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GM CEO Mary Barra Agrees To Meet With Black Media Leaders

General Motors CEO Mary Barra has agreed to meet with Byron Allen and the leaders of several Black-owned media companies after they took out a full-page ad in The Detroit Free Press requesting a one-hour Zoom meeting with her.

According to the Free Press, GM’s Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl met with Byron Allen, the head of Allen Media Group, on Monday to discuss the contents of the letter as well as the group’s demands. The meeting was “constructive,” the publication reports, prompting Barra to agree to meet with Allen and other owners and leaders of Black-owned American media groups this Thursday.

The letter was signed by Allen, along with the leaders of several other Black-owned media groups, including rapper Ice Cube, who runs film production company Cubevision, and Nu Vision Media CEO Roland Martin, among others. In the letter, the media groups expressed frustration over the fact that GM only spends 0.5 percent of its marketing budget to advertise within Black-owned media companies and called on the company to dedicate at least five percent of its annual marketing spend to Black-owned media organizations. The letter also said Barra had refused to meet with the media industry leaders and called on her resignation if she did not agree to a face-to-face.

Deborah Wahl

GM spokesman Pat Morrissey told the Free Press this week that GM never explicitly said Barra would not meet with Allen and first wanted him to meet with the company’s CMO.

“We never said we would not have a meeting with Mr. Allen,” Morrissey told the Free Press. “We indicated we wanted to have a preliminary meeting between our chief marketing officer and his team to lay out our broader strategy on diversity and Black-owned media, including all marketing, advertising and sponsorship activities prior to a meeting with Mary.”

Morrissey also said that GM’s ad spend with Black-owned media groups is closer to two percent and that the company is “committed to growing it,” in the near future.

Thursday’s meeting between Mary Barra, Byron Allen and other Black-owned media leaders will take place on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Comments

  1. I am really getting tired of the word “demand”.

    Reply
    1. Dave
      Don’t choose Economics as a career. Economists use the word “demand” a lot.

      Reply
      1. Why don’t we edit Dave’s comment to the word “extortion,” then? Or maybe “blackmail?” Because it’s obvious that’s what he meant. And I agree with him. This is beyond ridiculous.

        Reply
        1. Racist! Cant use the word “blackmail” anymore, it’s got racial undertones. got to cancel you for cultural appropriation.

          Reply
          1. Damn it…there goes my career!

            Would you mind pointing me in the direction of the nearest diversity and inclusion correctional facility?

            Reply
          2. Steven shut up. “Blackmail” has just as much of a racial undertone as “saltine cracker”. Grow up! You ‘guys’ always have the largest testicles online when it comes to disrespecting the black community or POC. Keep your sarcasm and stupid jokes. Lately any opportunity that presents itself to make up race

            Culture appropriation is also a real thing that takes place and it is also very offensive to people of color.

            Clearly you couldn’t care less and lack respect for others.

            Reply
            1. GMauthority will not allow this comment to be rated. Hmm, strange.

              Reply
            2. @gm

              How dare you assume my gender, scumbag. Testicles?? How do you know this? Who are you to tell me what gender I can or can’t be? And besides, looking between my legs obviously has nothing to do with determining my sex…biology, ha! Nice try, bigot boy. My sex is entirely determined by some abstract thought inside my head that you can’t possibly know, because, you know, that’s the most logical way to determine such things. Totally subjective determinations with no basis in reality. Sorry you lack enlightenment!

              Clearly you couldn’t care less and lack respect for transgender people. Keep your sarcasm and stupid jokes. You, sir, are cancelled.

              Reply
  2. I’d said before GM put up or shut up.

    Reply
    1. that’s lowercase gm to you. Deborah Wahl couldn’t cut at McDonalds so what makes anyone think she can cut it at gm. Clearly their EV marketing has fallen flat on its face, probably because it feels dishonest and contrived. Being politically correct and inclusive is great, but doing so just because you want attention presents a little superficial. The new BEV campaign comes off this way, to me at least. Putting your money where your mouth by hiring minority owned advertisers and businesses is much more inclusive than hiring a black actor for a commercial. Again, obviously just an opinion.

      Reply
      1. Spot-on..

        Reply
      2. ever notice how all this diversity and electric vehicle stuff ends up doing ONE thing? making it harder for WHITE people to get around?

        Reply
        1. Well if you own everything in America and still complain, who’s fault is it?.

          Reply
          1. the people taking it AWAY!

            Reply
  3. So how does this work. GM tosses a few advertising dollars at the Black owned press, and then the Black Owned Press prints a few very negative articles on GM to prove to the Black community their not sell outs.

    Reply
    1. I just want to see studies on the ROI for companies who advertise on those Channels versus diverse owned media companies

      Reply
  4. Can’t wait to see more Cadillac ads on BET, and OWN. And more GM commercials on XM Shade45.

    If it gets their sales numbers up I’m for it, if it cost them more to advertise on these brands then what’s the point?

    Reply
  5. Save the money until dealers have some inventory. Advertising is not warranted now.

