The Grio Compared to the Root

By Alan Smithee

The Grio is video-based and The Root is internet print media-based. Both are outreach arms of mainstream media outlets. The Grio from NBC and the Root from The Washington Post/Newsweek. The Grio has a minority ownership stake and a very big team. No minority ownership stake was listed on the Root's website. We like both outlets. The more on our community, the better because our news, culture and events get overlooked so often. Surely these outlets will complement the black-run and owned media services.

The Grio, which is West African for "Story Teller," is the first “video-centric” news site, by and for the African American community that will aggregate related video and news stories from NBC News, NBC major market owned-and-operated TV stations, affiliates and MSNBC, both cable and internet. The Grio will also draw upon almost a century of filmed reports from the NBC News Video Archives, a unique compilation of news clips that chronicle the black experience over the decades. NBC News, and parent GE, felt that this community was being underserved by the existing news and information channels. The Grio's black partners own 51% and NBC owns 49%. David A. Wilson, left, is the Managing Editor of The Grio. (Source: NBC sales letter)

The Root is a daily online magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary on today's news from a variety of black perspectives. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., left, is The Root's Editor-In-Chief. Donna Byrd, right, is Publisher of TheRoot.com. The Root aims to be an unprecedented departure from traditional American journalism, raising the profile of black voices in mainstream media and engaging anyone interested in black culture around the world. The Root is published by Washingtonpost and Newsweek Interactive.

(the Root, The Grio)