Nancy Barnes Named Editor of The Boston Globe

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Nov 14, 2022, 18:40 ET

BOSTON, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Globe Media announced today that Nancy Barnes will be the next editor of The Boston Globe. She will succeed Brian McGrory as the 13th editor to lead the newsroom in the Globe's 150-year history.

Nancy Barnes (photo by Stephen Voss/NPR)

Ms. Barnes is currently senior vice president for news and editorial director at NPR, where she oversees a team of over 500 journalists and newsroom executives. Prior to joining NPR, Ms. Barnes helmed two newspapers, first as executive editor at the Minneapolis Star Tribune and then as SVP and executive editor for Hearst Texas Newspapers and the Houston Chronicle.

In announcing the hire, Linda Henry, CEO of Boston Globe Media, said, "Nancy is renowned for her commitment to high quality journalism, her excellent leadership skills, and her passion for innovation. She not only brings the leadership experience of being the top editor of two different metro newspapers, but she also transitioned to running a digital and audio newsroom that has been an industry leader in connecting with new and vast audiences. She will be joining the Globe at an exciting time for the organization as it continues expanding its journalism, striving to better serve its subscribers, and investing in multimedia products to develop new platforms for audiences to experience its award-winning journalism."

This is somewhat of a homecoming for Ms. Barnes, who was born in Cambridge, MA and grew up in Wilmington, MA before moving to Virginia. She started her lifelong career in journalism with an internship at The Boston Globe while an undergrad and later worked at the Lowell Sun. After a decade at The News & Observer, she earned her MBA before joining the Minneapolis Star Tribune as executive editor, where she modernized their digital journalism and led the newsroom to win multiple national awards, including a Pulitzer Prize in local reporting. During her tenure as SVP and Executive Editor for Hearst Texas newspapers, the Houston Chronicle won its first Pulitzer Prize and was a Pulitzer Finalist three other times.

Ms. Barnes is also very engaged in the industry, serving on the prestigious Pulitzer Prize Board, the Peabody Awards and as a past president and board member of the News Leaders Association. In her role at the Globe, she will draw on her nearly 30 years of experience of championing local journalism and helping journalists to produce some of their most impactful, award-winning work.

"The Globe has long been one of the nation's most respected news organizations," Ms. Barnes said. "I am thrilled and honored to partner with its talented staff during a time of such exciting transformation and innovation in the industry. It's a great opportunity that rarely comes along."

The Boston Globe is one of the country's leading metro news organizations and a model for sustainability in the local news industry. With a growing digital subscriber base and expanding newsroom that continues to produce ambitious, quality journalism, the Globe is a vital local institution that has earned some of the most respected national awards in the business.

Under Mr. McGrory's leadership, the Globe's newsroom was most recently awarded General Excellence in Online Journalism by the Online News Association, an international award that is among the most prestigious in the competitive field of online journalism. The Globe has been a Pulitzer Prize finalist every year, winning a combined five Pulitzer Prize awards between the newsroom and opinion teams in the past decade.

"As editor, Brian has led with humanity and empathy, steering the Globe's coverage through a decade of some of the biggest and most challenging stories in our region's history and of our time – including the Boston Marathon bombings, a national racial reckoning, and a global pandemic," said Ms. Henry. "Today, the Globe is arguably one of the most successful regional news organizations in the country. We are in a great position for our next chapter under Nancy's inspired leadership."

About Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC

Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC ("BGMP") is a multimedia organization that provides news, entertainment, and commentary across multiple brands and platforms. BGMP offers leading integrated advertising solutions that connect communities, ideas, and causes through powerful storytelling and multimedia experiences. BGMP properties include The Boston Globe, Globe Opinion, Globe.com, Boston.com, STAT, The B-Side, Globe Publishing Services, Globe Events, and Studio/B.

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SOURCE Boston Globe Media Group