Black Outlets Say They Were Denied Credentials
Biden-Harris a Sponsor of Black-Press Meeting
Homepage photo: CNN presidential debate Game Day, by John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Fowler Street in Atlanta is closed from 6th Street to 10th Street in anticipation of the presidential debate. (Credit: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Black Outlets Say They Were Denied Credentials
Picking up where BET and TV One once stood, TheGrio’s television channel is providing pre- and post-show coverage of Thursday’s debate between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, in addition to carrying the main event. TheGrio appears to be the only Black-owned or -oriented television network to provide such coverage.
Separately, Kianga Moore reported for Ebony, “Notable Black media organizations, including EBONY, Atlanta Black Star and Atlanta Voice, have reported being denied press credentials or not being informed of the application deadlines. It has been reported that approximately 800 representatives from differing media outlets — both domestic and international—will be in attendance as well after receiving direct invitations to apply for credentials. None of them are Black-owned.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee, called on CNN to ultimately “do better” and “immediately to credential a minimum of ten Black-owned media outlets. “CNN must immediately credential Black-owned media outlets ahead of tomorrow night’s debate. Failure to do is a choice, an offense to Black Americans and cannot stand,” Moore reported.
CNN issued this statement Thursday:
“We are happy to welcome more than 800 journalists from around the world to Atlanta this week to cover the CNN Presidential Debate, including credentialed members from local Black press who applied for credentials during the credentialing window. Information about how to apply for media credentials was made available to the public on May 15 in the announcement and confirmation of a debate.
“Unfortunately, due to size and security constraints, we are unable to accommodate additional credential requests following our June 7 application deadline, which came in only in the last few days.”
The National Association of Black Journalists replied, “No matter the reason the local Black Press was not approved, in regard to guidelines, we are asking CNN to create space to ensure fair and balanced coverage so that all citizens have access to real-time content from the debate. . . “
Spanish-language viewers will be able to see the debate on CNN en Español, Telemundo and Univision. Univision Noticias plans a special beginning at 8:50 pm ET.
After the debate, a special analysis will be broadcast until midnight, the network said.
“Julio Vaqueiro will lead coverage across the streaming channel Noticias Telemundo Ahora and the Telemundo network which will include a Spanish-language broadcast of the First Presidential Debate Hosted by CNN. Senior Washington Correspondent Cristina Londoño and National Correspondent Lourdes Hurtado will report live from Atlanta, site of the debate which is scheduled to start at 9 PM ET,” according to a news release.
“Coverage will begin on Noticias Telemundo Ahora at 8 PM ET with a pre-debate special featuring reporting and analysis about the state of the presidential race and the potential impact of the Latino vote among other issues.”
At ICT, formerly Indian Country Today, “Our broadcast division has no plans to carry the debate . . . however we will most likely talk about the debate in our next political segment” of “ICT Newscast with Aliyah Chavez (video), director Ebonye Delaney said.
CNN, which won the right to stage the event, is making a feed of the debate available for other networks to simulcast, with the caveat that the CNN logo remain on-screen at all times. Broadcasters ABC, NBC, Fox, Telemundo, PBS and CBS will air the simulcast, along with cable networks Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NewsNation, Scripps News and Newsmax, according to published reports.
Spokespersons for TV One and BET did not respond to questions about their coverage plans. However, late Thursday, CNN listed BET among those carrying the feed. “The feed was made available to Washington Pool Members, Washington Pool subscribers and CNN Affiliates, and is also available to embed via CNN’s YouTube channel without charge for digital outlets,” a spokesperson said.
BET is owned by Viacom, which in turn owns CBS and its news operation. But on Jan. 6, 2021, the day that U.S. rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, BET did not pick up a CBS feed. BET was showing “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living.” For TV One it was “Family Matters: We’re Going to Walt Disney World.”
BET spokesman Luis DeFrank, asked then what decisions BET made about its coverage and why, replied, “We have started reporting in real time on our digital platform BET.com . . . and are monitoring the situation closely. . . .”
TV One, the Black-oriented cable channel that launched 20 years ago on Martin Luther King Day, is now skimpy on news and public affairs programming. That’s partly because “News is very difficult to do in minority spaces because a lot of it is about struggle, and advertisers have difficulty now with that, and that doesn’t always garner a large audience,” according to CEO Alfred Liggins, responding in February 2023 to a question raised at a forum sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission. Liggins nonetheless acknowledged that “telling our own stories” has “kind of been like the bedrock of the company’s mission.”
