Post by FastNFancy on Jan 29, 2003 19:40:36 GMT -5
NEWSPAPER THAT STARTED MOTOWN MAFIA RUMOR'S UP FOR GRABS
reported by: MAA NEWS
Apparently the Michigan Chronicle, the African-American owned newspaper that
initiated the rumor that Motown records could have Mafia connections, is
going to be sold soon. An undisclosed Chicago firm is expected to buy
Michigan's oldest African-American oriented publication.
The company is well known amongst the minority communities in Detroit, and
back in the day (60s and 70s) was well received, and respected for it's
journalist investigation in the Detroit communities.
It was the Chronicle that broke the story on the suspected Mafia connection
involving Motown record company. The story goes; ...apparently a journalist
accidentally stumbled into the marketing offices of Motown (back when they
owned a city block) and seen a majority white staff in the building; though
the reporter was directed to the main building where the African-American's
were, the reporter focused on the all white staff. When news of an all white
staff running Motown got out, rumors had it that the reason Motown was so
successful was because it was run by the Mafia! Motown executives thought the
rumors was funny, until the FBI got wind of it. Though the FBI called Gordy
in, and cleared the matter up, the rumors remained for decades.
The staff that we are mentioning is the Marketing staff that was run by
Barney Ales. Ales hired a predominant white marketing staff to penetrate the
then racist popular/southern white radio market around America. Also, during
that time there weren't many African-American's that were doing the kind of
job needed to penetrate that particular market.
[Unable to display image]Wasn't until 1969 when Miller London broke the color barrier of the Marketing
staff of Motown, and every other race barrier involving African-American's in
the racially divided pop market. By then Motown was a thriving marketing
machine, and distributors had to pay attention to Motown, and accept London
as an important entity for the Motown company. Distributors that resisted the
companies first African-American Sales employee stood the chance of loosing
the then widely profitable Motown produce. London who started as the Regional
LP and Tapes Sales Manager in 1969, eventually graduated in 1988 to Vice
President of Marketing, and later to Vice President of Sales and
Distribution. Eventually persistence got him the job as General Manager of
Motown Records.
Today London is in Burbank, CA., and the President of The Urban Network, a
weekly Black music industry trade magazine that is trusted and read weekly by
industry professionals.
As for the Chronicle ... keep your eye's open for more details.