Black journalists, bloggers discuss the future of news

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

WASHINGTON — With newspapers across the nations watching their circulations decline, many black journalists find themselves re-evaluating the next steps in their own careers.

During a conference last month hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), reporters and bloggers assessed the coming inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, who has vowed to make technology a priority in his administration, and considered how black journalism might fit into the new digital era.

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FCC meeting informs public on 2009 digital TV switch

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

Robert M. McDowell, one of the five commissioners that head the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), conducted a town hall meeting at Emerson College last Thursday as part of a nationwide tour to inform the public about the upcoming transition to digital television on Feb. 17, 2009.

In 2005, Congress passed the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act, which requires that broadcasters stop transmitting the programming of their full-power television stations through analog signals as of next year. Instead, broadcasters must use newer digital technology.

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‘Voyeurs de Venus’ explores a troubling racial legacy

By Talia Whyte

The Bay State Banner

While it’s often said that art has a way of imitating life, its capacity for shedding light on long-forgotten and dark parts of history is sometimes overlooked. “Voyeurs de Venus,” the play that kicks off local theater group Company One’s 10th season, examines one troubling piece of history that still affects the black psyche today — the tragic tale of the “Hottentot Venus.”

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