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SEPTEMBER 13 | 2018 | DEFENDER
entertainment
Roland Martin launches digital show NNPA News Service
Journalist Roland Martin has launched a digital show, “Roland Martin Unfiltered.” The show will feature a live stream broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Periscope and IGTV, Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. Central. It will then replay four times on all of the same platforms, providing several opportunities for views to watch shows and recover ones they may have missed. “I can’t sleep! I’ve been waiting for this day for almost 9 months. Gonna happen in 18 hours!” Martin wrote on his Facebook page the day of the launch. The popular journalist has close to a million “likes” on his Facebook fanpage. He is asking viewers to “support independent fact-based journalism” in the form of the #BringtheFunk fan Club to support the new show. In the wake of President Donald Trump attacking the press and the First Amendment on a continuous basis, some in the profession are taking an offensive position. Memberships for Roland Martin Unfiltered can be seen at: http://rolandsmartin.com/unfiltered/. “I’ve always been an early adopter of the digital space,” Martin said. “When I ran the Chicago Defender, I launched the first Black news audio podcast in 2005, and one year later, I launched the first Black news video podcast. I’ve also launched numerous websites such as BlackAmericaWeb.com with founding editor Tom Joyner. “I’ve always understood not only the power of the digital world but also where we were going in terms of the future and the role the digital world would play…I’ve been waiting for the day where you had broadband capabilities to be able to do exactly what we’re
Roland Martin, a native Houstonian and former Defender managing editor, asks viewers to support his new show.
doing right now. Even when I was on NewsOne, we were doing things on the digital side, and
I even proposed that we should livestream the show.” In an Instagram post in August, Martin outlined the past, future and present. “Over the last eight months, we’ve had numerous discussions about what I would do next with TVOne,” he said. “As that was happening, I was planning my own daily digital show, #RolandMartinUnfiltered, to take advantage of this new media world we are now living in. “I am eternally grateful for all of the folks at TVOne who I have encountered over the last 13 years. To be on the frontlines of watching a Black cable network become one of the fastest growing in history has been eye opening. I’ve learned so much about this business and have truly grown as a journalist.” Martin said TVOne gave him a chance to speak his truth, unimpeded. “TVOne gave me a level of freedom my peers at broadcast and cable networks have never had. I never did take that lightly,” Martin said. His new digital show has a studio in downtown Washington, D.C. and promises to bring some of the same energy and news insight that was seen on “NewsOne Now.” Martin is a veteran journalist who has twice won an NAACP Image Award. He was also a CNN contributor and is a regular guest on MSNBC. In 2013 Martin launched “News One Now” on TVOne. The popular Black news show focused on politics, entertainment and sports news in the Black community. In 2013, TVOne cancelled the show due to “budget cuts.” “One can never say never,” Martin said. “Even though I’m launching this daily digital show and working on other projects, I may end up doing something for TVOne down the line. But as for now, we’ve come to the end of a road. All I have left to say, is thank you,” Martin added in the final words of his Instagram post.
what’sup JOHN LEGEND made history as the singer and actor won an Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, along with ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and TIM RICE, for producing the best variety special winner, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” The win put all three men in the exclusive EGOT club, which means they have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony – a collection of awards held by only 12 others in the entertainment industry……..BEYONCÉ and CHARLAMAGNE have been named as potential witnesses in the case between TIFFANY HADDISH and her ex-husband,
WILLIAM STEWART. Stewart accuses the actress of damaging his reputation in her book “The Last Black Unicorn,” and he’s sued for over $1 million. He’s also named the publishing company Simon & Shuster in the suit, as well as Haddish’s co-author. It is believed that Beyoncé could tell the court that Haddish embellishes stories for personal gain, and it’s possible they’re referring to the whole Beyoncé-getting-bitten-on-theear tale. Earlier this year, Haddish said that actress SANAA LATHAN bit Bey on the ear during a party, and her story undoubtedly caused a big stir. The plaintiff also feels that Charlamagne can assist because he’s
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plugged into entertainment news and can shed light on how much Stewart was affected by the book. Haddish described years of alleged abuse in the book and said one time Stewart choked her……..Despite the pair nearly scrapping inside a New York Fashion Week party, NICKI MINAJ and CARDI B reportedly are not going to press charges against one another. Minaj isn’t going to take legal action against her rap nemesis, and it’s reported that Cardi also won’t be pursuing the case. The viral altercation occurred after Cardi confronted Minaj “to address the lies Nicki was spreading.” But things escalated and security stepped in.
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