Black Men in Media: Insights from NABJ convention

CLEVELAND, OH – The media landscape is constantly changing, and during the second day of the annual National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in Cleveland, Ohio, NABJ hosted a panel titled “Black Men in Media: Navigating a Changing Industry” to discuss and tackle some of those changes. Shaquille Brewster, a Chicago-based NBC News correspondent; Orenthal Spivey, a sportswriter and columnist for The Philadelphia Tribune; and The Atlanta Voice’s editor in chief, Donnell Suggs, were the featured speakers. Michael Bulter, the minority business reporter for The Miami Herald, moderated the panel. 

In a room full of journalists and people working in the media, the panelists discussed topics such as what it means to be a Black man in media, the challenges they’ve faced, the rewarding aspects of the industry, advice to aspiring journalists, and how they can support Black women in media. The crowd heard personal anecdotes about how successful men in media got to where they are today. 

“I get pride in putting on my uniform every day and representing this paper or any other papers I’ve worked at,” Suggs said. “Anyone who does this full time, we are extremely lucky to do this.” 

One of many aspects they focused on was the importance of understanding that you are human and Black before you are a professional.

“Humanity is what makes us special in any role that we’re in. So, it’s something that we have to embrace,”  Butler said. 

Throughout the panel, the journalists touched on melding humanity and relatability as Black men in their reporting and how that has informed their writing of more nuanced stories. 

“Any story that I cover, I’m going to approach it as a Black man. You can’t take your perspective out of what you’re doing and out of the reporting that you have. I think that perspective that I have also makes me more interested in certain stories, and I think that’s okay, as long as you’re still doing your job and you’re reporting everything fairly accurately, completely, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Brewster said. 

Spivey shared instances where he was the only Black reporter in the sports locker rooms and press boxes. In those moments, he understood the different perspectives he had, which led him to ask questions such as what Jalen Hurts’, the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, line number was a member of the Black fraternity Omega Psi Phi. 

“When I asked him that question in the locker room, his eyes lit up. He was never gonna get that question because you can count us on one hand in a press box,” Spivey said. “I saw him and he saw me after that. So that’s that whole dynamic of being a Black journalist.”

The journalists discussed the importance of being a good writer, especially when it comes to properly covering underserved communities. They also discussed supporting Black women in media by encouraging unbiased hiring practices, being genuine in their support, and recognizing misogynistic ideals that may prevail within the industry and its reporters. 

The reality of it is that Black representation in newsrooms is scarce. Although Black Americans make up approximately 11% of the American workforce, a 2023 Pew Research Center study found that just 6% of U.S. reporting journalists identify as Black. Tackling that lack of diversity starts with supporting legacy Black-owned papers such as The Philadelphia Tribune and The Atlanta Voice and platforming the reporters and leaders at these news organizations.

Brewster, Spivey, and Suggs expressed gratitude and joy at the work they’ve accomplished in their careers. 

“I consider it a privilege for me to be the editor in chief of the only Black newspaper in Atlanta. I don’t take it as work as much as it’s a privilege to be doing that. So, telling Black stories in Atlanta, which arguably is the Blackest city in America, is a privilege,” Suggs said. “I’ve been blessed to be in Atlanta and be in the situation I’m in.”

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