Black Media Summit owners and creators tap into U.S. Black Chambers’ Innovation Campus vision

By Dorothy Bland

WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 200 Black media owners and creators networked and discussed topics ranging from artificial intelligence to advertising at the National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters Black Media Summit on Oct. 15-16.

No doubt AI is reshaping the media landscape. While there is some angst about AI taking jobs, Howard Jean, CEO of Black Meta Agency, told the crowd that millions “more jobs will be created with AI….It’s not AI that will take your job, but the person who knows how to use AI will.” Eain Chappell, NABOB Program and Media Sales Institute director, encouraged participants to learn how to do prompting.

The conference was held at what was formerly known as the BET headquarters in Northeast Washington. Ron Busby Sr., CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., announced the site will become the new home of the USBC campus and the center for Black business innovation, equity and entrepreneurship. On Oct. 28, the USBC – which represents more than 140 Black Chambers across the nation – announced the 7.88-acre site that was once the BET campus has been acquired and represents more than a $38 million investment. USBC acquired NABOB in 2023 and created the USBC Media Network the same year.

Busby said the USBC Innovation Campus will be “transformative” and the campus has six key pillars or focus areas:

• Training and development for entrepreneurs as well as learning labs, workshops and special programs.
• Business resource support for business incubators, startups and accelerators
• Flexible workspaces and office leasing options for small business and major companies.
• Opportunities for media and content creation, including  podcasting and production studios as well as a permanent home for NABOB and USBC’s Media production house.
• Dining and networking spaces to foster community.
• Workforce development and innovation initiatives.

A $10 million “Power the Legacy” campaign has been launched to help support the vision, and you can learn more here.

In a discussion about the state of Black-owned Media, Jim Winston, president of NABOB, shared there are about 200 Black-owned radio stations out of an estimated 12,000 in the nation, and even fewer Black-owned TV stations. “We in broadcasting have to embrace the digital world with young creators. No one media is the answer,” he said.

Ben Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, said, “We have to have a proactive view to use technology and not just react.” 

Nicky Sparrow, executive vice president of multicultural sales for iHeart, announced that the Black Information Network would be available to all broadcasters at no expense, starting in November.             Carol H Williams, founder and CEO of Carol H. Williams Advertising, was honored with the Marc Pritchard Corporate Impact Award during the NABOB and Power of Urban Radio Lunch on Oct. 16. During her keynote address, Williams told the audience, “NABOB doesn’t just preserve history, but is helping shape the future.” She added, “Yes, you’ll get knocked down…just get up and keep moving forward.”