Editing Tavis Smiley (section)

== Career ==
===Radio commentator===
[[File:Television personality Tavis Smiley (left) appears on scholar Jon Wiener political podcast entitled Start Making Sense.jpg|thumb|right|Smiley with historian [[Jon Wiener]] on his [[political podcast]] entitled ''Start Making Sense'' in 2015]]
Campaigning for a seat on the [[Los Angeles City Council]] in 1991 against incumbent Ruth Galanter, Smiley finished fourth among 15 candidates. He became a radio commentator, broadcasting one-minute daily radio segments called ''The Smiley Report'' on [[KYPA|KGFJ]] radio.<ref name="CBB"/> With Ruben Navarrette Jr., Smiley co-hosted a local talk show in Los Angeles where his strongly held views on race and politics, combined with his arguments regarding the impact of [[institutional racism]] and substandard educational and economic opportunities for inner-city black youth, earned him attention at the ''Los Angeles Times''. His commentaries focused on local and national current-affairs issues affecting the African-American community.<ref name="LA Times 1994">{{cite news|last=Puig |first=Claudia |title=What's The Frequency, Gen X? |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-06-ca-59273-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=July 17, 2010 |date=November 6, 1994 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111165008/http://articles.latimes.com/1994-11-06/entertainment/ca-59273_1_talk-radio |archive-date=January 11, 2012 }}</ref> For six months, Smiley worked on a community news program on a local cable network, and spent six more months working on television in [[Montreal, Quebec]], Canada.<ref>{{harvnb|Smiley|2006|pp=214–215}}</ref>
From 2010 to 2013, Smiley and [[Cornel West]] worked together to host their own radio talk show, ''Smiley & West''. They were featured together interviewing musician [[Bill Withers]] in the 2009 documentary film ''[[Still Bill (film)|Still Bill]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/27still.html |title=A Documentary Looks at Bill Withers |first=Mike |last=Hale |date=January 26, 2010 |work=New York Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218161250/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/27still.html |archive-date=December 18, 2015 }}</ref> He was the new host of ''Tavis Talks'' on BlogTalkRadio's Tavis Smiley Network.

In 1996 Smiley became a frequent commentator to the ''[[Tom Joyner Morning Show]]'', a nationally syndicated radio show broadcast on black and urban stations in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tavis Smiley|url=http://www.tavistalks.com/CONTENT/About_Tavis_Smiley/index7.html|work=Current Biography|publisher=TavisTalks.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516175753/http://www.tavistalks.com/CONTENT/About_Tavis_Smiley/index7.html|archive-date=May 16, 2006|year=2003}}</ref> He developed a friendship with host Joyner.

=== BET Tonight show ===
Also in 1996 Smiley began hosting and executive producing ''BET Tonight'' (originally ''BET Talk'' when it first premiered), a public affairs discussion show on the [[Black Entertainment Television]] (BET) network. He interviewed major political figures and celebrities, and discussed topics ranging from [[racial profiling]] and [[police brutality]] to [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] music and Hollywood gossip.

==== Firing from BET ====
Smiley hosted ''BET Tonight'' until 2001 when, in a controversial move, the network announced that Smiley's contract would not be renewed. This sparked an angry response from Smiley, who sought to rally his radio audience to protest BET's decision. [[Robert L. Johnson]], founder of BET, defended the decision, stating that Smiley had been fired because he had sold an exclusive interview to ABC News without first offering the story to BET, even though Smiley's contract with BET did not require him to do so. Smiley countered with the assertion that he had offered the story—an interview with [[Sara Jane Olson]], an alleged former member of the [[Symbionese Liberation Army]]—to [[CBS]], which, along with BET, was owned by [[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]]. Smiley ultimately sold the interview to rival network ABC, he said, only after CBS passed on the interview, and suggested that his firing was payback for the publicity he gained as a result of providing an exclusive interview to ABC.<ref>[http://eurweb.com/story.cfm?id=1914 Smiley's termination from BET] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710205141/http://eurweb.com/story.cfm?id=1914 |date=July 10, 2011 }}</ref> Ultimately, BET and Viacom did not reverse their decision to terminate Smiley's contract.

===NPR talk show===
Smiley was then offered a chance to host a radio talk show on [[National Public Radio]]. '''''The Tavis Smiley Show''''' was broadcast daily from January 2002 to December 16, 2004, in Los Angeles,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/programs/tavis/index.html |title=Official website of NPR show |publisher=Npr.org |date=2004-12-16 |access-date=2012-06-25}}</ref> when Smiley decided not to renew his contract with NPR.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/about/press/041129.tavis.html Statement of NPR and the African American Consortium] regarding cancellation of show, November 29, 2004.</ref> The show was a [[news]] and [[opinion]] program focusing upon issues of [[Race (classification of human beings)|race]], [[Multiculturalism|diversity]], and [[ethnicity]] and often featured guest speakers. It was an hour-long show.  Some of the reasons cited based on an article by Howard Kurtz for not renewing the contract were 1) Tavis Smiley wanted to tape his show a day in advance, and NPR did not agree; 2) against federal funding policies, Tavis Smiley wished to own the right to rebroadcast the show; and 3) Tavis Smiley appealed to have the budget for promoting the program significantly increased, and NPR did not have the budget to do so.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14799-2005Jan16.html |title=Broadcast All Over – Tavis Smiley's NPR Show Is History, but the Talk Lives On |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |author= Howard Kurtz |date= 2005-01-17|access-date=2012-06-25}}</ref> It was announced in 2004 that he would be leaving his show, citing the network's inability to reach a more diverse audience.<ref>{{citation|last=Farley |first=Christopher John |url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,880301,00.html |title=10 Questions For Tavis Smiley |magazine=Time |date=December 13, 2004 |volume=164 |issue=24 |page=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219015335/http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0%2C10987%2C880301%2C00.html |archive-date=February 19, 2006}}</ref>

It was replaced on some radio stations by ''[[News & Notes]]'' which follows much the same format and topics. Many other radio stations replaced it with the short-lived ''NPR News with [[Tony Cox (journalist)|Tony Cox]]''.
 
