Danielle Belton is managing editor of The Root, which ranked second in monthly unique visitors for 2015 on a list of African American-oriented websites. A sought after pundit, Belton been a featured guest on CNN, ABC’s “Good Morning America“, NBC’s “Today” show, and a host of other news shows.
The Path
Belton gained notoriety for her “pop culture-meets-politics” blog, The Black Snob, which Belton has said garnered two million readers in as many years. She spent many years as a freelancer, writing for Essence magazine, The American Prospect, The Grio, Jezebel.com, and many other prominent publications.
After working as a contributor, she joined The Root as associate editor in 2015. She was previously senior digital media strategist for the Advancement Project, editor-at-large for Clutch Magazine online, and a writer and managing editor for TheLoop21.com.
Belton told Media Shift this regarding the future of news:
“I feel that things are change very rapidly right now, and it’s been a tough adjustment for newspapers. People can get the news at such instantaneous speeds that stories break and die before people can even get the chance to fully understand them. I think traditional media will eventually make the adjustment to this, but I’m still concerned how newspapers, regional and national, will be able to make money when a majority of people online believe news should be free.”
She also noted the power of Black bloggers:
“It’s really very exciting and fascinating. People underestimate the power of Black bloggers, but they’re on the come-up and they’ve made things happen. The Jena 6 [the six black teenagers in Jena, Louisiana unfairly convicted in the 2006 beating of a white student] was almost exclusively something that was pushed by Black bloggers and Black radio before it made it to the mainstream. It’s really rather incredible what people can do with a little internet real estate and a voice.”
Noteworthy
Belton was also the head writer for “Don’t Sleep,” BET Network’s late night show that was hosted by former CNN anchor T. J. Holmes. The show was nominated for a NAACP Image Award in 2013. Belton earned her B.A. at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.
@blacksnob tweeted
Without the Internet you'd have no idea three terrorist attacks happened and that the #ClementaPinckney funeral is going on today.
— Danielle C. Belton (@daniellecbelton) June 26, 2015
