Black Radio: Primed, Right & Ready for the 2024 Presidential Election
Memphis, TN, Sept. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It is beyond impressive that the Harris/Walz campaign has amassed over half a billion dollars in campaign funds in just over thirty days since President Biden’s withdrawal and the Presidential debate. Needless to say, it’s a lot of money for whatever is necessary. Hopefully dollars will flow to the most influential, persuasive and pervasive reach media vehicle by far... radio. Specifically, those radio stations that happen to be Black and independently-owned, all of which are small businesses. When it comes to politics, radio strongly excels as the only media that consistently reaches about 90% of the population, across all voter age demographics according to Nielsen. Black radio remains the most trusted voice in Black communities across America and has been for generations. “Black radio began in 1948 in my hometown of Memphis, TN,” said Howard Robertson, Founder & CEO Spotset Radio Network, the largest network of Black and independently-owned radio stations across the country. “WDIA in Memphis was America’s first radio station programmed for Black audiences with Black music played by Black announcers,” added Robertson.
But WDIA was not owned by a Black person. That happened just one year later in 1949 when Jesse Blayton, an accountant, bank president and Atlanta University professor, bought WERD in Atlanta, making it America’s first African American-owned radio station. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Black-owned radio.
Through years and generations, Black radio has always super served Black communities. “Black radio is the heart, soul, voice and conscience of Black communities,” said Sherman Kizart, Managing Director of Kizart Media Partners. Kizart is founder and creator of the annual Power of Urban Radio Forum, upcoming October 9th-11th in Washington, DC. This is the forum's 25th year connecting major brand advertisers to Black radio.
The forum is held in association with the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) which is the largest association of Black media owners in the country. Spotset Radio Network, NABOB’s advertising partner, has aggregated over 100 radio stations enabling advertisers to speak directly to diverse consumers nationwide, but also critically support and help sustain Black and independently-owned radio stations.
Howard Robertson and Sherman Kizart together have worked on behalf of Black radio for over a quarter of a century. "While major advertisers like P&G, GM, Kroger, Target, AARP and others realize and utilize the power of Black-owned media, many agencies for major political candidates and parties have not,” says Kizart. “In the past, hundreds of millions of political dollars have somehow eluded viable Black broadcasters, while majority-owned media prospers significantly. And this matters because investing ad dollars in Black-owned media is critically important to the economic ecosystem.”
All radio stations on the Spotset Radio Network meet the federal guidelines of revenue for small business which are important to Vice President Kamala Harris as she has consistently expressed. "I'm thrilled to hear about the Vice President's plan to help small businesses start up, but now, she has the unique opportunity to help small businesses stay up,” stated Robertson.
With their lengthy and impressive industry experience, Kizart and Robertson are adamant that the Harris/Walz campaign could make no smarter move than to invest significant dollars to advertise nationally on local Black radio and align themselves with Black-owned media, “You do that in Black communities across this country and you win," said Kizart. "If you don't appeal authentically and directly to African American voters on radio asking for their vote, it's highly likely you won't. It also signals to the Black community that candidates are speaking to them beyond broad based TV ads. And trust me, Black voters are alert, paying attention and taking notes,” Robertson adds.
They also believe (on good authority) that Vice President Kamala Harris and her sister Maya Lakshmi Harris were listeners of Black radio while growing up in Oakland, CA. Later, as a young coed at Howard University, Kamala Harris was most assuredly a listener of the university-owned, commercial radio station WHUR 96.3 FM. WHUR, a Top 3-rated DC radio station and originators of the legendary Quiet Storm listening experience is a NABOB member station on the Spotset Radio Network.
“How perfect is it that someone who was entertained, informed and inspired by Black radio may now reach and affect Black voters through the very same medium to become America’s first female president?” stated Robertson. “Plus, creating a much-needed national economic boost for Black media owners, and it's a full circle blessing that's right and real.”
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About Spotset Radio Network
Established in 1996, Spotset Radio Network, a division of Trust Marketing, is an unwired radio network, helping to ensure that advertising dollars flow to Black-owned broadcast radio. Comprised of a unique aggregation of 100+ radio stations, Spotset is the largest network of Black and independently-owned radio stations across the country, representing the greatest amount of Black-owned and Black formatted radio station inventory available to advertisers. The network represents stations in large, medium and small markets all across the country across varying formats. Learn more at www.spotsetradio.com.
About Kizart Media Partners
Kizart Media Partners provides counsel and full service consulting to all broadcast media involving sales/ management operations, federal regulatory areas, and training and development. Kizart Media Partners is the owner of The Power of Urban Radio Forum, the largest and longest running advertising and marketing focused conference that is devoted to the growth and success of urban radio. Over 300 national marketers, ad agency executives, and urban media owners/senior managers attend The Power of Urban Radio Symposium annually.
Adrienne King Trust Marketing (901)521-1300 aking@trustmkt.com
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