NYMetro

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

I hope I have sufficiently shocked you to attention, because there is a disaster brewing right under our noses, right in the Black family community, that has been flying low under the radar.

As a matter of fact, I and others would probably not have become aware of it had it not been announced at Rev. Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Push 15th Anniversary Wall Street Initiative, during a panel discussion on the disappearing Black media.

Talk about a shock! When James L. Winston, Executive Director and General Counsel for NABOB (National Black Owned Broadcasters), an organization of Black TV and Radio station owners, made the announcement that the venerable Inner City Broadcast Company (or System), founded by the late, great Percy Ellis Sutton, had filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy* in the courts, for indebtedness of over $180 million, it was though as though everyone in the room suddenly had been punched in the stomach.

And while the discussion went on to deal with other problems in the Black media, the 800 pound gorilla in the room was: "What are we going to do if we lose the only Black owned radio station in New York City? What happens if it falls into white hands? What happens to the Black voice of New York?"

Ken Smickle of Target Market News (www.targetmarketnews.com), summed it up rather succinctly: "We, as Black people, have to wake up. We have to respond in our own best interest. We are losing Black media. When we lose Black media, we're losing Black life as we know it! We're losing political, social power and economic power. We are losing the ability to be seen. When WBLS is no longer available in this town, every white person (as well as our own Black brothers and sisters worldwide) is going to think a litte (a whole lot) less of us. Every single one of you will be affected, not just them {the Sutton family} - oh, no,no,no,no,no! It's not just them; not that it "didn't work out!" or that "they did this; they didn't do that right..." No! It's like, "there they go!" They is YOU, US!!! So it is time to act like 20th Century African Americans who know something about survival!!"

Per NABOB's James Winston, the genesis of the problem stems from 11 radio stations purchased by Pierre Sutton ten years ago for $200 million. With the current economic downturn, and the fact that Newt Gingrich, during the Bush Administration, had caused the tax incentives to be overturned, which would have made the purchases profitable, the stations became losing propositions for Inner City. Couple that with the fact that we're losing a great many of our Black Newspapers and TV stations across the nation.

As Rev. Jesse Jackson stated, the Black media is under siege.

When asked what could be done to save the stations, particularly New York's own WLIB and WBLS, audience members suggested they contact Bill Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, Don King and others who were more likely to have the financial wherewithal to help save the properties, as well as keep it in Black hands.

Others also strongly recommended that there be a change in management, once the stations were rescued, in order to avoid future problems, or the recurrence of perennial problems (don't exactly know what that means).

Producer, writer and entertainer, Verinia Taylor stated, angrily, "This is a Black Icon in the community, how could he (Pierre Sutton) not inform the Black community that ICBC was having this problem. We could have had fundraisers, or lobby some of America's wealthy African American millionaires to correct this problem. Now the organization that Black people had a voice is now threatened by white racist media (ClearView, which is owned by Mitt Romney) Now you put him in a position to take out the voice we have in ICBC. To the current management don't let false pride allow you to lose our most valuable asset! See what ViaCom did to BET!"

When further queried about why we were just learning about the situation, Winston further stated, "the owners did not reach out to the Black community," the audience vociferously responded that it was just such a situation that has caused so many Black families to lose homes and businesses. There appears to be a disconnect between them  and the community - something that has to be remedied.

Others recommended that they jettison the recently purchased stations and just focus on the flagship stations of WBLS and WLIB. "If we lose them, all that Mr. Sutton worked and sacrificed for for the Black community will have gone for nothing."

So while you're finger popping, listening to your latest rap, R&B artist, or the latest information about the Black community, think about how you'll feel if you no longer have WLIB or WBLS.  What kind of schmucks will we be to sit idly by and allow our institutions to be cannibalized before us.  We've got a lot to do with the way this plays out, and we'd better be about it.

Anyone who is interested in assisting Inner City Broadcasting, or who may have a solution to the situation, can reach out to Mr. James Winston, President, NABOB jwinston@nabob.org. We must all pull together as the Black Family Community that we are.

