From Local News to Fox Soul: Niele Anderson on Advocacy, Black Media, and Intentional Networking
On Wednesday, September 24, the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab at USC welcomed Niele Anderson as the first Lunch and Learn guest to kick off the new school year. A multi-hyphenate media powerhouse, Anderson is a multimedia journalist and founder and CEO of PLB Media Inc., a media production company focusing on the Black perspective and experience. She spoke with students on her experience in media and public affairs, with her career spanning over 20 years.
Anderson got her start at Grambling State University, where she received her degree in mass communication. She moved back home to Los Angeles to pursue a career in journalism. Emphasizing the importance of “building your rolodex”, she went to where the people were. By attending her local church, non-profit organizations, and more, she was offered opportunities that opened doors for her. One such opportunity led her to the Los Angeles Sentinel, where she learned major lessons such as “advocating for yourself and others.” In 2019, this specific piece of advice led to the creation of Fox Soul. Anderson spoke up as the only woman and person of color in the room with Fox Television executives Jack Abernathy and Stephen Brown, which inspired the network to devote their first ever streaming platform to Black content.
What she learned from the Sentinel still sticks with her today. She loves being in Black media to help amplify voices, “because people are losing their jobs and their stories aren’t being told correctly.” She advised students to be intentional about what they’re doing, and to practice social skills. Anderson spoke on how in this day and age, young people are losing interpersonal skills due to social media, and how vital it is to make sure one knows how to talk to someone. She pointed out that networking will lead you to the right places, but to be open to change despite it being scary. The key word of her talk with the USC community was “pivot”, where she shared how she is where she is now because she wasn’t afraid of pivoting. Embrace the pivot, she said, and “the wins will come.”
She had several pieces of advice for those who were interested in starting their own media company. One, make sure to start your LLC. Two, build your connections (“rolodex”, she calls it). Lastly, find a mentor. This tip was tied into her anecdote on intergenerational conversations and reciprocity. Be genuine in your communication, be open to learning from people, and don’t make everything transactional.
