While on one end we see local journalism hit hard due to funding woes, economic conditions or dubious acquisitions, some folks are working hard to sustain local journalism. This week we’ll look at the new, independent, nonprofit news organization The Worcester Guardian in Massachusetts. In this week’s ticker, you will also read about Adams Publishing Group’s new Ohio publisher, and Robert W. Decherd, great-grandson of The Dallas Morning News’ co-founder and the company’s controlling shareholder, who is set to depart.
The Worcester Guardian launches … The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce has launched a new, independent, nonprofit news organization The Worcester Guardian. “The Worcester Guardian will deliver free civically oriented journalism on an array of topics important to Worcester and the Central Massachusetts region,” Timothy P. Murray, the chamber’s president and CEO said. Readers will be able to access stories free of cost via the Worcester Guardian’s website, Facebook, Instagram and X. They will also receive free email newsletters. The Worcester Guardian has also applied for membership in the Institute for Nonprofit News. Former Telegram & Gazette executive editor David Nordman has been tapped to serve as a consultant. “I am excited to assist with this important initiative. Free, nonprofit, independent news provides a dynamic new platform to tell the Central Massachusetts story and report on important issues impacting Worcester and the region,” Nordman said. Read more here.
APG appoints Reynolds regional publisher… Adams Publishing Group has named Paul Reynolds its regional publisher for Ohio. He joined from the the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he worked as an advertising sales manager. In his new role, Reynolds will oversee the Group’s seven daily and weekly publications in Ohio, including the Athens Messenger, Athens News, Circleville Herald and Logan Daily News. “I am excited for the opportunity to be able to come to a place that has a vibrant, exciting community and to be able to work with the local business owners and the community to really just keep doing the great things we’re doing here at Athens Messenger,” he said. “I really love the community. It’s very similar to the community where I come from which is Dover and New Philadelphia where there is a branch campus of Kent State. Athens is a college town that has a vibe and an energy, which is nice. Plus then you have this rural area here with the Hocking Hills.” Previously, he worked at GateHouse Media for more than a decade. Reynolds graduated from Hiram College in Ohio.
Dallas Morning News’ controlling shareholder Decherd to leave… Robert W. Decherd, great-grandson of The Dallas Morning News’ co-founder and the company’s controlling shareholder, is set to depart. “I’ve had the privilege of riding one of the most important waves in journalistic history,” Decherd said. “Everything moves in cycles and always has. Knowing this has helped me stay grounded as local journalism has come under such severe pressure over the past 25 years. A ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’ kind of thing.” When asked how hands-on he had been in the daily publication, he said “For all these years, many people understandably thought that I was the person who most influenced what goes on our editorial page and what our story selection is and so forth and so on. People would be shocked at how little I’ve been involved in that over the years. What matters is how the institution is governed and how resources are allocated.” You can read the complete Q & A here.
Chalcraft-Boyle named national and planning editor at CBS News… Beth Chalcraft-Boyle, deputy national editor at CBS News, has taken on the role of national and planning editor. Chalcraft-Boyle has been with CBS News for more than eight years, previously serving as news producer and weekend news manager. Previously, she worked at CBS News for a decade, from October 1990 to September 2000. During this time, she held the posts of news editor, producer, senior producer and lead national assignment editor. Chalcraft-Boyle graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. You can congratulate Chalcraft-Boyle on X/Twitter.
Scripps News makes an award-winning investigative hire… Catie Beck has joined Scripps News as an investigative correspondent. “This is a journey back to the work I love most, the work that leaves me full and hopeful,” Beck said. “Investigative reporting changes the world, changes people, fixes broken systems and opens minds. That’s the dream I’m after.” Recently, Beck was a correspondent at NBC News, where she worked for more than six years. She also worked as an investigative reporter at both Atlanta NBC station WXIA-TV Ch. 11 and at WTVR-TV Ch. 6, a CBS affiliate in Richmond, Va. Beck has been honored with multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. Beck has a B.A. in mass communication/media studies from Fordham University and an M.A. in journalism from American University in Washington D.C. Be sure to congratulate Beck on X/Twitter.
Memphis’ CBS station names Anthony on-air host… Kontji Anthony has joined Memphis CBS station WREG-TV Ch. 3 as an on-air host. Previously, she worked as an evening news anchor at Memphis’ NBC station WMC-TV Ch. 5. Anthony worked as a TV news reporter at both Stockton’s, Calif. outlet KOVR-TV Ch. 13, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, where she was also a multimedia journalist. She has also worked at New York City’s CBS outlet WCBS-TV Ch. 2. Anthony has a B.A. from Howard University. You can congratulate Anthony on X/Twitter.
WaPo’s foreign desk move… Bryan Pietsch, a Seoul-based staff writer on the Washington Post’s foreign desk, has taken on the role of international breaking news reporter. He will move to the U.S. at the end of September and join the newsroom Oct. 2. As a founding member of the Seoul hub, Pietsch has covered the coronavirus pandemic, shootings, wildfires and political tensions. Previously, he was a reporting fellow at The New York Times and Business Insider, where he covered business news. As an intern at Reuters, he reported on regulatory policy. Pietsch has a B.A. in journalism and mass communication from Arizona State University. You can connect with Pietsch on X/Twitter.