*FYI: Chapter 11 bankruptcy is intended primarily for the reorganization of businesses with heavy debt burdens, most often associated with corporations. Chapter 11 allows the debtor to propose a plan for profitability post-bankruptcy, which may include trimming costs and seeking new sources of revenue or income, while temporarily holding creditors at bay. While Chapter 11 provides more time to file a plan and the opportunity to reorganize, it is more time-consuming and costly than other forms of bankruptcy. In the Chapter 11 Process either the debtor or its creditors may file a petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Once the petition is filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the case begins and an automatic stay of all collections actions is put into effect. This means creditors may not pursue existing or new collection activities for unpaid debts unless the court issues a modification to the stay. This provides an opportunity for the debtor to draft a reorganization plan and negotiate more feasible repayment terms without worrying about its debt obligations. After the petition is filed, the business continues about its affairs without interruption. Meanwhile, under the supervision of the bankruptcy court, the debtor turns its attention to figuring out a repayment plan for its creditors. Repayment amounts typically are much lower than the original debt totals. Throughout the case, the debtor may review its creditors' claims and make objections where it makes sense. Monthly operating reports filed by the debtor keep the court apprised of its progress. - www.Findlaw.com

During the recently held Wall Street Project conference, Rev. Jesse Jackson continually commented on the demise of Black businesses and the fact that there are no programs in place among us  to come to each others' rescue when faced with the threat of financial ruin or extinction. We cannot expect others to care more about our institutions than we do.

It is up to us to develop the protocols and programs that not only shield our business from the onslaught of economic down turns, but to have the wherewithal to provide jobs,homes,  assistance, guidance and support while those who have been affected put the shreds of their lives back together. That is the true strength and and measure of self-empowerment  - not just buzz words and tee shirts.

It was what the Black United Fund of New York (BUFNY) did, before Elliott Spitzer destroyed it. And it's unfortunate that in the time since it's demise we have not seen fit to either re-establish it, or to come up with a program that does the same or more.

Kermit Eady founded BUFNY so that we would not be at the mercy of such rapacious situations.  While they might not have been able to save 11 Broadcast stations, they certainly would have been able to assist InnerCity's flagship stations.  Additionally, through their program,  "The Helping Hand That Is Your Own" they would have been able to provide the ongoing financing so many of us are struggling to obtain via hostile banks and lending institution, because the money came from our own payroll deductible contributions.  Not some outside source that wants to nickle and dime you to death and hold you hostage. 

The one thing that should have come out of the Wall Street Project, as well as all the other Black oriented conferences that we attend is how to reinstate the BLACK UNITED FUND OF NEW YORK'S principles in our own self-sufficiency.  We could have regenerated our own Black economic base long ago with the $1.50 per person per week contributions into a mutual fund which is how BUFNY raised $111 million a year to help Black people - USING NO FEDERAL DOLLARS WHATSOEVER.  This was all money raised by Black People for Black People - hence the slogan "THE HELPING HAND THAT IS OUR OWN"

don't get me wrong - I have nothing against federal dollars - money is money - but with BUFNY, those who needed help, but fell outside the so-called federal guidelines could get the assistance they needed because they were Black and they needed it.  Not because they made a nickle more or less than the criteria, or because they didn't live in a particular statistical demographic. 

With so many of our businesses, homes, educational centers media outlets facing extinction, because we are the low man on the Totem Pole (an old American Indian saying, which means on the bottom) we need to be contacting Kermit Eady and saying "where are you? We need you?"

We will be monitoring the Inner City Broadcasting as they go through this challenge. However, a more pro-active outreach  on the part of the family to the community is going to be required NOW if we are to begin to stop the hemorraging that is destroying our institutions, culture and communities..

