September 21, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz What We Can Learn from the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards This weekend’s Primetime Emmys made it official: streaming networks are now television’s dominant player. We all saw this coming. But it’s worth noting that subscription services have eaten network TV’s lunch at breakneck …
September 14, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz A New Era’s Dawn? New Peabody Awards Recognize Digital Storytellers When BPM launched its New Media Institute more than a decade ago, we knew we were on the front edge of what would become a storytelling game changer. At the time, our program …
September 7, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Leveling the Still Tilted Playing Field A couple of weeks ago, I and several dozen other New York City nonprofit arts leaders worked with the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York Arts Foundation to select the final group of grantees …
August 31, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Photo by Mary Taylor from Pexels Back to School With Public Media The 2021 Back to School season is missing some of its usual rhythm. Yes, most students and teachers are excited to finally be back on their campuses. But the pandemic’s ominous cloud continues to …
AUGUST 24, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Where Are OUR Climate Change Stories? ‘Tis the season to be mindful of hurricanes. Hurricane Katrina, 2005. Hurricane Maria, 2017. Hurricane Harvey, 2017. These high-profile environmental disasters had a disproportionately harmful impact on BIPOC communities. Throw in the everyday toll that climate change …
AUGUST 17, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Honoring Our Colleague/Friend Leanne Ferrer by Continuing the Work It’s not often that people remain in the same company for more than 5 years, let alone nearly 20, but come December, I will have been at Black Public Media for two full decades. …
JULY 10, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Ripping the Veil Off of Black Girl ‘Magic’ in Sports As an African American woman who spent her youth playing basketball and running track, watching this year’s Olympics evoked a mashup of emotions. On one hand, I was thrilled to witness Black women …
AUGUST 3, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Even in the best of times, it can be difficult to stay focused this time of year. Not only do distractions abound, but tempers can flare, malaise can set in, and productivity can wane. Throw in the seemingly endless drama of this pandemic and …
JULY 20, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz Artwork from Grab My Hand, a short film by Camrus Johnson, which is competing in this year’s PBS Short Film Festival. Don’t Miss Your Opportunity to Be a Winner For a decade, the PBS Short Film Festival has given public media audiences a …
JULY 13, 2021 BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA WEEKLY DISPATCH By Leslie Fields-Cruz The Hollywood Remake, for Better or Worse Am I the only one who is troubled by Hollywood’s tiresome penchant for blackfacing their old movies and TV shows (e.g., First Wives Club, Wonder Years)? I know summer is primetime for blockbuster movie releases, and …