3BAAS Media Group

The London Riots, From An Old West Indian Man's Invaluable Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:45:00 +0000

"We The People with Gloria Allred" Builds On "America's Court's" Success, Launches Fall 2011 on NBC Stations

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:54:00 +0000

Entertainment Studios, Inc., (ES) has cut a major deal with NBC Owned Television Stations for its 28th and newest HD television court program: "We The People with Gloria Allred." The NBC owned stations include: New York's WNBC, Los Angeles' KNBC, Chicago's WMAQ, Dallas's KXAS, San Francisco's KNTV, San Diego's KNSD, and Hartford's WVIT.

"With the increasing success of our show "America's Court with Judge Ross" we are extremely proud to have Gloria Allred join our family and further demonstrate Entertainment Studios' unwavering commitment to be the number one provider of quality television content," said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios.

"Quite often a Gloria Allred case is the lead story on the news across the nation. Gloria Allred is the perfect judge to be on a television court show which can serve as the ultimate news lead-in," said Allen. "In addition to being a lawyer, she is a great communicator with a heart. Viewers are drawn to her because they know she will be fearless, informative, and entertaining."

(Byron Allen on set with America's Court Judge Kevin Ross)

A former stand-up comedian who opened for acts including the legendary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., Byron Allen, 50, has transformed a business started by he and his mother, Carolyn Folks, into an entertainment powerhouse. Founded in 1993, Entertainment Studios produces, distributes, and sells advertising for all its programs, making it the largest independent producer and distributor of first-run syndicated programming for broadcast television stations.

With offices in New York, Chicago, and Raleigh, the Los Angeles based company is also owner of seven 24-hour HD television networks. The latest of which is LEGACY.TV, a network that will be exclusively devoted to celebrating African American excellence.

Entertainment Studios entrance into the competitive daytime syndication arena began in 2010 with "America's Court with Judge Ross," featuring former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Ross. Ross also serves as a producer on the daily strip, entering its second season in additional U.S. and global markets beginning Monday, September 19, 2011.

In several cities, "We The People" will debut alongside "America's Court" as a solid viewing block of court, joining such mainstays as Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown and The People's Court.

Billboard Music Awards 2011 - Don't Know If All Girls Run The World, But Beyonce Sure Does!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:59:00 +0000

Writer Janet Mock Knows The Words To Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" All Too Well - She Lived It!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Sun, 22 May 2011 18:23:00 +0000

People Magazine editor Janet Mock had a secret that finally had to be shared with the world. After watching the video, what are your thoughts???

Remembering SNL's First Black Female Cast Member Danitra Vance

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:24:00 +0000

With Oprah Winfrey scheduled to pay tribute to the cast of Saturday Night Live in her final year on television, this clip of Lady O when she hosted SNL is making the rounds:

While the other sista in the skit only last one season, Danitra Vance was a gifted performer who made history as the first African American woman who joined the SNL line-up. Why Danitra? Well, see for yourself:

Here she is appearing alongside the talented Vickilyn Reynolds and legendary Ms. Loretta Devine, featured in the soon to be released Jumping The Broom:

Sadly, at the young age of 40, Danitra lost her courageous battle with cancer in 1994 (fellow SNL alum Gilda Ratner also passed away from cancer).

Thank you Ms. Vance for the work you left behind. Job well done!

Detroit's Collapse Is Speaking Volumns About The State of African Americans & The US As A Whole!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:59:00 +0000

Imagine for a moment that every single person living in the city of San Jose, Calif., plus an additional 150,000 or so, just up and left. Vanished. Poof. Gone. Leaving their homes, business buildings and factories behind.

That is, in effect, what has happened to the city of Detroit, according to 2010 U.S. Census data. The city that boasted 1.8 million residents in 1950, and was the nation's economic engine for most of the 20th century, now is home to 714,000 people, a population loss of 1.1 million - with a 25 percent drop in the last decade alone.

Video: Detroit Is Dying

It's an unprecedented collapse of a major American city. It's not as if the population was dropping nationwide; it's going up. Just not in Detroit. It's closest "outmigration" rival is Chicago, a five-hour drive to the west, which has lost about 964,000 people since 1950 but still holds about 2.7 million people, down 25 percent from its peak of 3.62 million in 1950.