    Reply
  6. You have absolutely no reason whatsoever as the leader of a corporation with a fiduciary duty to that corporation to meet with these whining millionaire victims…yet you caved like a spineless sucker.

    You have done nothing wrong, morally or in the business sense. Yet you collapse.

    We all knew this was coming. Pathetic.

    Reply
    1. This whole situation and the accusations are complete BS. Mary is an excellent leader. GM is always promoting and celebrating equality within the company.

      These people are way off base with these claims. Really pisses me off. At the same time, what is the alternative? Mary just flat out ignore them? I really don’t know the proper response in this situation. I too am disappointed that Mary arrived at the decision to meet.

      Complete BS to begin with.

      Reply
  7. I do not know the numbers of what the demographics are for the potential sales of new vehicles but in some predominantly minority neighborhoods the vehicles look like they are worth more than the houses so it may be money well spent.

    Reply
    1. Yeah if they’re able to actually obtain money from them? Other wise by month 7-8 they get repoed

      Reply
  8. Everyone don’t forget it is lowercase gm now so we should not be using upper case. As that was from their relic and non woke years. So get with the times you “ist” and “ism” folks!

    I am joking!

    Reply
  9. So. She bent the knee at their extortion threats. I saw this coming; just not this fast.

    Reply
  10. They literally created a privileged minority who impose upon others. They formed their own segregation; black owned companies, media, even they have black physicist association… Once you’ve dipped your toe into woke politics you can’t escape without being extorted under the racism accusation sword hanging your head.

    Reply
    1. The white man had their own companies and media before POC formed theirs. Are you bothered by their ability to flip the board? Absolutely hilarious.

      Please, if you don’t have anything of substance to add to the conversation it’s ok to just read and scroll.

      Reply
  11. Mary should demand them to place a add apologizing for calling her a racist, and if they won’t end the meeting. Then Mary should put out a press report stating she agreed to meet and talk but they had to apologize and wouldn’t. She should also state to them they are private company and do business whoever they feel like gives the best bang for the buck.

    Reply
  12. In this day and age of the web and distorted media company leaders can no longer afford to just distance themselves from these corporate raiders.

    Just look at the damage that has been done with the lies on the web and even on the network news that is not true. Sure they apologies months later with a token retraction but by then the damage is done.

    To fight this companies will have to band together as one standing alone is not enough anymore

    The main line news and news papers are all owned by the left and the tech people are now controlling the web and are no pushing their agenda and trying not to just dominate but to force their will on the rest of us.

    No one is safe anymore as even Cuomo is now being sacrificed by his own side as they are not willing to take on his problems he created in NYC. Come on he went from oh he is the next in line for President to now being accused of molesting everything up to a cat. Funny how no one came forward or cared till his usefulness was gone.

    Kenny Wayne Shepard was pulled from an Award this year because he built a General Lee years ago. He parked the car a few years back and covered the flag but yet they come after him.

    We are facing a dangerous future here as our country and its systems are under attack

    So while the arm chair CEO’s here are often vindictive you have to understand the real world is even worse than you may think. I am too disappointed that Mary did not step up here but also I get it as the millions or even billions in damage that could be done would be even worse. What these groups are doing is a crime and they are getting away with it till more band together to stand up to this.

    This is no longer about equal rights it is about destroying the United States influence in the world and about us being forced to follow a world directive. A strong independent America would never do that but a weak one will be forced to give up rights to so as we like with in our own boarders. Many of our leaders are a part of this deal. We are being sold out by our own people.

    Right now Mary is safer giving a group of Hells Angles the finger than trying to fight this group alone.

    Reply
  13. the black owned media group should get a gm contract on ONE condition. they do a white outreach ad for every black outreach ad – on a per capita basis.

    Reply
  14. China

    Reply
  15. Bros gonna whine, just their nature.

    Reply
  16. Complete bull$hit.
    Mary Barry wouldn’t meet with Ohio state senators and congressmen when it closed down its second largest assembly plant in lordstown Ohio and moved work to Mexico.
    But it will meet with some small time black businessmen.
    This country if f—-ed up

    Reply
  17. Just one question. Don’t All lives matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    1. Not to those people.

      Reply
      1. Thanks for the support Grizz

        Reply
    2. That can be construed as racist and if your were a somebody a cancellable offense.

      Reply
  18. Byron Allen should go back to hosting 2nd rate TV shows again. I am SO tired of all this ‘racist’ accusation BS!

    Reply
    1. His kind are like children who push and push and push on their parents, seeing how far they can go. Finally, at least some parents say “enough!” and put a stop to it, or give them a crach across the chops or a spanking, or ground them for a month, or take away the tablet or mobile.

      It will finally reach a point where the cries and threats using racism as the basis won’t work anymore. I look forward to that time. Same with the militant feminists. They need to have their limits made clear.

      Reply
  19. Zoom Mary Barra out. Best Idea yet.

    Reply
  20. Reparations=Cadillac Lyric.

    Reply
  21. I did everything I could to assist with the development of the Black community. I stand by my record……

    Reply

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