OWN-Oprah Winfrey Network: Update

Jamila Hunter Tapped to Head Programming at OWN
by Black Talent News

Former NBC programming exec Jamila Hunter (pictured left) has joined The Oprah Winfrey Network as head of programming. Hunter, who officially starts June 10, fills the void left by the departure earlier this year of Robin Schwart had been overseeing programming at the channel. A joint venture between Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN is set to launch next year in more than 70 million homes on what is currently Discovery Health.

"Jamila shares my passion for programming that breaks new ground and speaks to audiences in new ways," OWN chief executive Christina Norman said in a statement. “She has the perfect blend of experience to lead the development and creation of unique and innovative non-fiction programming worthy of our aspirations.”

Hunter was previously senior vice president of alternative and digital programming at NBC, where she worked on Jerry Seinfeld's upcoming "The Marriage Ref," this summer's "Great American Road Trip" and the adaptation of the BBC's "Have I Got News for You." She also worked on the "Fear Factor" and "The Apprentice" and helped relaunch Bravo after NBC acquired it. Before that, she was VP of comedy development ar 20th Century Fox TV.

Spike Lee - The 'Black Enterprise' Press Release 2009

Famed Director Spike Lee Goes One-on-One with Award-Winning Journalist Ed Gordon to Deliver a No-Holds-Barred Interview on Movies, Politics, Black Genocide, Stereotypes, and Tyler Perry

Thu May 28, 2009 3:37pm EDT

NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
On this weekend`s special edition of Our World With Black Enterprise,
award-winning director Spike Lee sits down for an interview with host Ed Gordon
for a no holds barred interview rife with the artist`s trademark frankness.
Taped live at the 14th annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference, Lee
takes no prisoners, tackling being labeled controversial, discussing his concern
about the image of blacks in the media, and weighing in with his thoughts on
contemporaries John Singleton and Tyler Perry.

Our World with Black Enterprise will air its exclusive interview with Spike Lee
on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31 on syndicated stations across the
country. Highlights include:

On his films being labeled "controversial":

I think journalists are lazy-how do you define people with one word? The subject
matters we`ve done in my films-I don`t think they are controversial. I don`t
think racism is controversial, it`s thought provoking. If you look at how we
dealt with that in Do The Right Thing, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X [etc.]. I don`t
think School Daze was controversial. We looked at what I feel are the
superficial differences that keep us from being a more unified
people.Superficial differences based on skin complexion, hair texture,
class-that type of stuff. That`s not controversial.

On his films becoming a part of people`s lives:

It`s great.Many people have told me over the years that they ended up going to a
historically black college because of School Daze and they never listened to
jazz before Mo` Better Blues or Do The Right Thing. Barack took Michelle to see
Do The Right Thing. That was their first date, so it`s good to hear that sort of
thing ... that`s President Barack and the First Lady, Michelle (laughter).

On the difficulty he has funding movies:

I still think that with material that is deeply rooted in African American
history, it`s harder to get that stuff made. I have a trilogy of black biopics
that I have yet to get funded-Jackie Robinson, another one on Joe Louis, then
most recently James Brown-I want Wesley Snipes to play James Brown. We just
can`t get the financing for them. So we just have to be more creative and try
and get the money. Even with the last film, Miracle at St. Anna-the bulk of that
money came from Europe.

On the era of Blaxploitation movies:

I understood that a lot of actors were getting work, I understood that a lot of
people were getting experience behind the camera. But I don`t know why we were
glorifying drug dealers. It`s the same thing with this gangta rap-you know, the
glorification of "thuggery" and gangsters. ... These hip-hop guys boast how many
times they have seen Scarface.It`s crazy. It is really leading to our demise.

On stereotypical images of blacks in the media:

Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors but I still
think there is a lot of stuff out today that is "coonery" and buffoonery. I know
it`s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. ... I am
a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads
for these two shows (Tyler Perry`s Meet the Browns and House of Payne) and I am
scratching my head. ... We got a black President and we going back to Mantan
Moreland and Sleep `n` Eat?

On Tyler Perry and what the black consumer (really) wants to see:

We`ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made Boyz in the
Hood], people came out to see it. But when he did Rosewood, nobody showed up. So
a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet.You vote with
your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge
audience.We shouldn`t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that
I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would
make]. As African Americans, we`re not one monolithic group so there is room for
all of that.But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it
harkens back to Amos n` Andy.