==== Smiley leaves NPR ====
Smiley launched a weekly version of his radio program ''The Tavis Smiley Show'' on April 29, 2005, distributed by NPR rival [[Public Radio International]] (PRI). It was a one-hour weekly program featuring interviews with news makers, thought leaders and artists and seeks to bring diverse perspectives to the airwaves. It was produced by Smiley Radio Properties, Inc., in partnership with PRI<ref>[http://www.tavistalks.com/ttcom/tsradio/about.html About the PRI show at its official website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821145842/http://www.tavistalks.com/ttcom/tsradio/about.html |date=August 21, 2006 }}</ref> at Smiley's studio in [[Los Angeles, California]].<ref>[http://www.tavistalks.com/ttcom/tsradio/about_tavis.html Profile of Tavis Smiley] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060714161234/http://www.tavistalks.com/ttcom/tsradio/about_tavis.html |date=July 14, 2006 }}</ref> The program ran two hours per week until October 2010 when the second hour became the sister program ''Smiley & West'', co-hosted by longtime Smiley collaborator Dr. [[Cornel West]]. The show ended after thirteen years of broadcast in December 2017.<ref name="current">{{Cite web| last1 = Simpson| first1 = April| title = PRI terminates relationship with Tavis Smiley| work = Current| date = 15 December 2017| access-date = 2018-03-26| url = https://current.org/2017/12/pri-terminates-relationship-with-tavis-smiley/}}</ref>

===Move to PBS===
Smiley also hosted ''Tavis Smiley'', a late night talk show televised on the [[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS) network and produced in association with [[WNET]] in New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-23-la-et-tavis-20101123-story.html |title=Tavis Smiley-KCET relationship ending badly |first=Scott |last=Collins |date=November 23, 2010 |work=Los Angeles Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715034206/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/23/entertainment/la-et-tavis-20101123 |archive-date=July 15, 2012}}</ref>

In March 2006, ''The Smiley Group'' and [[Third World Press]] published ''[[The Covenant with Black America]]'', a collection of essays by black scholars and professionals edited by Smiley. The book covers topics ranging from education to healthcare, and was a [[The New York Times Bestseller List|''New York Times'' Bestseller]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/06/AR2006040602565.html |title=The Volume That's Making a Loud Noise |first=Linton |last=Weeks |date=April 7, 2006 |newspaper=Washington Post |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216183439/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/06/AR2006040602565.html |archive-date=February 16, 2016 }}</ref>

Smiley moderated two live presidential candidate forums in 2007: a Democratic forum on June 28 at [[Howard University]] in Washington, D.C.,<ref>{{cite news|last=Nagourney |first=Adam |title=Domestic Issues Frame Democratic Debate in a Mostly Minority Setting |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/us/politics/29debate.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 29, 2007 |access-date=July 17, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424192240/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/us/politics/29debate.html |archive-date=April 24, 2009 }}</ref> and a Republican forum on September 27 at [[Morgan State University]] in [[Baltimore]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Cooper |first=Michael |title=Advertise on NYTimes.com 4 Top G.O.P. Candidates Skip Debate With Minority Focus |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EFDF1430F93BA1575AC0A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 17, 2010 |date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110101237/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9402EFDF1430F93BA1575AC0A9619C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |archive-date=November 10, 2012 }}</ref>

=== Dancing with the Stars ===
On September 4, 2014, it was announced that Smiley would be competing on the [[Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 19)|19th season]] of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (U.S. TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]''. He paired with professional dancer [[Sharna Burgess]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/09/04/dancing-with-the-stars-season-19-cast-dwts-celebrities/ |title='Dancing With The Stars': Season 19 Celebrity Contestants Revealed |first1=Elizabeth |last1=Wagmeister |newspaper=Hollywood Life |date=September 4, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428105307/http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/09/04/dancing-with-the-stars-season-19-cast-dwts-celebrities/ |archive-date=April 28, 2016 }}</ref> They were eliminated on the second week of competition and finished in 12th place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/dancing-with-the-stars-season-19-week-2-recap-who-was-eliminated-2014239 |title=DWTS Spoiler Alert! Who Was Eliminated in Week 2? |date=September 24, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924075040/http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/dancing-with-the-stars-season-19-week-2-recap-who-was-eliminated-2014239 |archive-date=September 24, 2014 }}</ref>

=== Firing from PBS ===
In 2017, Smiley was accused of violating the morals clause of his contract. Smiley denied the allegations and sued PBS citing wrongful termination. The court ultimately ruled in PBS's favor, ordering that Smiley compensate PBS $2.6 million.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/tavis-smiley-ordered-to-pay-pbs-2-6-million-for-workplace-affairs-1234737603/ | title=Tavis Smiley Ordered to Pay PBS $2.6 Million for Workplace Affairs | date=August 17, 2020 }}</ref>

=== KBLA Radio ===
As of 2021, Smiley hosts a radio show on [[KBLA]] Talk 1580 from 9am to noon PT on weekdays,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kbla1580.com/tavis-smiley/ | title=Tavis Smiley &#124; KBLA }}</ref> and he is also host of the ''Tavis Smiley Podcast'' in conjunction with KBLA.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://open.spotify.com/show/2Mt8oyeVcsgEquDIZnysU6?si=0791696bc0dd41e0 | title=Tavis Smiley | website=[[Spotify]] }}</ref>