Media Moves

The Washington Post forms visual forensics team

September 25, 2020

Posted by Mariam Ahmed

The Washington Post director of video Micah Gelman, deputy director of video Phoebe Connelly, investigative editor Jeff Leen and rapid response investigative editor Eric Rich sent out the following announcement.

The excerpt is as follows:

Video is pleased to announce the formal creation of a team whose important work has already found a growing audience. The Visual Forensics Team will build upon our recent successes in investigative reporting based primarily on open-source visuals. Led by senior producer Nadine Ajaka, the team comprises video reporters Meg Kelly, Joyce Sohyun Lee, Elyse Samuels and Sarah Cahlan. They will continue to work closely with the Investigative Unit’s Rapid Response Team and continue their award-winning coverage of manipulated video with the Fact Checker team.

Nadine Ajaka joined The Post in 2017 as the senior producer for video platforms, overseeing video distribution on YouTube, Facebook, Amazon and Apple News. She is the person most responsible for growing our YouTube channel to nearly 1.5 million subscribers in just three years. In 2019, she oversaw a YouTube-first expansion of the Fact Checker video series and developed the Webby award-winning Washington Post’s Guide to Manipulated Video, before moving into the Visual Forensics role fulltime.

Meg Kelly joined The Post as a video editor for the Fact Checker in May 2017. She developed a video series for the Fact Checker column, produced and edited hundreds of videos and contributed reporting to dozens of stories.

Joyce Sohyun Lee joined The Post in August 2017 as a video editor for Foreign. She was responsible for video coverage of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. She has worked on several video investigations.

Elyse Samuels joined The Post in October 2016 as a producer for the Facebook Live team. She transitioned to the Universal Desk, where she focused on editing videos to drive new storytelling and enhance print pieces online. After two years on the Video hub, she started as the team’s first video verification editor. She has hosted and reported for the Fact Checker and has frequently contributed to stories where we analyze visuals as part of investigations.

Sarah Cahlan joined The Post in early 2019 as a contract video editor for the Fact Checker and became full-time in December 2019. In her role, she reported and produced ambitious video fact checks.

Read the full note here.

Subscribe to TBN

Receive updates about new stories in the industry daily or weekly.

Subscribe to TBN

Receive updates about new stories in the industry.