On the election of a black President:

It was witnessing history.It was like being alive when Jackie Robinson
integrated baseball, when Joe Louis knocked out (Max) Schmeling-it was like
that. When Jackie Robinson played for the Dodgers, every African American in
this country was praying for him. When Joe Louis fought and won, black
communities-in Detroit, Harlem, Chicago-black communities from all over the
world would come out of the house after listening to Joe knock out those guys on
the radio ... and celebrate.With [President Obama`s victory] it was the same
thing!

On what black America must do after the Obama victory:

Now that Barack Hussein Obama has become the 44th president of the United
States, [some people want to act] like we`ve been delivered, like there is no
more racism, no more prejudice. That`s not the case at all.So we have to stay
vigilant. We live in a time where some young black men say they`re okay with the
fact that they might not live past 18 years old. Any time that young black men
think like that, you know something is wrong. We`re killing each other. It`s
genocide and a lot of it is fueled by many factors. But we have to stop it if we
are going to survive as a people.

Our World with Black Enterprise will air its exclusive interview with Spike Lee
on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, in major markets across the country,
including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Check your local listings
and visit www.blackenterprise.com/ourworld for additional time and station
information.


About Our World with Black Enterprise

Our World with Black Enterprise is a weekly, half hour television series that
spotlights the contemporary African American experience. Hosted by Emmy
Award-winning broadcast journalist Ed Gordon, the nationally syndicated program
features news, entertainment, roundtable discussions, and special interest
stories about African Americans from all walks of life. It debuted in September
2006. Visit www.blackenterprise.com/ourworld for show times, stations, and video
clips.



Black Enterprise
Andrew Wadium, 212-886-9598
wadiuma@blackenterprise.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

______________________________________________

CLICK the button to see all of our blog posts about SPIKE LEE

CW cancels two black sitcoms

The Game: Officially Not Returning To The CW
By Karu F. Daniels-Entertainment Weekly

Something some hope wouldn't have happened eventually did: 'The Game' will not be returning to The CW's fall line-up.

A roll-out of three year old network's new shows were unveiled May 21 at Madison Square Garden and the popular urban sitcom – created by 'Girlfriends' producer Mara Brock Akil -- didn't make the cut.

A groundswell of support via a grassroots Internet campaign didn't help the three-year old show, which revolved around the lives of professional football players and the women who loved them.

Starring Tia Mowry, Pooch Hall, Wendy Racquel Robinson, Kobe Bell, Hosea Chanchez and Brittany Daniel, (cast photo above) 'The Game' originated as a spin-off of the Kelsey Grammer-produced 'Girlfriends' and served as a launching pad for the network, which is helmed by Dawn Ostroff.

"In just three years, The CW has become TV to talk about, with culturally current, quality programming," Ostroff said in a statement. "We have a full slate of great programming to keep our viewers watching, chatting, texting and tweeting all next season."
Maybe some viewers.

The other African American-targeted sitcom 'Everybody Hates Chris' (cast photo left) won't be returning in the fall either.

The fifth broadcast television network will not program on Sunday nights and has cast aside all comedy in favor of scripted dramas with female appeal and 'America's Next Top Model.'

Mowry, one of the more recognizable stars of the show, was saddened by the news today and thanked her fans via her Facebook page. "Life is so funny. But what is in the dark ALWAYS come to light," she added after making mention of "pathological liars."

Chanchez commented on his: "I thank those of you who helped us to shine for three years. I'm sad but determined to continue to fly high and prosper."

Comedian in Chief

WASHINGTON — President Obama joked about celebrating the "10-day anniversary of my first 100 days in office" at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on Saturday (May 9).

"In the next 100 days, I will be so successful, I will be able to do them in 72," joked the president. "I will learn to go off the prompter, Joe Biden will learn to stay on the prompter."

Obama called his first 100 days a "whirlwind of activity. We enacted a major economic recovery package, we passed a budget, we forged a new path in Iraq. And no president in history has ever named three commerce secretaries this quickly."

The annual event, which draws a mix of journalists, celebrities and political figures, took over the Washington Hilton, where just months earlier Obama and wife Michelle danced to At Last at the Youth Inaugual Ball.

