Recapping the news week, we’ve got a lot of forward and backward movement to report from newsroom executive suites — including a possible lifeline for Vice Media — along with our usual assortment of big media moves. Happy Independence Day weekend to all!
An international departure…Bert Archer, editor-in-chief of The Montreal Gazette, will depart on June 30. As reported in CTV News Montreal, Archer’s departure was announced by Postmedia’s chief content officer, Duncan Clark, who wrote to staff that the company recently had some “tough discussions” with the newsroom about the paper’s past and future. Archer was a travel writer at The Wall Street Journal and held the posts of books columnist, copy editor, business travel columnist, travel writer and book reviewer at The Toronto Star. He has also worked at The Globe and Mail, the National Post, the Washington Post and Toronto Life Magazine. Archer has a B.A. from the University of Toronto and an M.Phil from Trinity College in Dublin. Reach out to Archer via Twitter or LinkedIn.
Bankrupt Vice to finally be acquired… “A group of buyers including Fortress Investment Group is set to take over the bankrupt Vice Media company after bidding $350 million to acquire it out of bankruptcy, according to three people familiar with the matter,” reports The New York Times. Numerous bidders put in offers but only Fortress’s was deemed “qualified.” However, as the deal proceeds, Vice has concerns to deal with. As the Times reports, “Many of its freelancers have complained that the company has not paid them, and some unionized employees have released a statement saying that the company should lay off fewer employees and that the offered severance package was too small. In the United States, Vice employees have started a GoFundMe page to support their laid-off co-workers, who they say have not been paid severance.” Read more here.
Industry Dive hit by layoffs… Industry Dive has laid off six editorial staffers, including Megan Poinski, senior Food Dive reporter who has been with the company since 2016; Stephen Taylor, who was managing editor for Healthcare Dive, Medtech Dive, and Biopharma Dive; Shannon Muchmore, former editor of Healthcare Dive and a senior editor at the company; Chris Newman, editor of BioPharma Dive; Peter S. Green, lead editor for MedTech Dive in the past year; and Stephen Singer, an editor for Utility Dive and a former Hartford Courant business reporter. He also spent 17 years at the Associated Press.
Forbes appoints Young editorial lead… ForbesBLK has named Jabari Young as senior editor. In his new role, he will increase coverage and amplify the voices of Black entrepreneurs, professionals, creators and business leaders. Recently, he served as a senior writer for Forbes, where he covered business. He has also covered sports business at CNBC. “ForbesBLK is at an important junction in Forbes’ growth. We know there is an appetite for more business storytelling highlighting the Black perspective while celebrating our success in all sectors,” Young said. “I’m beyond excited to help align that content. But most importantly, ensure that Black voices always have a place with Forbes.”
Dickens named exec producer at NPR…Kelley L. Dickens, a supervising editor at NPR, has taken on the role of deputy executive producer. She joined in October 2020 as an editor of Morning Edition. Previously, Dickens was an assistant news director and news director at WBND-LD Ch. 57, an ABC affiliate in South Bend, Ind. She worked at Michigan ABC stations WXYZ-TV Ch. 7 in Detroit (as an associate producer) and WJRT-TV Ch. 12 in Flint (as a producer/reporter). Dickens has a B.A. in journalism from Eastern Michigan University.
Boston Globe’s political promotion… The Boston Globe has promoted Victoria McGrane to metro politics editor to coordinate the 2024 NH primary coverage among other tasks. Recently, she held the post of deputy metro editor. Before that, McGrane was a national political correspondent. She covered financial regulation and monetary policy and the economy for The Wall Street Journal. She has also worked at Politico and was a finance and economics reporter at Congressional Quarterly. McGrane has a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from London School of Economics and Political Science. Be sure to congratulate McGrane on Twitter.
Orlando TV station’s new investigative reporter… WFTV-TV Ch. 9, an ABC affiliate in Orlando, Fla., has hired Ashlyn Webb as an investigative reporter. She will begin in July. Webb will join from Tegna, where she has worked for four years in various roles, including news inter, multiskilled journalist, investigative reporter and recently as weekend evening anchor. Webb graduated from the University of Georgia. Be sure to congratulate Webb on Twitter.
NBC Chicago also makes an investigative hire… PJ Randhawa will join Chicago’s NBC outlet WMAQ-TV Ch. 5 as a consumer investigative reporter. Recently, she was an investigative race and equity reporter at King 5 Media Group. Previously, Randhawa was an investigative reporter at St. Louis NBC station KSDK-TV Ch. 5. She also worked as a state reporter and investigative reporter at Raycom Media. An award-winning investigative reporter, Randhawa has a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University and a master’s degree from DePaul University. You can congratulate Randhawa on Twitter.
