Max Robinson (1939-1988) broke racial barriers in the media industry when he became the first African American television anchor in Washington, D.C., and again when he joined ABC's "World News Tonight"as a cohost in 1978. Max Robinson was a central part of an ABC network team. He was stationed in Chicago, with Peter Jennings in London and Frank Reynolds in Washington.
Unlike many other blacks in the media that allows their high paid salary to keep them quiet. He told the truth. Though he was earning money most of us only dreamed about he still fought for racial equality and more positive portrayals of African Americans throughout his career, making him a role model for many.
In 1981 he was invited to give a speech for students at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. All he had to do was not rock the boat. But he decided he was going to tell the truth. He was not going to take the easy way out by protecting his bosses by offering comforting lies as others do. Instead, he delivered a scathing but honest attack on the biased and unfair U.S. media. "He told an audience," Jeremy Gerard of the New York Times wrote, "that the news media were 'a crooked mirror' through which 'white America views itself,' and that 'only by talking about racism, by taking a professional risk, will I take myself out of the mean, racist trap all black Americans find themselves in."' He said then and many other time thereafter that one of the most difficult part of his job was reporting news stories that he knew where totally untrue. His bosses fumed, summoned him to New York and read the riot act to him. In effect, they demanded to know how dare he tell the truth. Max had stuck his neck out and his bosses chopped it off. He was demoted and his career was sent into downward spiral.
Max confided to others that things were never the same for him after his speech at Smith College. Former Daily News columnist, Adrian Lee, then writing for the Bulletin, led the legion of writers who accused Max of being an ingrate. And, while he was at it, charged that "Max Robinson had forgotten how far he had come.
That hurt Max Robinson deeply, mostly because it was untrue. Max defended his speech saying that; "My presentation at Smith was honest, perhaps more honest than I will ever be able to afford. But that's the kind of person I am. It's true that I earn a fine salary. But nobody gave me anything. I am not a gift of any affirmative action program, though I believe such programs have value and are needed. I earned any opportunity I received and I've worked very hard. In most instances, however, I'm still not paid what the white guys get. But I've never complained about that.
"If I'm guilty of anything, it is of not being satisfied with the treatment and portrayal of African Americans in the U.S media.
The financial success of any individual has never been enough to assuage the general abuse of our people. In speaking out against bias, I believe I am advancing the hopes, dreams, and opportunities of others long locked out of the system." "I cannot call myself an honest man or a black achiever if I take the big money and keep my mouth shut," Max Robinson said.
In spite of the many personal problems that he experienced with alcoholism and of the fact that he died of complication with AIDS at the age of 49. It was his speech at Smith College and his willingness to speak out for racial equality and a more positive portrayals of African Americans in the media that makes him greatly worthy of our respect.
Most people do not fully understand as Max Robinson did how the white elites uses the media against black populations.
Presently Black people are the unknowing victims of an elaborate media deployed psychological warfare program.
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