This week’s ticker starts off top notch with three Ivy League graduates Francesca Barber, Alex Burns, and Joe Schatz taking on new roles in the Politico newsroom. Nonprofit news outlet The Chicago Reader has appointed Amber Nettles as associate publisher, who has been with the newsroom since 2020. Former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton Sidney Blumenthal has been named a regular columnist at The Guardian.
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Politico promotes three in newsroom restructure … Francesca Barber, Alex Burns, and Joe Schatz have taken on new roles at Politico. Schatz, executive editor for platforms, will be the top editor under global editor-in-chief John Harris for all political and policy content produced by teams on this side of the Atlantic. In addition, he will serve as lead news executive in Washington, overseeing Politico’s California expansion. He has been with Politico for more than eight years, during which time he held the posts of editor for Politico Pro Europe brief, editor for Politico States and managing editor for platforms and operations. Be sure to congratulate Schatz on X/Twitter. Barber, executive director of global newsroom strategy, will take on the added responsibility of leading the audience and engagement strategy in the newsroom. She will also analyze the management of on- and off-platform audiences. She joined Politico from The New York Times, where she held various roles, including head of product for video, director of audience for video, deputy editor of video and director of international strategy and operations. You can congratulate Barber on X/Twitter. Burns, associate editor for global politics and columnist, has been appointed head of news, a new position in Washington. Burns will oversee leaders of several teams, including breaking news, homepage, graphics, interactives and visuals. He will also lead the morning meeting and work with editors on story assignments and editing. He has also worked at The New York Times for seven years. Be sure to congratulate Burns on X/Twitter.
Nettles appointed associate publisher at the Chicago Reader … The Chicago Reader has tapped Amber Nettles to serve as associate publisher. Recently, she held the post of senior VP of growth and strategy. She joined the Reader in 2020. “When I was hired, it felt like the dream job — in an incredibly difficult situation, considering the pandemic’s effects on advertising revenue,” Nettles said. “I cannot express how thankful I am for the leadership team and the staff, and how much I’m looking forward to this new chapter.” Previously, she worked as a copy editor at the Daily Press, a Chicago Tribune-owned newspaper based in Newport News, Va. She has also worked at the Center for Sales Strategy and the Chicago Tribune. Nettles serves as the revenue chair on the board of directors for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and is the former Chicago chapter president and executive director of the nonprofit Women in Comedy. “I can’t think of a better person than Amber to take this role,” said Solomon Lieberman, CEO and publisher. “Not only does Amber have the right combination of experience and skills, but she truly loves the Reader and the community it serves. We’re damn lucky to have her.”
Blumenthal becomes regular columnist at The Guardian … Sidney Blumenthal, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, has joined The Guardian U.S. as a regular columnist. He has been contributing to the news outlet since 2003. Commenting in his new role, Blumenthal said, “The Guardian is one of the most widely read and preeminent newspapers in the world and I am delighted to have my voice in it.” He has also worked as a national staff reporter at The Washington Post, and a Washington editor and writer at The New Yorker. He has published three books of a projected five-volume political life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, Wrestling With His Angel and All the Powers of Earth. He has also written three other books.
Barnes swaps BBC for the New Statesman … The New Statesman has hired Hannah Barnes as an associate editor and writer. In her new role she will write columns, investigative pieces, features and more. Commenting on her new role, Barnes said, “It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and I can’t wait to join such a talented team and start this new challenge!” Recently she was at the BBC, where she worked for more than a decade, holding various roles, including senior journalist at BBC Newsnight, senior broadcast journalist/output editor and senior broadcast journalist in Radio Current Affairs. Previously, she worked at Global as a broadcast journalist at GCap commercial radio network. Barnes has a B.A. from the University of Oxford and a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism from City, University of London. Be sure to congratulate Barnes on X/Twitter.
Bend, Ore.’s NBC affiliate names Coldiron exec producer … KTVZ-TV Ch. 21, an NBC and CW Plus affiliate in Bend, Oregon, has appointed Harley Coldiron as an executive producer. Recently, he held the post of TV news producer. Prior to journalism, Coldiron worked in the hospitality industry at Sunriver Resort as an operations supervisor, front desk representative and property manager. Coldiron graduated from Oregon State University-Cascades. Be sure to congratulate Coldiron on X/Twitter.
