TV One, BET Ramp Up; Few Advances at Other Networks
The expected historic nomination of Barack Obama for president has led two networks geared toward African Americans, BET and TV One, to provide unprecedented coverage of the Democratic National Convention next week.
But although race has factored in the campaign as never before, most of the mainstream networks will employ their usual low numbers of journalists of color to cover the Democrats in Denver and the Republicans the week after in St. Paul, Minn.
The nation’s largest Spanish-language newspaper chain, ImpreMedia, plans a four-person presence at each convention, but the nation’s major newsweeklies — Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report — apparently have reduced the number of journalists of color on their staffs, or at least assigned to such major news. U.S. News, for example, will send nine journalists to each convention, none a person of color, and there are no African American staffers scheduled to go from Time.
The black-oriented networks say they are primed to take up the slack. "’Our mission is to celebrate African American culture and to chronicle African American achievement,’ said TV One Chairman Johnathan Rodgers, who is investing $1 million toward convention coverage — a considerable amount for a small network. ‘When the year started, this was not in our budget. But when he became the presumptive nominee, it just seemed like this was a sure thing for us,’" Greg Braxton wrote for Saturday’s editions of the Los Angeles Times.
His story was headlined, "TV One and BET deny they’re Obama cheerleaders."
Plans of some big-city newspapers were reported here. Following is a compilation from other news organizations:
ABC
Robin Roberts will co-anchor "Good Morning America" from both the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Ron Claiborne will report from the floor. Claiborne has been covering the John McCain campaign.
The network’s primetime coverage is to be led by Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos and will air from 10 to 11 p.m. Eastern time, the network announced.
American Urban Radio Networks
White House correspondent April Ryan expects to be at the Democratic convention, with others at the Republican gathering, she told Journal-isms.
Black America Web
Michael Cottman, senior correspondent for BlackAmericaWeb.com, plans to write stories and blog items from Denver, and told Journal-isms he expects to be on the Barack Obama campaign plane "a few times starting next month. I’m traveling [in Denver] with Neil Foote who is helping oversee logistical coverage for BAW and he’ll also be writing blogs for Politics in Color," Cottman said.
Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise magazine is covering its first convention, spokesman Andrew Wadium said. Nine others from the organization, including video and Web site journalists, were present in Denver on Monday: Kenneth Meeks, Shannon Lanier, Marcia A. Wade, Deborah Skinner, Alan Hughes, George Alexander, Genevieve Bryan-Michel, Shon Gables and Alvaro Muir, an information technology specialist.
The "Our World with Ed Gordon" show intends to originate from the convention, Wadium said, and Gables is producing daily podcasts.
While the publication plans to be present at the Republican convention, "We have more editorial" content from the Democrats because one-quarter of the delegates are African American, Wadium said. [Added Aug. 25.]
BET
BET Networks announced on Thursday it will offer live coverage every night of the Democratic convention, from Aug. 25-28, and will air four BET News specials that delve into key issues of the presidential election. The network’s multiplatform approach includes on-air programming on BET and BET J, live coverage, daily news specials, public service announcements and extended news briefs, in addition to extensive coverage online and on BET On Blast, BET’s broadband channel, the network said.
The coverage includes live airing of the speeches by the candidate’s wife, Michelle Obama, on Monday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., on Tuesday, the vice presidential candidate’s speech on Wednesday and Barack Obama’s on Thursday. The Michelle Obama speech is to be followed by a half-hour of analysis with BET News correspondents, political analysts and special guests.
Specials airing during the week include "Locked Out: Ex-Cons and the Vote," a rerun of "Obama’s Journey to the White House," and a special Thursday on Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic speech of Aug. 28, 1963.
BET also said it would cover the Republican convention. "We are still developing our plan for the RNC. We will definitely be on site but at this time we can say to what extent," spokeswoman Tricia Newell told Journal-isms.
CBS
Byron Pitts, national correspondent, and Maggie Rodriguez, co-anchor of "The Early Show," are the journalists of color listed in CBS News’ coverage of the two conventions.