Blacks Are Leaving Major Cities In Droves, Headed South

In Detroit, the loss amounts to a staggering 60 percent of the city's peak population. It is now smaller than Charlotte, N.C., and Fort Worth. More people have left Detroit than live in San Francisco; more people have left in the last decade than live in St. Petersburg, Fla. If a similar collapse happened to San Francisco or San Diego or Denver or Dallas, there would be national cries for intervention. Detroit we treat like a crash on the freeway: something to gawk at, then forget while we blame auto executives - the driver - for their follies and ignore the injured passengers.

The collapse of Detroit has roots in intentional de-industrialization by the Big Three automakers, which in the 1950s began aggressively spider-webbing operations across the nation to produce cars closer to regional markets, and to reduce labor costs by investing in less labor-friendly places than union-heavy Detroit.

Racism plays a significant role too. Detroit's white flight exploded in the 1950s and '60s, after courts struck down local and federal policies that had allowed segregated housing. That was followed by middle-class flight as crime endemic to high-poverty, high-unemployment neighborhoods began spreading. As people of all races have fled the city, its vast socioeconomic problems become even more distilled, more pronounced.

Disgraced Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Doesn't Get It

One in three Detroiters, triple the national rate, lived below the federal poverty line in 2007 - before the economic crisis and auto industry bankruptcies and bailouts - making Detroit the poorest of the nation's big cities. Detroit's per capita 2009 income was estimated at $15,310, compared with a national rate of $27,041. And that was when the population was estimated to be more than 900,000.

As a nation, and as a mature society, what are we going to do about Detroit?

Source

New Report Finds More African Americans Using Self-Created Blogs & Digital Content, Social Networking For News & Information

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:53:00 +0000

Higher Percentage Of Blacks Rely on Television News

"African Americans are more likely to have created their own web content — by blogging, microblogging and social networking — than whites or Hispanics," according to the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism's State of the News Media 2011 report.

As sites like The Grio, MediaTakeOut, Black Report, EUR Web and Field Negro have demonstrated, "Almost a quarter (22%) of blacks created or worked on their own online journal or blog, compared to 14% for whites and 13% for Hispanics. African Americans also use social or professional online networking sites in greater proportions than whites. In May 2010, some 71% of African Americans said they used online networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, compared with 58% of whites."

In another finding, "An overwhelming 86% of African Americans turn to TV for most of their news, compared to 64% of white respondents and 66% of Hispanics. Most African American media outlets either began or planned to upgrade their digital enterprises in an effort to reach new audiences. But beyond that, it was a mixed year for the sector," the report said.

Among other findings:

The digital divide between whites and other ethnic groups is narrowing. A number of different indicators show African Americans and Hispanics turning to the internet in higher percentages than in years past.

Despite its popularity, most African Americans do not use radio to receive news. Only 9% of African Americans used radio to get most of their news, according to a December 2010 Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey. Twice as many whites (18%) got most of their news from the radio and 12% of Hispanics did the same."

"An estimated 71% of African Americans use the internet, according to a Pew Internet & American Life survey conducted in May 2010. This still trails whites (80%) and Hispanics (82%), but closes the gap more. . . . data show young African Americans’ time spent on the internet has almost caught up to time watching television."

Source

LA Radio Personality Isidra Person-Lynn Interviews Judge Ross of America's Court & Rev. Mark Whitlock on New Show 'Sunday Morning Live!'

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Listen to Sunday Morning Live on Blogtalkradio!

Hosted by Isidra Person Lynn

1st Time Marathon Runner Markos Geneti From Ethiopa Battles Rain, Makes History at 2011 LA Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:31:00 +0000

Fellow Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba Takes Top Spot For Women

Rookie marathoner Markos Geneti took advantage of cold and wet conditions to win the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon, shattering the course record by crossing the finish line at 2 hours, 6 minutes and 35 seconds.

Born in Ethiopa, this was the 26-year-old's first competitive run. Although Geneti wasn't used to racing in the rain and had a pain in his stomach, it didn't stop him from recording the best time in event history.

Confounding marathon commentators with a blistering pace throughout the entire 26.2 mile race, the so-called media experts opined that the course from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier could not generate such a fast time.

Geneti nevertheless finished 2:51 ahead of second place Nicolas Kamakya of Kenya -- the second largest margin of victory in marathon history -- and 6:37 ahead of third place Laban Moiben of Kenya. When the sinewy black man plowed through shin-deep puddles to break the race record by almost two minutes, he actually surprised himself.