It was a far cry from election night 2016, when both networks gave voice in real time to the negative Black reaction to Trump’s victory.
“For a lot of people in America, this feels like their get-back,” rapper T.I. told host Marc Lamont Hill on BET at 11:42 p.m., at least two hours before it was obvious that Trump’s victory was certain. “This lets us know exactly where we stand. Don’t keep thinking that because this is 2016, we’re in a better place than we are.”
“No matter who wins the presidency, we have work to do,” Hill agreed.
On TV One, Roland Martin, hosting that network’s coverage, told viewers during a similar discussion, “Black success has always been followed by white backlash.”
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group owns the Grio and acquired the bankrupt Black News Channel in 2022.
Allen said in a news release that the channel plans pre-show and post-show coverage of the debate.
“Leading up to the debate, TheGrio will kick off its special live coverage at 8:30 p.m. with the pre-show hosted by April Ryan, TheGrio’s Washington bureau chief and senior White House correspondent, and Natasha S. Alford, senior correspondent. The pre-show will discuss critical issues affecting the Black community and provide viewers context and background on where the presidential candidates stand on the issues affecting Black America. From health care and economic equity to criminal justice reform and voting rights, the pre-show will provide ‘insightful analysis and perspectives from experts and community leaders.’
“Columnists for TheGrio, Touré and Michael Harriot, will join Ryan and Alford as guests to provide additional commentary.”
CNN plans to interrupt Thursday’s 90-minute event with two ad breaks, each set to last three and a half minutes. Under the simulcast rules, other networks cannot feature their own news anchors during those breaks, though they are free to sell their own ads, Michael M. Grynbaum reported for The New York Times.
Despite the absence of BET and TV One, journalists of color are to be part of the coverage on the major networks. And unlike 2016, more commentators are broadcasting on social media channels such as YouTube.
At CBS, “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King will join anchor Norah O’Donnell in the studio.
Ed O’Keefe and Weijia Jiang will be among the reporters. Jared Hill and Skyler Henry will report for CBS Newspath.
ABC will include ABC News Live “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis, who will co-host the network’s September presidential debate; chief business, technology, and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis; senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott; chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas, , national correspondent Mireya Villarreal and analysis by Donna Brazile. Deputy political director Averi Harper (pictured) is to report throughout the day.
At NBC News, anchor Lester Holt and TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie are to anchor analysis immediately after the debate.
“Top Story anchor Tom Llamas will kick off debate preview coverage from the spin room in Atlanta at 7 p.m. on NBC News NOW, joined by Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker and Weekend Nightly News anchor Hallie Jackson. All three will pick up post-debate special coverage at 11 p.m., taking streaming coverage late into the evening.”
Gabe Gutierrez will report from Atlanta for MSNBC and NBC News NOW and Monica Alba (pictured) will report from the White House. Alba, Mike Memoli and Ali Vitali will contribute analysis to the NBCNews.com live blog on Thursday, the network continued.
“Shaquille Brewster (pictured) reports from Philadelphia on Wednesday [delayed until Thursday night] with new insights from a focus group centered on Black voters — a crucial look at sentiment among a key voting bloc in the wake of former President Trump’s conviction in the Manhattan hush money case and ahead of the Republican National Convention next month.” Other journalists of color are among the NBC News Digital and embed reporters.
At MSNBC, Alex Wagner will join MSNBC’s special coverage throughout the day live from Atlanta, and daylong coverage will also include Ana Cabrera and José Díaz-Balart. Joy Reid will be part of pre-debate coverage at 7 p.m. and post-debate analysis led by Rachel Maddow, and including Wagner until 1 a.m.
Fox News Channel and CNN did not respond to requests for information about their coverage.
President Biden, Vice President Harris and Jasmine Harris, director of National Black Media for Biden-Harris 2024
Biden-Harris a Sponsor of Black-Press Meeting
The National Newspaper Publishers Association, the trade group of Black-press newspaper publishers, is boasting that it made “history as the first trade association with a presidential campaign as an event sponsor. The Biden-Harris campaign also announced a groundbreaking 7-figure advertising and sponsorship deal with the NNPA, which represents 250 Black-owned newspapers and media companies comprising the Black Press of America,” according to a story by Stacy M. Brown of NNPA.
