Yamiche Alcindor, the White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, will take over as moderator for PBS’ current affairs show Washington Week, a position once held by the late, great journalist Gwen Ifill, who for a time was Alcindor’s mentor.
Alcindor, 34, will helm her first show this Friday, succeeding Robert Costa, who took over in 2017 and left the show earlier this year.
Regarding her new position, the New York Times quotes Alcindor as saying, “I know how much ‘Washington Week’ meant to Gwen, and how much she put her stamp on the legacy of the show. I also feel this incredible responsibility to think deeply about taking this on and making it a show that people want to watch, that people will feel is living up to its great legacy.”
Alcindor will continue to cover the Biden administration for NewsHour, as well as remaining a contributor to NBC News and MSNBC.
[Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business, airing as part of AfroPoP:The Ultimate Cultural Exchange (image courtesy of LACMA)]
Exploring modern art, human rights and politics, the AfroPoP shorts program premieres on Monday, April 26 at 8 p.m. ET on WORLD Channel and worldchannel.org with films from Christine Turner, Michèle Stephenson and Amir George.
See the teaser for the Shorts Program below:
The episode opens with Turner’s Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business, a look at the trailblazing Los Angeles-based Black visual artist.
In her 90s and still actively creating art, through interviews with Saar and archival footage, the documentary explores her acclaimed method of using collage, assemblage and more to make pieces — including her famous “The Liberation of Aunt Jemima” work — addressing Black culture, racism, feminism, empowerment and more since the 1960s.
[The Liberation of Aunt Jemima, 1972. Wood, cotton, plastic, metal, mixed media. UC Berkeley. de Young]
Later in the episode, AfroPoP examines racism and xenophobia in the Dominican Republic with Elena from filmmaker Michèle Stephenson.
An intimate look at Elena Lorac, a young woman of Haitian descent raised in the Dominican Republic working tirelessly to combat anti-Haitian laws in the island nation. As her parents, who have worked the sugarcane plantations on the island their entire lives, and other Haitians face possible deportation as a result of new government policy, Elena struggles to obtain her own identification papers and also works with social justice groups to increase voting access and legal rights for Dominicans of Haitian descent, efforts made harder by the government at every turn.
The evening closes with Man of the People from director Amir George. Through a mix of sound and archival footage, Man ofthe People relates the story of political leader Harold Washington, his path to victory to become the first Black mayor of Chicago, and his mysterious death.
Presented by Black Public Media and WORLD Channel, new episodes of AfroPoP: TheUltimateCulturalExchange premiere each Monday through May 3. All episodes will be available for streaming at worldchannel.org and on the PBS app starting at the time of their TV premiere.
According to Variety.com, Kimberly Godwin, who has worked at CBS News since 2007 in multiple capacities, will be the next president of ABC News starting in May — and the first Black executive to run a broadcast-network news operation.
Godwin will oversee ABC News mainstays Good Morning America and World News Tonight, both of which are the most-watched programs in their category, as well as ABC’s The View, 20/20and This Week. Goodwin will have also have say over the news unit’s live-streaming, audio and special programming.
“Kim is an instinctive and admired executive whose unique experiences, strengths and strategic vision made her the ideal choice to lead the outstanding team at ABC News and build on their incredible success,” said Peter Rice, chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content, in a statement.
“Throughout Kim’s career in global news organizations and local newsrooms, she has distinguished herself as a fierce advocate for excellence, collaboration, inclusion and the vital role of accurate and transparent news reporting.” Godwin will report to Rice.
Godwin’s ascension to a top network news position was presaged earlier this year when Rashida Jonestook over as president of MSNBC, making her the first Black executive to oversee one of the nation’s big cable-news networks.
Internationally renowned, Grammy Award-winning, Rock N Roll Hall of Fame inductee Janet Jackson will be the focus of an upcoming documentary on Lifetime and A&E Networks in 2022.
The two-night, four-hour documentary will coincide with the 40th anniversary of Jackson’s first album – no, not Control – that 1986 juggernaut was her third LP and first collaboration with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – but rather 1982’s eponymous Janet Jackson, which was released on the A&M records label and offered her early R&B hits “Say You Do” and “Young Love.”
