Black groups, people must invest in Black-owned media

Despite a historical legacy of thousands of Black newspapers and magazines, Black media today is more scarce than it was 100 years ago. This scarcity creates a dangerous information vacuum, making the Black community highly susceptible to massive amounts of misinformation and disinformation, often specifically targeted to suppress votes or mislead.

Roland Martin states, 'black media today is more scarce more scarce today than it was 100 years ago.' Guest Ava adds that 'this was not accidental, right? This was very very targeted over a significant period of time where our media institutions were specifically targeted for elimination.'

Professional, on-the-ground journalism, which involves reporting from locations like state capitals or protest sites, requires substantial financial resources for travel, equipment, salaries, and legal fees. This contrasts sharply with casual online commentary, which often relies on the work of actual journalists without contributing to its sustainability.

Roland Martin differentiates, 'It's a lot different when you're actually at the Texas state capital going through the hallways talking to state legislators... That's a stark difference.' He details costs: 'videographer, gas, food, per diem, salary, insurance, legal fees.'

Despite widespread verbal support and calls for Black media, actual financial contributions from Black individuals, entertainers, athletes, and even major Black organizations are negligible. Roland Martin's show, with over 36,000 donors in seven years, received support from only four entertainers/athletes and a handful of organizations, with many providing 'not a dollar.'

Martin reveals, 'out of all of the entertainers and the athletes and the big time black people on Wall Street... Four [have given] in seven years.' He lists specific organizational donations, noting many gave 'not a dollar.' He quotes a politician's perspective: 'I appreciate that but I can't pay for yard signs with your prayers.'

The Black community's collective spending power is estimated at $1.5 trillion currently, projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2026. This economic power is equivalent to the GDP of major countries, yet it is not being mobilized to support critical Black institutions like independent media, leaving them vulnerable.

Martin asks, 'what's the number, Michael? Is it 1.5 trillion... Our spending power?' He then shows a graphic stating, 'if the spending power of black people is 1.5 trillion... we are tied with Turkey as the 16th largest economy in the world.' He later cites a 2026 projection of $2.1 trillion.