"I was hoping to run 2:07:30," he said, through an interpreter. "But I ran a minute faster."

Geneti not only triumphed, he crossed the finish line with the second-fastest time in the world this year and the fastest time in California history. "My muscles are a little sore," he said.

It's only a matter of time before the endorsements start coming and he becomes a household name.

The women's division was captured by Buzunesh Deba, 23, who landed in the top spot with a time of 2:26:35. Also hailing from Ethiopia, Deba has been making quite a name for herself as she continues to rack up impressive victories. This marks her seventh marathon win in the nine races she has entered.

The male and female winners each won $25,000 and a 2011 Honda Insight. Geneti also won $100,000 for being the first runner -- male or female -- to cross the finish line. The women were given a head start of 17:03 to even the field.

Smiling broadly, Geneti said he plans to invest his earnings in a school in Addis Adaba. "If I train better," he said. "I can improve."

Quickie: Are Current Gas Prices Really That Outrageous? You Betcha!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:36:00 +0000

This week gas. Next week, maybe my family can afford groceries! SMH!!!

Smooth Hip-Hop Singer and Rapper Nate Dogg Dead At 41

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:46:00 +0000

Popular Long Beach, California Native Attended School with Snoop

US hip-hop star Nate Dogg, who worked with Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Eminem, has died at the age of 41. His lawyer, Mark Geragos, said the singer died as a result of complications from two strokes he suffered in recent years.

Snoop Dogg paid tribute to a "true legend of hip-hop and R&B".

Nate Dogg, real name Nathaniel Hale, sang on Warren G's hit Regulate as well as tracks by Dr Dre, 50 Cent and Ludacris. On Twitter, Snoop Dogg said Nate Dogg was "one of my best friends and a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at Poly High where we met".

Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Warren G began their careers in a rap trio in Long Beach called 213 in the early 1990s. Nate Dogg went on to feature on such hits as 50 Cent's 21 Questions, Eminem's Shake That and Area Codes by Ludacris.

Ludacris tweeted: "There is a certain void in hip-hop's heart that can never be filled. Glad we got to make history together."

His manager Rod McGrew tells TMZ that Nate Dogg’s life came to an unexpected end despite the progress he had made. He was “95% recovered from the first stroke in 2007” when a second stroke struck in 2008, rendering him partially paralyzed and causing partial memory loss. Up until his death, he had “cognitively fully recovered,” meaning that he had become completely aware and got his memory back.

McGrew spoke on behalf of Nate Dogg’s family and thanked fans for the overwhelming support. “We appreciate the enormous outpouring of response from all over the world. We greatly appreciate that and thank everyone for their prayers and support,” read the statement. “We know that Nate will be hanging out with his good friends 2Pac and Biggie.”

Black Women Fighting Over NBA Ballers - Tami, Evelyn & "Basketball Wives" Series Takes Sisterhood To A New Low!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 23:36:00 +0000

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

After watching some of these "ladies" degrade themselves just to be reality television stars, now read this below:

Melanie White Is Determined To Be Married By 50!

The 44-year-old bank teller and mother of two has already given her long-distance boyfriend of three years the ultimatum - get married or move on.

"I'm almost at that half-a century mark. I'm wondering if I will I ever get married," said White. "All I can do is pray about it and put it in God's hands."

For White, who still considers herself to be single, the marriage will be her first, if it does come to fruition.

White is just one of a growing number of black women who are over 30 and still single.

A recent Yale study found 42 percent of African-American women remain unmarried, compared to only 23 percent of Caucasian women.

Deborrah Cooper, a relationship and dating advice columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, recently made claims on her popular blog, SurvivingDating.com, that predominantly black protestant churches, such as African Methodist, Pentecostal, and certain denominations of Evangelical and Baptist churches account for why so many black women are still single.

As you keep reading this article, ask yourself this question. Do shows like Basketball Wives do as much damage, if not more, to African American women than the church pews?

Hmmmmm...

Never Mind Charlie Sheen Getting Fired, Why Are The Academy Awards So Anti-Diversity?

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 03:07:00 +0000

(The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's Board of Governors)

Oscar Still Isn't Ready For It's Close-up

Dear Governors,

A picture speaks a thousand words and the photos on your website of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's Board of Governors makes it clear that the leadership of the most prestigious award in the world of film, the Oscar, is not reflective of the world wide audience it serves and certainly not the United States of America.