North Carolina TV station appoints Sturdivant evening anchor … Nick Sturdivant, a news anchor at WNCN-TV Ch.17, a CBS affiliate in Goldsboro, N.C., has taken on the role of evening anchor. Previously, Sturdivant was a multimedia journalist at WXIA-TV Ch. 11, an NBC affiliate in Atlanta, and worked as a digital journalist at WBTW-TV Ch. 13, a CBS station in Florence, S.C. He was also a reporter at Fox station WGHP-TV Ch. 8 in High Point, N.C., where he previously worked as a studio production assistant. Sturdivant graduated from High Point University in North Carolina. Be sure to congratulate Sturdivant on X/Twitter.
Substack appoints Valentine head of politics … Catherine Valentine has joined Substack as head of politics. Recently, she served as senior publicist on politics, justice and national security at The Washington Post. Previously, Valentine worked at CNN for six years. During this time, he held the posts of news associate in the Washington Bureau; production assistant; booker, anchor and producer for “CNN Inside Politics with John King,” “CNN Right Now” and “CNN New Day.” Her reporting has also been cited by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, Buzzfeed, Bloomberg, Slate, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN. Be sure to congratulate Valentine on X/Twitter.
NY Times’ Wegman named 2023 Eugene C. Pulliam Fellow … Jesse Wegman, a member of The New York Times editorial board, has been named the 2023 Eugene C. Pulliam Fellow for Editorial Writing. SPJ reports, “Wegman intends to retrace parts of the route taken by French nobleman Alexis de Tocqueville in the 1830s – plus newer regions of the country – to “learn what’s changed over the decades, and what hasn’t. The fellowship will provide the resources and flexibility for him to do that.” “I want to see for myself what the culture of democracy in America looks like in the early 21st century,” Wegman added. Prior to joining the Times in July 2013, he served as an editorial operations manager for . He also served as editor-in-charge at Thomson Reuters, overseeing breaking . He was appointed managing editor of The New York Observer from Wegman is also writing a biography of founding father James Wilson.
The Upshot has a new reporter … Francesca Paris, a fellow with The Upshot at The New York Times, has joined the staff as a full-time reporter. Previously at the Massachusetts-based daily newspaper The Berkshire Eagle, Paris covered North Adams, Mass., vaccine distribution, health and the economy as a data reporter. She also served as an associate producer/editor for NPR and WBUR’s radio show “Here & Now.” Paris, who interned at KERA and WNYC Radio, has a B.A. from Williams College. You can congratulate Paris via X/Twitter.
Harry to join Spectrum News NY1’s political unit … Ayana Harry will join Spectrum News NY1 on the political unit team. “NY1 is a beloved NYC institution and I can’t wait to join the family, especially during this critical moment in city & state politics,” Harry wrote on X/Twitter. Harry joins from New York-based TV station WPIX-TV Ch. 11, where she was a city hall politics and criminal justice correspondent. She also helped develop and launch the station’s Sunday morning political show “PIX On Politics.” She also served as New Haven bureau reporter at WTIC-TV Ch. 61, a Fox affiliate in Connecticut. She has also worked at ABC News. Harry graduated from Princeton University. Be sure to congratulate Harry on X/Twitter.
Diaz becomes author of Politico’s congressional newsletter … Daniella Diaz, a congressional reporter at Politico, will author the congressional newsletter “Huddle.” Prior to joining Politico in February, Diaz was at CNN, where she worked for eight years. Before that, she was a web producer at Politico. She also interned at NBC News and reported for The Monitor, the largest daily newspaper in the San Antonio area. Diaz graduated from the University of Texas-Pan American. Be sure to congratulate Diaz on X/Twitter.
An international showbiz hire … Alexandra Bullard has joined the Daily Express as a senior showbiz reporter. “Really looking forward to getting stuck in. You can still reach me at alexandra.bullard@reachplc.com,” Bullard said. Recently, Bullard was a senior writer at MyLondon, where she covered breaking news, events, entertainment, lifestyle, culture, health, and food and drink reviews. She also served as deputy editor of The Tab and freelanced for the Glasgow Guardian, University of Glasgow’s volunteer newspaper. Bullard has a bachelor’s degree from Glenalmond College in the U.K. and a master’s degree from the University of Glasgow. She has another master’s degree from Cardiff University.
