“NDIGO STUDIO with Hermene Hartman,” a new television program where African American leaders reflect on society’s controversial and complicated topics will debut its third season on – NBC 5 Chicago at 10:30 a.m. CST time on Sunday, October 17, 2021.
The new season of “NDIGO STUDIO” is to air on NBC 5 Chicago, Sunday mornings following “Meet the Press,” and the news starts October 17 and will run through January 2, 2022. The show repeats on Channel 25, Monday evenings at 8 p.m., and streams on VON-TV. It marks Hartman’s entry on a new media platform since emerging as the publisher of N’Digo magazine, an anthology of Black Chicago, in 1989. “NDIGO STUDIO with Hermene Hartman” earned an Emmy nomination in 2020.
In her unfiltered style, Hartman brings in Chicago conversations with African American civic, government and business leaders, authors, and others to discuss the topics and issues confronting everyone. Conversations will include topics such as reparations, crime, solutions, historic preservation, dynamics of COVID, exclusive interviews, ultimately, the show’s guests will let the conversation enlighten and inform the audience.
“Every day in the media we are barraged by news stories of African American criminals, victims, or insurgents,” said “NDIGO STUDIO host and founder Hermene Hartman. “The stories that are missing are the countless stories of African American leadership, innovation, progress, diversity, service, and excellence that ‘NDIGO STUDIO showcases that can help shape and define people’s values.”
The premiere episode of the third season of “Chicago Conversations” on Oct. 17 features business entrepreneurs Desiree Rogers, former White House Social Secretary for President Obama and Cheryl Mayberry McKissack, founder and CEO of Nia Enterprises.
The discussion hosted by Hartman will focus on their shared experiences and the challenges of leading the revival of iconic businesses, Black Opal, Fashion Fair, a cosmetics company, as they rebrand and revive a popular brand of makeup for women of color. In 2019, Rogers and McKissack acquired the struggling cosmetics and skincare products business.
“NDIGO STUDIO” will allow audiences to get to know African Americans better, seeing them every week sharing experiences and natural situations,” said Desiree Rogers. “It offers African Americans a powerful voice of their own on the airwaves for all Americans, of all races and religions to see and to hear that can enrich their lives.”
Hartman added, “it’s time for new conversations in Chicago to reshape the narrative and showcase the dynamics and reality of our city.”
Additional information and programming samples are available from MK Communications by contacting Brian at 312-282-8260 or [email protected]; or Marilyn at 312-953- 1225 or [email protected].
About Hermene D. Hartman:
Hermene is the founder of N’DIGO, Chicago’s leading African American magapaper and one of the few African American women in publishing. Her career began during the Civil Rights movement working for Operation Breadbasket with Rev. Jesse Jackson. She coordinated the organization’s Black Expo and moved into producing public service programming for WBBM-TV Chicago and then publishing following her tenure as the first-ever woman to serve as vice-chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago. During this time, Hermene recognized the need for honest representations rather than stereotypical images of African American culture in mainstream media
Since launching N’DIGO in 1989, Hermene has become well known for her publisher’s page and its insightful social commentary about important social issues and contemporary topics confronting African Americans and reflecting the interests of Chicago’s Black middle class. She earned graduate degrees in sociology and philosophy of education as well as an MBA from the University of Illinois.
