Media Insider: Glamour Names Its New Editor-In-Chief, Facebook Tests New App for Local News, BBC Editor Protests Gender Pay Gap by Quitting
Welcome to Media Insider, PR Newswire’s round-up of media stories from the week.
Photo of Samantha Barry by Web Summit, used under Creative Commons.
NEW YORK TIMES | SYDNEY EMBER
Condé Nast Chooses a Digital-First Editor to Run Glamour
Glamour has hired Samantha Barry as its new editor-in-chief, Condé Nast announced this week. She will become the eighth editor of the women’s title since its founding in 1939. Barry joins Glamour with an exclusive digital and television background — a perfect match for the magazine’s transition to digital. With print frequeny and revenue decresing for Condé Nast, the company, and Glamour specifically, have broadened their digital footprint. The magazine’s website has more than 11 million monthly visitors, and around 15 million followers on its social media platforms. Condé Nast exudes confidence in their selection of Barry. “Samantha’s fluency in connecting with consumers in digital, social and video will give Glamour fans the content they love, and in ways that are most meaningful to them,” Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., the chief executive of Condé Nast, said in a statement.
As print media transitions to digital-first strategies, here’s how customer data is guiding Conde Nast’s marketing plan.
COLUMBIA JOURNALISM REVIEW | JOSHUA OLIVER
Journalism schools still behind on cybersecurity training, new survey finds
In a recent survey by Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto, data confirmed that most journalism schools aren’t doing enough to prepare the next generation against cyber attacks. Protecting identity, sources, and stories is crucial to current and future journalists. According to the article, “Only half of the 32 schools across the US and Canada that responded to the survey offer digital security training, and less than a quarter make that training mandatory.” While some schools do offer training, the survey shows these schools still don’t devote an appropriate amount of time to the subject. With digital threats to journalists on the rise, Citizen Lab’s survey underscores the importance of integrating security into journalistic practice.
Speaking of j-schools, see how the OU Daily transformed into a digital-first newsroom
RECODE | KURT WAGNER
Facebook is testing a new section of the app specifically for local news and events
Facebook is testing a new section called “Today In” that will make it easier for users to find local news, events, and announcements from vetted sources. As part of Facebook’s Journalism Project initiative, local news publishers who appear in this feed will all be approved and vetted by the company’s News Partnerships team. According to the article, “All of this plays into the company’s broader efforts to cleanse the service of false information.” For now, the test is only running in six cities (New Orleans, La.; Little Rock, Ark.; Billings, Mont.; Peoria, Ill.; Olympia, Wash.; and Binghamton, N.Y. ). The Facebook users who identity as living in those areas will be able to visit the new section in the app to see their corresponding local information.
THE NEW YORK TIMES | MATTHEW HAAG
BBC News Editor Quits Her Post to Protest Gender Pay Gap
Carrie Gracie, a BBC News senior editor who joined the network 30 years ago, recently quit her position to protest pay inequality within the company. In an open letter posted on Sunday, Gracie accuses the network of operating a “secretive and illegal” salary system that pays men more than women who hold similar positions. The article states that last year, BBC News published the salary ranges of their employees who earned more than $204,000 annually. The list consisted of two-thirds men, and none of its seven highest earners were women. Gracie wasn’t even on the list. Since quitting her job in China, Gracie has received numerous statements of support. She will return to a former position within the newsroom, where she “expects to be paid equally.”
To read the open letter from from Carrie Gracie, click here.
GEEKWIRE | MONICA NICKELSBURG
Washington Post profitable and growing for two years under Jeff Bezos’ ownership
In a time when print media is supposedly dying, The Washington Post had a pretty good year. According to GeekWire, “The newspaper more than doubled digital subscriptions and grew revenue from digital advertising, leading to its second consecutive year of profitability despite the media industry’s challenging landscape.” In the article, Fred Ryan, a Washington Post Publisher, says profits will help expand its headquarters and grow its editorial team to over 800. Although traditional journalism has been critical to The Post’s growth, Ryan believes the most significant contribution to the company’s success has been the investment in technology. He calls the paper’s newsroom a “laboratory for innovation, capitalizing on the latest advances in storytelling tools.”
Maybe print media isn’t dead, just yet: Digital media companies are headed for a crash, Hearst Magazines president David Carey says.
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Joanna Giannell is a Senior Customer Content Specialist with PR Newswire. She is also an animal lover and music enthusiast. Tune into her insights as a social curator at @PRNpets.
