CBS Stations Promote Black History in Communities Across the Country
Date Posted: 2/21/2024
CBS-owned stations across the country are celebrating Black History Month throughout February with daily local news reporting on cultural community events, resources and celebrations in each community. Stories include CBS News Baltimore’s 30-year Black History Month oratory contest, a new 30-minute Black history special as party of CBS News Colorado’s year-round “Elevating Black Voices” series and a look at the Black surfers rewriting the sport’s narratives from CBS Los Angeles. In addition, the CBS-owned stations have collaborated to produce an hour-long special, “Teaching Black History,” launching Friday, Feb. 23. The documentary focuses on what communities across the country are doing to preserve history.
On the ABC network’s “Good Morning America,” host Michael Strahan 
Audacy Sacramento 
ABC owned stations have formed a content team focusing on race and culture, to help publish and highlight news stories from
underrepresented and marginalized communities across multiple platforms for both daily news coverage and special projects in its New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno markets.
CBS News’ produced a one-hour special, titled “Asian Americans: Battling Bias — Continuing Crisis” that was presented on March 31. The special, produced by CBS’s news and culture unit, was anchored by Elaine Quijano and produced and reported by a team of Asian American journalists at CBS News.
WBAL, Hearst’s NBC affiliate in Baltimore, streamed a 90-minute special addressing race and equity hosted by Soledad O’Brien on March 18. The special, "To Be An American: Identity, Race And Justice" features a wide array of thought leaders from across the nation. The diverse lineup of guests, from academia, literature and entertainment, shared personal stories, essays and insights to bring greater understanding to the complex topic of race, identity and belonging in the United States.
ABC-owned WLS-TV Chicago, Ill., is celebrating Black History Month with special news, programming and vignettes, and newly named Race and Culture Reporter Will Jones is contributing to news reports and a half-hour special, "Our Chicago: Black Voices of Change." Jones’ reports for ABC 7 Eyewitness News will cover hidden or overlooked stories in the Black community and other news reports will shine a light on race and equity as it relates to disparities in health, business opportunities, education and justice. Additionally, a series of vignettes will discuss the impact of COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement and the South Shore Drill team.
Nexstar Media Group’s CBS affiliate WNCN Goldsboro, N.C., profiled two local women on February 3 who are making a difference in education as part of their Black History Month programming. In 2018, Devin Warmack and Dr. Sasha Crocker started a company called Teach It! Education Consulting Group, and their mission is to guide schools, educators and parents in creating learning environments that support equity in education by putting systems in place that ensure success of all students.
Beasley Media Group’s WMGC-FM Detroit, Mich., morning show "The Gello Show" reported on an initiative aiming to help Black restaurants, cooks and chefs hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrate Africa’s contribution to American food during Black History Month. The four-week series, "Taste the Diaspora Detroit," features food from Black-owned restaurants and supplied by Black-owned local farms to create culturally inspired shoebox lunch dishes for weekly curbside pickup. Highlighting African cuisine as well as Creole, Caribbean and Soul Food, the goal is to sell 400 boxes a week and donate 100 boxes. Proceeds will go directly to the chefs and local farmers who supply the lunch boxes.
Eight ABC owned and operated stations across the country committed to premiering and airing a new slate of content for Black History Month in February. Stations in New York, including WABC-TV New York City, the most watched station in the nation, Los Angeles, Houston, Raleigh/Durham, N.C. and more will carry special reports and unique content to educate, explore and celebrate local and national Black history.
Hearst Television’s CBS affiliate WLKY-TV Louisville, Ky., is participating in “Project CommUNITY: History & Hope,” an effort to give voice to the experiences of Black seniors by uniting them with young Black journalists for probing, in-depth interviews and conversations exploring the state of race in America. The project features 28 stories, one for each day of Black History Month, with each of the company’s television stations producing at least one story for the project. WLKY will showcase a conversation between morning Anchor Caray Grace and Reverend Charles Elliott, as well as a profile of civil rights activist Mattie Jones by weekend morning Anchor Marvis Herring.
ABC-owned WABC-TV New York will air content focused on Black History Month almost daily on air and online via their website. Programming highlights include pieces on the importance of understanding Black history as American history, pandemic frontline workers, vaccine concerns, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the next generation of leaders and activists. WABC’s “Here and Now,” an hour-long program dedicated to issues of interest to the Black community airing Sundays at noon, has aired an archive of past stories.
Graham Media Group’s WJXT and CW affiliate WCWJ Jacksonville, Fla., will honor Black History Month with special programming highlighting Black culture and the achievements of Black Americans. On WJXT, River City Live Host Eden Kendall will sit down with News4JAX anchors and reporters who have made the decision to wear their hair in a natural or protective style. The series, “Passing the Crown,” will explain how The Crown Act, or Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, works to make it illegal to discriminate against someone due to the way they wear their hair.