NOW THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

Stay Blessed &

ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria Dulan-Wilson

PS:  I originally wrote this article 2 weeks ago. Sorry you're getting it on Valentine's Day, but what better way to show your love than to reach out to some one in our community and show them you support and care about them.  We need to do that for Inner City Broadcasting Now.

Happy Valentine's Day and Much Love to All My ECLECTICALLY BLACK Brothers and Sisters - GDW

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  • West


    Stan The White Man EXPLAINS How To Rule The World Obtain Black Power

    WOW! OMG! A MUST LISTEN AND SEE. INSIDE SECRETS OF THE WHITE MAN- How to rule the world -Black people have problem with Unity. Black people would rather fight against each other instead of your enemies. Blacks Do what we (Crackers) did to gain power. We divided and conquered entire countries based on their differences. We preserve our own. Nothing racist about that. It is just common senses. You people are the stupid ones, going around trying to love everybody but yourself. We kick your asses in here America for over 400 years, and you still go around talking about Jesus loves everyone. While you been doing all the praying and jumping around, we have been buying up the world and making laws you have to abide by. It is just another plantation. Being organized is more than alignment, it is knowing the traps we have laid for you and then moving around them. Everybody knows this but you blacks. A bunch of dress up plantation workers perfectly content worker and serving under another mans vision. If Blacks was educated, you will be able to solve your own problems. The third way to gain black power. Black people seem to have no problem worshipping the god of your enemy. To put down your god and pick up a white god, we knew you would lose your power. Black People trade their god for a blond blue eye god. Black people are killing off their own army when killing over a nickel bag. Black people need to stop saying that they are BLESS. This is not only dumb. It lets us white people know we are still very much in control. As long as you fall for the lie some white dude is going to come down from the sky and pull you out of this SHYT. Go back to Believing in your god, the god you had when you were rich in Afrika and had diamonds, gold and health. You will keep praying while we keep slaying. Put the white man god down. It is a deep sickness, because to believe that the man who murdered your family is your friend…. (Much More).
    Stan the White Guy Talks about "Balling in the Hood"

  • West

    Affected: The majority of our r people since day one of enslavement lies and deception affected us and now the majority of us are effected, disease…and the likes of because of the profane mind-set that has been implanted in us. If black media does not have radio shows about this Divine Intelligent Truth/Reality being shared, then hell no, there should not be no black media just for us to rub each other egos, vain glory, and self aggrandizements
    ----------------------------------
    So it is time to act like 20th Century African Americans who know something about survival!!"
    ------------------------------
    Gloria when we share with our people what we need to do, shouldn’t we also tell our people how to do it, in details?

    Telling people they need to know something about survival which is true, which I say know everything about survival because something is not good enough especially in these crucial and critical lives we are experiencing. We can start out with something/little bit about survival, but a t some point the All about survival must be taught.

    As an ex military female soldier we did learn steps by steps about Survival. By the end we had to Know All about survival in order to save our minds and behinds.
    Most of our Black Afrikan females knows nothing about Military actions, Politics only religions and they do not know the real and raw truth about that.
    Most of our Black Afrikan females do not comprehend the below.

    A BLACK AFRIKAN NATION WILL RISE NO HIGHER THAN ITS DIVINE RIGHT ORIGINAL MIND BLACK AFRIKAN WOMAN.

    THE DESTINY OF THE BLACK AFRIKAN WOMAN: IS THE DESTINY OF THE WORLD.

    THE BLACK AFRIKAN WOMAN IS THE DIVINE SAVIOR FOR OUR PEOPLE AND THE WHOLE WORLD, WHEN SHE IS OPERATING IN HER ORIGINAL DIVINE RIGHT MIND-SET.
    Survival is our Enslaved Ancestors Reparations now.

    The only way our people should be seen is in a Divine Massive Exodus from the Vampire System leaving with our Enslaved Ancestors Reparations in hand. D I VI N E S U R V I V A L.

    Gloria, tell us exactly where does the knowledge of Survival Begins? What are the mental tools and weapons we must use in order to Survive? What are the mental tools and weapons that causes our people to not survive?

