Richard Prince's "Journal-isms" online column reported Monday that nearly two decades after his career took national notice, news anchor Ed Gordon is back, covering news and real issues that matters to African Americans on Black Entertainment Television.
Gordon is best known for in depth interviews with international icons like Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, the late Michael Jackson, and R. Kelly. After interviewing former Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted on double murder charges, Gordon was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World."
In 2002 Gordon's popular interview program "BET Tonight with Ed Gordon," was canceled. The headlining reporter was reassigned to host unsuccessful shows "Lead Story," and "Teen Summit." Post BET has landed Gordon in various short term media spots including MSNBC AND CBS-TV's "60 Minutes II," National Public Radio, and "Our World with Black Enterprise."
On Monday, CEO of BET Debra L. Lee, announced Gordon's long awaited return to the network.
"As BET celebrates its 30th anniversary, it brings me great joy to welcome back one of America's most prominent news personalities. Ed has always remained part of the BET family and I am sure viewers will share in our excitement to have him back," Lee said.
Gordon revealed to Journal-isms that his show will cover top headlines and "serious issues will be covered and covered well."
After a noticeable transition to a pop culture entertainment network and the inauguration of President Barack Obama, BET decided it was time to take the network to a different level.
Lee said that it was "time to sit back with my management team and say, 'where are we going. What do I want my legacy to be? After 30 years, what do we want to stand for?"
BET has been through some tough criticism, including a "thumbs down" rating from the National Association of Black Journalists when the network refused to broadcast the funerals of civil rights activists Rosa Parks in 2005 and Coretta Scott King in 2006.
With the return of Gordon, BET is seeking to walk steady in its commitment to bringing news that matters to African Americans.
SOURCE: EUR Web
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(I know that this is somewhat off topic but it should be said as this is a blog targeting African-American Christians.)
For all of the "gospel" programming that BET shows (usually on Sundays and mornings), the shows aired seem to present Christianity as more of a (middle-class to upper-middle class African-American) culture rather than a faith. Granted, it is a secular station catering to a particular ethnic demographic first and then Christians as a subset of that demographic.
I suppose it is better than The Word Network, which purports to be Christian but is more ethno-centric than Christo-centric in spite of 24 hours of churchy programming. The content of the messages preached in most of the church programs on the Word Network is amiss of sound hermeneutical interpretations of Scripture. Most of them play to socio-economic and ethnic the concerns of the live and television audiences.
Is anyone else wrestling with the balance of ethno-centrism and Christo-centrism that is presented in African-American Christian programming on these major networks? Are we just content with seeing Black folks on TV and Black faces in church settings?
(Take any 3-hour sample of church programs on The Word Network or BET and examine for yourself if there is any substantive Christian teaching that is soundly derived from an accurate interpretation of Scripture. This is my challenge to the African-American Christian audience that frequents this site. Thank you.)