The National Association of African American Owned Media (NAAAOM) recently sued AT&T and DirecTV for $10 billion for racial discrimination in contracting with 100% African American owned media.
NAAAOM stated in their lawsuit against AT&T and DirecTV that they spend approximately $22 billion per year licensing channels and advertising with less than $3 million per year going to 100% African American owned media.
The co-Chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal, and movie producer, Scott Rudin, exchanged racist emails about “a stupid Jeffery Katzenberg breakfast” with the first African American President of the United States, Barack Obama.
The racist emails revealed their belief the President would only want to talk about African American movies such as “Django Unchained,” “The Butler,” and “12 Years A Slave.”
“Let’s be 100% clear, the Sony emails are horrendous, very racist and completely unacceptable” said Mark DeVitre, President of NAAAOM, “And we plan to hold Sony fully accountable.”
“We know that institutionalized racism is reflected in the lack of contracting with 100% African American owned media companies. The numbers are indisputable. And therefore, we are requesting a meeting with Amy Pascal and CEO, Michael Lynton, and if we come away from that meeting and 100% African American owned media is not participating in a long term, significant agreement with Sony then all options are on the table including pickets, boycotts of all Sony products as well as an examination of our rights under the law,” said DeVitre. “I highly recommend we sit down immediately before we take action about this very serious matter. And let us also be very clear that Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson do not represent or speak for us, in fact no African American person speaks for all African Americans. The very idea of that is racist, just like no white person speaks for all white people. THE RACISM MUST STOP TODAY!!!
About NAAAOM
NAAAOM’s mission is to eliminate racial discrimination and secure the economic inclusion of truly 100% African American owned media through fair contracting and equal treatment practices.
SOURCE National Association for African American Owned Media
