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Black History Month is always a beautiful (albeit too short) celebration of Black excellence across the diaspora throughout the years. And let’s be honest, there’s a host of things that wouldn’t exist without Black women, including much of today’s modern-day entertainment. Black women, like Dr. Shirley Jackson, invented technologies that changed communication, and as a result, enhanced the way we are entertained, whether watching a basketball game on TV, streaming a movie on Hulu, or throwing a party via Zoom. Without further ado, tip your hat to these four Black women inventors who laid the groundwork for modern-day technology. Martha Jones Before we honor the women who are responsible for modern-day entertainment, we must salute Martha Jones from Amelia County, VA. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Jones became the first Black woman to be granted a U.S. patent in May 1868. Although her invention, a cornhusker, is unrelated to entertainment, we can assume...
This year, Netflix made its mark at the Oscars with multiple nominations and wins. The Netflix Original “Roma” took home three wins alone, including best director, best cinematography, and best foreign language film. However, Netflix’s success irked some members of the film industry, like director Steven Spielberg , who proposed changing the Academy’s rules to make it difficult for streaming services to qualify. But now, it seems Netflix can relax. The Academy is leaving its rules unchanged , so Netflix and other streaming services — including Hulu, Amazon, and more — can compete in the Oscars without additional hurdles. Before the Academy’s vote, the Department of Justice warned that excluding streaming services like Netflix and Hulu could raise antirust concerns. “In the event that the Academy — an association that includes multiple competitors in its membership — establishes certain eligibility requirements for the Oscars that eliminate competition without procompetitive...
Today, Hulu and Spotify announced an expansion of their partnership, where they’ll be offering bundles at a rate that’s hard to ignore. Now, existing Hulu users can sign up for Spotify Premium and get the service free for 30 days. After the trial period, Spotify Premium subscribers basically get Hulu for free when it’s bundled with the music streaming site’s $9.99 charge. This is not Hulu and Spotify’s first time teaming up. The companies used to offer promotions and discounted prices to students and later expanded the package to include ShowTime streaming. The partnership comes after hints of a brewing rivalry between Netflix and Apple. Later this month, Apple is set to host an undisclosed event. Rumors say the event relates to Apple launching its own streaming service to compete with Netflix. After its release, its also possible that Apple will choose to bundle its video service with Apple Music. Traditional music streaming services now how a target on Netflix’s back. The...