Stephen A. Smith rarely struggles for words. One of the most recognizable voices in sports media, he has built a career on passionate opinions and unfiltered commentary. But when ESPN parted ways with Ryan Clark, Smith’s reaction was strikingly simple.

“It hurts. It really does,” Smith said.

Smith called Clark “arguably the best NFL analyst in America“ and said he opposed ESPN’s decision. At the same time, he acknowledged that layoffs have become an unavoidable reality across the television industry.

“The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision,” Smith said. “But it’s also important that myself and anybody else in the world of business be grown-ups and understand that these are the kind of things that happen when layoffs happen.”

Clark’s departure followed the exits of several nationally recognized Black media personalities, including Joy Reid at MSNBC and Don Lemon at CNN. It also came after Clark publicly reflected on his years at ESPN, saying there were times he felt he “couldn’t be too Black.” While each departure occurred under different circumstances, together they have renewed questions about the future of Black representation in mainstream media and whether the industry’s changing landscape is reducing the number of Black voices on the nation’s most influential platforms.

Networks have cited restructuring, layoffs or, in some cases, declined to publicly explain personnel decisions. Some journalists have pointed to workplace culture, while others argue the changes reflect broader economic forces reshaping the media business.

Dr. Al Reynolds, a communications professor who studies both media and business, said the conversation cannot begin with race alone. Before examining who is leaving mainstream media, he said, it is necessary to understand the economic forces transforming the industry itself.

“From the business side, there are three things they can’t argue,” Reynolds said. “One is the economic contraction of traditional television. People aren’t going to their traditional sources to be entertained anymore.”

Audiences have increasingly shifted away from traditional broadcast and cable television to streaming and digital platforms such as Netflix, Paramount+, BET+, YouTube and TikTok, Reynolds said. As viewers have migrated, advertisers have followed, reducing the revenue that once supported large television news operations.

“Because of the economic contraction, you have corporate consolidation and cost-cutting,” Reynolds said. “If your viewers aren’t there, your advertisers aren’t there. If your advertisers aren’t there, then you can’t pay your talent to be on those platforms anymore.”

Those financial realities help explain why media companies are making difficult personnel decisions, Reynolds said. But they do not fully explain why those departures matter.

“It doesn’t matter whether they fired [Clark] or whether they laid him off,” Reynolds said. “The effects of it are the same.”

As prominent Black personalities disappear from major platforms, Reynolds said the consequences extend far beyond the careers of individual journalists.

“When there are fewer prominent Black personalities with authority, as well as the resources, to be on these large platforms that have natural distribution to shape the mainstream conversation, then you have less of a voice in those spaces,” he said.

Award-winning entertainment journalist Keith L. Underwood agreed that economics is reshaping the media industry. But he said an equally important transformation is taking place among audiences themselves. Rather than relying on a handful of nationally recognized journalists and civil rights leaders, Black Americans now consume information across countless digital platforms, creating a media landscape that is more fragmented—and, in many ways, more difficult for any single voice to influence.

“I think the landscape is changing,” Underwood said. “People have so many different ways of getting their news, whether it be television, radio, social media, or word of mouth.”

“It’s not like it used to be when you had civil rights leaders who were the generalized voice of the people,” he said. “That’s gone.”

Underwood said that fragmentation has increasingly given way to celebrity-driven news and viral culture.

“It’s become more focused on the gossip,” Underwood said. “Celebrity scandal has become our news because those same voices are not there.”

At the same time, Underwood said major media organizations continue to influence which stories and perspectives reach the broadest audiences.

“If you’re dealing with mainstream outlets, then you also have to take into consideration what they’re allowing you to say,” he said, pointing to former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross as an example of someone who believed she would have greater editorial latitude than she ultimately experienced.

When asked specifically about Clark’s remarks that he often felt he “couldn’t be too Black” while working at ESPN, Underwood declined to speculate about Clark’s personal experience.

“I can’t speak to his specific situation because that’s his truth,” Underwood said.

Still, Underwood said professionalism and authenticity are not mutually exclusive. He pointed to former NFL star and television host Michael Strahan as someone who has successfully navigated mainstream media without losing his identity.

“I don’t think Michael Strahan has become less Black,” Underwood said. “He’s still Michael Strahan. He’s just learned how to communicate in different spaces.”

Underwood said the larger challenge is preserving authenticity while working within institutions that often shape how stories are told and who gets to tell them.

The picture, however, is more nuanced than a simple decline in Black representation. Fox News continues to feature prominent Black anchors, including Harris Faulkner and Lawrence Jones, both of whom have built long careers on one of cable television’s highest-rated news networks. Their continued prominence suggests the conversation is not simply about whether Black journalists remain on television, but how newsroom decisions, audience demand and editorial culture shape which voices endure and influence the national conversation.

