A New TV Choice for African Americans

By David Liss

Q: What's the biggest problem with how networks and corporations communicate news, information, and advertising to African Americans today?A: Effectively reaching the African-American viewing audience requires more than just inserting African-American characters on a TV show. We will stay strictly and completely focused on this demographic category. What we hope to do is to create an environment by which corporations and advertisers can know exactly who they're reaching and when they're reaching them.

//

if (!window.BW_adsys) {

document.write('<\/scr' + 'ipt>');

}

// ]]>

//

if (!window.BW_sitezone) {

BW_sitezone = 'top_news/general';

}

if (window.BW_adsys) {

document.write(BW_adsys('middle', '/common_adcode/db_general_9.htm'));

}

// ]]>

I also serve on the board of directors at Proctor & Gamble. This experience has enhanced my knowledge and understanding about creating the right marketing environment to reach African-American and Hispanic adults -- the two largest areas of population growth in the country. We'll be creating a look and feel that will make us a comfortable place for African-American viewers. Ads must be presented in an environment that reflects the tone and values of who we, as African Americans, are as a people.Q: How about other corporations? What are the most important things that companies can do to communicate effectively with African-American viewers?A: More consumer research needs to be done on the African-American community. You have to find out what people think and what their attitudes and preferences truly are.Also, businesses need to understand that black people in America have a different perspective based on the fact that "all men are created equal" didn't apply to us for a major portion of our country's history. This comes from our experience as a people with everything from slavery to racial discrimination to everything else in society that has separated African Americans from the mainst