How Reverend Jessie Jackson Impacted Radio

Sherman K. Kizart | Managing Director Kizart Media Partners

Reverend Jessie Louis Jackson, Sr passed away peacefully early this morning here in Chicago. He will be forever remembered as a civil rights icon, freedom fighter, activist, and advocate for equal opportunity and justice  for all. You may remember that for years Rev. Jackson had a weekend radio show that was nationally syndicated by iHeart for years.

Here’s a very important and transformative fact that you may not about Rev. Jackson and how we helped transform economic opportunity for the Radio industry at a time that it was needed the most. No Urban and No Hispanic Dictates were robbing African American and Hispanic owned and targeted radio stations over $500 million in revenue annually.

In 2013, FCC Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein( Democrat) and FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell(Republican) asked and directed me to help address this issue with the ad industry. In fact, their combined message was to tell the ad industry CEOs that if they didn’t fix this problem of excluding diverse radio stations from ad buys, then the FCC would step in to fix it.

Nancy Hill, CEO of the 4As( American Association of Advertising Agencies) and Bill Koenigsberg, Chairman of the 4As and CEO of Horizon Media were the advertising agency community principals that I was meeting and negotiating over this important issue. The negotiations had stalled and I had become very discouraged if we could come to an agreement.

In early 2014, I was invited to New York to meet with 4As CEO Nancy Hill and 4as Chairman Bill Koenigsgerg…. I shared the meeting time with Glenda Gill, a close aide of Rev. Jackson. She was a good friend and sounding board. I arrived at the 4As executive offices the next morning. Reverend Jessie Jackson arrived at the 4As office just as the meeting began. He told me that he was aware of the focus of the meeting and he wanted to be a part of the discussion with 4As executives.

By the end of the meeting, the 4as agreed to a New Non-Discrimination Policy AND Complaint Review Process. Over the last 12 years, this policy has been effective in returning and generating millions of dollars for African American and Hispanic Radio stations. In fact, global media agencies such as Horizon Media use the 4As Non Discrination Policy and Complaint Process for on boarding of new hires.

Thank you, Rev, Jackson for helping to bridge the economic divide for Radio.

May you rest in peace.