Black Press leaders challenge Democratic
and Republican election-year advertising and media strategies -- DNC promises
advertising commitment to black media; RNC offers nothing
By Raoul Dennis Managing Editor
Washington, DC (NNPA)--During a recent
trip to Washington to celebrate Black Press Week, members of the National
Newspaper Publishers' Association (NNPA) found the two major parties to
be in polar opposition with regard to utilizing the Black Press to reach
Black voters.
The NNPA--a sixty year-old federation of
200 Black community newspaper~celebrates Black Press Week every March in
Washington, DC to honor the founding of the nation's first African American
newspaper, Freedom's Journal, whose first issue was published by John B.
Russwurm and the Reverend Samuel Cornish on March 16, 1827. The conference
allows Black Press leaders to gather to discuss common goals and interact
with political leadership in the nation's capitol.
While Democrats seemed to recognize the
significant role of the Black Press and eager to include black publications
in the advertising budget, Republican leadership had no significant plans
for advertising with them.
Under the Leadership of National Chairman
Joseph Andrew and General Co-Chairs Dennis Archer and Ed Rendell, the Democratic
National Committee unveiled a new policy intended to reaffirm the Party's
commitment to minority media. "As a matter of .policy," reads the DNC statement,
"the Democratic National Party will reach out into the minority media communities
to find all appropriate channels to deliver the Democratic message."
Congresswoman Marine Waters (D-CA) made
the point plain. "We'll be there for you," Waters said. "Not just to come
through in August with a few quarter page ads, but we will come with a
frequency ad campaign to run over a period of time. We are talking about
long-term commitment contracts with you."
NNPA President Jake Oliver applauded the
Democrats wisdom in reaffirming their advertising relationship with the
Black Press. "Can you hear me?" Oliver asked the audience as he stepped
away from the microphone at the DNC luncheon. The crowd, a room of over
100 political and media figures, grumbled lowly, straining to hear his
words over tinkling lunch forks and whispered side conversations. "This
is what the Democratic Party is like without the Black Press," Oliver injected,
noting the papers' importance in motivating voters in 1996 and 1998 elections.
In contrast, the Republican National Committee
seemed reluctant to make any commitment to The Black Press.
"Institutions are slow to change," explained
RNC Chief of Staff Tom Cole, who played host to the group of media owners
at the party's offices. "It's the candidates who usually drive the wheels
of change. We are looking into build stronger relationships with black
communities, but we can't speak for the Bush camp as to how monies will
be spent--it's not clear yet what the strategy will be."
After the hour-long session, many publishers
were disappointed with the exchange. "That was a waste of my time and an
insult," explained Amos H. Lynch, publisher and CEO of The Columbus Post
in Columbus, OH of the meeting with RNC leadership just after the talks.
"They didn't hear a word we said. They talked about making changes in -
their strategy for reaching us but then don't want to take any steps. They
sat us down here and didn't even offer us a glass of water, or a Coke--nothing.
There was an air of simple courtesy missing. That's a total lack of respect."
At the evening reception, Rep. Charles
Rangel (D-NY) redirected the group's frustration and underpinned the democratic
party's inclusion of African American press in the 2000 election strategy.
"We stand a wonderful opportunity to retain
the presidency and the Congressional Black Caucus would have influence
over some 19 subcommittees," he said. "We know that Black people saved
the presidency and that it was the Black Press who got the perspective
on it out to Black people. This should be your CBC."
Other events of Black Press Week included
the induction of Dr. Calvin Rolark, the 1964 founder of The Washington
Informer into the Black Press Archives Gallery of Distinguished Newspaper
Publishers and the Newsmaker of the Year dinner. Both events were held
at Howard University.