Meg Marco Named Observer Editor-in-Chief

Former ProPublica, Wall Street Journal and Gawker Media Editor to Lead the Observer's Multi-Platform Editorial Operations

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Observer Media

Jul 13, 2021, 12:15 ET

NEW YORK, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Observer Media CEO Michael Rose announced today that Meg Marco has been named the Editor-in-Chief of the Observer. Marco will lead all editorial operations for the storied Observer brand as it relaunches later this year with a renewed focus on original reporting and coverage of the powerful across key media channels.

Marco comes to Observer from ProPublica, where she was the senior editor managing audience strategy, social and editorial newsletters. She was also a co-editor of the coronavirus coverage that was a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Public Interest. Under her leadership ProPublica's audience team won a number of awards, including the 2021 National Magazine Award for Social Media for "Grace: A Failure of Michigan's Juvenile Justice System." During her time at ProPublica, its on and off-platform readership increased dramatically each year, and newsletter subscribers grew by over 200%.

"Meg has a unique mix of sharp story-telling, audience-development, technical and creative skills that intersect perfectly with the Observer's journalistic mission. She sees around corners, understands the digital and physical media ecosystem, and knows what it means to build a modern, award-winning editorial organization." said Rose. "Her immediate priority will be to expand the newsroom, reestablishing Observer as a brand known for original reporting and a focus on the powerful. She's an intellectual, funny powerhouse who will build a great team, and inspire us all to do better."

"I can't imagine a more important or interesting time to relaunch the Observer," said Marco, "The late David Carr once said that the Observer 'let those in the know know what else they should know about.' I'm honored to have the chance to reimagine the publication that launched the careers of so many journalists who have both inspired and influenced me over the years, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to bring that legacy into the future."

Marco was previously a masthead editor at The Wall Street Journal where she oversaw Digital Content Strategy, including the multi-platform expansion of the Future of Everything franchise and the digital launch of the weekend section Exchange. During her time at the Journal, she founded and staffed the WSJ Media Science Lab, a center for AI and machine learning in the newsroom, and her team successfully relaunched over 30 newsletters.

She is formerly the editor and head of product of Consumerist, a Gawker Media site that was later acquired by Consumer Reports. During her tenure, Consumerist produced deeply reported coverage of topics such as fraud, surprise medical bills, for-profit colleges, telecom policy, consumer privacy and product safety. She is also the author of Field Guide to the Apocalypse, a satirical guide to surviving the end of the world published by Simon & Schuster in 2005, well in advance of the actual end times.

As Observer invests in expanding its team, Marco has also announced several new roles. Effective immediately Observer is hiring a business editor, visuals editor, a copy and standards editor, a strategy editor, and a media reporter. Interested candidates can apply at https://www.observermedia.com/careers Questions? Write to: [email protected]

About Observer
Observer is a digital media company, chronicling the world's power players in the arts, entertainment and media, and business innovation. Through credible, authoritative and thought-leadership content, Observer inspires and challenges an urban audience of global thinkers, business leaders and influential, highly engaged consumers.

About Observer Media
Observer Media is a diversified media, information and services company with interests in digital media such as Observer and Commercial Observer, and information platforms including Realgraph. Observer Media seeks to build brands and businesses that utilize technology and media to empower influential business executives.

Contact:
Vivian Louthan
Observer Media
[email protected]

SOURCE Observer Media