New news outlet hires Chapman as senior reporter … The Examination, a new global independent donor-funded news organization investigating preventable health threats, has hired Matthew Chapman as a senior reporter. Chapman joins from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, where he has worked for more than three years as a lead reporter. He also freelanced for The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, Motherboard, Bloomberg, The Sun, Total Politics and Campaign. Chapman covered marketing, technology and DIY for Retail Week, and reported for Haymarket Media Group. Chapman graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Be sure to congratulate Chapman on X/Twitter.
Linzer joins U.S. News & World Report as editorial director and executive VP … U.S. News & World Report has hired Dafna Linzer as its editorial director and executive VP. In her new role, “Linzer will be responsible for editorial and business strategies that further engage consumers, increase synergy between editorial products and elevate the company’s brand.” Recently, Linzer served as executive editor of Politico, where she led the publication’s 2022 award-winning series on the Supreme Court. She also served as managing editor of politics across all NBC News and MSNBC show properties and platforms, including broadcast, cable and digital. She also served as managing editor for digital at MSNBC and worked as a senior investigative reporter at ProPublica. She has also worked at The Washington Post and The Associated Press. Be sure to congratulate Linzer on X/Twitter.
Mail on Sunday promotes Livingstone to royal correspondent … The Mail on Sunday has tapped Natasha Livingstone to serve as a royal correspondent. Recently, she worked as a news reporter. Prior to joining The Mail on Sunday in September 2021, Livingstone worked as a journalist at Reuters, where she fact-checked visual materials and claims on social media. She freelanced for The Times, and held the posts of global news intern and multimedia journalist at The Associated Press. She also interned at the Press Association, ITV, The Sunday Times, Global and The Times. Livingstone graduated from Durham University in England. You can congratulate Livingstone on X/Twitter.
USA Today’s Molina departs … Brett Molina, a consumer tech reporter at USA Today, has left. “Incredible run,” he wrote on X/Twitter. “Proud to have worked with so many wonderful people.” Molina worked at USA Today for more than two decades. During this time, he held the posts of online assistant news editor, online technology producer, digital editor and business and consumer tech reporter and editor. Molina has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland. Reach out to Molina via X/Twitter or LinkedIn.
SF Examiner’s tech journalist departs … Benjamin Pimentel, senior tech reporter at the San Francisco Examiner has left. “I’m heading back to the tech/biz media world to take on an exciting new role. More on that later,” he wrote on LinkedIn. Pimentel created the Examiner’s tech and AI newsletter focused on key developments in Silicon Valley and the expanding world of AI. He also served as a member of the editorial council leading the newsroom. Previously, he covered crypto and fintech as a senior reporter for Protocol, and was a senior technology reporter at Business Insider. He also led PR and content for the fintech startup BlueVine and wrote for NerdWallet. He also reported for MarketWatch. He worked at the San Francisco Chronicle for more than a decade, holding the posts of metro reporter and technology reporter. He interned at The Seattle Times. Pimentel has a B.A. from the University of Philippines and a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Aldana departs CNBC for CNN … Ryan Waterman Aldana has joined CNN as a writer and producer on “CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta” and “Inside Politics with Dana Bash.” Recently, Aldana was a writer for “Squawk Box” at CNBC. There, he also served as a writer and assistant producer for “The Exhange” and “Power Lunch.” He joined there as an intern in June 2021 and also served as a news desk associate. Aldana graduated from James Madison University. You can congratulate Aldana on X/Twiter.
Jones to join The Guardian as deputy U.S. biz editor … Callum Jones will join The Guardian U.S. as deputy U.S. business editor. He will come from The Times, where he has worked for nine years. There, Jones held the posts of political reporter, business reporter, markets reporter, trade correspondent, and recently served as U.S. business correspondent. Jones also reported for First News. Be sure to congratulate Jones on X/Twitter.
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.
