BLACK POLITICIANS DO NOT SUPPORT BLACK PRESS
The tension between Black politicians and the Black press regarding campaign spend- ing is a persistent, frustrating issue for publishers across the country. Groups like the National Newspaper Publish- ers Association (NNPA)— which represents hundreds of African American-owned media companies—frequently highlight that even when local or national races spend tens of millions of dollars, a […] The post BLACK POLITICIANS DO NOT SUPPORT BLACK PRESS appeared first on African American News and Issues.
Black News 
The tension between Black politicians and the Black press regarding campaign spend- ing is a persistent, frustrating issue for publishers across the country. Groups like the National Newspaper Publish- ers Association (NNPA)— which represents hundreds of African American-owned media companies—frequently highlight that even when local or national races spend tens of millions of dollars, a tiny fraction (often less than 1%) reaches Black-owned outlets.
This disconnect happens for several key strategic, institutional, and systemic reasons. Modern political campaigns are rarely run directly by the politicians themselves; they are managed by specialized political consulting firms and media-buying agencies.
Algorithmic and Digital Bias: These consulting firms rely heavily on standardized data metrics, programmatic digital advertising, and large-scale television buys to reach mas- sive audiences quickly. Lack of Cultural Competency: Many mainstream consulting firms lack deep roots in local Black communities and do not understand the historical trust and hyper- local influence that Black-owned newspapers, radio stations, and digital sites possess. Because Black media platforms often don’t fit into standard automated media buying software, they are routinely left off the budget.
Taking the Base for Granted
A common complaint among Black publishers is that political parties and candidates engage in “tactical negligence” when it comes to the Black electorate. The “Locked-In” Vote Myth: Because Black voters consistently vote overwhelmingly for one political party in general elections, consultants often operate under the assumption that they do not need to spend money to convert these voters.
Swing-Voter Priority: Campaign dollars are disproportionately funneled toward undecided or “swing” voters, who tend to skew white and suburban. Consequently, the media outlets serving those demographics receive the lion’s share of the advertising budget.
Structural Demands for Direct Voter Contact
When campaigns do allocate money to engage minority communities, they frequently favor direct voter contact over traditional print or display advertising. Money is prioritized for:
Direct mail pieces.
Paid canvassing teams and “Get Out The Vote” (GOTV) operations.
Phone banking and peer-to-peer text messaging platforms.
Consultants often view these methods as more measurable because they can track direct interactions back to a specific voter file, whereas the long- tail communal impact of an editorial or ad in a legacy Black publication is harder to quantify using standard campaign.
The post BLACK POLITICIANS DO NOT SUPPORT BLACK PRESS appeared first on African American News and Issues.
