr. became the first African American to own and operate a radio station in the U.S. During the 1960s, his station was crucial in providing a platform for civil rights activists to be heard.29 Additionally, radio played an important role as stations helped coordinate and provide tactical assistance to protesters. WENN-AM in Birmingham, Ala., was one of the first stations to hire a helicopter pilot, ostensibly to report on city traffic, but also to assist protesters with avoiding police roadblocks. Other stations helped coordinate marches by playing predetermined songs to signal start times.30

Local Television and Radio Economic Impact Local broadcasting generates hundreds of billions of dollars in gross domestic product and well over a million jobs in states with large African American populations. The table below shows the total economic impact of local television and radio in states with an African American population of 1.5 million or more.31

African-American Total Economic Number of Jobs State 32 Impact Population* (thousands) (thousands) (billions)

New York 3,792 $75.9 144.6

Texas 3,755 $111.2 220.9

Florida 3,717 $77.0 166.6

Georgia 3,431 $34.9 74.2

California 2,995 $157.7 308.0

North Carolina 2,383 $32.2 68.2

Illinois 2,002 $51.6 104.3

Maryland 1,945 $23.6 47.5

Virginia 1,789 $31.9 65.6

Pennsylvania 1,667 $45.4 93.5 *African-American alone or in combination Ohio 1,650 $41.1 86.3

Louisiana 1,568 $16.1 33.4

Michigan 1,531 $33.1 70.5

*African American alone or in combination with one or more races

1 The Nielsen Company. The Nielsen Total Audience Report, Q2 2017, September 2017. Accessed 29 January 2018. 2 GfK-Knowledge Networks Home Technology Monitor Survey, July, 2018. 3 Ibid

4 The Nielsen Company. Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, October 2017. January 1, 2018 5 The Nielsen Company, Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Black/African American Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, November 2017. January 1, 2018. 6 The Nielsen Company. Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, October 2017. January 1, 2018. 7 The Nielsen Company, Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Black/African American Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, November 2017. January 1, 2018. 8 The Nielsen Company. Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, October 2017. January 1, 2018. 9 The Nielsen Company, Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates: 2017-2018 Black/African American Media Related TV HHs and Penetrations by DMA, November 2017. January 1, 2018. 10 FCC, “Report on Ownership of Commercial Broadcast Stations,” May 2017. 11 Ibid 12 Ibid 13 BIA Media, “BIA Media Access Pro”, February 2018. MDTV. 14 Bounce TV, “Press Release.” Accessed 31 July 2018. http://www.bouncetv.com/larenz-tate-power-erica-ash-survivors-remorse-host-2018-bounce-trumpet-awards/ 15 TVNewsCheck, “Optimistic Outlook on Multicasts Prospects.” Accessed 31 July 2018. http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/105653/optimistic-outlook-on-multicasts-prospects/ 16 BIA Media, “BIA Media Access Pro”, February 2018. 17 World Channel. “Programs: AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange.” Accessed 31 July 2018. http://worldchannel.org/programs/afropop/ 18 GLAAD “Where We Are on TV Report- 2017.” https://www.glaad.org/whereweareontv17 19 Debra Birnbaum, “Channing Dungey Named ABC Entertainment President, Replacing Paul Lee,” 17 February 2016, accessed 1 November 2016 at: http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/channing-dungey-abc-entertainment-president-1201708379/ 20 Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, “70th Emmy Winners and Nominees.” Accessed July 27, 2018. http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners 21 Nielsen, “Audio Today. A Focus on Black and Hispanic Audiences”, Sept 2017. Accessed July 27, 2018. 22 BIA Media, “BIA Media Access Pro”, February 2018. 23 Radio Locator. Accessed July 30, 2018 at: https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder 24 HD Radio National Stations. Accessed July 30, 2018. https://hdradio.com/broadcasters/stations?page=0&genre=5 25 BIA Media, “BIA Media Access Pro”, February 2018. 26 Urban One, “Corporate Profile.” Accessed 31 July 2018. https://radioone.gcs-web.com/corporate-profile 27 Black America Web, “About Us.” Accessed 31 July 2018. https://blackamericaweb.com/about-us/ 28 WDIA, “WDIA History,” Accessed 31 July 2018. http://mywdia.iheart.com/articles/history-499817/about-wdia-15059345/ 29 National Radio Hall of Fame, “Jesse B. Blayton, Sr.,” Accessed 31 July 2018. http://www.radiohof.org/jesse_blayton.htm 30 University of Florida, “UF Researcher: Black Radio Played Strong Role in Shaping Civil Rights”, July 14, 2004. Accessed 31 July 2018. http://news.ufl.edu/archive/2004/07/uf-researcher-black-radio-played-strong-role-in-shaping-civil-rights.php 31 Woods and Poole Economics, “An Analysis of the Importance of Commercial Local Radio and Television Broadcasting to the United States Economy.” Released 2017. 32 United States Census Bureau 2016 Fact Finder, accessed July 30, 2018. https://factfinder.census.gov/

September 2018

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