Issue #111

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OVERSEEN & OVERHEARD

WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE?…BET is feeling the heat again. Not long ago there was backlash from advertisers and viewers over the network’s new lineup of shows, including “Hot Ghetto Mess.” Now, there is more grumbling about BET content. So much so, two major advertisers–GM, Procter & Gamble–have pulled the plug over “questionable” material on “Rap City” and “106 & Park.” Not to defend gratuitous sexist music videos, but haven’t these programs been on for years and obviously offer an array of images. Ever since the Don Imus “Nappy” remark, advertisers have become super sensitive to what shows they sponsor. But isn’t it ironic that a racist remark made by a Caucasian shock jock is now even affecting one of the few Black-focused networks we have.

ARE WE BEING COUNTED?…The FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age is investigating whether Arbitron’s new PPM audience measurement system is having or will have a detrimental and discriminatory effect upon stations targeting minority audiences. And they want answers by August 15–in time for the rollout of the Portable People Meter, an advanced audience measurement system that tracks what consumers watch on broadcast television, cable and satellite TV in September to new markets. Why important? It all boils down to money. According to the committee the impact of the PPM on revenues and asset values of minority stations “may be substantial enough to wipe out all of the gains anticipated to flow from the 12 new ownership-diversity policies adopted by the commission in December 2007″ and could even “constitute the greatest economic loss to minority broadcasters in history.” It’s about time they figure out how to count non-white viewers, especially as the browning of America grows every day. Diversity in programming will only boost the industry’s bottom line.

SISTA SITE…If you’re a Black woman and find the online social networks too young and well, too male, fret no more. Black Women Connect (BWC) has launched. Similar to Facebook and LinkedIn; the site offers the news, blogs, and events but with appeal to Black professional women, ages 18 and above. It also allows users to add their own content to create and manage public and private groups. On the job networking tip, BWC (www.blackwomenconnect.com/) also features job opportunities from companies that are hiring as well as resources for the many African-American female entrepreneurs in the marketplace. Hurray for another Black-owned Web entry.

MR. NO SHOW…You know it doesn’t bode well when the star of a move doesn’t even show up for his own premiere. Eddie Murphy opted out of the screening of his new sci-fi comedy Meet Dave in L.A. His camp says he was busy working on another flick. But every industry insiders knows most actors get a day off to make a premiere. At least co-star Gabrielle Union did the red carpet.

REALITY, JACKSON STYLE…Although her tour may be hitting the skids sooner than expected, recording artist/actress Janet Jackson appears to moving full blast with her MTV reality talent show. We hear Pamela Fraizer of Eyeboogie, Incorporated has been busy casting star-wannabees of all ethnicities (ages 16-22) who are triple threats–sing, dance, act– so that Ms. Jackson to find the next entertainment superstar. But get this, Janet’s not the only Jackson with a TV show on the horizon. Her father, Joe Jackson, according to his press peeps, is shopping his own reality program. The untitled project, produced by filmmaker Mark Brown (executive producer of BET’s “Baldwin Hills”) and his production company XONGER (Barbershop, Barbershop 2, Two Can Play That Game), will chronicle how he reunites his sons as The Jackson 5. And says his spokesperson, it will capture his hunt for new artists for Chi-Coast Entertainment with his partner Rick Neville, as well as document the launch of his clothing line Hayvenhurst with his right-hand man Eddie Earl. The question: Can the viewing public sustain a double dose of Jackson-style reality simultaneously? Given that the elder Jackson’s show is not from the same cookie cutter as Janet’s pseudo “American Idol” project, he just might have a hit.

CAN’T LOOK AWAY…We just can’t get enough of TV. According to the first in a series of new “three-screen” reports by the Nielsen Company, although viewers are shifting to more video-centric watching via the Internet, we’re still more tuned in to traditional television than ever before. In fact, the average American spent 127 hours of time with TV in May, up from 121 hours from a year ago; and 26 hours on the Internet, up from 24 hours in 2007. More than 282 million people watch television in a given month and nearly 162 million use the Internet. With all this demand, it should be only a matter of time we see more opportunities open up for diverse programming.