For Underwood, however, the future of Black journalism may depend less on the decisions made inside corporate boardrooms than on the willingness of Black journalists and entrepreneurs to build platforms of their own.

“I think that too often Black folks are reactionary as opposed to being proactive,” Underwood said, arguing that the community should invest more aggressively in creating and supporting independent Black-owned media rather than waiting for opportunities from legacy institutions.

He pointed to YouTube, podcasts, streaming services and emerging artificial intelligence tools as technologies making it easier than ever for journalists to reach audiences without relying on traditional gatekeepers.

“If you create your own platform and you’re speaking truth to the news, you can be your authentic self,” Underwood said.

Looking ahead, Underwood believes the next generation of influential Black journalists will be defined not only by where they work, but by the platforms they own.

“Black folks need to start embracing these tools that are available to us in order to have a voice, in order to share our creativity and in order to benefit and enrich our communities,” he said.

As legacy media continues to evolve, the debate sparked by Ryan Clark’s departure suggests the future of Black journalism may depend not only on who is hired by major networks but also on who builds the next generation of platforms.

In this gallery, you will see the following performers: Tevin Campbell, George Clinton, T.I., MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh, Teedra Moses, Raheem DeVaughn, Marvin Sapp, Too Short, Patti LaBelle, and more.

ATLANTA — The FIFA Fan Festival has turned Centennial Olympic Park into one of Atlanta’s busiest summer stages, drawing more than 388,000 fans for World Cup watch parties, live music and cultural events.

The festival has reached capacity on multiple days, including during the Mexico-Czechia match, when some ticket holders were unable to enter after the park filled up.

Large crowds have also gathered for performances by Belly Gang Kushington, Davido and YK Niece, adding to the festival atmosphere beyond the matches. Ludacris is scheduled to perform July 14 during one of the tournament’s semifinal watch parties.

Free general admission passes are no longer available for the festival’s remaining dates: July 1, July 7, July 11, July 14 and July 15. GA+ passes remain available for $45 to $85, while VIP packages range from $225 to $325.

The festival follows a clear bag policy similar to many stadium events. Clear bags must be smaller than 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Small clutches under 4.5 by 6.5 inches are allowed.

The FIFA Fan Festival is cashless. Vendors accept domestic and international debit and credit cards, along with Apple Pay. Fans who use Visa cards can receive discounts on food and merchandise through the company’s partnership with FIFA.

By Erin Kaplan | Guest Columnist

Fifty summers ago, in 1976, journalist and author Alex Haley published his masterwork, “Roots: The Saga of an American Family.”

The timing was exquisite: As the nation celebrated the bicentennial with fireworks and paeans to freedom, “Roots” countered it with a deeply personal, Black-centered narrative of American history that began in Africa and cast the horror of slavery as foundational, not incidental, to the country’s founding and its character.

Despite its unflinching truths, “Roots” was an instant success — both the book and the miniseries that aired on network television the following year — a cultural landmark that resonated across color lines and far beyond literary circles. Its most groundbreaking truth is that Black stories not only matter, they are central to America’s identity.

So it was really only a matter of time before the MAGA movement targeted “Roots” for a takedown. Last month, the Knox County school board in Tennessee banned the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from libraries after deciding a single scene of white-on-Black rape violated a state law, the Age-Appropriate Materials Act, passed in 2022.

“Roots” became one of more than 100 titles banned in Knox County schools, part of a wider effort sanctioned by the Trump administration to diminish or disappear Black history in public institutions. The outcry about the ban was so immediate and intense that school officials lifted it a few weeks later.

Some of that can be credited to pushback from Haley’s own family members. I’ve been friends for years with his niece, Anne Haley, a lawyer who has spent her career in the Los Angeles city attorney’s office. Anne, 64, grew up intimately acquainted with “Roots” first with the stories about an ancestor named Kinte she’d heard from her Uncle Alex, and with the dozen years it took him to produce a book that wove those stories into a singular account of the Africa-to-America experience.

The ban wasn’t too surprising given the current political tenor, she said. Anne has always proudly touted her connection to the legacy of “Roots” and had been looking forward to observing the 50-year anniversary in August. She had been writing an essay about the anniversary that mused about whether the near-universal embrace that “Roots” enjoyed in 1976 was even possible now. The ban definitely answered that question.

“It hurt,” she said. “It was like going through the stages of grief. One was indignation — how dare you? “Roots” put Tennessee on the map!”

Alex Haley himself had roots in Tennessee, the place where he and his brothers, including Anne’s father, spent summers hearing stories about his African forebears from their grandmother. A towering bronze statue of Haley sits in Alex Haley Heritage Square in Knoxville.

