What is Black America doing when they are not working? Black People Speak wanted to find out so we put together a simple survey to dig inside the leisure time of Black America.

Where do we spend our money the most? Is it for entertainment, appreciating or depreciating goods, positive or negative products? We asked 166 people to choose from a variety of choices and compiled the information into this revealing report.

Questions and Results

1. Mainstream statistics report that Black Americans spend more money on movies and music than on books. What was the last purchase you made from the choices below?

Music CD Movie DVD A Book (novel or non-fiction) Other

6.90% 17.24% 62.07% 13.79%

2. From the choices above, please enter the title of the CD, DVD, or book in the text box. Below are a few of the answers received. (examples below)

3. If and when you watch television, what type programs do you watch the most? (choose 2)

A good movie Prime-time Dramas Sitcoms (situation comedies) News or commentary Soap Operas Music videos Reality TV Religious programming Other

26.53% 4.08% 10.20% 28.57% 4.08% 2.04% 4.08% 2.04% 18.37%

4. How often do you get out to the theater to see a movie?

Once a year At least 3 times a year Once a month Never

34.48% 48.28% 13.79% 3.45%

5. Do you subscribe to any magazines?

Yes, a few Yes, one No, none

35.71% 7.14% 57.14%

6. Do you read the local newspaper in your city?

Yes No Sometimes

58.62% 6.90% 34.48%

7. If you listen to the radio, what genre do you listen to the most?

R&b Morning radio Talk radio Religious programming Jazz or other I do not listen to the radio

27.59% 44.83% 3.45% 17.24% 6.90%

8. Where do you get most of your news and or information?

Newspapers Television Online Magazines Other

17.24% 17.24% 58.62% 0.00% 6.90%

Analysis Brief - A concluded social-psychological breakdown of Black America's leisure habits from the results of each of the above questions.

1. From the above results, the majority of Black America buys more books than anything else, movies or music. So the myth that Blacks do not read can be concluded as false according to the results.

2. Louis Farrakhan "Executive Decision", Wild Seed, The tipping point, DVD Girlfriends 1&2, "God Struck Me Dead," "The Post Colonial Bible", The Prince, Reposition Yourself, Biblical based study materials, The Willie Lynch Curse, and African History Materials etc., Blonde Faith, Letters from a Brother by Harper Hill, Power of myths Joseph Campbell, The Skin I'm In, Come On People, Bill Cosby, Alicia Keys, Blue print for Black Power, Various Afrocentric books for black children, exact titles unknown, Leadership, Book on writing, and Bible related studies, American Sign Language book, Starting Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer, The Isis Papers.

3. Most Blacks are involved leisurely in movies and news and commentary programming than any other television programming.

4. Most Blacks 48% go out to see a movie at least 3 times a year as opposed to 34% who may go out once a year.

5. The magazine industry still has a positive market among Blacks. Thirty-five percent subscribe to one or more magazines while over half 57% subscribe to none at all.

6. More Blacks, 58% read their local newspaper on a regular base while 34% read it sometimes.

7. Measuring Black America's radio listening, 44% listen more to talk radio while 27% listen to urban morning radio. Others listen to jazz or do not listen at all.

8. An overwhelming 58% of Black America gets their news from the Internet as opposed to 17% from newspapers or television respectively.

The results of this poll show that when it comes to leisure time, most of Black America in general are big movie fans whether via television or theater and many try to stay atop of local and national happenings through magazines, newspapers and the Internet.

Moreover, many are using technology to get that information and are migrating away from land-based mediums such as magazine, newspapers, television and radio and instead relying on the Internet and cable news programming.

© Feb. 2008 Black People Speak