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Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

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Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#381

Post by pseudo0 »

Server6 wrote: post #83
kitcar wrote: post #35

Out of curiosity - you mention that in the 90's there were a number of TV shows featuring prominent black characters but there isn't anymore. Why did you decide the solution to that problem was to create a black-focused distribution platform, instead of production company focused on creating new shows of similar quality to those in the 90's - has something changed about the market that would prevent shows like those…

Not OP, but yeah the market has clearly changed. Everything we consume today and media in general has been fractured, organized into subcategories, and is now delivered by algorithms. I my opinion the problem isn't that there is no demand for black-focused media, its that its just become another subcategory of Netflix. And because it may not be as popular on Netflix it doesn't get as much production. Look at what Net…

Yeah, at various points I've seen promoted categories for black created/focused content pop up on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, etc. It's going to be tough for a new service to compete with the substantial existing libraries of those streaming services. They already have the content and the audience, and just have to tweak their recommender to promote it more effectively.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#382

Post by skyde »

meiraleal wrote: post #321
liotier wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm typical French and my daughters' mother is African... I had to explain to my daughters the whole concept of race categories and I struggled because it seemed ridiculous and aberrant to them - it is alien to their multicultural daily life. They would laugh at having to chose between being black or white. I don't understand how Americans tolerate being categorized this way. My category: "Other" - always.

You get to understand when you see the divide of prosperity, government support, unequal laws, school access, etc in numbers.

which unequal law? Is will smith victim of a law that a white actor would not?

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#383

Post by [deleted] »

liotier wrote: post #273
mattlondon wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Where I work (US-company, but I work outside of US) it is similarly weird to me. We appear to have gone backwards in the past 5-10 years in my view - no longer can you just be "you", but now it feels like we have to be labelled, categorised, and segregated into different groups. We now have to make a big deal and a big song-and-dance to highlight our differences and define what our ethnic backgrounds are (app…

I'm typical French and my daughters' mother is African... I had to explain to my daughters the whole concept of race categories and I struggled because it seemed ridiculous and aberrant to them - it is alien to their multicultural daily life. They would laugh at having to chose between being black or white. I don't understand how Americans tolerate being categorized this way. My category: "Other" - always.

[deleted]

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#384

Post by bubbleRefuge »

bxjaii wrote: post #312
warent wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that white Americans don't have the same American experience as black Americans, which is where the divide comes from and it creates another culture. It's been getting a lot better, but there are still two legal systems, two education systems, etc. My perspective as a white man is that when black people create something for themselves like this, it's reclaiming the power. Like how they use the N word w…

This is 100% false. Cops brutalize anyone who slightly offends them. More black people are disaffected by this, but it happens to us all. I am white and was nearly killed by a black officer in South Florida. He piled drived me head first onto a concrete floor on video tape. Prior to that, he choked me and threatened to kill me. I was in Miami to attend the VMAs with a billionaire, yet they claimed I tried to fight th…

From south florida and yeah there are allot of aggressive cops. Some of whom I grew up with. They have to deal with very dangerous and aggressive criminals on a daily basis and put their lives on the line. Its a tough job and its a grind, but we need them to protect us from criminal psychopaths in the community. We need to fix the root causes of crime: educational inequality, broken families, lack of opportunity, and the crime/poverty cycle. When and if this happens, the policing problem will go in the opposite direction.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#385

Post by ricardobeat »

jacobsenscott wrote: post #65
f6v wrote: post #2

“X for black people” sounds so bizarre to me(non-American). The cultural divide between the people must be insane.

I suspect you are from a fairly small homogeneous country. It hard to understand the racial dynamics of a very large diverse country if you haven't lived there.

Someone from India, a fairy large and diverse country, might have the same difficulty understanding it.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#386

Post by kadabra9 »

zentiggr wrote: post #356
kadabra9 wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Saying it is For implies it is not for other groups. Again, realistically, how many white people would pay for a platform like this? If you think the number is substantial you are delusional. For starters, its being marketed "for black people", its all black content, and other platforms e.g Netflix already have content from black creators (albeit not as focused) Having said that, they do not need white people to sub…

> Saying it is For implies it is not for other groups. Umm, no? Like I tried to convey in my original comment, "for " means a focus on that group, as opposed to just general content. Nothing I've ever come across that was marketed as "for " has ever been intended to exclude me as a non-member, nor have I ever interpreted it that way. I suspect you have a bias to hear it as exclusionary more than is typical. Anecdotal…

Ah yes, the classic tripe "You disagree with me, so therefore you must be biased".

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#387

Post by Bellamy »

liotier wrote: post #273
mattlondon wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Where I work (US-company, but I work outside of US) it is similarly weird to me. We appear to have gone backwards in the past 5-10 years in my view - no longer can you just be "you", but now it feels like we have to be labelled, categorised, and segregated into different groups. We now have to make a big deal and a big song-and-dance to highlight our differences and define what our ethnic backgrounds are (app…

I'm typical French and my daughters' mother is African... I had to explain to my daughters the whole concept of race categories and I struggled because it seemed ridiculous and aberrant to them - it is alien to their multicultural daily life. They would laugh at having to chose between being black or white. I don't understand how Americans tolerate being categorized this way. My category: "Other" - always.

Brilliant! This made me happy. I also sometimes forget that there is actually this thing about whites versus blacks versus whatever colored people.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#388

Post by LordHumungous »

h3daz wrote: post #68
sokoloff wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

BET wasn’t offensive me. Telemundo wasn’t offensive to me. Nickelodeon wasn’t offensive to me. Food Network wasn’t offensive to me. Serving targeted programming to an identifiable minority audience seems like a perfectly reasonable business (and social) proposition. I don’t know that “Netflix for Black People” will test well, but it seems perfectly fine to me. [white middle-aged male if context matters]. Edit to add:…

My only problem with marketing "X for black people" is that marketing "X for white people" isn't socially acceptable.

What sort of product do you have in mind that would be for white people?

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#389

Post by blackgirldev »

bluedino wrote: post #364
blackgirldev wrote: post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because rap music is/was the only black music.

MTV also played the Jacksons, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner...

No Anita Baker, Mica Paris, Patti Austin, Luther Vandross.

Not saying there were no Black artists: just saying that Black culture wrapped in what white people accept, like is not enough for the Black community.

Edit: you guys downvoting me are likely too young to remember day one on MTV when stuff Blacks actually listened to was not featured on MTV until hiphop culture forced the issue.

Black influence on mainstream music came at a huge cost to Black music stars. They were copied but mostly not included unless they paid homage. Horrible place for them truly.

You have minimal idea about what Black people are really about without another white person’s filter because that’s how it has always been even on BET.

Re: Launch HN: BlackOakTV (YC S21) – Netflix for black people

#390

Post by ju_sh »

essem wrote: post #75
ju_sh wrote: post #62

Here's an idea - Build a tool that helps users discover black content on the internet rather than furthering the divide by building a racially segregated platform.

Racial segregation is a stretch. They do not block you from subscribing if you're not black.

No, but the exclusive intent has been made clear with the title "Netflix for black people".

Feels like some kind of "Outrage marketing" strategy, I mean, look how this thread has blown up over the last hour. I'm sure the OP is smart and knew what they were doing when wording this post.

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