BET Struggles to Relate with Black Viewers : NPR

This item, BET Struggles to Relate with Black Viewers, sparked some discussion.  In a time of “500 channels,” what is (or should be) the role of a channel targeted specifically to an African-American audience?  Does it matter whether the channel is no longer Black-owned?  

Racially/Ethnically insensitive and offensive Disney characters (and other spokescharacters)

This one is a little old, but I wanted to capture it.  It’s a little tongue in cheek, but Racialicious linked to a list on Cracked.com of the 9 most racist disney characters.  It led me to wonder if “racist” is synonymous with “ethnically insensitive and offensive.”

I am reminded of a slideshow essay on Slate.com this past Spring regarding various racist which discussed various racist spokescharacters that have been used to sell products.

Golf Channel anchor apologizes for “lynch” remark

Hmmmm.  You’d think that some tingling sense of awareness would have warned her in the moment that making on-air references to lynching a Black man would most likely be offensive.   Here’s the news item on the web sites for ESPN and FoxSports.

Follow up: After initially declining to take any disciplinary measures, the Golf Channel changed its mind after the story took on momentum.  CNN reports that although Tiger Woods accepted the apology, Al Sharpton is not about to let it drop. 

Online dating service uses inclusion as differentiator

This story in the NY Times describes an upcoming advertising campaign by online dating service Chemistry.com which seeks to differentiate itself from its competitor eHarmony.com by “as out of touch with mainstream American values.”  Here’s hoping they are right and inclusion is indeed a mainstream American value.

Racially insensitive Intel Sprinter Ad

I missed Intel’s “Multiply Computing Performance and Maximize the Power of Your Employees” ad this Summer until I came across a n article on Diversity Inc. A larger image found here. It’s interesting to read a variety of views in sites such as The Register, Copyranter, and Afropologe.  Intel posted a response on its blog.

It’s interesting to contemplate.  How was this image vetted within the halls of a major advertising agency working for a major corporation?