The story reported on the NNPA’s recent convention in Baltimore.
Brown also wrote, “Robert Bogle, First Vice Chair of the NNPA Fund and publisher of the Philadelphia Tribune, said continued engagement with Black voters in swing states like Pennsylvania is mandatory. ‘If President Biden is truly committed not only to this race but winning, he can’t do it without the vote of the African American community,’ Bogle asserted. ‘Philadelphia is crucial. They will need to spend more time here and dedicate to talking to African Americans. If Biden wants to win, he and his campaign must have a commitment and dedication to the African American community and what our experience in America has been.’
“The campaign is being responsive to the interests of Black America through the campaign’s advertising initiatives with the NNPA, said NNPA President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. ‘The Black vote throughout the United States will be a key determinative factor to the outcome of the 2024 national elections. We profoundly thank the Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign.’ ”
- Jenice Armstrong, Philadelphia Inquirer: Trump’s Philly visit was part of his strategy to win over Pa.’s Black voters. Is it working?
- Kalle Benallie and Jourdan Bennett-Begaye, ICT News: What do Indigenous voters want in the 2024 election?
- Jamelle Bouie, New York Times: Why Republicans Are Talking About Biden’s ‘Dictatorship’
- Jamelle Bouie, New York Times: The Lazy Authoritarianism of Donald Trump
- Hayes Brown, MSNBC: A New Fox News poll gives false hope about the future of democracy
- Marquise Francis, NBC News: Influencers and popular podcasts fuel election disinformation among Black voters, report shows
- Marcela García, Boston Globe: What happens when Biden’s immigration record comes into focus on the debate stage?
- LZ Granderson, Los Angeles Times: One pillar of American racism is also propping up Fox News
- LZ Granderson, Los Angeles Times: One pillar of American racism is also propping up Fox News (June 3)
- Emil Guillermo, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund: In 2024, a convict is in a presidential debate, while Oakland’s Mayor Sheng Thao fights to survive
- Ruben Navarrette Jr., syndicated: Biden a strong warrior for some supporters. For others, not so much.
- Ruben Navarrette Jr., syndicated: Biden not right person to play race card against Trump
- Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: For thin-skinned Trump, every week is Shark Week
- Eugene Robinson, Washington Post: Is Donald Trump okay? (June 10)
- Kimberly Atkins Stohr, Boston Globe: Immigration is about the economy, stupid. Biden gets it, but Trump hopes his followers won’t. (June 19)
NABJ’s ‘Uncle Merv’ Aubespin Dies at 86
June 26, 2024
Pioneer as Artist, Reporter at Courier Journal
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This original one-on-one interview with Merv Aubespin, part of the Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky Oral History Project, was produced by the Kentucky Oral History Commission and Historical Society (video).
Pioneer Artist, Reporter at Courier Journal
The late Unity: Journalists of Color, a coalition of the Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American journalist organizations, was miffed that New York University’s 2012 list of the top journalists of the last century was short on people who looked like them.
So they put together their own — a “seed list”– and of course Mervin Aubespin was on it.
Why? When “Uncle Merv” was inducted in 2007 into the National Association of Black Journalists’ Hall of Fame, NABJ summed up his career thus:
“Merv Aubespin: Past president of NABJ from 1983-1985. He established the organization’s first national office and increased the visibility of NABJ internationally.
“For 34 years, he worked as an artist, reporter and editor at the The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky and has served as an advisor to newspaper executives seeking to recruit and retain journalists of color.
“Thousands of professional and aspiring journalists across the country affectionately refer to Aubespin as
‘Uncle Merv’ as he remains a popular mentor and lecturer.”
‘Uncle Merv’ Aubespin died at 86 Wednesday and had been living in Southern California, Rachel Smith reported for the Courier Journal. The story did not list a cause of death, but Aubespin’s friend and Louisville colleague, Betty Baye, told Journal-isms June 27 that the cause was colon cancer and that Aubespin died at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Scott Coffman wrote in a review for the Louisville Courier Journal, ” . . . I am uncustomarily speechless at the sheer beauty of this volume. The muted colors throughout seem to mirror the lives portrayed, a sad darkness in the dispirited lives created by the slave trade. The rich sepias and ochers, however, burst from the page like the pride and promise so evident in the faces of those captured by the photographer’s lens.”
