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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

#391

Post by throwaway894345 »

warent wrote: post #277
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…

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…

> The problem is that white Americans don't have the same American experience as black Americans

This implies that there is a "white experience" and a "black experience" which is simply false and subtly racist. This is kind of the point of the parent's post--we've gone from understanding that variance within a race far exceeds variance between races to a mistaken belief that different races have such different experiences that we basically can't understand each other, that we're practically different species. Consider the white translator who was forbidden to translate the work of a black poet, the eminently qualified white school board volunteer who was forbidden from working with students because he wouldn't "understand the experiences of nonwhite students", or the anti-standardized-testing folks who argue that blacks are innately unable to compete in standardized tests.

On that latter point, there's a popular analogy[0] circulating over the last decade that implies that different races are like different species of animal--chimps, goldfish, elephants, penguins, etc--and standardized testing is like a tree-climbing test. To put a fine point on it, these folks are implying that blacks are innately inferior at standardized testing while whites (and presumably Asians) naturally excel.

[0]: https://twitter.com/JamaalBowmanNY/status/137652006277390336...

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

#394

Post by poisonarena »

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 have been living bouncing back and forth between Brazil, Israel, and Colombia for the last several years. I use Tinder and Bumble a lot, and I notice in all these countries if you look at girls Instagram profiles(not all but many many), have their countries flag emoji in their profile, or maybe "100% Colombiana", or Israeli flag with hearts, etc etc. But when I visit America the girls display the flag that their like grandparents immigrated from and seemingly nobody wants to be "American" and it seems like a redneck or low class thing to put your american emoji in your profile. I have noticed this in larger American cities, it seems nobody wants to rep their flag, and it is a great contrast to other places I have been. Just an observation from a lurker

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

#395

Post by z3ncyberpunk »

alexanderskates wrote: post #137
h3daz wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

What does "X for white people" look like though? The only reason that "X for black people" exists is that black people are a minority group and aren't sufficiently catered to by X, which is already more or less "X for white people" by default, at least in the US and much of Europe. As such, any product that that markets itself explicitly to white people (again, only referencing the US and Europe here) is much more li…

Okay then take every black person and show off off so called "white-centric" network. Because the difference is BET is allowed to segregate but other networks can't all while the woke left does mental gymnastics to say that isn't racist

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

#396

Post by dragonwriter »

vorpalhex wrote: post #313
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…

If you feel that there are two education systems, eg one for Black people and one for White people, aren't you simply reinforcing that by having more segmented services? Separate but equal was a dismal failure in the US. I don't understand why it deserves a second attempt.

> Separate but equal was a dismal failure in the US.

It was not a failure, it was an lie that succeeded quite well at exactly what it was supposed to do, and was struck down for exactly that reason.

But there is a difference between de jure segregation of public services to assure that one community is underserved and crafting of commercial services to the serve a distinct set of preferences associated with a particular demographic.

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

#397

Post by Uzo0312 »

mbesto wrote: post #353
Uzo0312 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a great point. I think both things probably need to be done. We took the distribution route, because ultimately we believe it's the direct relationship with the consumer that will allow for this to work. As a production company, you're a step away from the end-user, so you're at the mercy of a distribution company that has more than just the black audience to worry about. But if a company is solely focused on…

> We took the distribution route, because ultimately we believe it's the direct relationship with the consumer that will allow for this to work. Be honest. It's less capital intensive, with much higher valuations.

Generally, your points about capital and valuations are true. Of course, I could argue Netflix is way more capital intensive than any production company. And then, with Hello Sunshine and others, we're seeing production companies get Venture scale exits. So while I hear your point, those honestly weren't factors for us. It was more so about owning the relationship with the end-user.

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

#398

Post by mikodin »

zo1 wrote: post #141
tag2103 wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does "Netflix for Black People" scarily remind me of "Water fountains for Black People". This is horrifying, OP please consider this in your approach.

It's not "Water Fountains for Black People". It's "Water Fountain - White People Not Welcome". That's the part that's missing here, we're straw-manning as if white-people are affronted to this catering to a black-culture niche, not at all. I'll stand 100% corrected if this new service hosts white-people, white-actors and white-content that black-people would enjoy watching, and is staffed by an inclusive mix of black…

You walk up to a drink vending machine.

You are in America:

Vending machine for Americans sells Gatorade

You are in Mexico

Vending machine for Mexicans sells Agua Fresca

Vending machine for Americans sells Gatorade

This is no different then X for X people.

They aren't saying you aren't welcome, it's more so that you likely don't know if you'll even like Agua Fresca. Mexicans know they love Agua Fresca.

Maybe Mexicans don't really like Gatorade, but they know that the Americans in Mexico would like to have some Gatorade - boom it's a niche, it's a business, profit can be made.

This is NOT discrimination, it's catering to a market. Discrimination is treating unjustly. It has nothing to do with providing X for X. Y could totally have X, no one cares, it's just that Y just may not enjoy it, relate to it or even want it.

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

#399

Post by spicymaki »

disneygibson wrote: post #152

This just makes me sad. We seem to be returning to a segregated society with separate services for every ethnic group. It’s not the “melting pot” idea of America that I was raised with, where everyone contributes their own unique culture to a unified American whole. That was the brilliance of American identity, which is now fracturing at an accelerated rate.

To be honest America is still pretty segregated and always has been.

Neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, literature, theaters, and religious institutions are segregated. Black people are still being harassed or worse for being in the "wrong place" at the wrong time. I assure you whatever racist events you hear in the media is just the tip of the iceberg.

I grew up in one of the most racially and culturally diverse places in the US "a true melting pot" and the neighborhoods were still segregated by race and ethnicity.

The cultural contributions you are talking about are mostly selections made by white tastemakers who vet who and what is fashionable for the time. Sometimes to improve marketability they will replace minorities to make the material palatable.

The only thing that matters in America is equity (ownership not fairness). In order for black people to have equity they need to own it.

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

#400

Post by jpfed »

mattlondon wrote: post #228
f6v wrote: post #2

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

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…

It is possible that American culture has already been divided more than most HN readers have been aware of.

See Michael Harriot's "blackfamous" thread:

https://twitter.com/michaelharriot/status/120569584639172198...

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