crossposted at Widelantern.com
I can’t say I’m surprised by this.
Yesterday, Reuters featured an article on the lack of progress made on the diversity front at Comcast-NBCU. If you recall, as part of the efforts to get their merger approved in Congress, they made a big deal about increasing the profile of people of color in their company and launching eight independent cable networks including four under African-American control. They even bought the support of a lot of people of color organizations to send glowing press releases about it. But what has happened since then?
…a Who’s Who of African American media figures and civil rights leaders are frustrated that Comcast doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough, if at all.
That includes a recent disastrous meeting between Comcast executives and Oprah Winfrey, in which Comcast executives rebuffed the media queen’s request for support for her OWN network.
Leading entrepreneur Russell Simmons was rebuffed when he approached NBCU CEO Steve Burke about acquiring the Style network.
The National Urban League, NAACP and Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, major civil rights groups, see several trouble spots with their efforts to work with Comcast, TheWrap has learned.
NBCU, for example, has yet to fill the post of chief diversity officer. It has been vacant since Paula Madison, executive vice president, retired in May.
Additionally, according to two persons briefed on the matter, the civil rights groups were taken aback by a realignment of cable-programming management in July that diluted the power of Salaam Coleman Smith, an African-American woman who is president of NBCU-owned Style Network. As a result of the change, Coleman no longer reports directly to Lauren Zalaznick, chairman of NBCU Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media.
Coincidentally, later in the day, the media giant announced a new Chief Diversity Officer:
Craig Robinson, president and general manager of KNBC, the NBC-owned TV station in Los Angeles, has been named EVP and Chief Diversity Officer for NBCUniversal. He will report directly to NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. Robinson takes over the role from Paula Madison, who retired from NBCUniversal in May. Robinson begins his new role on Aug. 15 and will continue to serve as KNBC’s GM until a replacement is found. Diversity has been on the front-burner at NBCU since Comcast made commitments to racial, ethnic and gender equality to help win federal regulatory approval of its $30 billion purchase of NBCU six months ago. Among the promises made were that the profile of minorities at the company would be increased and that eight independent cable networks, including four under African-American leadership, would be launched. Robinson will oversee the company’s diversity commitments, working closely with senior executives to promote these efforts throughout the organization. He will also be instrumental in guiding the company’s multiple internal affinity groups, and he will serve as a member of Comcast and NBCUniversal’s Joint Diversity Council.
Something tells me we’re gonna need to keep the pressure on Comcast to fulfill all the commitments they made. Let’s hope our civil rights advocacy groups, especially the ones taking Comcast money, will hold their feet to the fire.