Welcome to Technology for Publishing’s roundup of news highlighting women’s roles, contributions, and achievements in the evolving media business. This latest installment covers a new chapter in NPR radio veteran Diane Rehm’s career, support for women documentary filmmakers, Melissa Harris-Perry’s mentorship initiative, an interview with Marie Claire EIC Anne Fulenwider, Campbell Brown’s move to Facebook, and more.
Radio Trailblazer
Diane Rehm, host of “The Diane Rehm Show” on NPR, is signing off after more than 30 years and thousands of episodes. Starting out as a program geared toward homemakers, Rehm (pictured) describes how a few years in she approached her boss with bigger plans: “I’m bored. I’m really bored. Unless I can change this show and do politics, do science, do medicine, do everything that’s happening in the world, I’m outta here.” As NPR notes, the rest is history. Rehm’s program went on to become a popular and respected show offering discourse on politics and world events to more than 3 million listeners. While saying goodbye to her show, Rehm won’t be staying out of the spotlight: She’s currently planning a new podcast, so stay tuned.
That’s a Take
A new project called Glassbreaker Films, launched by the Center for Investigative Reporting, aims to support women in documentary filmmaking, who the center says are “remarkably underrepresented” in that area. As such, the goal of the project, developed over the past year, is to increase the number of women working in both filmmaking and investigative reporting, according to a Variety post. Funded by a grant from the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation, the program will bring together five female filmmakers to “produce a documentary series about women taking control, taking power, and taking chances,” it said. The center also launched a BridgeUp: Film program, an educational training and mentorship initiative focused on journalism and visual storytelling for high school girls in the San Francisco area.
Leading the Next Generation
Another mentorship effort underway is being led by Melissa Harris-Perry, founding director of Wake Forest University’s Anna Julia Cooper Center and editor at large at Elle.com. Her focus will be on supporting a group of female journalism students who will, among others things, create content that increases awareness of “issues that affect women and girls of color,” according to a post on Motto. “Newsrooms aren’t as diverse as our audiences and as our population,” says Harris-Perry. “It’s important that we’re developing young talent and making sure that young people who have these skills and have these interests will contribute in the long run in making sure that our newsrooms are reflective of their readers.”
Get Out There
Check out a recent Glossy interview with Marie Claire EIC Anne Fulenwider in which she discusses the growing popularity of live events, how print is still bringing home the bacon, and why she’s tired of defending the seriousness of women’s magazines: “Women’s issues have always been at the forefront in my mind, and I’ve never understood why people think there can’t be such a thing as a smart women’s magazine, talking about global issues while getting excited about a new chrome nail polish.” In the interview Fulenwider notes Marie Claire has been a feminist publication from its start in 1937. But today, she stresses, it’s more important than ever for women to get involved in projects to make change happen, rather than “just hitting ‘share’ on Facebook.”
Keeping It Real
Former CNN and NBC news correspondent Campbell Brown was recruited by Facebook to serve as its chief of news partnerships, a new role the social platform created as part of its ongoing efforts to show it takes its responsibility as a big influencer of media consumption seriously. In this new high-profile position, Brown says she’ll “use her newsroom experience to help news organizations and journalists work more closely and more effectively with Facebook…[and] help them understand how Facebook can expand the reach of their journalism and contribute value to their businesses.” Part of that will be working with Facebook partners to identify and fact-check potential fake news before it gains momentum on the platform, according to a Hollywood Reporter post.
On the Move
As we noted in a recent This Week in Publishing roundup, Megyn Kelly will be heading for NBC News at the end of her contract with Fox News this summer. According to a Poynter post, the announcement brings to an end “the most protracted and public contract negotiations for a television news personality in years.” At NBC, Kelly will host a daytime talk and news show, anchor a Sunday night news magazine program, and play a leading role in NBC’s political coverage and special reporting. “Megyn is an exceptional journalist and news anchor, who has had an extraordinary career,” NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said in a statement. “She’s demonstrated tremendous skill and poise, and we’re lucky to have her.”
Hiring News Roundup
- Meredith Bodgas was named editor in chief of Working Mother. Bodgas most recently was an executive editor at Xcel Media and previously worked for Ladies’ Home Journal and Parenting.
- Faye Brennan was named deputy editor at Cosmopolitan. Prior to joining the Hearst magazine, Brennan worked for Elite Daily and Women’s Health.
- Lili Göksenin joined GQStyle.com as digital editor. She previously worked in features at Vogue.
- Laura Henderson left Mondelez International to join BuzzFeed as senior vice president of marketing. Henderson was global head of content and media monetization at Mondelez, where she had worked since 2008.
- Alyssa Mastromanco joined A+E Networks as president of global communications strategy and talent, a new role at the network. She previously served as COO at Vice.
- Laura McGann was promoted to editorial director at Vox. She had been deputy managing editor for policy and politics.
- Carla Sosenko, who most recently served as EIC at Time Out New York, is now executive editor of Entertainment Weekly. She also spent several years at Life & Style as managing editor.
- Meena Thiruvengadam is now head of audience engagement at Bloomberg Media. She previously held roles at Yahoo Finance, Dow Jones Newswires, and The Wall Street Journal.
- Evelyn Webster was appointed interim CEO of Guardian U.S., stepping in for Eamonn Store, who is leaving at the end of January. Most recently Webster served as executive vice president at Time Inc.
- Lauren Williams was promoted to executive editor at Vox. Prior to her promotion, Williams was managing editor.
Let us know in the comments if there are any other recent stories or career moves you’d like us to include in our next Women in Media roundup.
NPR Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Technology for Publishing’s Women in Media blog highlights the news and achievements of female leaders and role models in the publishing and media industry. Look for our in-depth profiles and interviews of top women to watch. Is there someone you’d like to nominate for an upcoming Q&A? Drop us a note!
Posted by: Monica Sambataro