Rodriguez is to anchor "The Early Show" from St. Paul Monday through Friday at the Republican convention.
CNN
CNN viewers can expect to see Soledad O’Brien anchoring, Joe Johns reporting and commentary by Roland Martin, according to CNN press materials.
During the Democratic convention, O’Brien, an anchor and special correspondent, "leads special election coverage from the Election Center with extended segments and frequent live shots from the convention site" from 9 a.m. to noon, and she "anchors coverage from the Election Center from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
"On CNN.com, anchors Reggie Aqui and Melissa Long will be live at the convention with news and analysis, as well as interviews with special guests, newsmakers and members of the Best Political Team on Television. Additionally, CNN.com Live will stream all convention proceedings and speeches in their entirety, as well as a daily CNNRadio/CNN.com Live program featuring political analyst Roland Martin and CNN Radio’s Lisa Desjardins from 1 to 3 p.m.," a news release says.
"On-air convention coverage begins Friday night with chief national correspondent John King anchoring special editions of both Campbell Brown: Election Center and Anderson Cooper 360¬? from Denver. Coverage continues over the weekend with a live ‘America Votes 2008’ special originating from the Pepsi Center on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (ET) and includes a second live special on Sunday, Aug. 24, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. For both specials, anchors Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper will be joined by senior political analyst Gloria Borger, chief national correspondent John King, senior political correspondent Candy Crowley, and correspondents Joe Johns, Suzanne Malveaux and Jessica Yellin. An expanded Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer will air on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"Throughout the day and evening, CNN’s political team will offer the latest news and thoughtful analysis. Correspondents include Dana Bash, Candy Crowley, Joe Johns, Suzanne Malveaux, Bill Schneider and Jessica Yellin."
CNN announced last week it had added Alex Castellanos, a Republican strategist and former campaign consultant for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, and Tara Wall, deputy editorial page editor and columnist for the Washington Times and former director of outreach communications for the Republican National Committee, to "its deep bench of political contributors and analysts."
Fox News
Fox News includes contributor Juan Williams in its convention coverage. Michael Steele, former Maryland lieutenant governor, is listed among its Republican contributor/strategists. Wendell Goler, the White House correspondent who had covered the primary campaign, told Journal-isms, "I have no role in either convention. I will be in Washington."
"The Fox Experience will provide comprehensive coverage of the events across several FOX News platforms — including FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network, FOX News Radio, FOXNews.com and FOX News Mobile," a news release says. Several Fox programs are to originate from the two conventions.
- Kenneth P. Vogel, Politico.com: Obama rips Fox News
Indian Country Today
Indian Country Today is sending Rob Capriccioso, who is from the Sault Tribe of Chippewas in Michigan, to the Democratic convention, Editor Randi Rourke said. The designee for the Republican convention is to be determined, Rourke said.
ImpreMedia
ImpreMedia, which bills itself as "the No. 1 Hispanic News and Information company in the United States in Online and Print," with newspapers from La Opini??n in Los Angeles to El Diario/La Prensa and Hoy in New York, plans to send four reporters to each of the conventions.
Pilar Marrero and Maribel Hastings of La Opini??n, and Humberto Garcia of El Diario/La Prensa, will cover the inside of the convention, and Carmen Arroyo of El Diario/La Prensa will cover the outside, according to Alberto Vourvoulias-Bush, executive editor of El Diario/La Prensa.
Reports by the correspondents will also air on V-me, the Spanish-language component of the Public Broadcasting Service, and the reporters will be writing for impre.com, an ImpreMedia Web site.
They will also be blogging and podcasting, spending five days at the Democratic convention, then quickly heading for the Republicans’. They will focus on topics specifically of interest to Latinos: "The economy, the economy, the economy," said Pedro Rojas, who edits La Opini??n, as well as immigration and health issues. They will also zero in on the 10 states with the heaviest Latino populations: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Texas.
ImpreMedia has prepared a handbook on Latino issues that it plans to distribute to journalists and others at each convention, Rojas said.
