Biden administration is challenged on federal ad spending disparity with Black-owned media
The federal media advertising campaign focused on COVID-19 public education and awareness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is only one example.
A letter obtained by theGrio from HHS Assistant Secretary Melanie Anne Egorin revealed that white-owned, Black-targeted media companies received $45 million compared to $20 million spent with Black-owned media as part of the COVID-19 advertising program.
These findings from HHS were in response to a letter sent to President Joe Biden by Democratic U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia. In his letter, Johnson questioned the government's advertising spending with Black-owned media—which reaches a critical base of the Democratic Party—and found them to be grossly under contracted when the federal advertisements are spent in comparison to Black-targeted media that are white-owned.