There are 43 photos of the Governors for 2010-2011.[1] Only 6 of these are women. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, women are more than 50% of the U.S. population.[2] Why are women only 14% of your board? Minorities now comprise 35% of the population, yet there is no minority representation on your board. Specifically, African Americans are 12.4% of the population and 0% of your board. And, Hispanics/Latinos represent 15.8% of the population yet 0% of your board.

Every news organization has been forecasting the fact that the minority population is going to bypass the white population by 2050. Even Nielsen Media Research is predicting a shift in the film and television market as the population becomes more multi-ethnic. According to Nielsen, more than half of families with children are expected to be multi-cultural by 2025. By 2050, that number is anticipated to be greater than 60 percent.[3]

Why are you ignoring the reality?

Continue...

Hey Hollywood, Where Are The Young Black Leading Men?

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 03:53:00 +0000

BROTHERS IN SHOW BUSINESS - THE NEXT GENERATION

Shortly after the Oscars ended Sunday, Samuel L. Jackson sent an e-mail to a Times reporter wondering why no black men had been chosen to present awards on the film world's biggest stage.

"It's obvious there's not ONE Black male actor in Hollywood that's able to read a teleprompter, or that's 'hip enuf,' for the new academy demographic!" Jackson wrote. "In the Hollywood I saw tonite, I don't exist nor does Denzel, Eddie, Will, Jamie, or even a young comer like Anthony Mackie!"

Jackson may be on to something, at least when it comes to the young comers.

There is still a sizable number of black actors in Hollywood with box-office clout and meaty roles, a point that will be underscored when the NAACP hands out its annual Image Awards in Los Angeles Friday night. Will Smith is the biggest movie star in the world, a title he's held now for several years, and Denzel Washington remains at the peak of his box-office powers.

But most of the prominent male black stars sit on the other side of 40. The best known of the next generation -- say, Derek Luke (36), Chiwetel Eijofor (33), Idris Elba (39) and Mackie (31) -- are not only less influential, they're not nearly as popular in their 30s as the previous crop was at their age. (Washington, for instance, had already won an Oscar and made "Glory," "Malcolm X" and "Philadelphia" before he hit the big 4-0.)

That's not because any of these actors aren't capable of pulling off a "Malcolm X" or a "Philadelphia," of course. It's because they're not given the chance. Mackie has one of the more substantive studio roles for a younger black actor in a while as Matt Damon's guardian angel in this weekend's "The Adjustment Bureau." But it's hardly the role of a lifetime.

"It's frustrating that the movies I want to make I haven't been able to make," Mackie told 24 Frames. "Orlando Bloom was given 15 opportunities after 'Lord of the Rings.' Black men are given no opportunities."

Race in Hollywood is a subject close to Mackie's heart. He's studiously avoided the "Who's Your Caddys" and "Big Momma's Houses" of the film world, going instead to indies such as "The Hurt Locker" and, almost as frequently, to the stage.

"In the early 1990's, every black actor you know now was starting out and making movies. They were making more movies under Daddy Bush than we are under Obama, which is ridiculous," Mackie said.

Keep reading...

Writer/Director Michael Ajakwe's 2nd Annual Web Series Festival To Honor America's Court Judge Kevin Ross and Jean-Michel Albert

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0000

(Kevin Ross, Michael Ajakwe and Jean-Michel Albert)

LAWEBFEST Selections to Screen in South of France; 2011 Honorees Named

LAWEBFEST, the only all-web series festival in the world, is honoring Kevin Ross, host of tv's "America's Court with Judge Ross", with the Social Media Award for his efforts at educating the public, especially minority communities, on digital issues affecting them though his 3BAAS Media internet marketing firm and online column.

“Receiving this honor affirms what I believe to be absolutely true – in order to achieve success as each of us individually defines it, you must do what you love,” Ross said. “I’m fortunate that my passion for new media has lead to the creation of a business and me hosting my own television court show.”

Created in 2010 by veteran Emmy-winning tv producer and NAACP Award-winning playwright Michael Ajakwe, Jr., the Los Angeles Web Series Festival is the industry (and world's) first all-web series festival honoring serialized shows created for the Internet. The goal of the three-day festival is to celebrate web shows by bringing creators, producers, directors, actors and technicians together under one roof.

