ColorOfChange.org changing the color of democracy

In order to meaningfully diversify media ownership and ensure access to local programming for communities of color, the Federal Communications Commission must approve hundreds of new community radio licenses in urban centers. African Americans live in cities in significantly higher percentages than the total population, but we are able to tune in to just 7 community radio stations — out of more than 800 in the nation — in our largest 50 urban centers.

The FCC is responsible for ensuring that the public airwaves serve all of the public. But until now, the big commercial media outlets — the ones that monopolize most of what we hear on urban radio — have successfully pressured the FCC to keep community radio out of their most lucrative markets. Click here to tell the FCC today: our cities need community radio!

UPDATE: (02/28/12) "Evangelist Franklin Graham apologizes to Obama for questining his Christian faith"

Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham, just can't seem to accept that President Obama is a Christian. During an interview this morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Graham said that he accepts statements presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have made about their faith. But he implies that President Obama is lying when it comes to the topic of his religion. ColorOfChange Executive Director Rashad Robinson had this to say...

XXL Magazine has published a video of a 45-year-old rapper encouraging teenage boys to force themselves on underage girls. The graphic monologue is disturbing. So is the willingness of Harris Publications, which owns XXL, to give this kind of dangerous rhetoric a platform.

We're calling on Harris Publications to fire XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten, who presides over the workplace culture that allowed such a grave misstep. Here's the message we sent to our members, after you read it please join us.

On Thursday, Pat Buchanan used his column to announce that he has officially parted ways with MSNBC. He credited the more than 86,000 ColorOfChange members who flooded the network with emails and phone calls late last year. Buchanan writes:

A group called Color of Change, whose mission statement says that it "exists to strengthen Black America's political voice," claimed that my book espouses a "white supremacist ideology." Color of Change took particular umbrage at the title of Chapter 4, "The End of White America."

We gave MSNBC props last month when the network suspended Buchanan. On Thursday, ColorOfChange had reason to celebrate once again.

Today Fox News' Eric Bolling referenced the tragic death of Whitney Houston in a brutal, race-baiting attack on Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). Bolling said:

"Congresswoman, you saw what happened to Whitney Houston. Step away from the crack pipe, step away from the Xanax, step away from the Lorazepam because it’s going to get you in trouble.”

UPDATE: (03/29/12) Mr. Knighten is eligible to have his charges dropped in exchange for 20 hours of community service.

Last month, police and federal agents raided activist Albert Knighten's home and arrested him. His crime? Operating a pirate radio station out of his spare bedroom. Now the retired Navy air traffic controller faces a felony charge for operating the station without a license — a charge that could land him behind bars for five years. It's the latest incident to highlight the need for community control of media, specifically the important role that low-power radio stations can play in communities of color.

It's an issue that's been on ColorOfChange's radar for a while. We were part of the coalition that helped pass the Local Community Radio Act last year, a major piece of legislation that will ensure that people like Knighten are no longer sanctioned for bringing relevant news and information to their neighbors. Unfortunately for him, the bill is just now being implemented. His station was ahead of its time.

Late last year, the Opportunity Agenda released a report titled, "Opportunities for Black Men and Boys: Public Opinion, Media Depictions, and Media Consumption." 

The report speaks to why what's said in the media about Black folks really matters. An issue of special relevance this week, given our recent victory in removing Pat Buchanan and his white supremacist rhetoric from MSNBC.

UPDATE: You can watch the archived video of the event or listen to the audio recording here.

 On Monday, January 9th, ColorOfChange Executive Director Rashad Robinson will participate in a webcast titled, "Civil Rights and the Airways: Building Community Radio in Communities of Color." Co-sponsored by allies including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Media Action Grassroots Network, this discussion is the place to learn about how to transform the media landscape in your community. Please join us! Tune in here Monday, January 9th at 4pm EST.

Since more than 86,000 ColorOfChange.org members called on MSNBC to fire Pat Buchanan there has been no sign of the right-wing correspondent on the airwaves. Last week, we delivered more than 275,000 petition signatures to MSNBC from ColorOfChange and CREDO Action members. But MSNBC refuses to say whether Buchanan will return, and they seem to think they can hide him away for a while and let this blow over.

Right now, ColorOfChange members are flooding MSNBC with phone calls, demanding that MSNBC break its silence and fire Pat Buchanan.