The Root Is Black-Owned Once Again As CNN Commentator Ashley Allison Acquires Publication

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The Root, a prominent Black media outlet known for its coverage of Black issues, is set to have changes in its ownership.

CNN reported that Ashley Allison, the network’s political strategist and commentator, announced Thursday that she would be acquiring The Root from G/O Media, a digital media holding company controlled by a private equity firm.

The Root represents the first major investment for Watering Hole Media, the company Allison founded last year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, according to CNN.

What Ashley Allison says readers can expect from The Root under her ownership

Allison outlined the changes readers can expect, including expanded video content, partnerships with experts and in-person experiences. The move also marks the first time in years that the media outlet will operate under Black ownership.

“This isn’t about making more content but rather about making meaning of this moment,” Allison said, noting the challenges the media faces in the current political climate, “when journalism is under attack and audiences are seeking independent sources for news.”

Allison said The Root “has always been about preserving culture and creating clarity in a world full of distractions. Owning the power to tell our own stories is a rich tradition The Root is committed to upholding,” Allison added.

What was Ashley Allison’s background before acquiring The Root?

Allison also serves as an organizer and advocate with over 15 years of experience in campaigns and civil work, according to her Harvard profile. She has served as a senior staffer for the Obama-Biden Administration and the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign. Allison has also held leadership roles at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

According to the Columbia Journal Review, The Root “was founded in 2008 by Donald Graham, chairman of The Washington Post Company, and Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard.” They aim to focus on “social, cultural, and political issues through the ‘African American lens.'”

“The Root will be a 21st-century version of a national black newspaper,” The Post reported at the launch, per CNN.

In 2015, The Root was bought by Univision, which later sold it to private equity firm Great Hill Partners in 2019. Under G/O Media, the site remained the company’s only major title after other properties such as Lifehacker, The Onion and Kotaku were sold.

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