Decoder with Nilay Patel

News with a Capital B: CEO Lauren Williams on why we need news for and by Black people

Feb 8, 2022

Lauren Williams, Co-founder and CEO of Capital B, discusses the launch of a nonprofit media company dedicated to Black audiences. She shares insights into the crucial mission of providing relevant news and fostering community connections, particularly in Atlanta. The conversation highlights fundraising challenges, the balance between local and national strategies, and the evolving media landscape's impact on storytelling. Williams emphasizes the importance of authentic relationships with audiences and the need for diverse narratives in journalism.

57:08

Episode guests

Lauren Williams

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

3min

Launching Capital B: A New Media Venture

15min

Navigating the Next Steps After Launch

2min

Navigating Leadership and Fundraising in a New Venture

2min

Building Community-Centric News in Atlanta

19min

Navigating Growth: National vs. Local Journalism Strategies

2min

Navigating the New Media Landscape

10min

Reflections and Future Dialogues

2min

Lauren Williams is the co-founder and CEO of Capital B, a new nonprofit media company dedicated to news for Black audiences. Capital B launched on January 31st, with both a national news site and a local newsroom dedicated to Atlanta – and they plan to expand to more cities over time.

Links:

Capital B

Recode Media Podcast

Tired Of The Social Media Rat Race, Journalists Move To Writing Substack Newsletters

Transcript:

https://www.theverge.com/e/22686070

Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Today’s episode was produced by Creighton DeSimone, and Jackie McDermott with and it was edited by Callie Wright.

The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Sr Audio Director is Andrew Marino and our Executive Producer is Eleanor Donovan.

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