    Wow! Do we really comprehend SO IT IS TIME, THOSE FEW WORDS AND THE POWER IN THEM?

    It is way past the above time. We should have advanced long ago. The elitist Blacks they who are some who are largely responsible for the lack of our people progress, has set us back 4oo years into enslavement as we watch beloved Afrika into the second genocide. If there is a third genocide, we can kiss our azzes good bye, and we are concern about some radio shows, black media that is not about our people Divine Solutions.

    It is calling an being Afrikan Americans, Black Americans, Americans some of our people call themselves, they too who are part of the lack of progress among our people, they who are cut off from their true and real mental and physical root.
    When our people aren’t doing the Divine right thing for us all, we have made a pact with the Devils mind-set, and the Black Afrikan females were the first to be use, and still are.

  • West

    George Carlin - We Like War
    GC: The Government don’t give an “F” about us.

    Michael Jackson” THEY Don’t CARE ABOUT US.
    Common Sense: WE do not care about us, Black Afrikan Beings, when we do not pursue our Divine Solution/Freedom/Salvation and that is our enslaved Ancestors REPARATIONS NOW, the 24/7 advocacy, chanting Reparations Now (globally, until our Divine Solutions comes which will stop our people anywhere for begging from this Vampire System. That is the Divine Wake up Call. Anything else we do with all these rallies, protest, campaigns, conferences, meeting, marches that have no Divine results for us all, all we do outside of REPARATIONS NOW is all profane. REPARATIONS NOW IS THE TRUE AND REAL Divine Black Power
    --------------------------------------
    Ken Smickle of Target Market News (www.targetmarketnews.com), summed it up rather succinctly: "We, as Black people, have to wake up. We have to respond in our own best interest.
    --------------------------
    In order to wake up we need to know what is keeping our people sleep.
    --------------------------------------
    We are losing Black media. When we lose Black media, we're losing Black life as we know it!
    ---------------------------------------
    Wow! We are losing black life because of the lost of Black media? Are we serious? We are losing Black life because we are not using our original Divine right mind-set we came to earth with that was stolen from us, which has caused the life of many past , present, and whatever comes after that. Don’t blame the lost of black life because of a lost black media. Many love to blame everything else except blame our many non thinkers mind-set.
    --------------------------------------------
    We're losing political, social power and economic power.
    ---------------------------------------------------
    Did our people ever have the above? Do they have it now in a vampire system? Any so called power it appears that our people have is all controlled by the oppressors.
    ----------------------------------------
    We are losing the ability to be seen.
    ---------------------------------------
    Our people are invisible in this vampire system. Our recent Prez even revealed/reveals that. Seen as what? We need to be seen only in beloved Afrika with our enslaved ancestors reparations now in our hands, where we can one again be in control of the beloved continent Afrika. As for being seen, our people from ged’s to phd’s are being seen all right. Seen by the oppressors as animals with voices, sub humans, and much worse, because our people (most) aren’t doing the divine right thing, just what massa has taught us, to be out of our original Divine right mind-set.
    ---------------------------------------
    When WBLS is no longer available in this town, every white person (as well as our own Black brothers and sisters worldwide) is going to think a litte (a whole lot) less of us.
    -------------------------------------------
    The above will not all of a sudden happen, The above going to think a little/whole lot less of us, started Day One of enslavement, which is still ongoing, and will not stop until our people return back to their Original Divine right mind-set, and learn and know the real and raw, Divine truth/Reality, that lies and deception will not reveal to us.
    -------------------------------
    Every single one of you will be affected

    Affected: The majority of our r people since day one of enslavement lies and deception affected us and now the majority of us are MENTALLY effected, disease…and the likes of, because of the profane mind-set that has been implanted in us.

