A Historic Partnership Elevating Black Voices in Media
Howard University has joined forces with NewsOne to launch the Bison ONE Newsroom, a groundbreaking media partnership aimed at shaping the next generation of Black journalists. The collaboration between Howard’s Cathy Hughes School of Communications and NewsOne, part of Urban One—the nation’s largest Black-owned media company—marks the first partnership of its kind between a national media outlet and an HBCU journalism program.
The Bison ONE Newsroom officially launched on October 20, 2025, continuing Howard’s long legacy of producing changemakers in journalism. Under the guidance of Dr. Stacey Patton, an award-winning journalist and professor, students will learn to report stories that honor truth, integrity, and the lived experiences of Black communities.
This partnership expands upon the NewsOne x Bison 2024 Election project, now evolving into a year-round platform for investigative reporting, multimedia storytelling, and civic engagement.
Training the Next Generation of Truth-Tellers
The Bison ONE Newsroom will serve as a dynamic training ground for Howard students to sharpen their skills in modern media. Through mentorship and hands-on reporting, participants will gain real-world experience across print, digital, and broadcast journalism.
Dr. Patton, known for her fearless reporting and commitment to social justice, will mentor the students alongside professional journalists from NewsOne. Together, they will work to produce stories that challenge misinformation and spotlight Black resilience.
“We are preparing our students to not only report the news but to reclaim our narratives,” said Dr. Patton. “This newsroom gives them the power to document our truths at a time when those truths are often erased or distorted.”
Building on a Legacy of Black Journalism
The launch of the Bison ONE Newsroom follows the tradition of Black journalists like Ida B. Wells-Barnett, whose fearless pursuit of truth set a standard for generations to come. Howard University and NewsOne are continuing that legacy by providing a space for students to report on issues that shape Black life in America.
Kirsten West Savali, Vice President of Content at iONE Digital and one of the visionaries behind the project, emphasized the newsroom’s historic importance. “This partnership is a blueprint for how Black institutions can stand together and create something lasting, something that is ours,” she said.
By anchoring the work within the legacy of HBCUs and Black press history, the partnership aims to reshape how stories about Black communities are told, covered, and remembered.
Reshaping the Media Landscape through Collaboration
Beyond classroom training, the Bison ONE Newsroom represents a movement to rebuild trust in media by centering Black perspectives. It responds to the growing concern over disinformation, artificial intelligence in news, and the underrepresentation of Black voices in mainstream outlets.
Urban One’s Chairperson and founder, Cathy Hughes, has long advocated for media that reflects the truth and beauty of Black life. The newsroom’s creation continues her mission of ensuring that Black storytellers lead in defining their narratives.
The initiative stands as both a teaching lab and a social movement, bridging generations of journalists united by a common goal—to tell unfiltered Black stories with clarity, courage, and care.
Honoring Legacy and Shaping the Future
As the newsroom begins operations, Howard’s student journalists are stepping into a legacy that stretches from the Freedom’s Journal to The Chicago Defender and beyond. Through multimedia reporting, commentary, and campus-based investigations, they will address issues often ignored or distorted by traditional media.
“We may face hate, but our truths are unbreakable,” Savali wrote in her announcement. “Those in power may try to silence us, but they can never imprison our voices.”
The Bison ONE Newsroom stands as proof that collaboration between Black media and HBCUs can create transformative change. Together, Howard University and NewsOne are ensuring that the next wave of storytellers continues to write, report, and reimagine what Black journalism can be.
