Media
-
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Bars Black Reporters From Covering Protests, Citing 'Bias'
Black journalists working at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette say they are being cut off from doing their job during one of the most pivotal news-making events in history—the ongoing protests for racial justice—on accusations that they are biased. The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh says a number of black journalists have been barred from doing protest-related stories…
-
Black Journalists and Covering the Storm That Never Passes
I knew what I was getting into. I grew up reading the newspaper daily, since about age 11. I started watching the evening news—both the local and the national broadcasts—around the same time. My earliest media memories are of the 1987 Iran-Contra hearings and the Challenger explosion the year prior. Every weekend I watched Tim…
-
The Root's Danielle Belton Talks Biden's Gaffe, Trump's COVID-19 Inactions on MSNBC
Saturday during journalist Alicia Menendez’s broadcast on MSNBC, The Root’s Editor-in-Chief Danielle Belton (meeeeee!) made an appearance as a panelist discussing former Vice President Joe Biden’s recent remarks on The Breakfast Club, which the Democratic presidential candidate subsequently apologized for. In this clip, I discuss how Trump isn’t “pro-American” but is simply “pro-Trump” when it…
-
It's Racism, Stupid. It's Always Racism.
My daughter, who is 4 years old, is currently in a superhero phase. Yesterday, for instance, I spent much of the day in an extended, five-hour-long riff with her where she’d approach me every 40 minutes or so to share she’d discovered a new superpower, and then she’d display it for me. (“Jumping jacks with…
-
Trevor Noah Is Paying Daily Show Crew Furloughed by COVID-19 Out of His Own Pocket
Trevor Noah reminds me of Barack Obama in a lot of ways. He’s written a successful memoir about his upbringing and mixed identity, he’s extremely well-spoken and handsome with slightly protruding ears that somehow manage to make him look just more adorable, and he seems like the kinda guy you just can’t help but like.…
-
BET Networks Has Partnered With United Way and NAACP for COVID-19 Relief Efforts
Similar to Goldilocks’ felony of breaking and entering, COVID-19 has unwelcomingly entered the black community—and is not only shaking the table but our entire houses. Black Americans are being disproportionately affected by the health and financial devastations brought on by this virus and, accordingly, BET Networks is partnering with the United Way Worldwide, NAACP, and…
-
Exclusive: Yes, Ebony Magazine's Website Is Down. But Why? Here's an Explanation
Ebony Magazine has been going through it. Once a sanctuary for black achievement, the legacy publication has stumbled into its 75th anniversary year battered by bankruptcy filings, unsettled debts to contributors, abrupt layoffs and class action lawsuits that have tarnished its reputation as a beacon of cultural pride. To add insult to injury, The Root…
-
CBS News Is So Sorry for Confusing Ailing John Lewis With the Late Elijah Cummings During Broadcast
Gayle King is on vacation celebrating her 65th birthday, and the folks at CBS News have lost their minds. One could think that since the network caters to a mature television viewing demographic, that they would know the difference between two prominent senior citizens—lawmakers, at that—right? Wrong! The network showed a photo of late Maryland…
-
Meet the Press Moderator Chuck Todd Confuses Late Literary Icon Toni Morrison With Maya Angelou
Dear Chuck Todd, It is 2019. And you’re supposed to be of a much higher intellect—being on NBC and all. But Maya Angelou is not Toni Morrison—not by any stretch of the white imagination. One was a poet laureate (who actually moved in major political circles, having done President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration and all)…
-
Do You Have What It Takes to Write for The Root?
The Root is looking for freelance writers to cover nights and weekends. Do you fit the description? About the Role: We are looking for sharp writers with strong voices and keen eyes for great stories that speak to the intersection of blackness and culture, politics, entertainment, and sports, among other pertinent issues. We need you…