About Central City Productions

For over three decades, Central City Productions has specialized in the production, syndication, distribution and advertising sales of Black entertainment television programs such as: The Stellar Gospel Music Awards, the Minority Business Report, and the Soul Train music Awards just to mention a few. CCP has produced over 1,000 shows for Broadcast television. CCP is a recognized giant in the industry for launching the first ever Black Nielsen Household Ratings Survey from which all Black TV shows are measured today by the advertising industry.

Talent/Industry Support

Major stars who have appeared in CCP productions include Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Quincy Jones, Magic Johnson, Arsenio Hall, Patti LaBelle, Steve Harvey, Eddie Murphy, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin. CCP industry affiliations are with the following outlets that carry CCP shows: ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, WB, UPN and the Tribune Broadcasting Company and independent stations worldwide.

Advertising Partners

Major Fortune 500 companies who have sponsored CCP shows for the past 31 years include such national advertisers as Coca-Cola, Quaker Oats, Johnson & Johnson, General Motors, Kraft, K-Mart, Ford, Budweiser, Toyota, Diamler Chrysler, McDonalds, Denny's Burger King, AT & T, Sears, Chevrolet, Southwest Airlines, American Family, State Farm, and United Airlines.

Production Credits

As one of the leaders in Black targeted entertainment television programs, CCP's production credits include: Celebrate the Soul of American Music; Family Night; Living the Dream; the NAACP ACT-SO Awards; the Know Your Heritage Game Show; Roads to Success; the Minority Business Report; the Bud Billiken Back-to-School Parade; Martin: The Emancipator; Taste of the Holidays; The Kwanzaa Awards and Black History Makers.


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Don Jackson is the founder, chairman, and CEO of 36 year-old Central City Productions, Inc., a national television production, sales, and syndication company based in Chicago, IL.

Mr. Jackson is a Chicago native who graduated from Marshall High School, where he played on the school’s championship basketball team. He attended Northwestern University on a basketball scholarship and was captain of the University’s basketball team. Mr. Jackson earned his B.S. in Radio, TV, and Film from Northwestern in 1965. After graduating from Northwestern, Mr. Jackson worked in the media and broadcast industries in sales at WBEE & WVON radio. He became the youngest and first African American sales manager at WVON, the top radio station in the Chicago market at the time. In 1970, Mr. Jackson founded Central City Marketing, Inc. For over three decades the company has specialized in marketing, promotion, sales, and the production of media and television programs for Black Americans.

Today, Central City Productions, Inc., is the full-service company that produces, syndicates, and manages advertising sales for all of the company’s local and national television programs. Under his guidance and vision, CCP has launched many new and unique television programs to Black Americans nationwide. Many of these programs have more than 25 years of consecutive airing over local and national television, including:

The “Bud Billiken Back-to-School Parade” – Now in its 28th consecutive year on television. This 77-year-old event is the first and only Black parade on television.

“MBR: The Minority Business Report” – MBR aired for 18 consecutive years on television, “MBR” is the first nationally syndicated business show geared to the minority business community. This has now become the “Black Enterprise Report.”

The “Black Enterprise Report” – Now in its 3rd season, this is the first joint venture of an African American magazine giant - Earl Graves Sr. and an television media giant – Donald J. Jackson joining forces to demonstrate the collective impact of positive African Americans in print and television.

The “Stellar Gospel Music Awards” – In the year 2006, this annual special celebrated its 21st consecutive year of showcasing the greatest gospel music performers. This is the premier Gospel Music Awards Show honoring the unique contribution of African Americans to this music genre.

“Know Your Heritage” – Now in its 27th year as the first and only African American quiz show on television. The Know Your Heritage game show series is designed to encourage an appreciation of different cultures by presenting information in an entertaining game show format. The game show format is intended to generate a high level of excitement and enthusiasm by featuring high school teenagers engaged in a spirit of healthy competition.

“Our World with Black Enterprise” – Debuting in October 2006, this second venture between Central City Productions, Inc. and Black Enterprise Magazine, will be a weekly topical and relevant news magazine show with Headline Celebrity Interviews, Roundtable Forum Discussions, and Human Interest Profiles on stories and issues affecting the African American community. Our World with Black Enterprise was formerly “America’s Black Forum.”

Mr. Jackson also gives back to the community as a member of several organizations.
He is chairman of the board of the DuSable Museum of African American History and serves on the boards of Junior Achievement of Chicago, Columbia College and the Gateway Foundation. Don has also previously served on the Chicago Transit Authority Board. He is also a member of Chicago United, Urban League, Rainbow/P.U.S.H. Coalition, and “N” Men’s Club of Northwestern University. In addition, Mr. Jackson is the founder and a member of A.B.L.E. (Alliance of Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs), which is the first business organization bringing Black Leaders together in the business community to network, to address business issues and to provide a legacy for future African American entrepreneurs. He has received numerous awards for his business accomplishments and community involvement.

Mr. Jackson is married to Rosemary Jackson. The couple has two adult children and two grandsons, Donovan and Dain. Their daughter Rhonda is a graduate of Syracuse University, and their son Baba Dane graduated from the University of Minnesota.

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