Johnson Publishing
Bryan Monroe, vice president and editorial director will be in Denver overseeing all coverage, and tells Journal-isms that he will be joined by Eric Easter, chief of digital strategy, anchoring online coverage for ebonyjet.com; Kevin Chappell, senior editor, reporting for Jet and online; Dudley Brooks, director of photography, on the ground, at events, and Valerie Goodloe, photographer, in the Barack Obama pool, on the plane.
"In addition, Del Waters and DeAngelo Starnes will be writing for
ebonyjet.com in Denver, and Monroe Anderson, Sergio Mims, Brian Gilmore and Mathias Ntep will be contributing to the online effort as well. Sylvester
Monroe will be anchoring a major Ebony piece from Chicago," Monroe said.
He said plans for the Republican convention have not been completed.
National Public Radio
Audie Cornish will report from the convention floors; "hosts Michele Norris and Robert Siegel of ‘All Things Considered’; Farai Chideya of ‘News & Notes’; and Michel Martin of ‘Tell Me More’ will contribute to NPR’s special coverage, and report on the conventions during their respective programs," according to a news release.
"In addition to reporting for their own shows, Michel Martin, Farai Chideya and Michele Norris will participate in NPR’s special coverage each night, which goes from 8 to 11PM ET," spokeswoman Anna Christopher told Journal-isms. "Michel and Farai will also blog at their respective show blogs."
NBC
Lester Holt will join Brian Williams on Sunday, Aug. 24, from Beijing, and Sunday, Aug. 31, from New York as anchor of special split editions of "NBC Nightly News." Ann Curry will be broadcasting from both conventions. Ron Allen will report from the convention floor in Denver, John Yang will cover President Bush in St. Paul, according to a news release.
MSNBC begins live convention coverage, anchored by Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews, at 7 p.m. ET. MSNBC’s coverage will continue live until 2 a.m. ET. Norah O’Donnell leads MSNBC’s panel, including MSNBC political analysts Rachel Maddow, Pat Buchanan, Mike Murphy and Harold Ford Jr., Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post and Michelle Bernard of the Independent Women’s Forum, NBC said.
Telemundo plans to cover both the Democratic and Republican conventions.
Telemundo News Anchor Pedro Sevcec of "Noticiero Telemundo" plans to report live from the conventions on all four nights. The network’s Washington news correspondent, Lori Montenegro, will be covering the Democratic convention, while Los Angeles-based correspondent Carlos Botifol will be at the Republican convention. Sevcec and each of the Telemundo news correspondents will blog their experiences on www.yahootelemundo.com, NBC said.
National Newspaper Publishers Association
Hazel Trice Edney, editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service, which calls itself America’s only national black news service, said she will be at the Democratic convention. "I will also syndicate coverage by reporters from NNPA member newspapers as well as commentary by NNPA columnists in attendance, Dr. Julianne Malveaux and Dr. Ron Walters. Dr. Malveaux is our newest columnist," she told Journal-isms.
The Afro-American newspapers of Washington and Baltimore announced coverage of "perhaps the most important political event in Black history."
"The AFRO‚Äôs Washington Bureau Chief Zenitha Prince, Managing Editor Tiffany Ginyard and Senior Political Reporter Sean Yoes will cover every angle of the convention — from the sprawling ‘Tent City’ protests to Obama‚Äôs climatic speech at INVESCO. Prince, Ginyard and Yoes will produce reports for the print version of the newspaper, as well as video and blog reports for the AFRO website from morning to night each day of the convention.
"Videographer David Roberts will produce footage of all the exciting sights and sounds from Denver via video streaming for the AFRO website and photographic and video support for AFRO reports.
"The AFRO team will be led in Denver by veteran award-winning journalist George Curry — former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and executive director of the NNPA News Service. Curry covered the historic presidential campaigns of the Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988."
The Memphis Tri-State Defender, another NNPA member paper, "will be there represented by me –- photojournalist Warren Roseborough," Roseborough wrote in his paper.
