Disrupting Black Entertainment Media Transformation with David Lee while the African American population is growing in the U.S., most media within the country grossly underrepresents this group. When there is representation, it is often based upon stereotypes. According to data, 70% of respondents in a survey stated that Hollywood films often give into stereotypes when portraying racial minorities. This issue is not only found on-screen. Approximately 75.2% of employees in TV newsrooms are white, and in radio news, a meager 5.1% of the workforce in 2017 were African American. In the publishing industry, figures gathered around the same time show that 87% of employees were white, in comparison to only 2% African American.¹
Additional research performed by McKinsey & Company reveals the glaring disparity in the representation of the Black community via media. In its research, McKinsey discovered that fewer Black-led stories are told, and these projects are consistently underfunded and undervalued even when they are. The fact is that Black professionals are grossly underrepresented in executive decision-making roles throughout the media industry. A stunning 87% of TV executives and 92% of film executives are white.
Through the founding of Ebony Ascent, Lee is leading the way in developing a space where authentic conversations can take place, where Black-led stories can be told, and where a community can be built
David Lee is on a mission to provide a space to empower the potential of his own culture through one unified source of real information, insights, and media. Through the founding of Ebony Ascent, Lee is leading the way in developing a space where authentic conversations can take place, where Black-led stories can be told, and where a community can be built.
Disrupting Black Entertainment Media Transformation with David Lee. Born a disruptor, Lee has always questioned and analyzed the world around him, never content with the status quo. During a lucrative career in the tech industry, Lee was hit with his own moment of disruption — the realization that he was extremely unhappy and was conforming to a norm that left him profoundly dissatisfied. After stepping out of this role, Lee decided to found Ebony Ascent. What would begin as a space for Lee to share his financial and business insights became a powerful disruption in the Black entertainment media market.
Disrupting Black Entertainment Media Transformation with David Lee.
