The long-anticipated day has finally arrived for 10 of the nation’s most trusted and innovative Black publishers, who have worked hard over the past three years to grow Word In Black into a national news site focused on solutions to racial inequities in America. As of Jan. 1, Word In Black has officially incorporated as a public benefit company.
Word In Black is the only media startup of its kind and serves as a future model for the industry. It was incubated inside Local Media Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Local Media Association. The incubation period allowed for significant testing and experimentation which in turn led to rapid growth. The 10 publishers and the LMF team worked hand-in-hand throughout the last three years to drive this growth. As part of this transition envisioned in the original 2020 business plan, LMF sold the assets to Word In Black, PBC, and will continue to provide support as a shareholder in the new company.
What makes it so successful is combining the large and loyal audience of the 10 publishers with the new national brand, along with third-party management services that don’t drain local resources. Almost all of the support, both commercial and philanthropic, includes all 10 publishers and the national brand, reaching a combined audience of more than 1 million. All 10 publishers have been able to add mini-beats to their newsrooms focused on health and education, along with access to content developed by the national reporting team. It’s a winning formula that has not been tested anywhere else.
“In the transformative journey of creating Word In Black, we’ve not just reported news and addressed issues; we’ve forged a narrative for change,” says Hiram E. Jackson, Word in Black shareholder and publisher of the Michigan Chronicle. This launch represents three years of dedication from 10 visionary Black publishers, united to create a national news platform that doesn’t just…
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