[Elinor Tatum, publisher of the New York Amsterdam News, was present on Monday’s opening day, along with two free-lance reportersm for the paper, Herb Boyd and Curtis Simmons.
[Chicago Defender Publisher Michael House was also in attendance, along with his chief financial officer, Carol Bell. NNPA plans a reception at the convention on Tuesday.] [updated Aug. 25.]  
Newsweek
Spokeswoman Jan M. Angilella identified Washington correspondent Daren Briscoe as a journalist of color covering the conventions. Briscoe said he would be covering Barack Obama for Newsweek’s election book project at the Democratic convention and would not be at the Republican gathering.
Public Broadcasting Service
"The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" and PBS say they will be the only nationally televised over-the-air broadcast to air complete, prime-time coverage of podium activities and speeches. Lehrer, executive editor and anchor, plans to anchor the convention coverage from the skyboxes in the convention halls, where he will be joined by "The NewsHour’s" regular analysts: syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.
Senior correspondents Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill plan to report from the convention floors; senior correspondents Margaret Warner and Ray Suarez expect to conduct interviews and moderate analysis panels at both conventions. In addition, Suarez will anchor "The Online NewsHour’s" extensive Web coverage, PBS announced. Among the political analysts is Peniel Joseph, professor of history and African-American studies at Brandeis University.
"August 25 through September 5, ‘Tavis Smiley’ will be live Monday through Thursday in both Denver and St. Paul reporting from the Democratic and Republican conventions with full analysis of each night’s primetime convention activities plus in-depth conversations with party leaders, elected officials and high-profile supporters from both parties. On Friday night in both cities, Tavis and a diverse panel will re-cap the week."
On Friday, Ifill hosted "Washington Week" from Denver.
Reznet
Reznet, which describes itself as "a Native American and American Indian news, information and entertainment Web site that also trains and mentors Native American college students around the country as they prepare for journalism careers," is sending three people to cover the Democrats in Denver, according to Bill Elsen, Reznet’s career development director and an editor on the site. He said the three would file daily stories and video, and would blog.
"Victor Merina is reznet’s senior correspondent and special projects editor, and a senior fellow at the USC Annenberg Institute for Justice and Journalism. He also works with the Poynter Institute.
"Kevin Abourezk, Oglala Lakota, is a reporter and editor at the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star and writes the ‘Red Clout’ column on the site.
"Jamie Hughes, 19, Creek, is a sophomore at the university of oklahoma who attended the american indian journalism institute in june and covered the south dakota primary scene in sioux falls," Elsen wrote by e-mail.
Time
Gwen Ifill, moderator of PBS’ "Washington Week" and senior correspondent of PBS’ "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer," has a piece in Time’s Democratic convention issue about the expected Obama nomination, "Nothing Unique About It."
At the conventions will be political correspondent Jay Newton-Small and conservative columnist Ramesh Ponnuru, spokeswoman Ali Zelenko told Journal-isms. In New York, Deputy Managing Editor Romesh Ratnesar will oversee the magazine while Managing Editor Richard (Rick) Stengel attends the conventions.
Trotter Group
The Trotter Group of African American columnists is sending five members to the Democratic convention: DeWayne Wickham of USA Today and Gannett News Service; Les Payne of Newsday; Tonyaa Weathersbee of the Florida Times-Union; Richard Prince of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education; Wendi C. Thomas of the Memphis Commercial Appeal and Mary C. Curtis of the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer. The group was unable to secure credentials for the Republican convention, although its home-state member, Robin Washington, editorial page editor of the Duluth (Minn.) News Tribune, expects to be there.
TV One
"TV One will offer live, nightly primetime coverage of the Democratic convention in Denver Monday, August 25‚Äì Thursday, August 28 from 8-11 PM ET, followed by ‘TV One Live: DNC After Party,’ a smart, irreverent and engaging hour that includes a uniquely African American cultural perspective on the events of the day," according to a news release. The After Party show from 11 PM ‚Äì midnight (which will repeat from midnight to 1 AM) will range from commentary by a diverse group of outspoken panelists, to coverage of the day’s social, cultural and political events, to stories from the convention floor ‚Äì- and from the bus stops and diners around Denver.