Telegraph appoints Diver U.S. editor… The Telegraph has promoted Tony Diver to the post of U.S. editor. Recently, he served as a Whitehall correspondent and acting Sunday political editor. Diver has been with The Telegraph for more than four years, in roles including news reporter and political correspondent. He also freelanced for The Telegraph, The Times, BuzzFeed, The Spectator, Radio Times, the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and The Sun. Be sure to congratulate Diver on Twitter.
Winkel is a weekend AM anchor at Tacoma Fox outlet… Tacoma Fox News outlet KCPQ-TV Ch. 13 has appointed Taylor Winkel as weekend AM anchor. Recently, she was a morning news anchor at Reno NBC station KRNV-TV Ch. 4. Previously, Winkel worked as a weekend anchor and reporter at KRGV-TV Ch. 5, an ABC affiliate in Weslaco, Texas. She also served as a multimedia journalist, weekend anchor and producer at NBC Montana. An Emmy-winning TV news anchor, Winkel graduated from the University of Washington.
Meet the Times’ new editorial assistants… Madi Winfield and Isaac Scher have joined The New York Times Opinion as editorial assistants. Previously, Winfield was a photo director at Vox Magazine, where she coordinated and managed visual journalism. She interned at The Dallas Morning News, Dow Jones and Politico Europe, and held the posts of photo editor and then assistant director of photography at Columbia Missourian. Scher was a research assistant for Zeynep Tufekci at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he supported her Opinion essays,” reports the Times. Scher has a B.A. from the College of Wooster in Ohio.
The Messenger hires for politics coverage… Lindsey McPherson has joined The Messenger as a Congress reporter. Recently, she was a senior reporter at CQ Roll Call, from where she was laid off. McPherson joined CQ Roll Call in May 2015. She also worked as a congressional reporter and senior congressional reporter at Tax Analysts and wrote for the Baltimore Sun Media Group. McPherson has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland College Park. Be sure to congratulate McPherson via Twitter.
Times Radio hires Bradley as producer… Times Radio has hired Adrian Bradley as a producer. Recently, he was a podcast producer at the New Statesman. Bradley worked at the BBC for more than six years, where he held the posts of broadcast journalist and assistant producer. He also freelanced for ITN. Bradley has a B.A. in political science from the University of Birmingham and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from City, University of London. Be sure to congratulate Bradley on Twitter.
San Diego TV station’s news director appointment… KGTV-TV Ch. 10, an ABC station in San Diego, has promoted Sarah Cowan to news director. Recently, she held the post of assistant news director. Cowan has been with WGTV for 15 years, joining as a producer for 10News at 5 p.m. She then served as a producer for 10News at 11 p.m. and as an executive producer. Before that, she worked as a producer at KUSI-TV Ch. 51, an independent TV station also in San Diego. Be sure to congratulate Cowan on Twitter.
Kentucky ABC station’s new director hire… WBKO-TV Ch. 13, an ABC, Fox and CW Plus affiliate in Bowling Green, Ky. has appointed Caitlin Huff to the post of news director. Recently, Huff was a digital executive producer at Nexstar Media Group, where she worked for more than six years. She has also worked as an editor and producer at WATE-TV Ch. 6, an ABC affiliate in Knoxville, Tenn., and as a multimedia journalist at WBKO. Huff has a B.S. in broadcast journalism and leadership studies from Troy University in Alabama. Be sure to congratulate Huff on Twitter.
Barlett and Steele Awards entries open… The Barlett and Steele Awards, named in honor of renowned investigative business journalists Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele of the Philadelphia Inquirer, were expanded in 2022. The awards now have two categories: one for news organizations with a national or global audience and one for publications with a regional or local focus. Additionally, an award will be given to an Outstanding Young Journalist that will recognize the work of a journalist under 30 years of age who demonstrates outstanding ability in investigative business reporting. Entries will be accepted between June 1st, 2023 and July 31st, 2023 for articles originally published or broadcast between July 1st, 2022 and June 30th, 2023. Applications will be accepted only online and from editors or the contest coordinator designated by your news organization. Entries from freelance journalists are welcome but must be accompanied by a letter from an editor or director. There are no entry fees for the 2023 Barlett and Steele Awards. Read the full details here.
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.
