Comcast NBC merger

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
Jun 17 2010

Media ownership diversity may be threatened

At a Congressional field hearing recently, the public pressed the House Judiciary Committee to demand that Comcast guarantee expanded opportunities for minority-backed cable services, television shows, and films in exchange for approval of its proposed deal to take control of NBC Universal.

“It’s not going to happen without conditions,” said Alex Nogales, the president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

Jun 3 2010

Push for more ownership

The National Coalition of African American Owned Media (NCAAOM) will testify at an upcoming Congressional hearing that the proposed Comcast-NBC Universal merger will further shut the door to Blacks looking for more than lip service, when it comes to the issue of media ownership in the television, cable and online media sectors.

The United States House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed $30-billion joint venture for June 7 at 9 a.m., at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”