PIMP ALERT…We know in Hollywood projects can take years to see the light; and it seems like we’ve been hearing about this Albert and Allen Hughes project since who knows when. But their follow-up to the 1999 documentary American Pimp, “Gentlemen of Leisure” will now, finally air on HBO in 2009. Unlike its predecessor, “Gentlemen” will be a dramatic series exploring prostitution through the eyes of a 35-year-old pimp in Oakland, Calif. While pimps might always be intriguing, we get the feeling that this one would have been a hit from sheer buzz alone years ago, but we’ll have to wait and see what the public taste is these days. Here’s hoping it launches a comeback for the brothers.

EXECUTIVE MOVES

ROSE CATHERINE PINKNEY EXITS TV ONE

TV One Monday announced the resignation of its vice president of programming and production Rose Catherine Pinkney who spent the past two-and-a-half years overseeing the African-American targeted network’s programming fortunes. Pinkney joined TV One in January 2006 and spearheaded the network’s move into original entertainment programming, bringing to the network such shows as “Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes?,” “Baisden After Dark” and “David E. Talbert Presents Stageblack.” Prior to joining TV One, Pinkney was senior vice president of comedy development at Paramount Network Television.

OMAR WASOW & DONNA BYRD JOIN TheRoot.com

The online African-American destination TheRoot has announced that Omar Wasow will be the site’s Product Strategist, joining recently named Publisher Donna Byrd. Byrd is former CEO of BlackAmericaWeb.com, one of the first African-American news and lifestyle websites. She developed marketing and sales strategy for The Coca-Cola Company and Procter and Gamble before co-founding Kickoff Marketing, a strategic planning and brand firm. Wasow co-founded BlackPlanet, the largest social networking site for African Americans.

HIP HOP HOLLYWOOD

CALLING ALL CARS…”Raptor” Xzibit is teaming up with actors Val Kilmer, Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendez in Werner Herzog’s cop drama Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. A remake of Abel Ferrara’s 1992 now cult classic, Herzog (www.wernerherzog.com) will follow the plot about a corrupt policeman investigating the rape of a nun. Kilmer is play partner to Cage’s crooked cop and Xzibit as a villain. Filming starts late summer. But wouldn’t it have been an interesting twist to cast Xzibit as the good cop and Kilmer as the criminal in this Millennium Films production? Just a thought

ROCKIN’ THE MIC...After portraying a spelling whiz in Akeelah & The Bee, young actress Keke Palmer will show of her rhyme skills in the indie film Vapors, directed by newbie filmmaker Furqaan Clovern. In the Hip-Hop flick about New York’s legendary The Juice Crew, she’ll play female rap veteran–and now PhD holder–Roxanne Shante. The long-awaited film also stars Evan Ross, rapper Nas. It’s about time for film that celebrates Hip Hop culture. Twenty-five years have passed since Wild Style hit the theaters.

JEEZY GETS PUT ON…It seems these days sooner rather than later, rap stars become “raptors.” Now count Def Jam recording artist Young Jeezy among that clique. Insiders tell us he will make his feature film debut in Ice Cube’s latest comedy Janky Promoters. According to HipHopdx.com, Janky Promoters will be Cube’s first film under his new partnership with Dimension Films and Bob Weinstein. Under the deal, Cube will take home a larger percentage of back-end profits once the film recoups its $10-million budget. Shooting starts this summer on the 2009 release. In the Marcus Raboy (Friday After Next)-directed flick, about two shady concert promoters (Cube and Mike Epps) in over their heads, Jeezy plays the hip-hop artist at the center of the mess. Not a big stretch for Jeezy, but if his film career takes off like his music, Cube better make way.

FEATURE

OBAMA’S HOLLYWOOD AGENDA: WHO WINS, WHO LOSES

There’s no doubt whoever gets into the Oval Office next year, changes will be made–not only in Washington, but in Hollywood as well. So The A-List decided to take a look at where Sen. Barack Obama stands on various entertainment industry issues. Let’s go down the list.

