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Category: Journalism

Local
Kathleen Untalan

Bakersfield News Observer Takes Center Stage at Beale Library Juneteenth Event

In honor of Juneteenth, Beale Library hosted a celebration of Black newspaper history in Bakersfield on the first Saturday in June. Held in the library’s Local History section, the event titled Telling Our Stories: The Legacy of Black Newspapers in Bakersfield featured two keynote speakers – Katherine Jordan Morris, a historical researcher, who spoke on the history of older Black-owned newspapers in Bakersfield, and James Luckey Jr., who discussed the 50-year legacy of the Bakersfield News Observer. The event was organized by Lynnet Kemmer, the Local History Librarian at Beale.

Kathleen Untalan June 16, 2026
African Americans
Stefi Mar

NNPA Fund Hosts Black Press Day 2026 At Howard University, Celebrating the Past and Looking Ahead to the Future 

Nearly 100 members of the Black Press – some still honing their skills as journalists in college classrooms along with seasoned veterans representing Black publications from across the U.S.; and both friends of and corporate sponsors of the Black Press, gathered on the campus of Howard University (HU) on March, 18 for this year’s Black Press Week Reception.

Stefi Mar March 24, 2026
African Americans
Stefi Mar

OP-ED: When Media Attention Depends on Who Is Missing

The nation is right to hope and pray for the safe return of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor on NBC’s “Today.” Any disappearance is terrifying. Any family thrust into uncertainty deserves compassion, urgency, and relentless attention. But compassion should never be selective — and that is precisely where the media’s response exposes a troubling, long-standing inconsistency.

Stefi Mar March 24, 2026
African Americans
Stefi Mar

OP-ED: One Hundred Years of Black Workers Telling the Truth

In 1917, A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen launched The Messenger, a pro-labor, anti-war magazine that connected racism to exploitation and demanded justice for Black workers. Two years later, the federal government responded with tactics of targeted censorship—surveillance, harassment and threats of prosecution—and branded a small Black labor magazine “the most dangerous” publication in the country simply for encouraging Black workers to organize.

Stefi Mar March 16, 2026

Black Journalists, Activists Condemn MSNBC for Firing Joy Reid

MSNBC has parted ways with Joy Reid, marking the departure of another prominent Black woman from the network. Reid joins Rashida Jones, the first Black woman to head a major cable news network, along with Melissa Harris-Perry and Tiffany Cross. All four women brought critical, unapologetic perspectives on race, politics, and power—voices that many believe are being systematically eliminated.

Stefi Mar February 26, 2025
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

‘They invited Trump to disrespect a Black woman and did nothing to protect or back her up. The single most disgraceful thing I’ve ever seen at NABJ’

Donald Trump’s controversial appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) annual convention in Chicago may have been even more of a disaster than most had anticipated. The nasty vitriol the twice-impeached former president immediately brought should only heighten calls for the hierarchy of NABJ to resign.

Stefi Mar August 6, 2024
Bakersfield
Stefi Mar

Senate Committee Advances Local News Media Bill Amid Concerns, Pushback

With a 4-1 vote on May 8, the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation advanced Senate Bill (SB) 1327, a proposed law that would impose a “mitigation fee” on major digital technology companies. If the bill passes, fees collected would provide $500 million in employment tax credits to news organizations across the state.

Stefi Mar May 14, 2024
African Americans
Stefi Mar

Black Americans Demand Fairer News Coverage: Study Reveals Critical Views and Recommendations

An in-depth study by the Pew Research Center took a deep dive into the experiences of Black Americans with news coverage, shedding light on critical perspectives and recommendations for more equitable representation. The survey involved 4,742 U.S. adults identifying as Black and offered an extensive and comprehensive insight into their attitudes, habits, and experiences with news and information.

Stefi Mar October 31, 2023