"THE DISAPPEARING ANCHOR" An African American Perspective By Gary Mattingly

INTRODUCTION

Ever since the beginning of time, man has used crude forms of communication. From what we read in the history books, to what is portrayed on television and in the movies, man has used everything from banging a stick on a rock, to eventually uttering sounds....sounds which eventually became more refined and developed into words.

Over the centuries, speech and communication have become more universal. The English language has crossed socio-economic and racial barrier to become perhaps the most widely accepted language on the planet. But, while many of us attempt to master the language to benefit us in our livlihoods, the experts say it has only given African American males a minimal advantage on the network level.

In a Septemeber, 2000 article, Former New York Post and NewsDay Journalist Pamela Newkirk writes that the mainstream media have learned how to recruit black journalists, but not how to keep them.-1. And perhaps it is reflective of the small number of african american male anchors who have managed to reach the pinnacle.