Orange Mound Collaborative

NAACP Update

Feb 25, 2000

NAACP Reaches Agreement with Television Network

The November/December issue of the Orange Mound Connection featured an article about the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), preparing for a boycott of the television networks. Since then NAACP president, Kweisi Mfume and Patricia D. Fili-Kruschell (President, ABC Television Network) have announced an agreement to adopt a series of initiatives to increase opportunities for people of color in all network operations. On January 7, 2000 the NAACP issued a press release outlining the agreement reached with ABC.

Under the terms of the agreement, ABC will create grants to discover and support new writing and direction talent and take other steps to expand the pool of available candidates for network on air positions, program production, casting, promotion, professional services and procurement.

Within the next six months, ABC will make grants to minority individuals to discover and support new writing and directing talent. The network will also establish grants to people of color in universities and acting schools to increase the pool of actors available for all ABC programs.

ABC said it would expand the purchase of commercial times for programming in minority media and relationships with minority owned media companies. The ABC Entertainment Division will require casting executives to meet, audition and consider for diverse actors for all programs. Each ABC division will be required to devise an outreach plan that includes establishing a working relationship with at lease one minority professional association and recruit at least one university event targeted to expand the pool of available minority applicants. The fulfillment of diversity responsibilities by each division will be considered in determining management bonuses.

Earlier that week, Mfume and NBC President Bob Wright announced a similar agreement to adopt goals and timetables to increase opportunities for people of color at the television network. Wright stated, " NBC is committed to making sure that equal opportunities exist for all including African-Americans, Latino Americans, Asian-Americans and Native Americans. We have always felt that it is in our best interest from a human and a business perspective ?– to place a high priority on diversity." The NBC agreement included specific time frames and amounts like the agreement to increase the amount of products and/or services from minority-owned businesses by 100% within the next 6 months.

On January 1, 2000, the NAACP began boycotting the South Carolina tourism industry to force the state to stop flying the Confederate battle flag over its Capitol. The NAACP wants its members and supporters to postpone or relocate any conference, vacation or other activities in South Carolina until the flag is removed from the Statehouse and within the House and Senate Chambers. Since the economic sanctions began, organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the national Governor's Association have relocated or canceled events scheduled for South Carolina.

Previous attempts to remove the Confederate insignia have been rejected by South Carolina legislators who have the sole power over placement of the flag. South Carolina is the only state to fly the Confederate flag over its Statehouse. However, Mississippi and Georgia have incorporated the Confederate flag into their state flags.