Clinton, a town in the Knoxville metropolitan area, is where Alex Haley bought a farm and where, after “Roots” became a singular cultural phenomenon, he chose to return and live the remainder of his life; he died in 1992. (The farm was bought by the Children’s Defense Fund and turned into a center that, according to the website, grows justice.)

So taking the book written by a local hero out of school libraries because of one objectionable scene is myopic at best. At worst, it’s another blatant effort to whitewash history, and an exercise of the white domination that “Roots” illuminates so thoroughly.

The single offending scene was a description of “my great-great-great-great-grandmother being raped by her enslaver. Not a unique circumstance,” Anne Haley said dryly.

As a Black story, “Roots,” for all of its acclaim, was always vulnerable to being de-classicized because in this country, the significance of Black people’s stories in the national narrative has never been a settled matter. To the contrary, they pose an ongoing challenge to the country to fulfill its own promises of fairness and equality. Right now the country is utterly failing to do that, and so “Roots” must fail too.

Yet “Roots” itself remains unique, and indelible. Anne Haley and I were 14 in 1977 when the TV miniseries galvanized the nation for a week with unforgettable characters like Kunta Kinte, Fiddler, Kizzie and Chicken George, who battled the oppression of slavery while somehow living lives full of courage, love and humor.

At the same time, “Roots” was fundamentally tough to watch, and sometimes to hear; I remember being startled by the liberal use of the N-word on primetime TV. Also, it was a revelation to see famous white actors I knew from mainstream family fare — Robert Reed from “The Brady Bunch,” Chuck Connors of “The Rifleman,” Sandy Duncan of “Peter Pan” fame — portraying slavers and racist Southerners so convincingly.

That, of course, made people uncomfortable. But discomfort was not the enemy back then. Indeed, it was the point.

“Roots” was part of a tradition of realistic ’70s filmmaking — including “The Deer Hunter,” “Taxi Driver,” “Midnight Cowboy” and “The Godfather” — that was gritty, straightforward and interested not in making America look good, but in exposing America to itself.

As was true with many of those films, the gritty details of the “Roots” story were compelling and eye-opening for everyone. “Roots” was inclusive — not warm and fuzzy or politically correct — because its detailed truth necessarily included all of us.

In Haley’s American family saga, a good many Americans saw for the first time the full saga of themselves, and of the country. And for a brief moment that created community.

Recalling that communal moment is why Anne said she has often had a hard time accepting the intentional divisiveness of this one. She is encouraged by the continued resistance against Black erasure, including the pushback that forced Knox County schools to rescind the ban.

“Uncle Alex always said, ‘Find the good and praise it,’” she said. The lesson for her, especially given the fact that “Roots” was inspired by one family’s oral history, is that Black people must keep telling their stories.

To that end, as part of the 50-year commemoration of the book’s publication in August, Anne is planning to deliver “Roots”–related lectures aimed at young people and stage a marathon reading. She also continues to work on her own family memoir.

“My hope is to make people realize, especially Black people, that we need to coalesce,” she said. “We need to remain a village. We need to reinstitute the village.”

Erin Aubry Kaplan examines the persistent barriers to racial justice and opportunities for progress in an era of receding Black presence in Los Angeles and Californiafor Capital & Main, a nonprofit publication focused on inequality. It is published here with permission.

‘Roots’ was inclusive — not warm and fuzzy or politically correct — because its detailed truth necessarily included all of us.

Based on reporting by Wave Community Newspapers.

By Rob McManus

Many heritage brands are connecting with new customers by learning what people want now instead of just sticking to old trends. Share stories about how your brand started and got to where it is now. By creating great experiences for your customers, you’ll keep growing your heritage brand.

According to Exploding Topics, 81% of consumers can only consider buying from a brand if they trust it. It’s easier to gain trust if your company has been around for decades. Customers’ preferences keep changing. Don’t just rely on the number of years you’ve been in the market to attract new buyers.

Keeping up with marketing trends lets you find ways to stay relevant.

What Qualifies as a Heritage Brand?

A company with a long history and a strong reputation. If you ask someone in Washington what comes to their mind when they hear legacy brand, they may mention:

• Reliability
• High-quality goods or services
• Having traditions

Some of your customers probably buy from you because an older family member also does. Having strong ties with your community for many years qualifies your company as a traditional brand.

What Are the Golden Rules of Branding?

Be consistent, authentic, and focus on your customer’s needs. Don’t confuse buyers by having different voices on your social media pages and your website. You’ll build a reliable image that people will trust if you’re consistent.

For your company to survive several generations, you need to be authentic. Ensure your customers know you believe in what you’re selling.

