GBH relaunches ‘Basic Black' as ‘GBH News Rooted,' plans to bring back version of ‘Greater Boston' later this year
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
'It is my distinct joy and pleasure to serve as host of GBH News Rooted, following in the footsteps of luminary journalists like Callie Crossley, Kim McLarin, Darren Duarte, and the late, legendary Sarah-Ann Shaw,' Alston said. 'All of these exemplars advanced conversations on issues critical to Black and other communities of color during their tenures, and this moment is ripe for me to carry the torch.'
Advertisement
It was not immediately clear what platforms would carry the new version of 'Greater Boston.'
GBH had
At the time, chief executive Susan Goldberg said the shows 'no longer draw enough viewers to justify the cost of making them for television' and added that they would revamped as 'digital-first programming.' In a statement Wednesday, she said the return of the two programs reflects a positive trend for the organization, which is the largest producer of PBS programming and one of two NPR news stations in Boston.
Advertisement
'GBH News is growing on many fronts — from our reporting and programs, to the number of people we're reaching, to the support our community is giving us,' Goldberg said.
The relaunch of 'Basic Black' as 'GBH News Rooted' and 'Greater Boston' also come just weeks after
The organization made a slew of other programming announcements Wednesday, including that interim ''Morning Edition' host Mark Herz is now the show's permanent anchor, and that its popular dayside show 'Boston Public Radio' has added a weekly media analysis segment during its Friday show held at Boston Public Library.
Aidan Ryan can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
6 hours ago
- Business Insider
Africa's richest country pushes rule review that would ease Elon Musk's Starlink entry
South Africa is reviewing policies that could allow Elon Musk's Starlink and other satellite internet providers to operate in the country without giving up ownership stakes, the telecoms minister said. South Africa is reconsidering its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies related to foreign satellite internet providers. The proposed changes suggest allowing equity-equivalent programs instead of mandatory 30% Black ownership. SpaceX supports these reforms, which might facilitate its operations in the country without ceding ownership. Opposition voices criticise the potential policy shift, alleging favouritism towards wealthy foreign interests. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is considering 19,000 public submissions on proposed changes to the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rules. The review would assess whether tech firms could meet the requirements through equity-equivalent programs rather than the current 30% Black ownership threshold, according to Bloomberg. 'We are prioritizing it, you cannot sit on submissions. Once done, and based on the sentiment, we can make a submission to Icasa to make the final decision,' Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi said, referring to the regulatory Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. No Starlink in Africa's biggest economy Despite being operational in over 17 African countries, including neighbouring nations like Namibia, Mozambique, and Botswana, South Africa, the continent's largest economy, is not on the Starlink network. Elon Musk has rejected demands to give up equity to meet Black-ownership rules designed to address apartheid-era inequalities, calling the laws 'openly racist.' SpaceX, in its submission to the government, has backed the proposed amendments. Under the new changes, telecoms companies could meet empowerment requirements by investing in infrastructure, digital inclusion, or research projects that benefit disadvantaged communities, rather than ceding ownership. The plan has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who accuse the government of rewriting laws to favour a wealthy foreign billionaire.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
How Trump's Tariffs Stymied Black Business Growth
The Trump administration's aggressive stance on tariffs is ravaging small business owners, including Black-owned enterprises. New data from Small Business for America's Future show that 80% of over 860 small businesses worry tariffs could force them to close. And 79% fear a U.S. recession emerging in the next 12 months. The fallout is potentially catastrophic as Black businesses are often unable to absorb unexpected cost increases. And they must decide whether or not to boost prices for budget-strapped customers battling inflation. To boot, Black households are more apt to spend a greater share of income on necessities like food, clothing, and utilities. Those expenses are more prone to being affected by tariffs. BLACK BUSINESSES DEAL WITH OBSTACLES AMID TARIFF UNCERTAINTY Simultaneously, around 80% of Black Americans were getting ready to shift their spending habits and buy fewer items, per this report. Exacerbating matters, unemployment for Blacks in July reached its highest point in nearly four years. The findings could potentially trim spending with Black firms if people become more frugal