Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 5 December 2003 — Page 26

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2003

TURKEY ^ Continued from Page 1 Christmas pri*smts. Wlu-n arowi* going to wakr up from our fan-tasy-land economic drlusions? Black people 1 in this country are the economic fodder for everyone else's wellbeing and prosperity. We complain, march, and come up with strategies and tactics that do no more than make us feel good about getting an apology from those who economically exploit us. Our so-called leaders tell us when to he angry, what to be angry about, and at whom we should be angry. They even tell us when it’s time to stop being mad. but they seldom tell us anything we can do to economically empower ourselves to the point where it would no longer matter who calls us a name or fails to give us good service at their restaurant. What brand of leadership senes its own people up for dinner? 1 often say that we have enough intellectual capacity todo great things for our economic future and that of our children. The message from our "leaders" should

be couched in economic freedom, self-reliance, and empowerment, rather than feed us a steady diet of mere “feel-good,” “you can do it," and “you're a winner,” speeches and strategies. They should be teaching us how to move beyond the rhetoric to real action and progress from year to year. They should, in addition to the registering to vote campaigns, teach us what Booker T. Washington taught us: How to register our dollars all year long. They should show us the way to economic freedom; they should lead us there, and they should serve us, as Carter G. Woodson wrote, with their expertise in business, finance, and entrepreneurship. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, we are marinated, basted in our own savory juices, and cooked to perfection until the meat just falls off our bones, not unlike the dollars that fall out of our pockets and purses. We traipse to the stores, plop down the green, and return to our

abodes to complain about how miserably “they” treat us. This year, as we move through another holiday season that used to be a holy day season, let’s resolve to change the menu and take turkey off the tables of the corporate hordes. And let’s stop allowing our people to be consumed and digested, only to be excreted upon when the New Year begins. I apologize for the graphic language, but this is just that serious, brothers and sisters. We’re supposed to have the meal, not be the meal. It’s called “turkey day,” not “turkeys’ day.” James E. Clingman, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s African-American Studies department, is former editor of the Cincinnati Herald Newspaper and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at (513) 489-4132, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Hello... Good-bye. Hello patio. Hello driveway Hello garden. Hello basketball court. Hello garage. Hello basement Hello dog. Hello lux deduction Hello equity Hello closet space. Good-bye broken elevators Good-bye thin walls. Good-bye rent. Good-bye crowded closets. Good-bye parking spaces. Good-bye laundromats Good-bye efuarters. Good-bye landlords Hello freedom Sure, there are plenty of practical reasons to buy a VA HOMf You don't have to be a vet But the real reason to buy one is because it's a/! yours Call your real estate professional for details and listings VX HOMES Make yourself at home.

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BLACK ► Continued from Page 1

BILLS ► Continued from Page 1

announcement to magazine employees during a meeting in New York just two days before Thanksgiving. In a statement issued later that day, Clinkscales said, "Today Vanguarde Media regrets to announce a decision to cease publication of HONEY, SAVOY and heart&soul magazines and to liquidate the assets of the company. While this is no easy decision for any of us, our most recent efforts at securing funding proved unsuccessful, and we are no longer able to sustain operations.” All three magazines had a respectable number of readers. Honey had a paid circulation of 387,999, heart&soul had 359,215 and Savoy had a listed circulation of302,070, according to a national auditing agency. Advertising revenues in the magazine industry have declined in recent years, forcing many magazines to decrease the number of pages they produce, merge or go out of business. In the case of Vanguarde, their financial woes were compounded by the decision to simultaneously publish three, and sometimes four, struggling magazines. At different times, the magazines were redefining themselves, confusing some readers, turning off long-time subscribers while attracting some news ones. Some journalists worry that raising capital for new publications, already a difficult task, may become harder in the wake of Vanguarde’s failure. Yanick Rice Lamb, the former editor-in-chief of both heart&soul and BET Weekend, said new Black magazines can succeed if they are infused with what she calls “patient money.” * Rice Lamb explains, “Investors must understand that it may take a while before a magazine breaks even or turns a profit. You hear so many stories of entrepreneurs starting magazines that are un-der-financed and investors pulling the plug prematurely. c , Magazine publishing is a capi-tal-intensive business, and it’s not for the faint-hearted.” Lack of sustained funding was only part of Vanguarde’s difficulties. Emerge, BET Weekend and heart&soul magazines were owned by Black Entertainment Television until 2000. At the time, unknown to the public, BET head Robert L. Johnson was positioning his company to be sold for $3 billion to Viacom. In the process, Johnson transferred operational authority over some of his subsidiaries to others. BET’s magazine division was placed in the hands of Clinkscales, who had recently formed Vanguarde Media with the goal of quickly building an African-American media conglomerate. When BET was eventually sold, Viacom did not buy its magazines, restaurants or other non-televi-sion properties. Clinkscales closed Emerge and BET Weekend shortly after taking over in 2000 and changed the focus of heart&soul magazine. According to industry experts, Clinkscales’ strategy was to make inroads into Essence older readership with heart&soul and capture part of its younger audience with