In addition to Ross, Jean-Michel Albert-- founder of Europe's first all-web series festival-- will be honored with the festival's “Envisioneer Award” for his efforts at organizing the first all-web series festival in Europe. Additionally, Albert is awarding 6 LAWEBFEST entries with an all-expense paid trip to Europe in October to showcase their web series to an international audience at the Marseille Webfest.

“The web series is a global phenomena and our partnership with Europe's first web series festival is just the beginning,” said LAWEBFEST Founder and Executive Director Michael Ajakwe Jr. "This year, we're thrilled that we can offer a handful of LAWEBFEST entries an opportunity to expose their wonderful shows to a European audience... Building a sense of community is one of our main goals and we have a great partner in producer Jean-Michel Albert.”

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award from another pioneer in the web series industry,” Albert declared.

Los Angeles Web Series Festival takes place March 25-27 at the Stage 52 Theatre in Los Angeles. The Marseille Webfest in Marseille, France is being spear-headed by the Paris and Marseille-based tv, film and web series producer October 14-16 2011. Last year, when the city of Marseille expressed an interest in hosting a web series festival Albert-- who was chosen to lead those efforts-- reached across the Atlantic ocean to Ajakwe.

Other festival honorees include "Maverick Award" recipient Scott Rice, whose award winning parody series “Script Cops” drew the attention of Sony Digital after it received over a million hits. The "Groundbreaker Award" will go to Hayden Black, an innovative English online media producer whose "Goodnight, Burbank" is the first web series adapted into a half-hour comedy made specifically for the web.

Festival organizers this year have seen a dramatic rise in entries and expect the number of screenings to double. Thus far, 50 web series have been selected from nearly 200 submissions. These entries hail from 19 different states and 8 foreign countries.

QUICKIE: As Black History Month Comes To An End, Words of Wisdom From A Woman On A Mission

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:00:00 +0000

I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand
more if only they knew they were slaves.

~Harriet Tubman

Celebrated Morehouse College Glee Club Brings 100 Years of Its History To Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:09:00 +0000

Halfway through rehearsal, the basses got an earful.

"Your start is too aggressive! Like boom, boom, flap, flap, upside the head," conductor David Morrow shouted Sunday from a dark spot offstage in Club Nokia at L.A. Live. "It's not about the volume, it's about the quality."

And with that, the Morehouse College Glee Club — the world-renowned, historically black, all-male choir that has sung at the Olympics, the Super Bowl and the funeral of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. — humbly cleared their throats and gave perfection another try.

The group was to perform its 100-year celebration concert to a sold-out audience in just a few hours. Among the songs they'd rehearsed for the occasion had the lyrics: "Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born can do it better."

Judging by the way the young men locked focus on Morrow — on his hands, on his eyes, on his faintest muttering and slightest facial expression — their aim was precisely that.

With a repertoire that encompasses spirituals, adapted operas and the work of contemporary composers, the Morehouse glee club has stayed in demand year after year, performing on national and international tours. It has become the principal ambassador of Morehouse, the prestigious, historically black, all-male college in Atlanta.

Now, if only they could get people to quit comparing them to "Glee," the television hit about a group of misfit teenagers who dance and sing in a high school choir. Ever since the show started airing in 2009, audiences have expected the Morehouse group to deliver jazzy, over-the-top musical routines.

"I get asked a lot, 'Who's your choreographer?,'" Morrow said. "And I say, 'What?' We only have one number where we move."

Still, the Morehouse glee club doesn't lack style: The men wear sharp suits even on plane flights, and they walk onstage with short, brisk steps.

Then there's its tight-knit history. Since its formation in 1911, the club has had only three official directors (Morrow is the latest). Each was taught by his predecessor.

Around their Atlanta stamping grounds, the men are a high-profile bunch.

"You come to expect that each time you see them walking across campus in their full regalia, something big is about to happen," said Darnell Holcomb, president of the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Morehouse alumni association.

Joining the choir, senior baritone Justin Shaw said, is not nearly as difficult as staying in it. There are four rehearsals a week, and the tour schedule is demanding. Some students quit within weeks of joining. Those who remain hold fast to the club's motto, which is repeated after every rehearsal: "The Morehouse College Glee Club is an eminent expression of brotherhood, a united force of dedication and commitment, and an unselfish labor of love."