with their finances. Although this report disclosed greater optimism about conditions over the next six months, sluggish sales are a mounting worry for small businesses. Eleven percent mention say its 'top business problem,' the highest point since February 2021. Around 52% of Black businesses report that they saw declining sales due to tariffs as of June 2025. Another account projects that U.S. consumers' share of paying for tariff-related costs will surge to 67% this October from 22% this past June, with Trump disputing the analysis. With the August 1 tariff deadline by Trump now lifted, Black small business owners have expressed frustrations to BLACK ENTERPRISE on how the charges are harming them. RESTAURANT OWNER FORCED TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS Gladys Harrison is experiencing the tariff sting. She is the owner of Big Mama's Kitchen in Omaha, Nebraska. The restaurant is known for its oven-fried chicken. The spices and seasonings are blended locally but the ingredients come from several different countries. Harrison stressed the special ingredients are what make her dishes stand out, but the unpredictable nature of current tariff policies is forcing her to make complex business decisions. For instance, Harrison had planned an expansion to roll out signature seasonings to grocery stores nationwide, backed by a big marketing campaign. But she says the plan has been scaled down significantly because of tariff uncertainty. 'When I can't predict what my costs will be from month to month, I can't commit to the kind of investment that expansion requires.' (She talks more about the impact here.) UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF TARIFFS CATCHES THE OWNER OFF GUARD For Black entrepreneur Legrand Lindor, the unpredictable nature of current tariff policies caught his business off guard. He owns LMI Textiles, a small medical supply and manufacturing company in Milton, Massachusetts. He is the leading distributor for a French firm that makes harm reduction products in Europe. His clients include critical public health organizations like the Boston Public Health Commission and health departments nationwide. Lindor says his business was hit with a retroactive $5,000 charge on a February shipment that had already been delivered when aluminum-based product tariffs were implemented. Plus, he says, his firm's most recent shipment received an increased tariff of 50%. That meant instead of paying $4.000 in pre-February times, the firm now faces a $15,000 tariff bill for the items. 'This kind of surprise cost is devastating for a small operation like mine,' Lindor says. He is encountering medical supply challenges, with those product lines facing pressure from many directions. He reflected further on how his firm is being affected by tariffs. COST OF SUPPLIES FOR THIS PROPRIETOR HIT DOUBLE-DIGIT LEVELS For Katrina Golden, owner of Lil Mama's Sweets & Treats in Augusta, Georgia, the tariffs are affecting businesses like her bakery and coffee shop differently than large corporations. For example, her Chinese supplier offered the chance to lock in coffee cup prices at $225 per case before tariffs hit; however, she couldn't take advantage of that opportunity. 'Unlike big businesses, I don't have the cash flow to make bulk purchases that could save money in the long run,' she says. 'There is no wiggle room in my bottom line.' Another blow has been rising costs. Golden says the cost of nearly everything needed to run the business grew by 20-25%. This includes basic supplies like flour, parchment paper, napkins, paper plates, butter, sugar, and spices. 'My coffee cups are expected to jump from $225 to potentially $300-400 per case for my next order, and I only have about 60 days of supply left,' she says. 'I would hire two more employees today if I knew I could afford to keep them, but how do you create a sustainable business plan when policies change so rapidly? I currently employ four people, and we're all feeling the uncertainty.' Lindor summed up the devastating impact of tariffs. 'We don't have the resources that large corporations must absorb these kinds of sudden changes. This has certainly curtailed our plans to open our own warehouse and provide additional jobs.' RELATED CONTENT: Financing Groceries: More Shoppers Are Buying Now And Paying Later For Food Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why One Gary Barbershop Has Lasted for Generations
This month, in celebration of Black Business Month, Capital B Gary is publishing a series of stories highlighting businesses, business owners, and entrepreneurs in the city. At 12 years old, William 'Bill' Coker came home from the barber college with a haircut he hated. Disappointed, he grabbed the clippers his mother kept in the house and fixed it himself. What began as a personal fix quickly became more: first, he paid people to let him cut their hair, then, before long, kids were paying him for his services. Forty years later, Bill Coker is no longer the boy who once paid for practice cuts. At 52, he presides over one of Gary's most enduring barbershops. Running Billco Barber Shop for nearly three decades, Coker has upheld a tradition that stretches beyond just fades and crisp lineups. In Black communities, barbershops have long served as gathering spaces — places where people come not just to look good, but also to connect. That tradition continues at Billco's, making it both a business and a cultural anchor. 