DISQUS

Kamau · 9 months ago

While I hate to see our people argue in public and I hate to agree with Bob Johnson, he is absolutely right. Blacks folks have to come together and work in unity so for dude to try and block another black owned tv network is wrong.

Gem2001 · 8 months ago

There is nothing preventing Bob Johnson and Ion from beginning to broadcast Urban Television today. Liggins isn't blocking anything. What Johnson is asking is for the FCC to grant Bob Johnson an advantage that TV One, the Africa Channel, Si TV, the Gospel Music Channel,and Black Television News don't have. This has nothing to do with Urban television, but Ion Life and Quoba. Ion can't get them on Cable of satellite, so they are using this "diversity" angle to get a ruling to force all their other non-AA-oriented channels onto satellite and cable.

Don't believe the hype. Most of the "articles" in places like Broadcasting and Cable and the other MSM's are just repeating Bob Johnson's press releases.

You have to ask yourself, WHY is Bob coming back so hard? because if this "Diversity" angle gets blown to bits by Liggins and other Black folks, then the whole deal goes down the tubes.

Nokware Knight · 9 months ago

Ouch. That's quite a tongue lashing. But Johnson's argument sounds fair, to say the least. It sounds as if Liggins is asking for a legalized monopoly. Not exactly the American way.

Gem2001 · 8 months ago

Actually, its the other way around. Bob Johnson would have the legalized monopoly. Because this isn't an open process, Urban TV would be the only station benefiting from this in the beginning. TV One, the Gospel Music Channel, the Africa Channel, and BTTN actually had to compete in the market place to get carried by cable. Johnson asking the government not to make him compete, but to force them to carry him. He will get an advantage TV One and the other Black oriented stations won't have because they won't be "broadcast" There isn't a TV One "broadcast" station so they won't get to take advantage of the multicast must carry. They aren't multicast.

At least I think that's the case after pouring over FCC filings all week

Angela Benton · 9 months ago

Whew! Bob went hard on him. I must say I do agree w/ his statements, especially this one:

My argument at these hearings would be that if Urban Television is successful in gaining digital must carry, other broadcasters could be encouraged to establish additional programming partnerships that could include content providers like Essence, EBONY, Black Enterprise or young African American Hollywood executives who are constantly searching for a distribution platform to showcase their creative ideas. These digital channels could also prove fertile ground for nonentertainment programming focused on education, health care, or financial literacy – all issues that are critically important to the African American community today. Moreover, if the digital stations are approved, there will be more opportunity for diversity and localism. For example a local Chicago, Atlanta, or Detroit broadcast station may want to provide local programming channels in partnership with minority entrepreneurs.


I'd love to hear the other side to this and/or a response from TV One's perspective.

Gem2001 · 8 months ago

@Angela there are not going to be "hearings." At this point this petition is being decided under "DA" delegated authority. The Media Bureau will be making the decision, not the full Commission. Yes, EBONY, ESSENCE, and other AA content providers could get their own programming, but they could have that now. Ion has the extra capacity in their spectrum. For every "Black" oriented station that is added, there will be 50 other stations added. The cable carriers will not be able to carry them all. Somebody has to go.

Shercilla · 8 months ago

I understand Bob's frustration because on the surface, it does appear that Liggin's is merely trying to block another's blessing. I can't however, escape the nagging feeling that there is more to his (Alfred's) protest than the consumer public is being made aware of.

Gem2001 · 8 months ago

@Shercilla there is WAY more to this than Bob is laying on. Liggins isn't the only multicultural broadcaster in opposition, in fact ALL of the multicultural broadcasters are in opposition, from Si TV to the Gospel Music Channel. http://www.commlawblog.com/2009/01/articles/bro...

In fact, the only Black folks in favor of this are the "Civil Rights" organizations, but check out what they were saying about these multi-cast "must carry" schemes just one year before. Non other than Jesse Jackson Sr. via Rinbow PUSH explained why Ion's scheme would harm minority media owners.http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519836708

What changed in a year? Why was it harmful in 2007, but a miracle in 2008? How did Bob Johnson's Black face change the impact this will have on multicultural channels?

One way to look at it is this. Each TV "station" actually has a ton more capacity than they ever use. That "spectrum" can be split up into pieces. However, cable carriers only have to carry the primary signal. Ion wants to force cable carriers to carry them all. So in exchange for giving Black folks a 51% stake in a piece of a crumb, Ion gets to save its entire business and get exponentially more of its stations on to Direct TV, DISH and cable. Not a high price to pay to give up capacity you already weren't using,

Dig deeper and look into whether or no 51% equals "ownership" if the minority owner retains certain rights that make the majority owner's "rights" illusory. Do you really "own" something if you have to get permission from someone else to do with it what you will? Do you really own something if you have to use someone else's equipment and facilities to carry out your business?

I don't know. I'm just asking the questions. Right now MSM is basically publishing Bob Johnson's press releases.

Muntu · 8 months ago

3-6-09

Good Folk;

Passing on an insight into "crabs-in-the barrel" - my assertion. This is self-serving interest that goes against the best interest of the community, (the Natl. Black Community)... Who? Alfred Liggins, TV-One; Bob Johnson, Urban Television – (Johnson was the creator of BET-TV)

In my humble opinion, these two entities should be forced to sit with each other and hammer out an amenable agreement so they both can provide diversity and choice to the National Black Community.
Our social and civic organizations should step-up and push both parties.

Read on and pass your opinion. Communications is the most important factor in bringing UNITY within our diverse and spread-out National Black Community. We need instant NEWS of each other’s communities in order to enhance and strengthen our own individual areas.

This in-fighting is sooo defeating to our communal growth. Let these folks grow up; give up the ego and partner together like other races in this world. There is, as they proclaim a four billion dollar cable market within the National African-American Community. The two entities together could carve out a greater portion of our market, if they provide us with viable programming, news, service and choice. We now know how to collectively make advertisers responsible and sensitive to our greater needs.

Blessings,

Warren Haskins
Cc: Bob Johnson, Urban television, LLC
Alfred Liggins, TV-One, Inc.