"It's very much, 'no pain, no gain,'" Shaw said. "But those who commit are fully committed."

A good number of the songs they perform were born in slavery. Their writers are mostly unknown, but their messages of desperation, hope and survival continue to resonate.

Keep reading...

The 83rd Academy Awards Were Horrible, Thank God For Black Women Who Brought Their Fashion "A" Game

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:16:00 +0000

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it"
~ Lena Horne

Other than Oscar winner Melissa Leo's F-bomb during her acceptance speech for winning Best-Supporting Actress for her role in the film "The Fighter", this year's Academy Awards was a uninspiring snooze fest.

With a dearth of diversity that was accurately predicted months ago, these African American performers and journalists pictured below at least provided us something to smile about.

Access Hollywood's Shaun Robinson

Good Morning America's Robin Roberts

Oscar and Grammy Award winning actress/singer Jennifer Hudson

First Woman of Color To Win For Best Actress Halle Berry

Halle Berry, Jennifer Hudson, Robin Roberts and Shaun Robinson gave the 2011 Oscars some much needed color! These women, along with Oprah Winfrey (whose new OWN network is struggling), represented African Americans well.

The touching tribute the Academy did for the legendary Lena Horne, however, gave some redemption to what was otherwise a dreadful telecast that many believe was the worst ceremony ever!

Former Daytime Talk Show Host Rolonda Watts Goes For The Funny on TVOne's Love That Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 19:52:00 +0000

A journalist, talk show host, actor, producer, writer, and voice-over talent, Rolonda Watts epitomizes what is means to "Rise & Grind" in order to stay relevant in the business of show. Follow Rolonda On Twitter.

Black History Month Celebrations Kick Off In LA With The Kinsey Collection!

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:32:00 +0000

'What You Didn't Learn In High School' Comes To The Ebony!

On Saturday February 5th at 8pm, join us for a spectacular Southern California evening of inspiration as world renowned art collectors and philanthropists Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, along with their special guests, take you through the African American experience in a unique and engaging way.

The Kinsey's "What You Didn't Learn In High School History" will include performances by talented actress Cassandra Freeman (The Inside Man) and Danny "Coco" Brown, followed by a scrumptious champagne and dessert reception immediately after this 2nd Annual Los Angeles cultural gathering.

If you missed attending last year, please take a peak at the 2010 photos now on Facebook that were taken to see that this is no ordinary celebration.

Tickets are going fast so get your now at the Ebony Repertory Theater's Website.

See you there! And make sure you visit The Kinsey Collection, currently on display at The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

Byron Allen Tells Gloria Allred, “I’ll See You In Court!”

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:52:00 +0000

Entertainment Studios is adding to their syndicated roster famed attorney Gloria Allred in what will certainly be daytime television’s most anticipated court show, "We The People with Gloria Allred."

A founding partner of the law firm Allred, Maroko, & Goldberg, the legal heavyweight will preside over outrageous small claims disputes between aggrieved parties. "I've always been passionate about the law, and I'm very excited about this show. I am fully committed to making 'We The People' a huge success," said Allred, who has also indicated that she intends to continue practicing law while she's not on the bench. Here's Saturday Night Live's take on the woman famous for her red St. John's suits:

Having been involved in some of the most controversial cases of our day, including O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson and Tiger Woods, Allred is sure to have fans and critics alike tuning in. "It is unprecedented to have the biggest name in law come to television and be a part of one of its most successful genres – the television court show," said Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Entertainment Studios. "With the increasing success of our show "America's Court with Judge Ross" we are extremely proud to have Ms. Allred join our family and further demonstrate Entertainment Studios' unwavering commitment to be the number one provider of quality television content."

'We The People', Entertainment Studios 28^th and newest HD television program, further cements Byron Allen's position as being one of very few independent entertainment companies run and controlled by African Americans. In the Obama era, black celebrities with entrepreneurial acumen such as Will Smith, Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Foxx, and Queen Latifah are showing Hollywood once again that in the business of show, it’s all about the green!

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

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:59:00 +0000

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.

More...

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.

Continue...

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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Former Compton City Councilman Maxcy Filer, Persistent Tackler of The California Bar Exam, Dies at 80

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:17:00 +0000

Never Give Up!

