Blacks need to come out the closet to support BET News and Black media in general

Written by Edrea Davis


We messed up. When we err, we need to admit it and move to correctrepparttar wrong. Black folks have been complaining about BET programming for ages when, in actuality, they've been checking it out onrepparttar 146171 "down low."

Listening torepparttar 146172 negativity overrepparttar 146173 years, even I was shocked to find out there were so many closet watchers secretly hooked on BET Nightly News. I've gotten calls and emails from people all overrepparttar 146174 country upset about BET's decision to cancelrepparttar 146175 program. Many of them say that BET is their only real connection torepparttar 146176 Black community, and, for many organizations it is oftenrepparttar 146177 only TV coverage they receive.

It's not justrepparttar 146178 over 40 crew tuning in each night for an update on what’s happening in Black America, young people of all nationalities are aware of current events inrepparttar 146179 Black world thanks to BET Nightly News.

After constant criticism of BET programming,repparttar 146180 Black community was incensed when Robert Johnson made a savvy business move and soldrepparttar 146181 company to Viacom. As many people predicted,repparttar 146182 nightly newscast hitrepparttar 146183 chopping block.

If we do not want all of Black media to fold or get sucked up by mainstream conglomerates, we must recognize that news is a product governed byrepparttar 146184 laws of supply and demand. The more we watch our own news, read and subscribe to our print publications and praiserepparttar 146185 work,repparttar 146186 more that business can flourish.

Since slavery Black publications have been consistent advocates in our community and are stillrepparttar 146187 first people called when there’s a problem. Unless it's celebrity driven or blood ridden, mainstream press does not address our issues until there's sufficient buzz created inrepparttar 146188 Black press.

For example, recently several stories appeared inrepparttar 146189 Black press aboutrepparttar 146190 lack of concern for missing Black women. Those stories resulted in coverage in mainstream media including USA Today. And, no one can denyrepparttar 146191 impact George Curry’s article on Kemba Smith had on her case andrepparttar 146192 criminal justice system as a whole.

For those of you who believe Black media has out-lived its usefulness, Richard Prince's Journal-isms recently reported that The New York Times Co. is starting a Black newspaper in Gainesville, Fla. I’m not mad atrepparttar 146193 New York Times for their efforts to increase revenue by targetingrepparttar 146194 Black market; I’m sad that we do not recognize our own value and repeatedly take our struggling media institutions for granted.

There are Black publications - likerepparttar 146195 100 year-old Chicago Defender - that have served asrepparttar 146196 voice ofrepparttar 146197 community for years. Among those already in Florida arerepparttar 146198 Broward Times, Weekly Challenger, Westside Gazette, and Jacksonville Advocate; why would New York Times start their own Black newspaper in Florida?

Start Your Own Photography Business from Home

Written by Roy Barker


Anyone withrepparttar right camera equipment, andrepparttar 146103 necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography. You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately.

With modern technology inrepparttar 146104 form of SLR digital cameras, you do not even needrepparttar 146105 room for a dark room. You need only to have a personal computer and a photo-editing program. The standard is Adobe Photoshop.

It is not necessary to clutter yourself with equipment you do not need. You can hire equipment on and when you need it basis. You haverepparttar 146106 freedom to work part time for a while until you can devote yourself full time to photography. All you need to be is a serious photographer. There are two types of photographers that makes their living from photography,repparttar 146107 serious photographer andrepparttar 146108 very serious photographer. You can always bookmark this link and then you can quickly access just about all you'll ever need from here.

Whilstrepparttar 146109 technical skills needed to make a successful photographer have never been easier, other aspects have changedrepparttar 146110 business. The market for photographs of virtually every type has widened,repparttar 146111 world seems to have an insatiable appetite for photographs. Howeverrepparttar 146112 price has fallen asrepparttar 146113 marketing net has broadened. Photographers are needed in many more fields. For instance many people use car web sites, they simply did not exist ten years ago, and they sell their products as a result of photography. Cameras used by scuba diver’s are now an excellent quality, and whilst they are initially expensive, they have forged a new market. People celebrate special occasions more with photography, than they did years ago. The travel and advertising markets have a greater need for landscape, travel and nature shots.

It is now easier than ever to turn your dream into reality and create a worthwhile business out of an engrossing hobby. However in today’s modern world there is more to it than simply pointing a camera, and shooting a picture. You need to be aware of marketing techniques, and here marketing simply means transferring ownership of a product, in this case an image from a buyer to seller. You also need to be aware of any local gaps inrepparttar 146114 market in your local area. You should also try to be on top of your competitor’s prices, to undercut an existing photographer is one choice, but to neglect to value your skills and not charge enough to cover your overheads is another matter entirely. Remember this, its an important point.

Use your skills torepparttar 146115 best advantage ofrepparttar 146116 business and define what you want from it. Writing a business plan helps to keep you focused onrepparttar 146117 areas you specifically want to exploit. A business plan helps you to define your goals and strategies, it will be changed and updated, but it will help you, to keep things in perspective. You can then refer back to it when things become confusing or complicated. Everyone’s business plan will be different, as every objective will be different, but there are certain common factors that make up a good business plan which will help your business grow. It allows you to develop a professional attitude to your business, which not only helps you to increase your earnings, but also help you to finance your business.

Forrepparttar 146118 photographer it should include, your business name, or your own, with full details ofrepparttar 146119 proposed location ofrepparttar 146120 business, a copy of your logo, as well as details of your copyright notices. What isrepparttar 146121 form of your proposed business (sole ownership, partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation). This should be followed by a table of contents, which focuses on a logical order. There are resources that will give you further details on such as profitable-photography.com

Included after this should berepparttar 146122 type of business you intend to pursue, in a fair amount of detail, and it should containrepparttar 146123 services you intend to offer. This section should include any future gaols or avenues you would like to explore, stating your clear objectives. This is so you can check at a later date whether your objectives are on course, or if you have got sidetracked.

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