WBEZ’s new exec editor, CoinDesk’s layoffs, Bankadelic’s AI podcast: TBN Ticker for Aug. 18

Chicago Public Media has announced Gilbert Bailon as the new executive editor of WBEZ-FM 91.5. He will begin in October. On the downside, CoinDesk has laid off 45% of its editorial staff as its parent company Digital Currency Group plans to bring on strategic investors. An exciting listen awaits our readers as Lou Carlozo’s Bankadelic podcast has rolled out a new episode on AI and financial advisors.

Meet WBEZ’s new exec editor… Gilbert Bailon will join WBEZ-FM 91.5 as executive editor in October. In his new role, he will helm the growing on-air and online news operations, and will lead the station’s partnership with the Chicago Sun-Times. He joins from KERA News, where he held the same post. Before that, he was at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where he worked for more than 14 years, holding the posts of editorial page editor and editor. He also worked at the Dallas Morning News for more than two decades. Bailon has a B.A. in journalism from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in history from the University of Texas at Arlington. Be sure to congratulate Bailon on Twitter.

CoinDesk hit by layoffs… CoinDesk has laid off 45% of its editorial staff, or 20 people, as its parent company Digital Currency Group plans to bring on strategic investors. Frank Chaparro of The Block reports, “‘The purpose of the meeting is to inform everyone that today several roles, predominantly in our media team, were impacted by a reduction in force,’ the message, penned by CoinDesk CEO Kevin Worth, reads. ‘This is an incredibly difficult message to send to everyone over email and yet I also wanted everyone at CoinDesk to know as soon as possible what is happening today.’ ‘This was a required step to ensure a financially sound business moving forward and to set us on the path to close the deal to sell CoinDesk Inc,’ he added.” Read more here.

Bankadelic taps into the AI world… This week on Lou Carlozo’s Bankadelic podcast, we listen to how AI is changing how financial advisors do their work serving customers. On the latest episode, Responsive AI Co-Founder and CEO Day Wachell explains how his company is leveraging tax data to bring sharper insight to the advisor’s work. It’s an engaging listen, and you can check out the full Bankadelic archive here.

Moscow Times hires Hancock as opinion editor… The Moscow Times, an English and Russian language online newspaper, has appointed Charlie Hancock as an opinion editor. She also freelances for Bloomberg, The Telegraph, Prospect and The Times, covering topics, including health, education, culture, diplomacy and defense. Previously, Hancock was a commodities and technology journalist at Bloomberg News and has also worked at Prospect Magazine. Hancock graduated from the University of Oxford, where she was editor-in-chief of the student-run Cherwell Newspaper. You can congratulate Hancock via Twitter.

NY Public Radio hires for public safety coverage… New York Public Radio has tapped Bahar Ostadan to NYPD and Public safety reporter. Recently, she served as an accountability reporter. Ostadan freelanced for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Vogue and The Village Voice. She also worked as a real estate reporter at The New York Daily News. Ostadan has a B.A. in international relations and economics from Tufts University and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Hearst Magazines’ new deputy commerce editor… Hearst Magazines has named Christian Gollayan deputy commerce editor for Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines. Recently, Gollayan held the same post for Men’s Health and before that served as their senior commerce editor. He also held the posts of style and grooming editor and associate managing editor at The Manual, a source of fashion, food, drink, travel, grooming and culture for men. He has also worked at The New York Post and Vogue, and interned at Condé Nast. Gollayan has a B.S. in news-editorial journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a M.S. in journalism from Columbia University.

Brady becomes U.K. news reporter at MailOnline… MailOnline has hired Jon Brady as U.K. news reporter. He joins from The Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail, where he worked as a print and digital news reporter. Brady worked as a local democracy reporter at JPIMedia and at DC Thomson for more than four years. There he held the posts of trainee reporter, senior reporter and council and health reporter for the Evening Telegraph. He has freelanced for the Daily Record, Sunday Post, Herald, Sunday Mail, Daily Express, Vice and The Drum. You can connect with Brady via Twitter.