Jackson is an executive producer with Randy Jackson, and according to Variety.com, producing teams from Workerbee and Associated Entertainment Corporation already have been working on the project with Janet for over three years.
The doc follows Janet as her family is going through the loss of her father, Joseph, the patriarch of the Jackson dynasty who passed in 2018. Producers were granted exclusive access to archival footage and never-before-seen home videos while developing the documentary for the past three years.
“JANET” will also detail the most talked-about moments of her life, including her 2004 Super Bowl appearance with Justin Timberlake in which she inadvertently exposed a portion of her breast, sparking controversy that would hover for more than a decade. The docu will also explore Jackson’s reaction to the death of her brother, the legendary and also controversial Michael Jackson, and her process of becoming a mother.
It’s about time the impact of Janet Jackson and her legacy on popular music and culture will be realized in-depth and, as a major Janet stan since even before her first LP – I’m talking Good Times and Fame days, people – I can’t wait! And I’m sure I’m not alone.
Columnist and former NBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be executive producing Fight the Power: The Protests That Changed America with Deborah Morales for the A+E Networks History Channel, according to deadline.com.
The one-hour documentary will examine the effect key protests have had over time on the evolution of America to explore the question: Does the arc of the moral universe bend toward justice when pressure is applied?
This collaboration is the second between the NBA legend and the History Channel, having previously paired up on 2020’s one-hour documentary Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution.
Fight the Power is produced by Six West Media with Abdul-Jabbar and Morales exec producing via Iconomy Multi-Media & Entertainment.
“The history of protest in America is also the history of social progress,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, best-selling author (How to Be An Antiracist) and academic Dr. Ibram X. Kendi has signed a deal with Netflix to develop projects based on three of his books on race, racism and race relations.
Kendi’s book Stamped From The Beginningwill be a hybrid documentary/feature adapted and executive produced by Kendi and Mara Brock Akil(Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, Black Lightning). Roger Ross Williams, the first Black director to win an Oscar (for the documentary short Music by Prudence), will direct and produce through his One Story Up banner.
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (photo via ibramxkendi.com)
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, which Kendi co-wrote with best-selling author Jason Reynolds (All American Boys, The Long Way Down) for the Young Adult market, will also be directed and produced by Williams, with Kendi executive producing. This YA documentary will pair as a companion to Stamped From the Beginning to explain how racism in America originated and has persisted, with the aim of learning how to counter it.
Antiracist Baby, Kendi’s children’s book bestseller, will be adapted into a series of musical animated shorts, executive produced by Kendi and Chris Nee, creator of the Peabody-winning Disney Junior series Doc McStuffins.
The musical shorts will focus on the nine steps to being antiracist as explained in Kendi’s 2020 board book (illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky), which already has been featured in Netflix’s preschool series Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices.
Journalist and political commentator Abby Phillip will become the anchor of CNN’s “Inside Politics Sunday” from 8-9 a.m. ET on Sundays, beginning January 24th. Harvard grad Phillip has also been named the network’s senior political correspondent.
I'm so thrilled to be taking the reins of Inside Politics Sunday from my friend and colleague @JohnKingCNN starting on January 24th. Could not be more proud to be joining this incredible @CNN franchise! https://t.co/odlIvfxUiK
Phillip’s new roles at the news network were announced among several other changes to the anchor line-up for its Washington-based programs. Phillip will take over for anchor John King, who will continue to host “Inside Politics with John King” weekdays from 12-1 p.m. ET.
Beginning in April, Jake Tapper’s program The Lead with Jake Tapper will expand to 4-6 p.m. ET nightly. In addition, he will continue in his role on Sunday mornings, now co-anchoring State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. He will also serve as the network’s lead anchor for all major Washington events.
Wolf Blitzer will continue to anchor the network’s signature evening newscast, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, now airing from 6-7 p.m. ET nightly. The program will be seen around the world, simulcast on the CNN US and CNN International networks. He will also have a principal anchor role for all major breaking news and continue to host CNN special reports.