The celebrities included Ashton Kutcher and wife Demi Moore who attended as guests of CNN. It was a family affair for Kyra Sedgwick, who came with husband Kevin Bacon and daughter Sosie. "It's kind of a mob scene but I'm really enjoying my table. Unfortunately my husband is at the People magazine table but not unfortunately because he says he gets the award for the strangest name table: Ludacris, Sting, (Jon) Hamm and Bacon," said Sedgwick. "But I have a nice table. I'm enjoying talking to everybody. I'm thrilled to be here. It's a lot of fun."

"The craziness is positive," said Tyra Banks amidst the throngs of people. Banks spoke highly of the first lady: "She's my new role model."

After the dinner ended, the partying continued. Christian Slater, Eva Longoria Parker, Owen Wilson, Matthew Settle, Forest Whitaker and Ludacris stopped by the Capitol File after party at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Bloomberg and Vanity Fair, who typically hold seperate fetes, combined forces this year and held a reception at the home of French Ambassador Pierre Vimont. The smaller, intimate affair drew A-listers including Bon Jovi, Kate Walsh, Jason Wu, Amy Poehler, Hamm and Rashida Jones.

From USA Today. Edited by Dankwa Brooks. You can read the full article here

You can watch the president's speech...er jokes below.

The Wealthiest Black Americans 2009

Oprah Winfrey tops the inaugural Forbes list of the Wealthiest Black Americans, as recession cuts into the fortunes of others.

Matthew Miller, Forbes Magazine

Oprah Winfrey (Pictured left) is one of the most lucrative brands in the world. Today The Oprah Winfrey Show airs in 144 countries, drawing 44 million U.S. viewers each week. Her Harpo Productions helped create the likes of Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray. She's produced Broadway shows and has her own satellite radio channel. For all of this, she consistently earns more than $200 million a year.

And unlike many others on our list, her business is weathering the recession well. Winfrey continues to entice viewers with money-saving tips, celebrity interviews and relationship advice. She's debuting a new show this fall, which will be hosted by frequent guest Dr. Oz, and is planning to launch The Oprah Winfrey Network early next year.

With a net worth of $2.7 billion, Winfrey tops the inaugural Forbes list of the Wealthiest Black Americans. She is the only billionaire on the list of 20 tycoons, all of whom are self-made. The group built their fortunes across a spectrum of industries spanning athletics and entertainment, media, investments, real estate, construction and restaurants.

Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson became the first African American billionaire in 2000 after he sold the network to Viacom ( VIA - news - people ) for $3 billion in stock and assumed debt.

Between Winfrey and Robert Johnson, in second place is golf phenom Tiger Woods, worth an estimated $600 million. Woods left Stanford University after two years at age 20 to turn pro and has dominated the links ever since, winning 66 PGA tournaments--including 14 major championships.

Woods' career winnings exceed $80 million, but his real money is made off the course. His annual prize money represents less than 15% of his income, with splashy sponsorship contracts from Nike ( NKE - news - people ), Gatorade, Gillette, Accenture ( ACN - news - people ), AT&T ( T - news - people ) and others raking in at least $100 million each year.

Rounding out the top five are two basketball greats: Michael Jordan ($525 million) and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr. ($500 million), both of whom parlayed their time on the court into lucrative endorsement and business deals in retirement.

You can read the full article at Forbes.com here

In Pictures: The 20 Wealthiest Black Americans

Obama Movie Already?

HBO sets 2008 election film
'Game Change' to be published early next year
By MICHAEL FLEMING-Variety magazine

HBO Films has optioned "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime," an in-the-works Harper Collins book by political writers Mark Halperin and John Heilemann.

The pay network has hired "Blood Diamond" scribe Charles Leavitt to adapt the behind-the-scenes look at the 2008 presidential election from the perspective of the candidates and their respective camps.

Halperin is editor-at-large at Time magazine, and Heilemann is national political correspondent for New York magazine. They will be consultants for the film. The book will be published early next year.

Heilemann and Halperin have covered other presidential campaigns, but while returning from a John McCain event, they began musing that the larger-than-life characters in the 2008 election would lend themselves to a movie more than past candidates such as John Kerry, Al Gore or Bob Dole.

They decided to do a book that focused more on the characters than the pollsters and campaign teams. Heilemann knew Barack Obama from their Harvard days, Halperin had become acquainted with Sarah Palin, and they both knew Joe Biden, McCain and the Clintons.