Nexstar Media Group’s CBS affiliate WNCN Goldsboro, N.C., profiled two local women on February 3 who are making a difference in education as part of their Black History Month programming. In 2018, Devin Warmack and Dr. Sasha Crocker started a company called Teach It! Education Consulting Group, and their mission is to guide schools, educators and parents in creating learning environments that support equity in education by putting systems in place that ensure success of all students.
Beasley Media Group’s WMGC-FM Detroit, Mich., morning show “The Gello Show” reported on an initiative aiming to help Black restaurants, cooks and chefs hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and celebrate Africa’s contribution to American food during Black History Month. The four-week series, “Taste the Diaspora Detroit,” features food from Black-owned restaurants and supplied by Black-owned local farms to create culturally inspired shoebox lunch dishes for weekly curbside pickup. Highlighting African cuisine as well as Creole, Caribbean and Soul Food, the goal is to sell 400 boxes a week and donate 100 boxes. Proceeds will go directly to the chefs and local farmers who supply the lunch boxes.
Hearst Television’s ABC affiliate KHBS Fort Smith and CW affiliate KHOG-TV Fayetteville, Ark., featured two virtual events on February 1 held at the University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAF) in honor of Black History Month. Rodney Roberts, as part of The Innocence Project, spoke to 50 UAF students over Zoom about his story of being wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit, an experience that many people of color nationwide have dealt with for years. On the other campus, the Tanzanite Zuzu African Acrobats gave an online dance performance. Both events were intended to spark conversation about acceptance and understanding of a culture and history that may be different to many in the community, and to continue the conversation past the month of February.
ABC’s owned-and-operated WLS-TV Chicago highlights the lives and stories of Black Chicago residents with a new half-hour special, "
TEGNA’s NBC affiliate WXIA-TV Atlanta, Ga. has awarded several grants through the TEGNA Foundation to address issues of racial equality and justice in the Atlanta area. The National Center for Civil and Humans Rights (NCCHR) received one such grant in support of its Campaign for Equal Dignity, which funds social justice trainings and events.
Hearst aired a one-hour digital program on October 8, “The Hard Truth About Bias: Images and Reality,” a conversation centered around equality. It featured conversations about the relationship of race and privilege, racial stress, the impact of bias in the images and language in news and information, and the creation of stereotypes. “The Hard Truth About Bias: Images and Reality” is the first installment of Soledad O’Brien’s Matter of Fact Listening Tour, a series of quarterly virtual forums to be presented in 2021. The initiative reaches all of Hearst’s consumer media brands, including its 33 television stations.
Hearst’s WISN-TV in Milwaukee hosted a panel discussion about the intersection of community and policing during the Social Justice Summit 2020.
Good Karma Brands is launching 101.7 The Truth, a local radio home for Milwaukee’s Black community. The station will launch this year and feature local shows with authentic conversations about news and current events, a celebration of Black culture, information created by and for the Black community with an emphasis on empowerment, family, faith and, community.
Graham Media Groups’ WSLS 10 Roanoke, Va., aired an hour-long original production called "20/20 Focus: The Push For Equality" on Aug. 6. The special program put a spotlight on racial disparities, covered a wide breadth of history and explored how Virginia can move forward toward a more equitable future.
As part of its commitment to support equity, diversity and inclusion within the journalism industry, the Scripps Howard Foundation will award a total of $600,000 to institutions of higher education to enhance or create programs that will inspire high school students to embark on journalism careers. Read more 
A group of iHeartMedia’s radio stations in Milwaukee are launching an initiative to support Black-owned businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits.
Fox-owned WTXF Philadelphia’s initiative “Our Race Reality” is a continuation of the important conversations happening every day in the community. Fox29 is tackling issues such as health care, economic and educational injustices, and criminal justice reform.
Recently, Alpha Media hosted a day-long discussion on race. Talk show host Danielle Norwoo on WIBW-AM 580 and FM News 104.9 supplied local content relevant to the Topeka community.
TEGNA’s VPA of News Ellen Crooke talked to 
Graham Media Group’s WKMG Orlando, Fla., began a "Real Talk" initiative to discuss important issues of race and justice in society. One talk, held on Juneteenth, brought together local stakeholders on topics including law, education, health and societal concerns. The second installment tackled the topic of inequity in the justice system. A panel of experts discussed sentencing disparities, wrongful convictions, mass incarceration and other issues surrounding our criminal justice system.