Dana Bash has been named co-anchor of the network’s Sunday morning newsmaker show, now called State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Tapper and Bash will each anchor two Sundays a month, beginning January 24th. In addition, Bash will continue as the network’s chief political correspondent and will also host quarterly primetime interview specials.
We’re used to seeing Black musical artists honored regularly on the Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards, the MTV Awards, and, of course, the BET Awards. But this year, you can find several Black performers on the 54th annual CMA (Country Music Association) Awards, to be aired on ABC starting at 8P ETtonight.
Not that Black performers have never been on the CMAs before. Just last year rapper Lil Nas X won an award for his Billy Ray Cyrus collaboration “Old Town Road.” In 2016, the Chicks (fka The Dixie Chicks) shocked the audience with an incredible live performance with fellow Texan Beyoncé of her song “Daddy Lessons” (see it here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Ksi-uzuIg). But there have been many years where the closest the CMAs have gotten to Blackness was to give awards to Keith “Urban.”
CMA hosts Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire (photo courtesy CMA Awards)
Black country fans actually have three reasons to cheer during this year’s awards. First, newcomer Jimmie Allen is up for Best New Artist. Second, former Hootie & the Blowfish lead vocalist turned country singer Darius Rucker is co-hosting the show with Reba McEntire. Rucker is perhaps the most well-known Black performer in contemporary country music – and previously won the CMA for Best New Artist in 2009.
Most importantly, Rucker will be leading the tribute to this year’s recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, the legendary Charley Pride.
The aptly named Pride was a symbol of Black pride back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when he was the first major Black country artist to hit the charts. Coming on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement, Pride won Male Vocalist of the Year two years running in 1971 and 1972, in addition to also picking up Entertainer of the Year in 1971.
Nominated for Entertainer of the Year six years in a row from 1968 through 1973, Pride, now 86 years old, is a singular figure in country music history, as no Black performer has been nominated even one time since then.
Pride also previously co-hosted the CMA Awards on TV with Glen Campbell in 1975, the only Black host prior to Rucker’s co-hosting duties this year. Pride had 30 #1 country hits and over 50 Top 10 performances, and is perhaps most known for the song “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin.”
Beyond Pride, Rucker and Allen, there are lots of other exciting things happening in country music these days for Black performers, including new female artist Mickey Guyton and recent chart-topper Kane Brown. Earlier this summer, Good Black News offered up “I Can’t Stop Loving You: A Collection of Black Country Music” as an overview of Black country music history.
[Clockwise from top left: Earl Cole, Jolanda Jones, Sean Rector, Vecepia Towery | Screenshots: “Survivor” via CBS All Access]
According to Variety.com, CBS announced today it aims to be more inclusive with the casts of its unscripted shows by setting a target to make all such on-camera participants at least 50% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
The network’s goal is to make the change beginning with the 2021-2022 broadcast season. CBS also has stated it will allocate at least a quarter of its annual unscripted development budget to projects created or co-created by BIPOC producers in that same time frame.
CBS also plans to develop more initiatives with its production partners to increase diversity across the board in the unscripted space, though those specific plans have not yet been detailed.
Mara Brock Akil, the creator and writer/producer behind such hit series as Being Mary Jane, Black Lightning, Girlfriends and The Game and has signed a multi-year overall deal with Netflix to create new original content, according to Deadline.com.
The deal was announced the same week that Akil’s beloved comedy Girlfriends debuted on Netflix, marking the series’ 20th anniversary. All eight seasons of the sitcom starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones join The Game on the platform.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mara Brock Akil to Netflix,” said Channing Dungey, VP Original Series, Netflix. “Her signature storytelling, authentic perspective and captivating characters have long entertained audiences and proven to be relevant, timely and endlessly engaging. We look forward to bringing her distinct voice, vision and passion to our global members.”
Akil becomes the latest showrunner to sign with Netflix and joins a roster of powerhouse content creators that includes Shonda Rhimes, Kenya Barris and Ryan Murphy, among several others.
