For African-Americans Interested In The Online Space, This Is Your Urban New Media Wrap-Up For January 2011

The Game’ Is a Winner, Helped by BET Loyalists

“The Game,” a sitcom about pro football players’ relationships with women, puttered along in obscurity for three years on the CW network. The season it was canceled, it attracted only 1.9 million viewers an episode. Then it was resurrected with two new episodes last Tuesday on the cable channel BET, which picked up the program and resumed production as part of an effort to add scripted shows to its schedule. The response from BET viewers was “jaw-dropping.” The first two episodes of the new season averaged 7.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched sitcom ever on cable television.

The 30-year-old channel had never had such high ratings for a series. “Just over the moon” is how Debra L. Lee, the chief executive and chairwoman of BET Networks, described her reaction. “It proves that cable is competitive,” she said. How does a show quadruple its audience? Ms. Lee credits a smart marketing plan, fan bases on Facebook and Twitter, and frequent showings on BET of repeat episodes in the past year, which ginned up interest in the new episodes.

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For Minorities, New 'Digital Divide' Seen

When the personal computer revolution began decades ago, Latinos and blacks were much less likely to use one of the marvelous new machines. Then, when the Internet began to change life as we know it, these groups had less access to the Web and slower online connections — placing them on the wrong side of the "digital divide."

Today, as mobile technology puts computers in our pockets, Latinos and blacks are more likely than the general population to access the Web by cellular phones, and they use their phones more often to do more things.

But now some see a new "digital divide" emerging — with Latinos and blacks being challenged by more, not less, access to technology. It's tough to fill out a job application on a cellphone, for example. Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment.

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Dr. King's Facebook Page Vandalized With Racist Images

A Facebook page that appears to be run by the Martin Luther King Center has been vandalized by individuals or a group of people who are determined to populate the page with disturbing racial imagery. Images using the N-word are displayed all over the page, along with other hurtful pictures, including a black man having sex with a bucket of chicken.

It is not clear who is responsible for maintaining the page or moderating the images, but the KingCenter.org website is listed as the group that owns the page.

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Will The Strings Attached To Comcast/NBC Deal Be Effective?

Both the FCC and the Justice Department have effectively cleared the way for Comcast (aka, that cable company from Philadelphia) to own a majority of NBC Universal, but the regulators did so with several strings attached to the deal. Among the regulations outlined by the FCC and the Justice Dept., are:

*Comcast/NBC must license its programming to online distributors that have obtained distribution agreements with one of NBCU's peers.

*Comcast can't do anything that would unduly limit content owners' abilities to freely negotiate creative arrangements with Comcast competitors.

*The Comcast/NBC Voltron is not allowed to "retaliate against any broadcast network, affiliate, cable programmer, production studio or content provider for licensing content to Comcast competitors."

*Comcast must relinquish its management rights in Hulu, which is a joint venture of NBC, Fox and ABC, "so Comcast cannot use NBCU's partial ownership of Hulu to diminish its competitive significance."

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If You’re Not Networking, You’re Not Social

Social media isn't isolating us as we tap on our laptops, smartphones and tablets; rather, we're becoming "hypersocial" in our virtual, avatar-populated environment, suggests researcher and author S. Craig Watkins. Rather than gathering in, say, the bowling alleys that were social hubs in the 1950s, we Wii-bowl with companions nearly anywhere on the globe.

Author of "The Young and The Digital," a book about today's so-called digital natives, Watkins rejects some researchers' laments that technology isolates us, noting that multiplayer online games cultivate friendships across long distances, and Facebook helps childhood friends keep in content when they move geographically. "There's nowhere we can't connect to our friends and our network," he says.

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Black People And The Internet - What's Up?

African Americans are more likely than whites to access the Internet by mobile phone, and they are twice as likely to use Twitter. Mobile devices have expanded access to the Internet, but they also limit the experience. NPR's Renee Montagne talks with IT consultant Anjuan Simmons about Internet trends among blacks.

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Isidra Person-Lynn Relaunches 'Sunday Morning Live' On Blogtalkradio

Media expert Isidra Person-Lynn has taken to the Internet to provide news, information and entertainment from a African American perspective on her new online Blogtalkradio show 'Sunday Morning Live'. Person-Lynn, a University of Southern California graduate who went on to become a celebrated public affairs radio personality on Los Angeles station 103.9 FM KACE, has also created a frequently updated blog for the weekly program.

Person-Lynn is clearly filling a void in the talk arena, as traditional black radio broadcast stations are opting to play more music and reducing their focus on spotlighting local issues in African American populated communities.

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New 2009 Study Examines Online Habits of Tech-Savvy African Americans

A recent survey conducted by 3BAAS Media Group that polled members of the newly formed Urban New Media Group elicited some surprising answers to questions surrounding habits of US blacks who frequent the Web.

Queried on the Internet locations they visited, You Tube by far was the most popular, followed by news sites such as CNN and Huffington Post, and then Facebook.

While blogs came in much lower than expected, the online tool the majority of respondents indicated they were most interested in learning more about was blogging. A close second was creating video content, with training on additional Facebook social networking applications coming in third.

Interesting enough, Twitter was not used by many of those surveyed. And yet mastering how to Tweet ranked in close proximity to Facebook.

When asked on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the best) how well were clergy and political representatives communicating important issues affecting African Americans, both received a score of 3. Community leaders fared worse, garnering an average score of 2.

Black newspapers and cable networks also received a 2 when the question was posed, "From a scale of 1 – 5 (with 5 being the best) how well do you think black media is doing providing important information to African Americans?" Black magazines and radio were each given a 3 score.

What was also revealing was the number of computer hours individuals spent specifically online. By far the most popular answer was between 3 – 6 hours a day.

Additional information asked included whether individuals believed Johnson Publications, creators of Ebony and Jet magazines, would be able to survive the current downturn amid advertising cutbacks and plummeting circulation numbers.

And participants also were given an opportunity to identify one issue that they would you like to see the Urban New Media Group focus on.

While the Urban New Media Group is open to anyone, most of the respondents were blacks residing in the United States. With membership having already swelled to almost 500 people, clearly a need exists to reach consumers seeking to become fully engaged in all things involving information and technology. Complete results of the survey will be provided to members and the public in the coming days.

The group was launched at the USC Annenberg School of Communication's 2009 Beyond Broadcast Conference. The 4th annual gathering of media experts, industry professionals and academia featured a discussion entitled, Urban New Media - Embracing The Digital Renaissance Movement. On hand to give their insight was Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, USC Annenberg Dean Ernie Wilson, actress and media personality Rolonda Watts, and several others.

The moderator of the event was Kevin Ross, president and CEO of 3BAAS Media Group, a strategic marketing and online branding firm based in Los Angeles. Buoyed by the response the panel discussion received, 3BAAS is already planning a full 3-day conference focusing on urban niche communities in 2010.

For more information about the Urban New Media Group, visit the website, or join via Facebook.