New President = New Coverage, New Sections, New Interest in Black Publications

Something told me that Washington, DC newspapers were about to get way more interesting once Barack Obama was sworn in as president. I didn’t even think that black publications and networks would turn their focus to politics, but, duh, the country’s first black president is a big deal to say the least. Black publications are getting officially Obama-fied for 2009, with new reporters covering the White House full-time, new Washington reports, etc. My family had subscriptions to Essence and Ebony back in the ’90s, but cancelled them as the publications grew stagnant to my household. I might actually have to start subscribing to both magazines again…

From Nia-Malika Henderson’s Politico story:

Barack Obama’s election as president is prompting major changes in the nation’s black press, ushering in a series of firsts that editors say will reshape print, Internet, radio and television coverage aimed at African-American audiences.

Essence, the top-selling magazine among black women, will have a full-time White House reporter for the first time. Ebony magazine will add a White House reporter, either full time or as needed. Its sister publication, Jet magazine, will have a weekly two-page Washington report in every issue.

Read the rest of the story here.