Google’s director of news laid off, The Guardian’s new head of innovation, A Qwoted 100 PR star: TBN Ticker for Aug. 4

This week’s ticker starts on the downside as Google has laid of Madhav Chinnappa, director of news ecosystem development. On the up side, The Guardian has named Chris Moran head of innovation for its U.S. team. Read on more as this week we feature Brad Chase of Chase Global as our Qwoted 100 PR star.

Googles lays off its director of news…Madhav Chinnappa, director of news ecosystem development at Google has been laid off. He wrote on LinkedIn, “I am leaving Google as part of the #googlelayoffs I am on gardening leave at the moment which allows too much time to contemplate work, career, life etc. In the end, I am proud of what I have been able to achieve during my almost 13 years at Google. And what now: I am in the privileged position of being able some time to figure that out. Though if you have any ideas or thoughts, please message me as I am all ears and have more time on my hands now!” Chinnappa joined Google in August 2010 as head of strategic partnerships for Google News and Magazines EMEA. Reach out to Chinnappa via LinkedIn.

Meet The Guardian’s new head of innovation…The Guardian has appointed Chris Moran head of innovation for its U.S. team. An excerpt from the announcement obtained by Talking Biz News reads, “Chris will partner with product teams and stakeholders in the UK while also working with the US team to collect, synthesize, refine and prioritize product needs across Guardian US, translating them into a clear, actionable vision.” He will be based in London, with periodic trips to the US to collaborate in person with the US team. Moran has been with The Guardian for more than two decades. He joined the newsroom in 1999 and freelanced for the paper for 10 years. Moran graduated from the University of Cambridge.

Brad Chase – Qwoted 100 PR star…Brad Chase, who isn’t afraid to truthfully confront the reality that PR is at a precarious crossroads of sorts sure sticks with his motto “Authenticity Wins.” Talking with our editor and publisher Lou Carlozo, Chase shares his candid views on the PR industry and what it takes to rise above a noise floor that’s noisier than ever.  Read more on Talking Biz News.

Missouri ABC station hires for sports coverage…Brett Kennedy will join ABC’s KQTV-TV Ch. 2 in St. Joseph, Mo. as a sports anchor and reporter. He begins Aug. 21. Recently, Kennedy held the same post at WCTI-TV Ch. 12, an ABC affiliate in New Bern, N.C., and also at CBS-CW Plus outlet KRTV-TV Ch. 3 in Great Falls, Mont. He worked as a sports reporter at CTV 11 News. Kennedy graduated from Colorado State University. You can congratulate Kennedy via Twitter.

An international features promotion…British Vogue has appointed Olivia Marks deputy features director for her recent post of commissioning editor. Previously, Marks served as acting senior editor at Vice. She has also worked as a digital content editor at InStyle and as an assistant online editor for culture and style at The Sunday Times. Marks graduated from the University of Leeds.

International outlet hires for entertainment and showbiz coverage…Alex Davies has joined GB News as a digital entertainment and showbiz editor to cover all things showbiz, TV, film and music. Davies has been with Express Newspapers since November 2018, joining as a digital TV reporter. He has also served as digital senior TV reporter, digital deputy TV editor and recently as digital U.S. entertainment and showbiz editor. He held the posts of online galleries writer and online features and lifestyle writer at OK! Magazine. Davies graduated from Southampton Solent University in the U.K.

Newberry Observer publisher Wigger departs…Andrew Wigger, publisher of South Carolina-based newspaper The Newberry Observer, is set to depart. He said, “Where do I begin to tell all of you what it has meant to me to be here for almost a decade. This job has taught me so much, including how to be an active member of the community, I honestly do not know the person I would be if I did not take the job nine years ago. My last day here will be August 4 and just in case you were curious, I’m not moving and will still be working in Newberry — and I’m pretty excited about it. The where part will soon be revealed, I promise.” Wigger has a B.A. from Newberry College in South Carolina. Reach out to Wigger via Twitter or LinkedIn.

Evans to cover sports for SoCal News Group…Luca Evans will join the Southern California News Group as a USC beat writer on Aug. 14. He wrote on Twitter, “Can’t wait to work with such a talented staff and on an incredible beat. Trojan fans — drop me a follow + DM and I’d love to connect.” He contributed more than 20 long-form and game stories on local athletes and programs to the Los Angeles Times’ high school sports beat. He also worked as a podcast research assistant at iHeartMedia and wrote for USA Today Sports Media Group. Evans graduated from Chapman University in California.

BBC News appoints McGarvey senior journalist…BBC News has promoted Emily McGarvey to senior journalist from her recent post of acting senior journalist. McGarvey produced live news pages and managed a team of journalists to cover breaking national and international news stories. She has also covered Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.K. politics and U.S. elections. She also wrote breaking news stories for the BBC website. You can connect with McGarvey via Twitter.

Strauss swaps the New Republic for CNN…CNN Worldwide has hired Daniel Strauss as a reporter to cover the 2024 election, the political trends that emerge and the issues that are top of mind for voters. He will be based in Washington, D.C. Recently, Strauss was a senior political correspondent at The New Republic, where he covered national politics, the White House and campaigns. There, he also co-founded the magazine’s marquee campaign newsletter, The Run-Up. He has also worked as a senior political reporter at Guardian News and Media and as a political reporter at Politico. Strauss has a B.A. from the University of Michigan. Be sure to congratulate Strauss on Twitter.

BBC Studios taps Norkin to serve as exec ME, global features…Laura Norkin has joined BBC Studios as executive managing editor for global features. Norkin will work across BBC.com to bring together travel, culture, business and science coverage to deliver “elevated multimedia coverage to contextualize the day’s most urgent—and interesting—issues for BBC’s global audience.” Recently, she was senior editorial director at InStyle, where she worked for more than four years, previously as deputy editor. She worked at Glamour and Refinery29. An award-winning editorial leader, Norkin graduated from Penn State University. Be sure to congratulate Norkin on Twitter.

Motherboard’s exec editor set to depart…Motherboard’s executive editor Emanuel Maiberg is set to depart in the coming weeks. He joined in May 2016 as a weekend editor. He has also held the posts of news editor and managing editor. Maiberg freelanced for The Atlantic, IGN, Mashable, GamePro, Macworld and J Weekly. He was an editorial assistant at the research and media organization Inside Network. Maiberg has a B.A. from California College of the Arts. Reach out to Maiberg via Twitter or LinkedIn.

Welch joins the Messenger as general assignment reporter…Carley Welch has joined The Messenger as a general assignment reporter. Recently, she was a digital producer at Politico. Welch worked at The Washington Post and interned at Voice of America. She has a B.S. from James Madison University, where she wrote and edited for the student newspaper The Breeze. She also has a master’s degree from American University. Be sure to congratulate Welch on Twitter.

Politico hires for climate coverage…Blanca Begert will join Politico as the inaugural California climate reporter and will author the new California Climate newsletter, which is set to debut on Aug. 14. Begert has freelanced since March 2023 and was a reporting fellow at Grist. She has also worked as a section editor and producer, news and environment at PBS SoCal. Begert has a B.A. from Brown University and a master’s degree from Yale School of the Environment. You can congratulate Begert via Twitter.

BONUS – A Bankadelic podcast…The fact that cash use is shrinking can’t be ignored. Yet cash still has an important role to play in keeping the economy strong. On this episode of Lou Carlozo’s Bankadelic podcast, Tom Jordan, the VP Sales Manager at Avivatech, walks us through the case for cash and how financial institutions make the most of managing it well. Be sure to check out the entire Bankadelic archive on Soundcloud.

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.