MOU: NBC Universal, Comcast and the African American Leadership Organization

i MOU: NBC Universal, Comcast and The African American Leadership Organization A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Drexel University by Kimberly M. Davis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Television Management February 2013 © Copyright 2013 Kimberly M. Davis. All Rights Reserved ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………….. iii ABTRACT……………………………………………………………………….. iv-v 1. Introduction, A Welcome Surprise…………………………………………… 1-9 2. Literature Review of a Memorable Selection Process………………………. 10-12 3. Methods - Change is Intentional……………………………………..…...…. 13-29 4. Results: The Road to Discovery……………………………………………………………………. 30-35 5. Discussion - Should a MOU be Utilized?...................................................... 36-40 LIST OF REFERENCES………………………………………………………... 41-45 iii List of Tables 1. Analysis of the three largest African American broadcast channels……………………………………………………………………. 46 iv Abstract MOU: NBC Universal, Comcast and The African American Leadership Organization Kimberly M. Davis To accompany the recent merger of the Comcast Corporation with NBC Universal (Comcast / NBC), a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was enacted between Comcast/NBC and the African American Leadership Organization (AALO). The MOU, finalized on January 18, 2011 and referenced as Appendix in this research paper, proposed to strengthen the presence of African Americans within the newly formed organization and facilitate this objective through governing councils appointed by the AALO through four diversity advisory councils. These councils have, since their initial meeting, formed five focus points to address if the memorandum of understanding is to be successful.1 The five focus points are Corporate Governance: External Diversity Advisory Councils, Employment/Workforce Recruitment and Retention, Procurement, Programming, and Philanthropy and Community Investment. Further analysis of past television programming reveals a seemingly marked history of negative and derogatory images for the memorandum to combat that many believe has prevailed throughout the years in the form of entertaining programming for television viewers. There may be networks that currently prescribe to this type of 1 Memorandum of Understanding. In Memorandum of Understanding between Comcast Corporation, NBC Universal and The African American Leadership Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.comcast.com/nbcutransaction/pdfs/Memo%20Of%20Understanding,%20African%20America n%20Leadership%20Organization.PDF.PDF v programming that many within the African American community find offensive amid an otherwise increasingly varied channel line-up. Possible reasons for a memorandum of understanding are provided herein and the subsequent outcomes to successful utilizations of a memorandum in the television industry are also presented.2 “News, movies, cop dramas, and crime documentaries often contain many racial stereotypes that continue to perpetuate racial myths and stereotypes in our society. For example, the black male and oftentimes, the Hispanic male, are constantly betrayed as violent, angry and hostile, criminally minded, lazy, lacking intelligence, and engaging in illegal activity, mainly drug dealing or robbery.”3 Thus, in prompting concern for its unique audience, the MOU between NBC/Comcast and the AALO carries out a detailed method of procedures for other organizations to emulate when seeking similar objectives for equality such as increasing their presence in the current programming and television management of today’s emerging television industry. 2 Cox, Erica V. (2006, June 12) Negative Images in the Media Lead to Racial Stereotypes. Yahoo Voices. Retieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/negative-images-media-lead-racial-stereotypes- 43491.html?cat=9 3 Cox, Erica V. (2006, June 12) Negative Images in the Media Lead to Racial Stereotypes. Yahoo Voices. Retieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/negative-images-media-lead-racial-stereotypes- 43491.html?cat=9 vi 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Audiences have been migrating from the once familiar platform of television for years. Whether it began with the introduction of Cable TV to the viewing public in the late decades of the 20th century, some argue or suggest it was simply television losing its great ingenuity for new programming and fresh ideas that it once owned suggested by Fred MacDonald in 2009.4 For whatever the reason, audiences began their wanderlust with the remote and began to dictate what they wanted to see by the push of a few buttons. This departure likely created many new opportunities for viewers and the television industry alike, 5 but would the industry be able to adjust to its emerging diverse audience? And with only a few African American channels on the cable line-up until 2012, namely, BET, TVOne, and Centric, such a question probes whether newly formed and existing television partnerships can answer their audience’s desire for equality and representation in the programs they provide. Though, this could be accomplished by employing diverse actors and creative professionals as well as addressing the subject matter of interest to diverse communities. Subsequently, in 2012 Magic Johnson’s Aspire network debuted as well as, the Bounce network in some Comcast locations. Possibly, the answer to such a question may be in the form of the strategy enacted by the African American Leadership Organization with respect to the Comcast/NBC transaction, the 4 MacDonald, J. Fred. One Nation Under Television: the Rise and Decline of Network TV. MacDonald & Associates Presents. Retrieved from http://www.jfredmacdonald.com/onutv/political.htm 5 MacDonald, J. Fred. One Nation Under Television: the Rise and Decline of Network TV. MacDonald & Associates Presents. Retrieved from http://www.jfredmacdonald.com/onutv/political.htm 2 goal of which is to ensure a commitment to diversity in our current evolving television industry. It should be noted that over the course of television’s programming development, local Public Broadcasting stations have served as an alternative to network or regular television programming, delivering diverse and quality television options to an emerging market of viewers . PBS programming has often been and continues to be a mixture of some old and new entries of various imports and domestic specials and/or classic movie presentations (Levin Institute 2002). Often a break from the usual offerings shown on other corporately-owned commercial stations, PBS maintains a unique relationship with its viewers. The recent success of PBS’s , Downton Abbey, has reminded viewers of that rare, trusted quality.6Similar to the programming offerings of PBS stations, cable television currently offers an array of niche channels. A daily dose of The Cooking Channel, The Travel Channel, The Do It Yourself Channel, CNN, or Golf Channel cable television can provide twenty-four hours of uninterrupted prescribed television gratification for its devoted viewers. And, now that television has updated its broadcasting technology from analog to digital, the number of niche channels will probably continue to grow. Yet, some argue that finding or discovering a Black network(s) within the channel lineup that provides the same specialized niche- programming to its viewers is a much more difficult task. Viewers of these niche channels have expressed dissatisfaction with the programming offered by these channels. The results of a recent survey reflects African Americans expressing interest in viewing themselves represented in non-traditional programming such as documentaries, historical 6 Lacob, Jace & Fernandez, Maria Elena. (2012, February 14) Downton Abbey Returns and How PBS Got Cool. The Daily Beast. Retrieved from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/14/downton- abbey-and-how-pbs-got-cool.html 3 accounts, the arts, independent movies, and the news.7 Digital technology has enabled growth in niche networks but the question remains as to whether this expansion has had any effect on improving on the diversity of programming in today’s television lineups. Proposing to join in the effort with African American leaders to combat the lack of African Americans in front and behind the camera in the television industry is the newly combined NBC Universal, Comcast (Comcast/NBC) media organization. Owners of the former highest-rated broadcast network and the dominant cable provider have engaged in a Memorandum of Understanding alliance with The African American Leadership Organization (AALO)8. The AALO is an organization comprised of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Urban League, and the National Acton Network formed to administer to the further inclusion of African Americans on the Comcast/NBC television canvas since the merger was finalized on January 18, 2011.9 MOUs are typically bilateral or multilateral agreements between parties toward a common will or intention-reference.10 By way of example from outside of the television industry, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have a memorandum of understanding. The agreement requires that the agencies work together and share information to reduce the incidence of misclassification of employees, to help reduce the tax gap, and to improve compliance with the federal 7 Survey: Majority of Black TV viewers dissatisfied with programming options. (2012, August 24). Target Market News. Retrieved from http://targetmarketnews.com/storyid04241201.htm 8 Memorandum of

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