Value of Black Females

R. Thomas Umstead reports that cable channels and advertisers are increasingly targeting 18-49 black females, "whose members have emerged as the primary decision-makers for an African-American consumer base whose buying power is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2015, according to Nielsen." Ariana Proehl responds to this article with frustration that the bulk of what these women are apparently tuning in for are reality TV shows that exploit stereotyping: "So if they’re looking to us, and they go where we go, can we not keep staring at the train wreck of tragic stereotypes and thus having everyone else’s eyes glued there too? Or we can just chalk it up to entertainment and let television be television. Either way, the networks are watching us and making moves accordingly. I think it’s about time we start making some moves, too."