"Focusing on those characters went to the essence of why this was the campaign of a lifetime, not just for the candidates, but for the country," Halperin said.

"It's funny to call Obama and Hillary characters, but that's how I have to look at them," Leavitt said. "To me, the primary was one of the greatest title fights of the century, and John and Mark have a treasure chest of anecdotes and inside stories. I think it will present itself almost like a stage play, like 'Frost/Nixon' or 'The Queen.' "

Read the full article at:http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002387.html

Sidney Poitier

SOCIAL STUDIES
(column Baltimore City Paper)

by Vincent Williams

February 6, 2008

United Artists did me a solid by releasing the 40th anniversary edition of In the Heat of the Night recently. I've been looking for an opening to rectify one of the great black cultural crimes of the 20th century: the way popular culture dismisses Sidney Poitier's contribution to film as important but, ultimately, only noteworthy for the historical moment that it represents. Taken out of this historical context, lots of people like to say that the actor was nonthreatening and, even worse, that he is mostly desexualized. Suffice it to say, I believe that Poitier has gotten a bad rap, and his work backs this up.

Poitier and his reputation are always lurking in the back of my mind, but Bob Johnson's infamous comments a couple of weeks ago brought it completely to the fore. Campaigning for Hillary Clinton, Johnson made some disparaging comments about Barack Obama that got major media attention. While everyone rightly honed in on the BET founder's implications about Obama's admitted past drug use, his dismissal of the Illinois senator as someone that wanted people to think he was harmless and nonthreatening, "like Sidney Poitier," didn't seem to jump out at people. All I know is that when a man who has done more to single-handedly disrupt, denigrate, and out and out destroy the Black Aesthetic than anyone else feels as though he can go in front of people and disrespect Poitier, well, it's pretty clear that we're all living in Crazytown.

This is especially true because, when the smoke clears, the root of any Poitier critique is that he speaks well and dresses well, and when there are white women around, he never really hooks up with them. For instance, some critics have dismissed Poitier's character in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, but, honestly, in 1967, I'm not sure what people expected. Yes, the "loving couple" of Poitier's Dr. Prentice and Katharine Houghton's Joey only kiss at the conclusion of the film, a kiss the audience sees in a rearview mirror, but the narrative that leads up to that kiss was more transgressive and revolutionary than any of the "Superbuck" sex scenes that so-called blaxploitation films shoveled into our consciousness a few years afterward.

And then there are the other two culprits critics always bring up with their "Sidney Poitier is nonthreatening/desexualized" argument: A Patch of Blue and my favorite early Poitier film, To Sir, With Love. Certainly, in both films there are white women to whom the narrative doesn't allow Poitier to be romantically attached, but I would argue that the devil is in the details. In A Patch of Blue, while Poitier and Elizabeth Hartman's characters never consummate their relationship, it's not because the former is emasculated. In fact, it's just the opposite, Hartman, a young, naive blind girl, awkwardly throws herself at Poitier for half of the movie. It is only because Poitier doesn't want to have sex that the duo don't. Yes, it can be argued that the narrative goes out of its way to keep the two apart, but, at the same time, the film certainly posits Poitier as a sexual being. Likewise, in To Sir, With Love, no less than three white women take turns throwing themselves at Poitier's character (a character who is framed as a black person so poised and well put together that his job is to civilize a class full of white students--obviously, a role that didn't challenge any notions of race), and he basically places himself above it all. Again, you could argue that this is just another contrivance keeping Poitier from white women, but, clearly, he is sexualized; Poitier is not playing one of the asexual roles that actors like Morgan Freeman have made a career out of. If '60s-era Poitier drove Miss Daisy, she'd spend the whole film trying to get into his pants.

And then there's arguably Poitier's most famous role, Virgil Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night. In director Norman Jewison's epic tale of an urban black detective butting heads with a rural white sheriff and the town he represents, Poitier absolutely seethes on the screen. Articulate, well-educated, and brilliant, Tibbs is one of the greatest creations in American film and perfectly embodies the post-civil rights movement definition of black manhood. In fact, when Tibbs is slapped by a member of the older white gentry and immediately slaps him back, the viewer can almost see the times changing right on screen. Sidney Poitier did nothing less than change the way in which people viewed black characters on screen, and, frankly, when we talk about him and his depictions of black manhood, I believe we should refer to him as Mr. Poitier.