Maxcy D. Filer, a former African American attorney and civic leader in Compton, California who gained nationwide headlines when he passed the State Bar examination after 48 tries, died yesterday at his Compton home.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kelvin Filer said his father, 80 years of age, died in his sleep around 8:30 a.m. The cause of death was not determined, but the elder Filer had been in ill health for a few years, the judge said.

Maxcy Filer was a councilman there from 1976 to 1991, having previously served as a planning commissioner.

Kelvin Filer was in third grade when his father, who attended law school at Van Norman University at night while working by day, made his first stab at the bar examination. By the time he passed the test in 1991, Kelvin and his brother Anthony Filer—now an attorney at Community Legal Services in Norwalk—were both lawyers.

Born in Mariana, Ark., according to an online biography, Filer served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1949 before attending Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College, now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

He later moved to Indiana where he married Blondell Burson of Elkhart. He and his wife were activists in the civil rights movement, initiating voter registration drives and later serving as president of the Compton NAACP during the events of 1965 that became known as the Watts Rebellion.

But he will always be remembered, his son said, as the man who would never give up trying to become a licensed attorney.

Kelvin Flier explained:

“He always said: ‘In order to become a lawyer, you have to pass the California bar examination. In order to pass the California bar examination, you have to take the California bar examination.’”

The judge said he hopes to pass to his own children and grandchildren the lesson that “you never give up pursuing your dream.”

Choking back tears, the judge said his greatest memory of his father, who worked for his sons as a paralegal before being admitted himself, will be of “watching him walk across the street to the courthouse with his briefcase in order to practice law.”

Maxcy Filer was sworn in to the State Bar on June 6, 1991 at a new admittee ceremony that included the presentation of a special pin by then-Board of Governors member—now State Bar Court Judge—Robert M. Talcott. In a speech to the new members on behalf of the State Bar, Talcott identified the qualities a lawyer must have.

He then went on to say:

“Three of these characteristics are personified by Maxcy Filer—persistence, persistence, and persistence.”

His story has been included in books and magazine articles and was profiled in People magazine. He practiced with Kelvin Filer in Compton until his son was named a commissioner of the now-defunct Compton Municipal Court.

Filer stayed on as a sole practitioner until a few years ago, when he began having health problems that prevented him from fulfilling his responsibilities, Kelvin Filer said. He accepted probation in 2005 for failing to perform competently in a dissolution case and ceased his practice when was suspended in 2007 for failing to pass the professional ethics examination.

Besides his wife Blondell Filer and sons Kelvin and Anthony Filer, he is survived by daughters Maxine McFarland, Stephanie Hoxey, and Tracy Filer and sons Duane and Dennis Filer, along with 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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African Americans Discuss Their Online Media Strategy On Black Enterprise's Our World

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:52:00 +0000

Daytime Legal Show 'America's Court With Judge Ross' Renewed for Two More Seasons

noreply@blogger.com (3BAAS Media Group) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:21:00 +0000

Kevin "Boss" Ross, Deputy Thomas Upgraded In Chicago

With the NATPE (National Association of Television Program Executives) convention just weeks away in Miami, Florida, Entertainment Studios has officially extended its first-run court strip, 'America's Court with Judge Ross', through the 2012-13 television season.

Station groups having already re-upped include Acme, Barrington, Belo, Comp Corp., Cox, Gannett, Hubbard, Journal, LIN, Media General, Meredith, Mission, Newport, Nexstar, Raycom, Roberts, Sinclair, Tribune, Weigel and Young.

Former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin A. Ross presides over America's Court and serves as one of the show's producers. Sergeant Bruce Thomas of the LA County Sheriff's Department appears as the no-nonsense court bailiff.

America's Court Facebook Fan Page

The daily program, which premiered this fall in syndication and on Entertainment Studios' HD cable networks, airs on stations in back-to-back thirty minute blocks. Founded by comedian Byron Allen, Entertainment Studios' shows also run on the company's six high-definition cable networks, which air on Verizon FiOS TV's systems.

Earlier this month, Entertainment Studios said it had renewed that carriage deal for a multi-year term.

Follow America's Court on Twitter!

And on Chicago television station WCIU The U, America's Court has been upgraded to 8:30am in response to large numbers of viewers tuning in at 3:00am to watch Judge "Boss" Ross administer his unique brand of justice.

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