LEMON DROP | Ashley Allison: Taking Back the Narrative with The Root

The Don Lemon Show

18Hundred LLC.

News, Society & Culture

4.3 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 October 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Don sits down with Ashley Allison, political strategist, communications expert, and former senior staffer in both the Obama and Biden administrations, for an in-depth conversation about the future of media and representation. Ashley, now the founder and CEO of Watering Hole Media, recently made headlines with her company’s acquisition of The Root, one of the most influential Black media outlets in the country. Together, Don and Ashley discuss why representation in media matters more than ever, the power of independent storytelling, and how the media landscape is evolving in real time. A smart, timely, and inspiring conversation about ownership, voice, and the future of truth in media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:26.9	Find out more at drivepivotal.com slash radio. Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Don Lemon Show. The economy is in rough shape right now. We all know that. Unemployment is rising. Inflation sky high. And the Trump administration's taco tariffs are only making the situation worse. The media industry
0:55.3	has been hit particularly hard. Every day I see headlines about layoffs, declining viewership,
1:00.7	on a consolidation. But there are exceptions, and that's independent media. Independent media is
1:06.0	killing it right now. It's having a moment. The Don Lemon Show is on fire. I mean, if you talk to the people who are watching,
1:11.9	we'll discuss that with my next guest.
1:14.1	And my guest today is also killing the media game.
1:16.6	I'm so happy to have Ashley Allison on.
1:19.0	She's a political strategist and communications experts.
1:22.0	She is a former senior staffer in the Obama and Biden
1:25.3	administrations, and she is the founder of Watering Whole Media, the company that just acquired the digital media
1:32.1	outlet, the route.
1:33.2	And I could not be proud of her.
1:34.9	She is an old colleague and a friend.
1:38.2	Ashley, good to see you.
	...

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