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Black press missing from stimulus list, NNPA says
Hazel Trice-Edney/NNPA Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 6/28/09 Section: Politics
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - U. S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, is pressing the White House and the president's cabinet on the apparent void in federal government advertising in Black-owned newspapers and radio.
CBC spokesman Jioni Palmer says the CBC anticipates more exchange on the issue in coming weeks as all White House cabinet secretaries have been sent copies of CBC letters on the issue.
The dialog started April 23 when National Newspaper Publishers Association Chairman John B. Smith, Sr. sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel; President Obama's Special Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Lee. Smith's letter asked why the Black press is not benefitting from economic stimulus dollars to help disseminate information to the Black community on how to apply for and use the $787 billion in economic stimulus money.
A story, partially prompted by the letter, was written by Wilmington Journal reporter Cash Michaels and syndicated by the NNPA News Service on April 27.
Lee then followed up with a May 13 letter to Vice President Joseph Biden, who oversees the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the formal name for the President's stimulus activity. Lee followed up with another letter to Timothy Geithner, secretary of the U. S. Treasury. Both letters were released to the NNPA News Service last week.
"We write to bring to your attention the general concern among African-American newspapers and radio station owners that they are not being given a fair opportunity to compete for federal advertising dollars," Lee and CBC leaders wrote to Biden. "Specifically, we seek your commitment that Black-owned media outlets are receiving their fair share of advertising dollars in conjunction with the various activities associated with the disbursement of federal dollars."
The letter further states, "We seek your additional commitment that Black-owned media are being utilized by the federal government as it distributes the $787 billion recovery package. Additionally, we seek the same assurance when it comes to entities receiving money from the federal government. We request a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter in detail."
CBC spokesman Jioni Palmer says the CBC anticipates more exchange on the issue in coming weeks as all White House cabinet secretaries have been sent copies of CBC letters on the issue.
The dialog started April 23 when National Newspaper Publishers Association Chairman John B. Smith, Sr. sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel; President Obama's Special Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Lee. Smith's letter asked why the Black press is not benefitting from economic stimulus dollars to help disseminate information to the Black community on how to apply for and use the $787 billion in economic stimulus money.
A story, partially prompted by the letter, was written by Wilmington Journal reporter Cash Michaels and syndicated by the NNPA News Service on April 27.
Lee then followed up with a May 13 letter to Vice President Joseph Biden, who oversees the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the formal name for the President's stimulus activity. Lee followed up with another letter to Timothy Geithner, secretary of the U. S. Treasury. Both letters were released to the NNPA News Service last week.
"We write to bring to your attention the general concern among African-American newspapers and radio station owners that they are not being given a fair opportunity to compete for federal advertising dollars," Lee and CBC leaders wrote to Biden. "Specifically, we seek your commitment that Black-owned media outlets are receiving their fair share of advertising dollars in conjunction with the various activities associated with the disbursement of federal dollars."
The letter further states, "We seek your additional commitment that Black-owned media are being utilized by the federal government as it distributes the $787 billion recovery package. Additionally, we seek the same assurance when it comes to entities receiving money from the federal government. We request a meeting with you at your earliest convenience to discuss this matter in detail."
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