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The Huffington Post To Launch African-American News And Opinion Platform In Partnership With Entrepreneur And BET Co-Founder Sheila Johnson

"We couldn't be more excited to be partnering with Sheila Johnson, a true media visionary, on creating what we hope will become a go-to destination for both the African-American community and everyone who cares about these deeply important issues -- in America and across the world," said Arianna Huffington. "HuffPost GlobalBlack will synthesize Sheila's insights and perspectives on culture and media, and HuffPost's unique blend of real-time social news and engagement. This a two-way partnership, with HuffPost GlobalBlack content and vision informing all of HuffPost's coverage, and HuffPost's editorial and reporting team covering stories shaping the black community."

Said Sheila Johnson: "The Huffington Post is at the center of social news: the idea that people want to engage in the news and opinion of the day and not just consume them. The Huffington Post is the ideal partner for us to create a thriving online black community of scale, a forum for ideas and discussion meant to inform, engage, surprise and entertain."

HuffPost GlobalBlack will focus on current events and cultural trends from a black perspective from across the globe -- from politics and economics to music and sports -- and will feature content ranging from dynamic storytelling to investigative reporting. The section will feature culturally and topically relevant news and views, information, exclusive interviews, compelling original and curated content, and a group blog with leading thinkers, newsmakers, personalities and provocateurs. HuffPost GlobalBlack will serve as both destination and viral launching pad for web and mobile users.

Derek J. Murphy, former SVP, Business Development of The Huffington Post, will be COO of the venture and will manage overall business operations, including sales and marketing, strategic partnerships, and business development. Said Murphy: "I'm thrilled to join forces with Sheila, Arianna and the rest of the HuffPost team on this exciting new venture. In addition to building a loyal user base, we will offer a variety of media and marketing services, and a wide range of opportunities for advertisers, sponsors and business partners."

About The Huffington Post:

The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) is a leading social news and opinion site which in four and a half years has become an influential and oft-quoted media brand, "The Internet Newspaper." The site offers coverage of politics, media, business, entertainment, living, style, sustainable "green" living, world news, technology, nonprofits, college life, books, religion, food and comedy, and is a top destination for news, blogs and original content. The Huffington Post ("HuffPost") has over 26 million unique visitors per month (source: comScore Media Metrix) and is the most-linked-to blog on the Internet, per Technorati. In 2008, the site launched its first local version, HuffPost Chicago; HuffPost New York, HuffPost Denver and HuffPost LA launched in 2009. The Huffington Post has an active community, with over two million comments made on the site each month. HuffPost Social News launched in 2009 to leverage the power of social networking to allow readers to create their own personalized social networking-like news page on HuffPost itself. The Huffington Post Twitter Edition launched in 2010. HuffPost has 6,000 bloggers -- from politicians and celebrities to academics and policy experts -- who contribute in real-time on a wide-range of topics making news today. Among those who have blogged on HuffPost are Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Larry David, Nora Ephron, Larry Page, Madeleine Albright, Robert Redford, Neil Young, Rahm Emanuel, Albert Brooks, Mia Farrow, Russ Feingold, Al Franken, Ari Emanuel, Gary Hart, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Harry Shearer, John Kerry, Bill Maher, Nancy Pelosi, Madonna, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ryan Reynolds, Craig Newmark, Alec Baldwin, and Donna Karan. A comprehensive list of the contributors to The Huffington Post can be found in its blogger index: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/index/.

About Sheila Johnson:

Sheila C. Johnson is an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose accomplishments span the arenas of TV/film, hospitality, sports, the arts, education and humanitarian causes. As CEO of Salamander Hospitality, LLC, she oversees a portfolio of luxury properties including Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in FL and the much-anticipated Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, VA. As Vice Chairman and Owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the first African-American woman to have a stake in three professional sports teams, including the Washington Mystics (WNBA), Washington Wizards (NBA) and the Washington Capitals (NHL). Ms. Johnson is a TV pioneer, having been a founding partner of BET (Black Entertainment Television). She also produces films with humanitarian messages, with credits including Kicking It, A Powerful Noise, Ella Es El Matador, and The Other City. Ms. Johnson has served as global ambassador for CARE, a leading aid organization fighting global poverty by empowering women and is Chair of the Board of Governors of Parsons The New School for Design in New York, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the boards of Howard University, the University of Virginia, Sundance Institute, Americans for the Arts, the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Tiger Woods Foundation, and the University of Illinois Foundation.

The Huffington Post
Mario Ruiz, 646-274-2439
SVP, Media Relations
Mario@huffingtonpost.com