Democratic Political Strategist Buys The Root, Making It A Black-Owned Publication
The Root, an online news and media website, will be owned by a Black woman for the first time. Democratic political strategist and CNN commentator, Ashley Allison, announced that she is acquiring The Root from G/O Media, a digital media holding company controlled by a private equity firm.
CNN reported that Allison said she will invest in video content, build new partnerships with experts, and launch in-person experiences for The Root’s readers.
The Root’s history
In 2008, Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Donald E. Graham launched The Root under the ownership of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings), where Graham was serving as chairman at the time. Henry Louis Gates Jr. held an initial minority stake in the company at the time of the launch.
Spanish-language media giant Univision acquired The Root in 2015 and built a portfolio of line brands, but sold the titles to Great Hill Partners, a private equity firm, in 2019.
However, the resulting company, G/O Media, struggled to meet the expected growth rate set by investors. Subsequently, it sold titles like Lifehacker, The Onion, and Kotaku. The Root was the only piece of G/O Media left by the summer of 2024.
The Root is now owned by a Black woman
Alison is a political strategist and communications expert who has spent years uplifting diverse voices at the intersection of politics, policy, and culture. It’s not just a business deal to Alison, it’s an investment in an independent journalist during a time when Black history is being erased, according to The Root.
Allison acquired The Root through Watering Hole Media, a social impact media project she founded in 2024, marking Watering Hole Media’s first acquisition.
In a statement, Allison said the website “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.”
Image: Kirth Bobb
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that The Root had returned to Black ownership. It was updated on October 6 to clarify that The Root has never been Black-owned. The publication was launched under the ownership of The Washington Post Company. Henry
