CBS Sports is expanding its coverage, launching a unit that will cover Race and Culture. As announced by the network Tuesday, the unit will be led by veteran journalist David Cummings and Sarah M. Kasadi.
According to CBS Sports’ official announcement, the Race and Culture Unit will “pinpoint opportunities, identify priorities, and help shape the editorial director for all CBS Sports content at the intersection of sport, race, and culture.” The network will also take steps to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are emphasized in creating content and raising issues to cover.
Cummings was named Senior Director. His previous work includes a stint as senior deputy editor for ESPN the Magazine, in addition to covering sports for the New York Daily News, Miami Herald, and The Source.
“Diversity and inclusion have long been a part of CBS Sports’ DNA before DE&I became a part of major corporations’ internal focus. For me, it dates back to the revolutionary cast of The NFL Today, with Irv Cross and Phyllis George, in the 1970s,” Cummings said in a statement.
“Today, we have a tremendous opportunity to build on and strengthen that DNA, focusing a diverse lens on the content we create, the messages we send, the voices we hear, and the stories we tell. I am excited for all that Sarah and I can create together, further elevating CBS Sports.”
Kazadi will be Senior Producer. She returns to CBS Sports after working as a feature producer at ESPN for The Undefeated and E60. Other news outlets featuring her work include The New York Times, The Guardian, and Newsweek. Recently, she produced and reported for the documentary I Run With Maud: A Promise. A Movement, which chronicled Black distance runners banding together for change and justice in light of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder.
“It’s a blessing to rejoin the CBS Sports team in this special role,” Kazadi added. “Honoring those who have been historically excluded and misrepresented is a personal passion. I’m excited about creating compelling work that strives to meet the moment.”
Cummings and Kazadi will be tasked with building on programming devoted to race and diversity, including the all-female sports talk show We Need to Talk, the Portraits in Black series of features, and content focusing on the first-ever HBCU men’s college basketball All-Star game being played April 3 in New Orleans.
In 2020, CBS News created a similar unit to cover Race and Culture, led by veteran ESPN and ABC News producer Alvin Patrick.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