"TV One commentator Roland Martin will serve as chief political analyst and provide daily commentary and a wrap up of the day’s events. Regular contributors to the post-convention show will include Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and author Hill Harper, comedienne Sheryl Underwood, Sister2Sister magazine publisher Jamie Foster Brown, TV One chef and culinary expert G. Garvin, and style and fashion expert Paul Wharton. Huggy Lowdown, The Celebrity Snitch from ‘the Tom Joyner Morning Show,’ will also phone in celebrity gossip and reports from around the convention’s official and unofficial events.
"As a prelude to TV One’s convention coverage, on Sunday, Aug. 24 from 8-9 PM, the network will offer an exclusive one-hour interview with Michelle Obama conducted Aug. 20 by TV One Commentator Roland Martin.
"Since Thursday, August 28, the date on which Senator Obama is scheduled to make his acceptance speech, also marks the 45th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington, TV One plans special programming all day to commemorate the anniversary."
Univision
Univision says its coverage will begin with a special edition of its Sunday morning talk program, ‚ÄúAl Punto‚Äù (To the Point) hosted by network news anchor Jorge Ramos, which will air the Sunday before the start of each national convention. "He will host a panel of three leading political experts ‚Äì political analyst and journalist, Arnoldo Torres; former Assistant Secretary of State and Latin America Advisor for Senator John McCain, Ambassador Otto Reich; and senior fellow and director of The Americas Project at American Progress and current Latin American Advisor for Senator Barack Obama, Dan Restrepo — providing analysis and insight focused on the Hispanic vote," a news release says.
"The network will bring its viewers live reports from inside both party‚Äôs conventions, as well as dedicated segments throughout the day on its most popular shows. Starting with its morning program ‘Despierta Am?©rica’ (Wake Up America), special campaign news briefs throughout the day, and coverage on the network‚Äôs Emmy Award winning daily newsmagazine ‘Primer Impacto’ (First Impact), Univision will also broadcast its nightly ‘Noticiero Univision’ network news program live from inside both convention halls. . . . On the evening of the acceptance speeches, network anchors Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas will report live."
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is sending these staffers to Denver, none a person of color: Ken Walsh, chief White House correspondent; Liz Halloran, senior writer, politics; Paul Bedard, senior writer, "Washington Whispers"; Morgan Felchner, deputy assistant managing editor, politics; Robert Schlesinger, deputy assistant managing editor, opinions; Michael Barone, columnist, politics; Jim Pethokoukis, assistant managing editor for business, Money & Politics columnist; Brian Kelly, editor; and Margi Mannix, managing editor, spokeswoman Elizabeth Putze said.
Heading to the Republican convention are Walsh, Halloran, Bedard, Felchner, Schlesinger, Barone, Pethokoukis, Kelly and Tim Smart, managing editor.
In TV Fantasy, a Black Man Led the Network
Actor Julius J. Carry III, who died Tuesday after a long career in TV and movies that included a scene-stealing turn as Sho’nuff in 1985’s "The Last Dragon," as the Chicago Tribune reported, earned a small place in the lore of journalists of color.
He wasn’t a black journalist, but he played one on TV.
In 1992, the CBS-TV sitcom "Murphy Brown" introduced Carry, who is black, as Brown’s boss. Brown worked in a Washington newsroom where there were few people of color.
Carry played the new top executive of Brown’s network. In the plot, Brown, feeling white liberal guilt, decided she had been too patronizing in her dealings with the new boss and decided to have a chat with him in his office, as the NABJ Journal reported at the time.
There, she picked up an award from his desk. "I got it from NABJ," he says. "I know, I have one, too," she replied.
The producers asked NABJ for an authentic award to use in the scene and NABJ complied. The then-NABJ president, Sidmel Estes-Sumpter, and vice president broadcast, Sheila Stainback, said they were impressed with the fact that the boss was black after being sent a copy of the script. "It was the first time that I recall that NABJ had a mention on a ‘mainstream’ media program," Estes-Sumpter told Journal-isms.
