Because our critics will say we only make time for white celebrities and media figures, we launched a black blog to deflect the charges! Which might explain why our “urban” (that’s what black-related things are called, right?) sister blog Stereohyped has to pick up some media slack, at least when it comes to black issues. That’s why they screamed in our ear about NPR’s new radio show Tell Me More, hosted by journalist and former WaPo reporter Michel Martin. (She’s black, by the way.)

It’s a move to increase the diversity in NPR’s programming, NPR’s executive vice president Ken Stern will tell you. After all, once Tavis Smiley split the scene in 2004 after contract negotiations didn’t “work out,” the public radio network also lost his 30 percent black audience. (The show’s replacement, News & Notes with Ed Gordon, didn’t do too well.)

So a hearty welcome to Martin. And, more to the point of this item, please book Stereohyped editor Lauren Williams on your show. We hear she has a lot of things to say about black people. And some of them are good! And she’s neither loud nor aggressive!

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