On July 22, Scripps’ WEWS Cleveland aired a one topic newscast entitled “
TEGNA’s WCNC Charlotte is highlighting racial inequality in Charlotte and beyond with a new series “Inequality in America.” The station is examining how systemic racism is ingrained in policies and practices at companies, government agencies, law enforcement and more. WCNC has interviewed health officials about racial disparities and how they are disproportionately affecting Black Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. The station has also put the spotlight on the only Fortune 500 company with a Black CEO and looked at the way the company is tackling racial injustice head on at its Charlotte branch. Finally, WCNC has put the spotlight on a Black woman looking to educate other women about white privilege and what it means to be anti-racist through a series of conversations she’s hosting. WCNC is committed to using its platform to educate and inform as the country experiences transformational change in the wake of the death of George Floyd. These are regular segments in WCNC newscasts.
Cowles Company’s KHQ Spokane In the first example (in three parts), we partnered with the City of Spokane to create a three part virtual town hall discussion on race and policing. The panel involved civil rights activists, minority youth, the Police Chief and Mayor (among others). The station took viewer questions by phone, Skype, and social media during the two-hour event that aired on the primary and secondary stations and streamed on the website.
Vegas PBS aired a special edition of Nevada Weekly, "
TEGNA’s WXDX-TV Huntsville hosted a virtual 
Lehigh Valley Public Media’s PBS39 and WLVR Bethlehem, Pa., steered programming toward racial issues this summer in an effort to use their platform to elevate marginalized voices.
Graham Media Group’s WKMG Orlando, Fla., investigated stories of police brutality following the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests. Coverage spotlighted community activists determined to make a difference, and elevated the role conversation plays in demanding change for the community. WKMG created a dedicated station 
Graham Media Group’s WKMG Orlando, Fla., used promotional elements as opportunities to speak directly to viewers about issues of racial injustice. A series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) aired in June asking viewers to open their eyes and to be part of the solution. The PSAs received 
KTIV Provides Community Support
Quincy Media’s KTIV Sioux City, IA, provided important news coverage and community support in recent months. They provided extensive coverage of racial protests and aired messages of unity. As COVID-19 swept the globe, the station broadcast important safety messages. Read more 
Michiana Public Broadcasting’s WNIT-TV South Bend, Ind., has aired a couple of 
As broadcasters continue their public service journalism through coverage of protests across the country, two of Scripps’ reporters and anchors, Dia Wall and Kevin Holmes, recently talked to TVNewsCheck about their experiences covering the protests in Kansas City, Missouri, for KSHB-TV. 
Sinclair’s ABC-affiliate WJLA Washington, D.C., hosted a second town hall focused on racial justice on July 7.
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Graham Media Group’s WDIV Detroit aired on June 23 a special “
Quincy’s WXOW and WQOW La Crosse, Wis., recently started a series titled “Hometown Conversations.”
It’s an effort to host meaningful conversations in the community and work toward positive progress.
The stations air versions on broadcast and post the full interviews online.
Segments can be viewed 
Scott Herrold from Sos Radio talked to police chaplain Patrick Detken from the Henderson Police Department about seeking to understand before seeking to be understood. Patrick is a Latino police chaplain from Nevada. This 
Quincy’s NBC affiliate WREX Rockford, Ill., supported the community in many ways in recent months. WREX provided critical updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, aired poignant conversations on the protests surrounding racial equality, and hosted a Community Listening session. Read details 
In partnership with the Neighborhood Development Center, KTMY-FM myTalk 107.1 along with its listeners and advertising partners helped to bring awareness and support to businesses owned by people of color that were destroyed during the recent riots along the Lake Street corridor in Minneapolis, and Midway and Frogtown areas of St. Paul. To date, $148,393 has been raised.
WBNS aired “
Cumulus’ Westwood One News presented the special “Black Lives Matter: From Protests to Police Reform” on July 4 - 5. Correspondent Elliott Francis explored how the killing of George Floyd by a police officer sparked a national conversation on racial and social injustice in the United States.
Francis also looked at the impact the movement has across all aspects of society.