Rosenthal moves to the NY Times’ Investigations desk… After a lauded run on the New York Times Metro desk, Brian Rosenthal is moving to the Investigations team as a reporter. Prior to joining the Times in May 2017, Rosenthal was a state government reporter at The Houston Chronicle, a post he previously held at The Seattle Times. He also worked as an interactivity producer at The Washington Post. Rosenthal is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and teaches investigative journalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Rosenthal has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Northwestern University, where he was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern. Be sure to congratulate Rosenthal on X/Twitter.
Cosmopolitan taps O’Connor to serve as junior features writer… Amber O’Connor has joined Cosmopolitan UK as a junior features writer. Recently, she was a lifestyle writer at the Daily Mirror. Previously, O’Connor worked as a Sheffield and Barnsley reporter at Reach plc’s Yorkshire Live. O’Connor has a B.A. in English literature and a M.A. in journalism from the University of Sheffield. Be sure to congratulate O’Connor on X/Twitter.
WaPo nabs Miami Herald’s Rivero… Nicolás Rivero will join The Washington Post as a climate solutions reporter. He begins on Oct. 16. “He will write for our Climate Solutions vertical, reporting on the ways humanity is working to address the planet’s most vexing and profound environmental problems,” The Washington Post reports. Rivero comes from The Miami Herald, where he worked as a climate change reporter and co-wrote the climate change newsletter. Prior to joining the Herald, he served at Quartz as a chatbot writer, newsletter writer and reporter. He interned at Miami New Times and Miami Today Newspaper. Rivero has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. You can connect with Rivero on X/Twitter.
Fort Wayne TV station names Herron anchor… WPTA-TV Ch. 21, an ABC, NBC, and MyNetworkTV affiliate in Fort Wayne, Ind., has hired Heather Herron as an anchor to anchor the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. newscasts alongside Linda Jackson. “I’m thrilled to return to the airwaves,” Herron said. “This was the right opportunity at the right time, and I’m honored to join such a respected news organization.” She brings more than two decades of experience to the newsroom working as an anchor, reporter, and producer at TV stations in Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has also been honored with several recognitions and awards, including a Regional Emmy.
Cleary departs Bustle for Time… Olivia-Anne Cleary has joined Time as a weekend editor, FTC, working on the London desk. “I’m working across sectors, so do get in touch about all things Culture, Politics, Business etc. olivia-anne.cleary@time.com,” she wrote on X/Twitter. Recently, Cleary was a senior news editor at Bustle. She also freelanced for Vulture, The Washington Post, Vogue, InStyle, Insider, Mail on Sunday, Yahoo and Hearst UK. She worked as a digital showbiz reporter at Reach plc, and held the posts of digital reporter for the now defunct Best Daily. She has also worked at Hearst UK. Cleary has a B.A. from the University of Kent. You can congratulate Cleary on X/Twitter.
Open Campus appoints Skinner ME… Kayleigh Skinner will join Open Campus, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to investigating and elevating higher education, as managing editor on Nov. 1. “I’ve always been drawn to education reporting because it’s a topic that is intertwined with so many other beats. An education story is not just about classrooms or schools — very often the root issue has tendrils in racial, social, or even economic inequity,” she said. “Colleges and universities are like individual cities, each with their own system of governance, culture, and quirks that provide so many stories for local newsrooms to tell.” She will join from nonprofit news outlet Mississippi Today, where she serves as managing editor. She also reported for Memphis’ daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal and for Chalkbeat. She interned at The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit newsroom. Skinner has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Mississippi.
Axios makes a hire in Atlanta…Wilborn P. Nobles has joined Axios as a reporter for Axios Local Atlanta. Recently, he was an Atlanta city hall reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Previously, Nobles served as a county reporter at The Baltimore Sun, and a news reporter at NOLA.com, where he covered education, crime, traffic and breaking news. He also interned at The Washington Post, NBC News and New Orleans CBS station WWL-TV Ch.4. Nobles has a B.A. from Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. Be sure to congratulate Nobles on X/Twitter.
The Telegraph promotes pols reporter… The Telegraph has appointed Dominic Penna as a political correspondent, a move up from his recent post of political reporter. In his new role, Penna will continue to write and edit the politics newsletter. He joined in January 2020 as an editorial graduate. He also worked as a sub-editor at EachOther, a nonprofit organization that provides news on human rights. He also held the posts of features editor and editor-in-chief at The Tab Sheffield, and interned at Guardian News & Media. Penna has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Sheffield. You can congratulate Penna on X/Twitter.
WSJ also makes a hire for political coverage… Molly Ball will join The Wall Street Journal as senior political correspondent. Recently, she was a national political correspondent at Time, where she worked for six years. There, she also received several national honors for her reporting, including the Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress and the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency. Previously, she covered politics for The Atlantic, Politico and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. She will be based in Washington.
Labaran joins Reuters as editor… Bilkisu Labaran has joined Reuters as an editor. Recently, she was at the BBC, where she worked for three decades. There, she held the posts of international multimedia journalist, output editor for Newsday, news editor for Africa English and senior news editor for BBC World Service. Labaran also worked as a senior journalist at BBC World Television. Connect with Labaran on X/Twitter.
Ring joins FT as legal correspondent… The Financial Times has hired Suzi Ring to be its legal correspondent. She has been at Bloomberg News covering health care since January 2020. Previously, Ring was an enforcements and investigations reporter and a Brexit reporter for Bloomberg. She also worked at Legal Week and at Financial News. Ring has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nottingham.
Mariam Ahmed is Talking Biz News’ content correspondent. For tips on the Friday TBN Ticker, email her at mariam@talkingbiznews.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