Peterson moves to the NY Times’ Print Hub team… Libby Peterson will join The New York Times News Print Hub as a senior staff editor. Since last year, she has worked as a casual staff editor in Special Sections, Metro and A2-A3. Peterson joined the Times in August 2019 as a freelancer from Rangefinder, an award-winning monthly photography magazine, where she worked for more than eight years. She was also a copy editor and deputy editor at independent biannual design and culture magazine Suited. Peterson has a B.A. in journalism and French from Indiana University Bloomington, where she wrote for the student newspaper Indiana Daily Student.

WaPo’s investment in election coverage… The Washington Post has named Ashlyn Still deputy director of elections. Still joined the Post in August 2019 as a graphics reporter for elections and was formerly a data visualization developer at Reuters. She was a news application specialist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she also interned. Still has a B.A. in multimedia journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Be sure to congratulate Still on Twitter.

WaPo makes appointment on politics breaking news team… The Washington Post has tapped John Wagner editor of the politics breaking news team. Recently, he was a member of the national political breaking news team, where he was the first reporter when the team launched in 2018. Wagner joined the Post in July 2004 as a Maryland political reporter and has also served as a national political reporter and White House reporter. He also worked at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. Wagner has a B.A. in political science from Stanford University. Be sure to congratulate Wagner on Twitter.

Leslau joins the Evening Standard as shopping writer… The Evening Standard has hired Tania Leslau as a shopping writer. Recently, she was a lifestyle writer at Hello! Magazine. Previously, Leslau was a fashion editor at Fashion Unfiltered in London and a features contributor at Tatler. Leslau has a B.A. from the University of Bristol and an M.A. in fashion communication and journalism from University of the Arts London.

CBS News shuffles top positions… Neeraj Khemlani, president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, has stepped down from his role. He wrote in a memo to staff, “After an exhilarating run, and before the next season starts, I’ve decided to step back from my current role and start a new exciting chapter.” For his new role, Khemlani has signed a “multi-year, multi-platform first-look deal with CBS to develop content” for the network, including “documentaries, scripted series and books for Simon & Schuster.” Previously, he worked at Hearst for 12 years. Khemlani has a B.S. in communications from Cornell University and a M.S. in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. With Khemlani’s seat empty, Wendy McMahon has been named president and CEO of CBS News, the network’s local TV stations, and CBS Media Ventures. In her new role, she will lead CBS News’ entire broadcast and streaming operations, the 27 local U.S. TV stations, 14 local news streaming channels, and syndication programming. Previously, she worked at WCCO and WBZ. McMahon graduated from Louisiana State University.

NBC News’ politics promotion… NBC News has appointed national correspondent Gabe Gutierrez to the post of senior White House correspondent. Prior to joining NBC News in March 2012, Gutierrez reported for KHOU-TV Ch. 11, a CBS affiliate in Houston. Before that, he was an anchor/reporter at WJRT-TV Ch. 12, an ABC affiliate in Flint, Mich., a post he also held at WBOY-TV Ch. 12, an ABC and NBC station in Clarksburg, W. Va. Gutierrez has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Northwestern University. Be sure to congratulate Gutierrez on Twitter.

Sports Biz Journal hires Portnoy as college sports reporter… Sports Business Journal has tapped Benjamin Portnoy to serve as a college sports reporter. He joins from The State Newspaper, where he worked as a South Carolina football reporter. Previously, Portnoy served as a Mississippi State athletics reporter, where he focused on football, basketball and baseball. Portnoy has a B.A. in journalism, political science and Spanish from Indiana University, where he worked as a sports editor/reporter at the student newspaper the Indiana Daily Student.

Meet CNBC’s new contributor… CNBC has appointed Liz Hoffman as an on-air contributor. Currently, she is a business and finance editor at Semafor. Previously, Hoffman was a senior reporter at The Wall Street Journal, where she covered mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. She also reported on corporate deals, finance and governance for Law360 as a senior reporter. You can congratulate Hoffman on Twitter.

Bloomberg’s international hire… Lou Del Bello has joined Bloomberg as India energy and commodities editor. She will also write enterprise stories for Bloomberg Climate. She is founder and editor of Lights On, a newsletter on energy and climate change in South Asia, with a special focus on India. Previously, Bello served as special projects editor at the nonprofit organization The Third Pole and was an international environment correspondent at Bloomberg BNA. She freelanced for The New Scientist and was a blogger at Guardian News and Media. Bello has an M.A. from City University of London.

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.