It was true, as Smith wrote, that Aubespin was a pioneer in Louisville. As Wayne Dawkins reported in “Black Journalists: The NABJ Story,” in 1965, “The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., hired Aubespin. He was the paper’s first black artist.”
When riots erupted in Louisville’s Black community, Aubespin’s white colleague was sent back to the newsroom because of safety concerns, and Aubespin was asked to assume the role of reporter, which he continued for many years, according to a Courier-Journal account.
In 1972, Aubespin spent a summer at Columbia University for a crash course on news reporting.
He rose to associate editor. “As a reporter and later editor at The Courier-Journal, Aubespin covered the civil rights movement and led a team that wrote the award winning [40-story] 1981 series about being black in Louisville,” Keith L. Runyon, former editorial page editor, his colleague and good friend, would write.
Before joining the newspaper, Aubespin, a Louisiana native, was active in local civil rights demonstrations for public accommodations in 1961. He worked with Martin Luther King Jr. during the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala., and participated in the storied Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.
He used some of that knowledge to co-author 2011’s “Two Centuries of Black Louisville: A Photographic History.”
But as the late David Hawpe, another friend and colleague of 35 years, would say, “Uncle Merv” was better known nationally than he was locally.
He founded NABJ’s first local chapter — in Louisville. Such organizations as the former American Copy Editors Society award scholarships in his name. He NABJ from 300 members to more than 1,000 and helped establish the association’s national office in Washington, D.C. (Membership is now triple that.)
Aubespin led journalists in 1985 on a report on drought in West Africa and has been a consultant on United Nations development programs. He has also been a member of the United Nations Task Force on AIDS in Africa.
The late Michel Marriott, who profiled Aubespin in 2000 for NABJ’s 25th-anniversary project on NABJ’s presidents, “Committed to the Cause” [PDF], elaborates:
“Not surprisingly, a hallmark of Aubespin’s term as NABJ president (beginning with a narrow election victory over a highly favored candidate [Acel Moore]) was significantly raising the profile of the organization, while greatly expanding its membership while lending it a more prominent presence in national and international arenas. In a sense, NABJ became truly progressive under Aubespin’s guidance and careful consensus building.
“In short order, Aubespin established the organization’s first national office. It was housed in a modest space in the building that was home to The Courier-Journal, the regional newspaper based in Louisville for which Aubespin worked more than 30 years as an artist (long ago he had designed NABJ’s familiar logo), reporter and administrator. He even hired a part-time secretary to do clerical work and answer NABJ’s telephone, simple yet essential tasks for an organization being transformed from a relatively small, insular group into a large, professional one.
“To further mark and ensure that transformation, Aubespin worked with NABJ’s new treasurer, Thomas Morgan III, to hire the organization’s first financial auditor. He stepped up publication of the NABJ Journal, turning it into a quarterly. He also traveled 100,000 miles, visiting, as he said, ‘every chapter I could and going everywhere I was invited.’
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“The founder and twice-president of the Louisville Association of Black Communicators was, as he is still fond of saying, creating NABJ ‘family.’
“To this day thousands of young journalists affectionately refer to the gregarious, bespectacled man with a friendly round face and silver hair as ‘Uncle Merv.’ He remains a popular mentor and college lecturer.
“Almost right away, and not without controversy, Aubespin began forging visible alliances between NABJ and the organizational and corporate leadership of mainstream media. All the while he tried to allay fears of members troubled that NABJ, which was largely founded to challenge white media to open its newsrooms and boardrooms to black journalists, might be getting too cozy with those better kept at arm’s length.
“His strategy, he recalled recently, was sound: ‘I wanted to get white media leadership to involve itself in NABJ so it could establish some relationships and we could all be less confrontational.’
“As a result, he said, ‘For the first time white editors and news directors and white media leadership — with their financial resources — came together with NABJ and its mission.’ Supporters and critics agree that NABJ was forever changed by the infusion of white media interests and money.”
“When Aubespin was named the 2010 recipient of Louisville’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award, he invoked the spirit of the civil rights icon.
“I am honored that the city has chosen to recognize me for my efforts at making a difference,” Aubespin said. “I am particularly mindful that the award is named after Dr. King, who had a considerable impact on my life and the lives of so many others. During many conversations with Dr. King, one thing became clear — that change is made when people decide to get involved. I trust that I have lived up to that example.”
- National Association of Black Journalists: NABJ Mourns the Loss of Mervin Aubespin, Past President 1983-85
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