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Fun with numbers

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The Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce launched an initiative Wednesday to get the state to spend a larger share of its advertising dollars on Black-owned media.

The Coalition for Black Media Equity is seeking at least 8% of the state’s annual $2 billion marketing budget, or about $160 million, be spent on Black-owned media, in line with the state’s minority procurement guidelines. […]

Larry Ivory, president and CEO of the chamber, said the state’s actual Black-owned media spend is closer to $10 million a year, or about 0.5% of the total budget. […]

There are 15 initial members in the coalition, Ivory said. Chicago members include Dorothy Leavell, publisher of The Chicago Crusader; Melody Spann Cooper, chairman of Midway Broadcasting Corp., which owns WVON-AM 1690; and Carl West, publisher of TBT News.

Wait. The state is spending $2 billion for advertising/marketing in a $40 billion budget? I found that difficult to believe, to say the least.

* So, I asked the governor’s office to check with its budget office and here’s what GOMB could find for advertising/marketing…

Lottery — $41.4 Million for FY20 and this was paid to the Private Manager, Camelot, and they directly pay for marketing.
DCEO — $18.2 million in FY20 for tourism that’s being used for mask/COVID stuff this year
IDOT – about $4 million for their safety media program
Tollway - they were waiting on this, but isn’t going to make $2 B
DHS – about $3 million
DPH - $717,729.98, which is made up of $64,486.23 in newspaper notices plus $653,243.75 in COVID PSAs

That totals $67.3 million, plus whatever the Tollway spends, and the state has no direct control over Tollway spending. Same with universities.

Black-owned media and PR firms should most definitely be getting every dollar of their fair share. But the terms need to be set using reality.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:04 pm

Comments

Dear JB Pritzker,

I think you are a good governor, but I don’t think is makes sense to spend 5% of the State’s budget on advertising.

(pauses, listens to headset)

Um, never mind

Comment by Soccermom Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:09 pm
$10 million is nearly 15% of $67.3 million.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:09 pm
Gotta love that the Trib just accepted the assertion at face value.

Therefore, the Trib got played. Or, was glad to go along with a story that made Pritzker look bad.

The article says the governor’s office hadn’t responded. But, clearly no documentation was sought from those making the claim.

Comment by Moe Berg Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:27 pm
Stop and think for a moment that the biggest ad dollars are spent convincing people to gamble, and the Black Chamber is complaining not enough is spent targeting Black audiences.

Meantime, The Crusader has a circulation of 60K or so, and no way to target ads, so if you are trying to reach men over 50 about colon cancer screenings, the ad might only be relevant to 10K households, and you are lucky if 100 men even see the ad.

Comment by Thomas Paine Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:28 pm
As a member of the IL Procurement Policy Board, appointed by John Cullerton, Larry Ivory enabled Ed Bedore - but that is for another post. Ivory’s numbers are about as close to reality as were Cullerton’s, when as sponsor of Red Light Cameras (Emil was Senate President), he spoke before legislative committees. Not even close!

Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:38 pm
Usually general media can point to research search that shows they reach more of that demographic than the listed entities. Did Larry make this pitch to his pal GovJunk? Hmmm.

Comment by Annonin' Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 3:41 pm
Unless they’re considering money spent on Comms staff/consultants…No way that gets to $2 Billion, though.

Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 4:00 pm
===Unless they’re considering money spent on Comms staff/consultants===

Throw all of it in. That’s peanuts.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 25, 20 @ 4:00 pm