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*Following the announcement that TV One was pulling the plug on “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin, radio jock Tom Joyner called for a boycott of the network.
Joyner declared on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” “I’m calling for a boycott! I’m not trying to dress it up” (audio). “It always comes down to money. All of television is suffering now, but to heal the many issues by sacrificing your community is not the answer.”
TV One called its action a “suspension” and said “TV One is working to restructure NewsOne Now in 2018 under a new format that will better serve its audience and advertisers.”
Joyner’s show is part of Urban One, which is also the parent company of TV One. He said he might be suspended for telling his audience to boycott, but so be it, as noted by Richard Prince’s of Journal-isms. Joyner also gave out the telephone number of TV One so listeners could register their protests.
Roland Martin tweeted Wednesday night, “Fam, the sad news is true. The staff of @tvonetv #NewsnewOneNow was informed this afternoon that after four years of doing groundbreaking and award-winning work, the show will cease production at the end of the year.
Friday’s TV One statement said, “The network invested in the production of NewsOne Now for the past four years. In an effort to save the program, adjustments were made to the format this quarter. Despite the network’s commitment and investment, NewsOne Now did not gain traction with advertisers and viewers. . . .”
CEO Alfred Liggins also said in the release, “As a Black-owned multi-media company, Urban One (parent company of TV One) engages Black America daily, not just on television, but radio and also online via NewsOne.com and on 77 digital platforms. We know there is a void in mainstream media and we plan to continue to be an outlet for Black news. Roland Martin will be a part of that plan.”
The National Association of Black Journalists urged TV One to reconsider. “In a year where journalists have faced daily assaults and attempts to discredit their work with the onslaught of claims of ‘fake news,’ NABJ is concerned by TV One’s decision to halt its signature news program, one of the most credible news sources, especially for black and disenfranchised communities,” it said in a statement.
Martin tweeted Thursday, “Tough morning. Had to tell our NBC News Channel crew that @tvonetv #NewsOneNow is ending. Lot of my white staffers were moved to tears. Why am I saying that? They expressed how much they learned about Black America working with us for 4 years. This show changed lives, folks.”
Sandra – Far Rockaway, NY
Take off Good Times all day, everyday & maybe there will be room for NewsOne Now. There is so much repetition on TV1 and they do have some good content but Martin & “Real News Now” is very important content especially now. I think putting NewsOneNow during prime time would better serve my community. People are on their way to work in the morning & many miss it. A “reworking” of content would be a good idea.
AMEN, AMEN.
Who owns TV ONE? If its owned by White establishment, I can understand pulling the plug on Roland. But if its black owned as BET once upon a time, I do not understand as he pushes minority news as no other news program refuse to give..Lord A MERCY, where are the black power pushes, NAACP, big money Opera that
all listen when she speaks. Somebody with power push this brother back that speak for the people…
Oh how true that is Sandra! When the cable company I have lost BET/Viacom programming, and gave us TV)ne, I was pissed! Then I found NewsOneNow, and felt so much better. Now, that’s going away. II have nothing now but Good Times, which I never watched…, EVER; Girlfriends, which I never watch, Sanford and Son, which I seldom watched. So that leaves all of the blonde headed morning news show women, with all of the Black crime news, real or, imagined, but no “information” relevant to the entire Black community.
I hate this!
Roland Martin show is a much needed show for the black community! If the TV one network wants to take off a show then how about less reruns of good Times, Sandford and Sons, and the Cosby Show. How could they replace News One now when they plan to keep Sister Circle which I find quite silly and unstructured. Giving the choice The audience would prefer News one now to Sister circle. I will no longer watch TV One Until it returns Roland to his rightful place. if Oprah Winfrey is reading this, I think that her network would benefit from Roland Martin instead on ad nauseaum reruns of D. Phil and Tyler Perry shows. Bad!!!! VERY BAD TV ONE!!!!! I am so PISSED.
to take this show off the air would be hurtful to black people everywhere . I have learned so much from watching this show about HBCU ‘s , crimes committed against blacks that the media tries to hide , unknown black historical facts and so on. Roland Martin has been a voice and an ear for black people . Roland shows black people can be doctors , lawyers , teachers and professional business people like the rest of the world . The TV execs who want to take his show off the air should be ashamed of themselves .
With all the devastating things that has transpired in this country, NewsOneNow is desperately needed not just for our community, but for this country. The horrific attacks on media outlets and the fact that oftentimes, their reports are watered down, this show will be greatly missed. I will join and encourage my family and friends to boycott TV One for this piss poor decision. This show has kept communities informed and educated so many about what has happened and is happening in this country. My prayer is that someone will be smart enough to open a door for this show to continue here or another network. Roland Martin, I applaud you for always give us truth no matter who it was. GREAT JOB! You will be missed, but I will continue to follow you wherever you are reporting! GOD BLESS!!!
I pray that it is true that Roland will be back. I kept hearing Roland say we’re going off the air but I attributed it to he would be off for a break until after the holiday. We would see him again in January. This is devastating news. I wake up to this show every morning. I’m often running late for work because I get caught up in the programming. I’m in Boston, MA; all we have is the pop culture news and we have no black radio.Tom Joyner has been gone for a while now; and now we are not going to have Roland. How are we going to know and keep up with what is going on in our world. Change the timing if possible. With some restructuring this show should run at the same time as news shows CNN, and MSNBC. If Roland is removed I will have no need to watch TV One.
Why did you erase my comment about this being a Sad, Sad day?
Daniel D.
Awesome show. ROLAND is a true news artist expressing real issues to black communities. All companies are faced with financial situations at times but it is important to press on when black issues need to be covered especially in America.
why do every time we have a great show that tells our story it goes off but black comedys stay on forever
This decision to “suspend” the Roland Martin show is really upsetting and a shock. This new agenda of America by using comments like “Make America Great Again”, is only rhetoric for 45’s base and the white supremacy’s being misinformed about facts. Roland Martin’s show was based on facts as is the other shows of this type. A big disservice to America will again be used to divide our country by eliminating shows of this type!
Keep us from Thinking, but keep us laughing, per Spike Lee with “coonery buffoonery”.
No one expressed, informed or educated the country on being Black in America better than Roland Martin. His candor, passion and commitment to tell our story is refreshing. Thanks for being the truth Roland!
Hello, bing lead me here, keep up great work.
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Deference to op , some superb selective information .