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Selman-Earnest, Cora 

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 11 months ago

 

Selman-Earnest, C. (1988). Black owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1950-1985: A descriptive study. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Microfilms International. 

 

 

            Cora Selman-Earnest is a native of Detroit, Michigan who received a doctorate degree in Mass Communications, English and Speech in 1985 from Wayne State University. This work was originally a dissertation submitted to Wayne State in 1985 and later published into a book in 1988. Specifically, it reflects a crucial period in electronic media, the aftermath of the 1978 FCC report, Minority Ownership in Broadcasting, one which resulted in the increase of Black ownership of broadcast stations in the 1980s. This report by the Commission’s states that “minorities should be fairly represented in the broadcast industry” as “diversity … is vital to a free society” and “diversification in the media” is also “socially desirable”. Thus, in addition to a study of Black ownership of broadcast stations (both historical and in the authors contemporary time), the Seman-Earnest is also concerned with the programming of such stations.

 

            The author contends that through the process of ascertainment, a process which at the time was mandated by the FCC and a requirement of TV station license holders (in contrast radio programming ascertainment was informal), broadcasters can analyze the community’s problems and needs and create responsive and tailored programming. Seman-Earnest, in regards to ascertainment, first presents a historical background on this regulation and others which preceded its introduction, then what shaped it to become the means to presenting representation of minority viewpoints, and finally to what extent have Black broadcasters met the demands of their communities through this process.

 

The scope of African-American radio and television stations was quantified and analyzed by this author. After acknowledging the limited number of research in this area, Selman-Earnest methodology involved surveying Black broadcasters’/station owners’ methods of ascertaining community needs and their subsequent use of the information obtained through ascertainment. The survey was sent to all the 91 (59 AM and 32 FM) Black-owned radio stations at the time, with 74 respondents. Additionally, the four TV stations with Black ownership were studied.

 

The assumption held by the author was that non-entertainment programming was the only format which can valuably serve the needs of the minority community. Yet the author concludes that minority ownership does not result in an increase of non-entertainment programming. She notes that the high financial cost of producing non-entertainment programming is the primary reason.

 

This work, including the results of the survey which include station details (for example, 66% of those surveyed operated full-time, and Rhythm and Blues was the most popular format, etc) captures the scope of Black-owned broadcasting. Considering the context of the 1980s in terms of broadcast regulation, this piece is recommended to those who wish to study this era of minority-broadcast ownership growth. (Reviewed by Ari Apelian)

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