Candice Bergen played Brown. Carry’s character never became a major part of the series however.
Separately, the show became a political football when Vice President Dan Quayle said the Brown character "mocks the importance of fathers" because she bore a child out of wedlock.
Carry, 56, died of complications from pancreatic cancer.
Native Journalists Protest Actions at Accident Scene
The Native American Journalists Association is protesting the treatment of Paul DeMain, a former president of NAJA and of Unity: Journalists of Color, by a sheriff’s deputy in Sawyer County, Wis.
DeMain, who reports for the Web site of News From Indian Country, arrived at the scene of a head-on car accident Aug. 7 on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation and began taking pictures with a small flip-video WebTV recorder.
"The officer spotted DeMain and crossed the road and in a loud demanding voice told DeMain to leave the scene, a request that DeMain responds by asking, ‘How far back do you want me to move?’" according to an account by DeMain and Nick Vander Puy on the Web site.
"DeMain attempted to get the officers hand off the recorder, who then struck him with his flashlight leaving bruises," and pushed him 300 to 400 feet down the road, DeMain said in a video he made about the incident.
"The Native American Journalists Association expects that, after complete and impartial review, steps are taken to assure Mr. DeMain that the negative action surrounding his news coverage will be addressed as deemed necessary and that he can continue to serve the public as a journalist, confident in doing his job without apprehension," the association said.
Short Takes
- The Sacramento Bee dropped the position of public editor, and assigned Armando Acuna to the new role as associate features editor in the newsroom, effective Sept. 1. "The decision acknowledges several realities, the most pressing being our company’s need to focus our resources on newsgathering, advertising sales and customer service," Publisher Cheryl Dell said Friday in a memo to the staff.
- Coverage of the Olympics and China generally "has been heavily tilted toward just three areas of competition ‚Äî swimming, gymnastics and track and field. No other sport has attracted much news coverage at all. The games were also dominated by a single athlete, Michael Phelps, with virtually no one else really emerging as a major figure, including the star female gymnasts," according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, which analyzed coverage in the week leading up to the Games and during the first week of competition.
- "Puerto Rico is proud of its reputation as a racially diverse island. But a new report challenges the notion of racial harmony in Puerto Rico," Phillip Martin reports in the latest in his series of radio presentations on issues of color around the globe. Martin’s "The Color Initiative" airs on Public Radio International’s "The World."
- "A former Los Angeles Times editorial page editor sued his ex-girlfriend Thursday, alleging that the public relations executive had cost him his job at the newspaper and tarnished his professional reputation," Victoria Kim and Andrew Blankstein reported on Friday in the Times. "Andres Martinez resigned from The Times last year after revelations that his then-girlfriend was doing public relations work for Hollywood producer Brian Grazer at the same time that Martinez had tapped Grazer to be a ‘guest editor’ for the paper’s opinion section. An attorney for Kelly Mullens, who was romantically involved with Martinez for about two years, called the lawsuit ‘meritless and clearly frivolous.’"
- "Journalists like me rarely admit to liking people in the news," Sam Fulwood III of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote Thursday on theRoot.com. "But I have no qualms or shame in admitting that I shed huge, salty tears after hearing that Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the Democratic Ohio congresswoman, died Wednesday from a brain aneurysm. She was 58, and she was my friend." Fulwood also spoke about Tubbs Jones on National Public Radio’s "Tell Me More." On thedailyvoice.com, Jeff Winbush wrote, "Sorry I didn’t apologize sooner to Stephanie Tubbs Jones."
- "Just about every news outlet in town has covered the pathetic case of Arizona Republic reporter Eugene Scott, who’s accused of leaving his 1-year-old Puggle in his hot SUV at the Chandler Fashion Center," Ray Stern wrote Thursday in the Phoenix New Times. "Except for the Arizona Republic. Scott was arrested and released by Chandler police last Friday."
