………my colleague Roland S. Martin, who has just joined CNN.

Here’s one of the official releases:

News Release
Contact:  Danielle Robinson
March 13, 2007
312 226 5552

10:30 a.m. ET

Host/Columnist/Author/Journalist Roland S. Martin Joins CNN    

Roland S. Martin, a nationally syndicated columnist and Chicago-based radio host, will join CNN/U.S as a contributor and analyst for several programs and CNN will develop various other programming concepts around him in the next several months.  The appointment is effective immediately.

      “It’s a well-deserved and a fantastic opportunity for one of the country’s most unique journalists.  Roland’s multi-media story-telling presence has now expanded to cable television to an audience that should find his message most refreshing,” says Marc Watts of Signature Media Group who negotiated Mr. Martin’s new deal.  “He has become a familiar face to CNN viewers the last three years, already having appeared on numerous CNN programs and this deal solidifies a larger role for Roland.”

      A nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate, Martin most recently served as executive editor of The Chicago Defender, the nation’s largest black daily newspaper.  Some writers called Martin a “savior” of what was described as a failing newspaper. 

He is a commentator for TV One Cable Network and hosts The Roland S. Martin Show on WVON/1690AM in Chicago each weekday.  He is the author of “Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith” and “Speak, Brother!  A Black Man’s View of America.”

      As an analyst, Martin provides news reports for American Urban Radio Networks and has appeared numerous times on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Court TV, BET Nightly News, BBC News, National Public Radio, The Word Network and America’s Black Forum.

      “From President Bush to Oprah Winfrey to Charles Gibson, Roland has shown a knack for asking probing, insightful and news-making questions,” Watts said.  “Roland and I have been friends for 20 years. We first met when he was a high school student in Houston.  At the time I was a reporter for the local CBS station KHOU-TV.”

      “As a multifaceted journalist steeped in the traditions of storytelling and truth-seeking, Roland offers a powerful voice on subjects ranging from politics to religion to race to numerous other social issues,” Jon Klein, President of CNN/U.S. said. “We’re very pleased to have him contribute to a wide range of CNN stories.

      “CNN has made a sincere commitment to giving its audience a breadth of important stories not typically found in mainstream media,” Martin said. “I am pleased to be a part of that effort and to do my part to see they rise to that challenge.”

      “Roland will continue to reside in Chicago while commuting to New York to fulfill his responsibilities for CNN.  In addition to appearing on various news programs as an analyst Roland will play a key role in the development of programming concepts that compliment his style,” Watts said.

      He is the former founding news editor for Savoy magazine and the former founding editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com, owned by nationally syndicated radio host Tom Joyner and Radio One.

      Martin previously served as owner/publisher of Dallas-Fort Worth Heritage, a Christian monthly newspaper and worked as managing editor of the Houston Defender and the Dallas Weekly.  He also has worked for KRLD/1080AM, KKDA-AM in Dallas, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Austin American-Statesman.

      During his journalism career, Martin has won more than 20 awards, including a regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association; several first place awards from the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators; two citations from the National Associated Press Managing Editors Conference; the top sports reporting award in 1997 from the National Association of Black Journalists; and honors from the Houston Press Club.

      He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and is currently working on a master’s degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University.  He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.