Media “Resegregation"

MEDIA "RESEGREGATION"
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
BET, Radio One, Inner City, Viacom, Post-Newsweek, Emmis, Granite and LIN TV were among 24 companies that weighed in on school desegregation at the Supreme Court, arguing that “a ruling that racial diversity in K-12 public education is not a compelling government interest would send a devastating message to Americans and to the world that, as a nation, we believe that we have done enough with respect to racial integration and are prepared to accept the resegregation of our schools.” Elizabeth G. Taylor, counsel to the petitioners, says she sent questionnaires to the communications companies about their positions and found, “to a company, they all said it really does make a difference that people don't just go through diversity training when they are hired but learn it from a young age. I don't think it is something they are making up. They really believe it.” David Honig of the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council helped to assemble the group and points out that the companies are hoping a finding that diversity is a compelling government interest could help in the effort to restore the FCC's tax-certificate policy, which gave media companies a tax break for selling to minority owners. “Congress' consideration of whether to bring back tax certificates could be affected by what the court says about diversity in education,” says Honig.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6381206.html?display=News