Copying your competitors’ messaging when they’re trending makes you look like you’re trying to ride on their success. Each campaign you create should be based on:

• The company’s value
• Mission
• Origin story

Focus on solving your customers’ problems. They’ll keep choosing your brand even when others come up. When people feel valued, they become loyal. Branding requires you to address customers’ complaints quickly. Never wait until they affect your sales.

How Heritage Brands Are Attracting New Audiences

Older companies are finding ways to make their products more attractive to younger customers. You don’t have to let your heritage brand go out of fashion. Discovering ways to boost audience engagement becomes easier once you embrace change.

Using Digital Storytelling

Let your customers in 2026 know what inspired you or the founders to start the company. You can tell stories by attending podcasts and sharing short clips on your social media. Attract more people to your pages by posting more videos about your process.

Sharing the tools your company was using to make products decades ago will be fascinating to many viewers. Compare it to the tech you now have. Growing your audience with authentic storytelling eventually turns more people into buyers. Use real stories to create an emotional connection.

Creating Memorable Experiences

If consumers learn that a reputable brand is hosting a workshop to teach people how to use their products, they’ll look forward to it. Memorable experiences are valuable. Connect with your audience by:

• Hosting events where you give samples or consultations for free
• Creating an exclusive membership program
• Allowing some of your long-term buyers to test products before you launch

Having loyal customers is something many businesses struggle with. Let everyone gain from buying from you by giving them good experiences.

Proving Financial Value by Boosting Durability

Many customers would rather spend more money on something like a watch. It’s better than replacing a cheap one every few months after it breaks. You can buy Tissot watches here to experience the value of durability.

Such a purchase will help you understand why it’s important to give people value for their money. Ask your customers what they think you should do to improve your brand. Making a few changes to your products can make them last longer, keeping buyers happy. 

Collaborating With Influencers and Content Creators

Young customers often trust what their favorite content creator suggests. Consider working with influencers whose content matches what you do. Someone whose audience is similar to the people you’re targeting will help you boost sales.

Collaboration is one of the best modern branding techniques. Use it to build your credibility. You don’t have to spend all your resources on marketing campaigns that don’t give you the results you’re looking for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Heritage Brand Become Too Old-Fashioned?

Yes. People won’t relate to your content or products if you resist change for too long. Your company’s history is valuable. Ensure you don’t let it prevent you from offering your customers:

• Convenience
• Innovative products and services
• Products that are relevant to them

Check if your website provides people with the information they need quickly. Many customers research online before even calling your team.

Failing to post product details might be causing you to lose sales. Not everyone will be willing to contact your team because they have a question. They might just choose to buy from another seller who has a modern website with all the details they need.

Is Social Media Important for Heritage Brands?

Yes. Humanize your brand by posting content on:

• TikTok
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram

A lot of younger customers check if a brand has a page on these sites when considering buying something from them. Posting unboxing videos or tutorials makes your content more valuable.

When you’re planning to launch a product, engage people with a poll. Ask your audience for their opinion so they’ll feel included.

How Do Companies Change Without Losing Older Customers?

By maintaining their main products while creating more items for younger buyers. Don’t phase out all your older products if they still sell out. Consider:

• Offering more color options
• Using modern sizing guides
• Adding digital features for younger buyers

Keeping your classic items or improving them shows your customer that you aren’t just trying to keep up with trends without caring about their needs.

Discovering New Audiences With Modern Techniques

Heritage brands have the advantage of already having a good reputation. Embracing change will help you attract new audiences.

Customers love learning about how you started your company and the challenges you’ve overcome. Share your story on social media or on your website. By working with influencers, you gain the trust of younger people faster.

Check out more marketing insights on our page.

In this special two-part episode of Leadership Matters, host Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. brings together two influential leaders shaping the future of policy, business, and community impact—U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Amazon executive Mamar Gelaye.

This dynamic conversation explores the intersection of public leadership and corporate innovation, highlighting how both sectors can work together to expand opportunity, drive equity, and strengthen communities.

Senator Alsobrooks shares her perspective on leadership in government, advancing policies that support working families, and the importance of representation and civic engagement. Mamar Gelaye offers insight into leadership within one of the world’s most influential companies, discussing innovation, economic inclusion, and navigating corporate responsibility in a rapidly changing global landscape.
Together, they discuss:

The power of leadership across public and private sectors
Advancing economic opportunity and equity
The role of women in shaping the future of leadership
Building pathways for the next generation of leaders
Strengthening communities through collaboration and innovation

Leadership Matters is a compelling series dedicated to highlighting voices that are driving meaningful change and inspiring progress across the globe.
👉 Be sure to watch both parts, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more impactful conversations.

#LeadershipMatters #BenjaminChavis #AngelaAlsobrooks #MamarGelaye #WomenInLeadership #PublicPolicy #CorporateLeadership #EconomicEquity #Innovation #BlackLeadership #Amazon #Politics