EDITOR’S NOTE: As part of our “Living Black History” series in observance of Black History Month, this week, BlackAmericaWeb.com will celebrate and explore black media.

Next week: Blacks and the Winter Olympics.

Click here for "Living Black History: Radio Icon Johnny Morris."

Click here for "Living Black History: Johnson Publishing Regroups."

Click here for "Living Black History: Black TV Visionaries."

Click here for "Living Black History: The Michigan Chronicle."

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There may indeed be a digital divide, but these folks don’t know anything about it. They are young, they are black, and they are making history right now in the new media. Where newspapers, television and magazines were once the undisputed kings of information dissemination, these days, hustling bloggers and tech-savvy entrepreneurs are not just changing the color of technology. They are paving the way for the innovators sure to come.

This the new face of Web 2.0. These new media stars are on their way to global domination, and you should know who they are so the digital revolution does not pass you by. Check out the bright young stars of the Information Age.


DEANNA “DE-DE” SUTTON
30
Founder, Editorial Director
Clutch Magazine Online

Founded: Offline 2002, online 2007. Draws approximately 200,000 unique visitors monthly.
 
Labor of love or money? Both, Sutton does the site full-time and yes, she’s profiting.

Claim to fame: The digital heir apparent to Essence magazine

Why she's hot: “We have been able to gain success in a very hard category,” Sutton says. “Clutch is a well-rounded online magazine. We do not cover gossip. We don’t do that many celebrity interviews. We are mainly strictly editorial, and our readers love it. We have fresh, fly and informational content. We have been called 'the new Essence,' as well as a place for educated Obama-era young women of color."
 
Future prospects: “The future is bloggers and online publishers defining news and information as we know it (which is already happening),” Sutton says. “I am involved cause it’s my life  - 24/7.”


NATASHA EUBANKS
27
Founder, Young, Black and Fabulous LLC, Entertainment correspondent for "Big Boy’s Neighborhood" syndicated radio show in 40 markets

Founded: 2005. Draws 500,000 to 600,000 page views daily.

Labor of love or money? Eubanks may be one of the best-paid African-American bloggers around making a self-reported “six to seven figures” annually.

Claim to fame: Law student turned self-taught, full-time blogger has created her own niche in the lucrative gossip space catering to black celebrity gossip.

Why she's hot: “When I first started out, there was no other site solely focused on black celebrity gossip/entertainment that I or anyone I know could find. So being one of the first in this lane is definitely something that makes YBF hot," Eubanks said. "I also make a point to make my content and the site the 'celeb,' so to speak. Not Natasha the writer. I believe my readers and others can appreciate someone focusing on serving up what the reader wants and that being their focus, not them living this 'fabulous life' themselves all for the world to see."

Future prospects: “Social media is the future of new media,” Eubanks says. “It's just simply what people are gravitating to. My demographic is the young professional, young mover and shaker or those who are interested in those types of people. And this is the demographic that has always shaped what's new and necessary in media. So when I cater to that, I am taking a part in the future of new media. Technology-based media is the present and future. Everyone's on the go, and we need our .....

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