CENSORSHIP: While he consistently expresses concern about certain images and content in film, on TV and in songs, he feels the control should be within the home not in the government’s hands. “You know, the primary responsibility is for parents. And I reject the notion of censorship as an approach to dealing with this problem,” Obama said during a Los Angeles debate with then party nomination rival Sen. Hillary Clinton. But he added he felt parents need the proper tools (aka technology) to help them self-censor. “I do think that it is important for us to make sure that we are giving parents the tools that they need in order to monitor what their children are watching. And, obviously, the problem we have now is not just what’s coming over the airwaves, but what’s coming over the Internet.”

To the industry he said: “The one other thing I will say is — I don’t mean to be insulting here — but I do think that it is important for those in the industry to show some thought about who they are marketing some of these programs that are being produced to.”

“I think Obama has it right on censorship. Consistent with his position on other social issues he seems to be much more in favor of putting a greater responsibility on parents and communities to police what their children are watching. It’s never been Hollywood’s responsibility to raise our kids and as program content becomes more and more violent and sexually explicit, it is imperative that parents take a greater role in what their children watch and listen to,” notes Jam Donaldson, whose controversial website Hotghettomess.com inspired a BET show of the same name which came under fire from parents and censorship groups. “I also agree that the government should be active in making sure parents and other consumers are given the tools to censor what comes into their homes.”

MEDIA OWNERSHIP & THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE: “Sen. Obama does not support reimposing the Fairness Doctrine on broadcasters,” Obama press secretary Michael Ortiz told Broadcast and Cable Magazine earlier this year. The Fairness Doctrine required broadcasters to air both sides of controversial issues. The FCC found the doctrine unconstitutional back in 1987, and President Reagan vetoed an attempt by congressional Democrats to reinstate it. “He considers this debate to be a distraction from the conversation we should be having about opening up the airwaves and modern communications to as many diverse viewpoints as possible. According to Ortiz, Obama supports media-ownership caps, network neutrality, public broadcasting, as well as increasing minority ownership of broadcasting and print outlets. “I strongly favor diversity of ownership of outlets and protection against the excessive concentration of power in the hands of any one corporation, interest or small group. I strongly believe that all citizens should be able to receive information from the broadest range of sources,” Obama said himself to Broadcast & Cable magazine.

ANTI-TRUST ENFORCEMENT: Sen. Obama told Broadcast and Cable Magazine, “There is a clear need in this country for the reinvigoration of antitrust enforcement. Our competition agencies, the Department of Justice and the FTC [Federal Trade Commission], need to step up review of merger activity and take effective action to stop or restructure those mergers that are likely to harm consumer welfare, while quickly clearing those that do not. Specifically, for media mergers, the Department of Justice and the FTC should closely scrutinize all mergers for their implications for competition and consumer choice. “

“The FCC’s loosening restrictions on media ownership in the 90’s was a great disservice and allowed a few companies to control the majority of what we saw and heard,” notes Donaldson. “More regulations in this regard will allow for smaller broadcast outlets owned by diverse companies to get a place on the world’s stage. America has always been about the marketplace of ideas, but recently it’s been just a small kiosk. Hopefully, Obama will see that more players get a place at the broadcast table which is great for everyone… And I hope minority broadcasters will be large part of the future.”

NET NEUTRALITY: “The neutral nature of the Internet makes that possible, and it is something we should defend. Up to now, legislation has focused on protecting against the discrimination against or in favor of any single voice or legal service. All have made allowances for objective, nondiscriminatory network-management practices,” says Obama to B&C magazine.

When examining Obama’s stance on the various issues facing the entertainment community, it appears the result would be more freedom of expression, increased minority ownership, and an Internet that remains neutral. Unless of course he flip flops.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

EVA MENDES TO INTERVIEW MAGAZINE: People ask me if it’s difficult being Cuban-American in this industry. I say, “You know what? Not as difficult as it is being an Asian girl.”