WSJ hires Hedlund as social/off-platform editor

Wall Street Journal digital news editor Jennifer Hicks sent out the following announcement on Monday:

All,

I am delighted to announce that Patrick Hedlund will be joining us soon as the Journal’s new social/off-platform editor.

Patrick arrives most recently from DNAinfo, where he worked as managing editor and head of social media during nearly eight years at the award-winning news site.

As we all know, social and off-platform channels are an important tool in helping us reach new readers and engaging more deeply with our existing audience. Patrick and his team will be responsible for day-to-day and long-term programming across these channels, and will work hand-in-hand with our superb Audience & Analytics team to ensure our journalism is connecting with readers across social, search, voice, chat and more.

Patrick has spent time as a reporter and an editor at weekly newspapers in four of the five boroughs (Staten Island apparently wasn’t hiring), including The Villager and Riverdale Press, while earning numerous awards for his work. He’s also held stints at Metro New York, The Real Deal and Hot Press magazine in Dublin, Ireland. He is a graduate of Syracuse University.

Please join me in welcoming Patrick when he arrives in the newsroom on Jan. 29.

Sincerely,
Jennifer