  • West

    the Black media is under siege.
    ---------------------------------------------------
    Whoa! Is the above the only thing under siege?
    Our people Original right Divine right mind-set has been under siege since day one of enslavement, and we do not see our people, (most) trying to get rid of the profane mind-set that was implanted in our people that is not our original right mind-set.
    I recently start using SOS. Looks like others are using SOS now. We didn't see others use SOS until I used it. But do we fully comprehend SOS? As an ex military person I know what SOS means and how SOS was/is to be acted out. There is no need to address SOS if we are not going to follow through on it. Actions still speaks louder than words.

    Since day one of our people enslavement, we have been under siege although some may not think we are. There has always been an indictment on our people (Globally).

    AFRIKA/Afrikans once Divine right mind-set: All Sieged.

    Siege
    a method of combat for capturing a fortress or other fortification.
    The siege was used from very ancient times when a city or fortress could not be taken by sudden attack or by storm. A siege consisted of encircling the fortress with troops, building around it siege fortifications (called lines of countervallation and circum-vallation), setting up fortified camps, establishing a blockade, and, if necessary, mounting a gradual or accelerated attack that usually ended in a storm. Part of the forces of the besieging troops protected the siege fortifications, preventing sorties of the besieged and enemy attacks from without, while the main forces conducted the actual siege. Sometimes, after establishing the blockade, the besiegers waited for the besieged to run out of ammunition and surrender. Such a siege could last months or even years.
    http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Seige
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    we need to be contacting Kermit Eady and saying "where are you? We need you?"
    ----------------------------------------------
    -WE NEED TO BE CONTACTING OUR PEOPLE ONCE ORIGINAL DIVINE RIGHT MIND-SET IN OUR PSYCHE DNA SOUL MIND, THE OPPRESSORS STOLE FROM US, THAT DIVINE MIND THAT WILL BE OUR DIVINE SAVIOR. KERMIT EADY IS NOT THE SAVIOR. OUR ORIGINAL RIGHT DIVINE RIGHT MIND-SET IS OUR SAVIOR, THAT MIND-SET THAT IS FULL OF DIVINE TRUTH/REALITY.
    ------------------------------------------
    And while the discussion went on to deal with other problems in the Black media, the 800 pound gorilla in the room was: "What are we going to do if we lose the only Black owned radio station in New York City? What happens if it falls into white hands? What happens to the Black voice of New York?"
    -----------------------------------
    WAKE UP. White power own everything to include us. They will allow us the appearance for us to think we own something. Hell we do not have any rights. We have privileges, and those privileges are fastly being taken away.

    If we re serious about seriouness we should strive to Divinely Unite (globally) and discuss our issues among our own kind. Divine Harriet Tubman did not have access to radio shows/t.v. and the likes of. Many of our true teachers and leaders both genders did not have technology to communicate. White Power listens into all of our Black Talk, and can and have pulled the plug on what we do and say. Get real hear and lets stop lying and deceiving ourselves thinking we own something in this system when many of our people do not even own their own minds.

    REPARATIONS NOW OR THE FEMA CAMPS

  • Caricom

    We, here in Indy, are launching a campaign to raise awareness of our seeming to boycott Black businesses. Don't get me wrong. I understand the urgency of the situation with the radio stations in NYC, but we must come to understand that this is a symptom of having lost our African mind. We make decisions every day that are diametrically opposed to our own interests. We work hard day in and day out and then run to the white man to give it back. 

    We have all seen the studies of how many times a dollar turns over in the Jewish community, in the Hispanic community, in the Asian community and in the white community. The dollar turns over zero times in the Black community.

    It has been recently estimated that Black Americans, 35 million strong, will spend $1.1 Trillion dollars this year alone. The GDP of the entire nation of Canada, 34 million strong is $1.2 Trillion dollars. The answer to our problem is obvious. WE are the problem. We can eliminate Black unemployment without Federal dollars by simply spending 10% of our income with our own. 

    Will we wake up? Will we make conscious decisions that will benefit us and our people? The jury is out on that question, but stay tuned. Peace and blessings to one and all.

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