'I didn't know it was going to be my destiny,' Coker said. 'And now I'm actually walking in my destiny.' During his teenage years and into early adulthood, Coker spent as much time as possible perfecting his craft. After spending a year in college, he returned home and worked, while cutting hair as a side hustle. Eventually, he realized he didn't enjoy his job and decided to focus on cutting hair more. Taking a leap of faith, he offered $5 house calls, requiring a minimum of four people. There was just one problem: He wasn't licensed. Then, when a client walked him to barber college, the rest was history. He graduated in 1994 and began working at his mother's salon. 'I think I was chosen to do this; it just came out of my spirit,' Coker said. 'I've always had a passion for it, and I never not wanted to do this.' Coker worked with his mom for a while; together, they opened a shop called Top of the Hill. Yet, wanting to branch out, he set his sights on opening a shop of his own to grow as both a barber and an entrepreneur. He got his feet wet with his first shop, located on 38th Avenue and Broadway, but soon outgrew it. Needing more space, he opened the first big Billco's in the plaza on 11th Avenue and Broadway, with nine barbers. 'That was the best time of my life,' he said. When leasing no longer made sense, he searched for a building he could own. Driving down Broadway one day, he spotted a storefront that once housed a clothing shop called Just for Me. 'This used to be a clothing store called Just for Me,' he said, sitting inside Billco's current home on 24th and Broadway. 'I just thought that was too ironic because I was looking for a building called Just for Me,' he said jokingly. In 2005, he purchased the building. Two decades later, the building houses eight full-time barbers on one side and six suites for small entrepreneurs on the other. 'It's very rewarding to see just the city thrive, and you be a part of it,' he said. Barbershops have long been pillars of Black communities. And Coker wants his barbershop to be just that: a community. 'We've created a family-oriented, righteous atmosphere here,' he said, gesturing around the shop. 'We welcome so many walks of life. I only want to create a positive and pleasant environment.' While the Gary native no longer lives full time in the city, he still dedicates time to the shop and his craft. 'One of my goals as a barber was to work less and make more,' he said. 'When I moved to Houston, I wanted to do something different. I didn't want to be put in a barber box.' That change came when he attended a hair replacement class in Dallas. It opened a new niche, which quickly took off. Today, he visits Gary monthly while balancing his work in Houston, relying on his team to keep Billco's running. Deedra Jones, also known as Dee Dee, is the first face customers see when they walk into the shop. She has been a part of Billco's for almost a decade. Unlike her boss and friend, the 33-year veteran didn't have the immediate call to the craft. She enrolled in barber college in 1991. Her mother paid $1,800 for tuition, and Jones said she didn't want to waste the opportunity or her mother's money. She obtained her license, completed her required hours on Saturdays, and landed a job at a shop seeking a female barber. 'I've never wanted to quit; this has been my only job,' she said. Jones floated between shops in the region before joining Coker, whom she had known for years. 'This is home; I'm done,' she said, calling Billco's the last shop she'll work in. Carl Blakely, another longtime barber, said he returned to Billco's after running his own shop in Michigan City for a decade. 'It's deeper than just trying to get some money from you,' he said. 'I like creating something from nothing. You come in looking one way, and you leave transformed.' Similar to Coker, he started cutting hair as a preteen and has continued for 30 years. A 'student of the game,' as he states, he learned from watching his barber cut hair for hours before his appointment and practicing on friends and family. Through the faith of one family member, Blakely was encouraged to attend barber school before joining his cousin, Bishop, at Billco's years later. Having his cousin working at Billco's, he saw firsthand the community behind the shop and knew that he wanted to be a part of it — especially the jokes and environment they created. Jones and Blakely said Billco's is committed to service first. Customers who can't pay aren't turned away. 'We look out for them to make them feel good about themselves,' Jones said. 'We're not gonna take it as a loss, like we just lost haircut money.' Having built those relationships with clients, they know that they'll come back and take care of it. For Coker and his team, barbering has never been just about hair. It's about community. 'I believe the barbershop is one of the most important things in the [Black] community, next to a church,' Blakely said. The post Why One Gary Barbershop Has Lasted for Generations appeared first on Capital B Gary. Solve the daily Crossword