WCVB recently aired a special during primetime --
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Gray’s NBC affiliate WNDU South Bend, Ind., aired on June 18 a socially distanced town hall “
Radio One’s Washington, D.C., cluster aired a virtual town hall meeting on June 17 titled “The Beat Don’t Stop: Don’t Mute My City” to discuss the importance and history of Go-Go music in the region. The town hall was hosted by syndicated Radio One personality DJ Quicksilva and featured guests, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, CNN Political Analyst and White House Correspondent April Ryan, local activist Ron Moten and Howard University professor and author Dr. Natalie Hopkins, among others. The panel discussed the music’s impact on Black culture and how it can be used to address issues including class struggles and gentrification.
iHeartMedia’s KRRL-FM, Emmis-owned KPWR-FM, Alex Meruelo’s KDAY, and Voice Ministries of Farmington’s KJLH-FM Los Angeles responded quickly to the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police. They preempted scheduled programming to cover the Black Lives Matter protests and provide a constructive platform for discussing racial issues. The Los Angeles Times detailed their efforts 
Nexstar’s Fox affiliate KDVR-TV Denver FOX31 hosted an exclusive live virtual Town Hall meeting, “Racism and Reform: Seeking Solutions” on June 16. The discussion addressed recent protests, the police response and potential solutions. Participants included Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (D); Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen; Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock; Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod (D-8th District); Tay Anderson, Denver Board of Education At-large; Brian Sederwall, Pastor and Executive Director of Denver Dream Center; Rev. Dr. Jennifer Leath, Pastor of Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church; and Civil Rights Attorney Mari Newmann.
Cox Media Group’s Fox affiliate KOKI-TV Tulsa broadcast the Tulsa Pride Parade on June 13. The annual Tulsa Pride Parade, which typically draws more than 35,000 participants, was canceled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. KOKI partnered with Oklahomans for to air a half-hour program featuring last year’s parade. The 2019 parade commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots, which launched beginning of the LGBTQ+ pride movement. Cox’s KRAV-FM is also a media partner of Tulsa Pride and shared the broadcast on its social media channels.
Connoisseur Media and Meredith Corp. partnered on a live broadcast about race and justice on June 11. “Face The State: A Conversation About Race & Justice In Connecticut” aired live on Meredith’s CBS affiliate WFSB-TV Hartford-New Haven and Connoisseur’s six radio stations in New Haven and Bridgeport: The roadblock program will air in New Haven on classic rock WPLR-FM, WYBC-FM, WEZN-FM, WEBE-FM, WICC-AM and WFOX-FM. 
Alpha Media aired “United for Justice - A Day of Discussion” on June 12 across its 65 radio stations in 40 media markets. The broadcast addressed the racial tensions affecting American communities following the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
ABC-owned KFSN-TV Fresno., aired a special “Anger, Action, Answers: A Central California Conversation" on June 10. Six panelists will join moderator Graciela Moreno for a one-hour conversation about what it means to be a black person in this country and learn how to move forward.
Fisk University’s WFSK-FM Nashville is primarily a jazz station, but has also historically been a hub for news and organization in Nashville’s black community, a role that has become even more important during the recent protests followed by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.
General Manager Sharon Kay spoke about the station’s role 
Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA-TV Washington, D.C. announced on June 8 that it would broadcast on June 9 a live virtual town hall addressing the current affairs of race relations, police brutality and political unrest amid a national pandemic. The special, “The Racial Divide: Time For Change,” would feature a one-hour virtual panel discussion with community influencers, county and city officials, law enforcement, clergy, university leaders and legal experts from the Washington D.C. region.
ABC owned-and-operated KGO-TV San Francisco hosted on June 4 a virtual town hall to address protests and outrage over police brutality and systemic racism against Black Americans. The moderated town hall featured local experts and organizers as well as representatives from the local police force and included audience questions.
Nexstar’s CBS affiliate KOIN-TV Portland, Ore., hosted a televised “
Stations across the country have been airing town hall specials related to protests and issues of police brutality throughout early June.
Competing morning shows from Dick Broadcasting’s WKZL-FM and Entercom’s WJMH-FM Greensboro, N.C., united to host a discussion on June 4 about the death of George Floyd, protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. Both stations aired the discussion without commercials.
ABC-owned KTRK Houston hosted a one-hour 
Capitol Broadcasting Company’s NBC affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh, N.C., hosted a candid conversation on June 4 with local police and law enforcement leaders. The panelists discussed the relationship between law enforcement and the minority community.
NBC owned and operated KNTV San Francisco aired “Race in America: The Conversation” on June 4 to address the issues related to race, especially in the local community. Hosted by anchors Marcus Washington and Jessica Aguirre, the hourlong community conversation aimed to bridge background and generational divides. Viewers were invited to ask questions and provide their thoughts on the station’s social media pages.
TEGNA’s NBC affiliate KUSA Denver hosted the “
Cox Media Group’s ABC affiliate WSB-TV aired a 
Capitol Broadcasting Company’s NBC affiliate WRAL-TV Raleigh, N.C. hosted a candid conversation on June 4 with local police and law enforcement leaders. The panelists discussed the relationship between law enforcement and the minority community.