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Honey magazine. Rice Lamb disagrees with that strategy. “Under Vanguarde, heart&soul evolved from a health and fitness magazine to a lifestyle publication with some health and fitness in it,” she recalls. “What made heart&soul unique from the outset was its focus on healthy living - specifically health and fitness. It was the clear leader and authority in this area, which is why so many other publications scrambled to enhance their health and fitness editorial along with pursuing advertisers in these categories.” Florestine Purnell, managing editor of Emerge magazine, says it was also a mistake to close the only national Black newsmagazine. “The Black community supported Emerge,” she said. “Like most political magazines, it did not have huge circulation numbers but its circulation was larger than the better-funded and better-promoted Nation, New Republic and Weekly Standard magazines. Emerge and BET Weekend were closed to make way for Vanguarde’s new products.” Along the way, Vanguarde bought Impact magazine, an urban music trade magazine that Clinkscales thought could attract companies that normally advertise in Black Enterprise magazine. Bleeding financially, Clinkscales quietly closed Impact after it had no impact. Rice Lamb, who now teaches journalism at Howard University, says Vanguarde’s collapse does not mean Black readers are disinterested in quality magazines. “Readers want more, not less. They always have,” explains Rice . Lamb. “We don’t have a critical mass of magazines with variety and depth. A few years ago, I thought we were moving in that direction. As of late, we’ve had a lot of the same-old, same-old. For example, we have a disproportionate number of entertainment magazines.” More than 17,000 consumer magazines are published in the United States, according to the American Society of Magazine Editors. Only four Black national magazines - Ebony, Jet, Essence and Black Enterprise - have been around at least a quarter of a century. Purnell of Emerge fears the closing of Vanguarde might send the wrong signal to serious African-American readers. “Black readers will be confused, as well as surprised and saddened by this development,” she says. “They’ll be confused because of the promises made to them, which some felt were not realized. They were told to expect content that was relevant to the intelligent, upwardly mobile African-American readers. A lot of former Emerge subscribers who were sent Savoy were disappointed to get a ‘lifestyle’ magazine. Now they won’t even get that. The sad part is that readers come up emptyhanded again, so they may also be angry.” Rice Lamb and Purnell agree that a Black newsmagazine can still be successful if properly funded, aggressively promoted and given enough time to grow its circulation. “The need for a cutting-edge news magazine is greater than ever,” Purnell states. “It’s crucial that Black America have a publication that gives voice to the crucial issues and developments in these troubled times. The mainstream news magazines may touch on the issues that are important to African Americans, hut there is a need for a publication that gives full attention - and a swift kick when necessary - to decision makers and policies that impact the Black community.”

said Greg Sawyers, director of customer services for Citizens Gas. This type of partnership is especially helpful to our customers who are struggling to pay their utility bills during the winter.” Those eligible for these programs include families with low incomes, the elderly, families with children under 6 years old, people with disabilities and families on disconnect status or at risk of being disconnected. “This program puts the health and safety of Indiana’s neediest and most vulnerable citizens first,” said Sullivan. “If you need assistance, apply for it now.” A family’s basic benefit from the FSSA program can range from $100 to $335 this winter. More than 24,000 families received Energy Assistance in Indiana in 2003. For information on applying for the FSSA program, visit www.in.gov/fssaa/families/ housing/eas.html. Families will be able to apply for CAGI assistance at the main office, at one of the 14 Community Service Centers of Indianapolis (CCI), or at their local Township Trustee Office.

HOME ► Continued from Page 1 descent. “Anyone who has interest in doing business in Tanzania is welcome, we don’t discriminate,” he said. Tanzania’s unmistakable gesture and advertising toward foreigners comes only a decade after its government began to dismantle a socialist oriented economy in favor of free market financial activity. “In the beginning the government was sensitive to foreign involvement and possible domination of Tanzania’s economy,” Kamalang’ombe said. “But in the long run we have realized that we are losing instead of gaining by not opening up the economy.” Kamalang’ombe and Magonya strongly emphasized that a person doesn’t have to be a multi billionaire or millionaire to enjoy Tanzania’s opportunities. They both encourage individuals of moderate wealth to band together with family members, friends or business partners to create joint enterprises that will maximize their purchasing power and investment options. Kamalang’omb : called Tanzania a nation of friendly people who “treat you like family, and don’t look at you as if you don’t belong.” Those who visit Tanzania have returned impressed by sights such as the vacation resort area Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Manyaraand wildlife (especially lions) who enjoy climbing acacia trees. Tanzania has been recognized by many geographic analysts as an “oasis of peace and prosperity” in East Africa, an area that has endured more than its fair share of violence, military coups, starvation and disease since independence from colonial rule. It wasTanzanian troops who, in 1979 helped Ugandan refugees overthrow their irrational and brutal dictator, Idi Amin. Tanzania’s independence leader and longtime president, the late Julius Nyerere, was admired as a statesman who brokered several peace deals on the African continent. For more information about investing or retirement in Tanzania, please e-mail Sarah Kamalang’ombe at [email protected]. Or you can request an informative travel brochure by writing the Embassy of Tanzania at 2139 H ST. NW, Washington D.C. 20008. The Indianapolis Recorder is not endorsing investment in Tanzania. Interested persons should consult with their financial advisors.