D.C. Media Monitor: Banana Boy — WBJ Turnover — Back in the Newsroom (Unless There Isn't One)
Welcome to D.C. Media Monitor, an occasional roundup newsletter about the local news industry in D.C.
= People =
William Wan is a local enterprise reporter at the Washington Post. He has worked for the paper for 15 years, starting on the Metro desk before moving through several other roles. Most recently, he was a health and science reporter.
Lizzie Johnson will be a local enterprise reporter at the Washington Post; she starts in July. Currently, she is an enterprise writer at the San Francisco Chronicle.
Marissa Lang is the gentrification and housing reporter for the Washington Post. It is a new beat for the paper. Previously Lang covered local news, including protests, for the Post.
Teo Armus will cover Arlington and Alexandria for the Washington Post. Previously he was on the paper's Morning Mix team.
Ellie Silverman is now a protest and general assignment reporter on the Washington Post's metro desk. Most recently she worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She previously worked for the Post as an intern.
Sally Buzbee is the executive editor of the Washington Post. Previously she was the executive editor and senior vice president of the Associated Press.
Julie Gallagher joined WTOP. Previously she worked for CNN and Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Damare Baker is an assistant editor at Washingtonian. Previously she was an editorial fellow at the magazine.
Michelle Goldchain is the new audience growth and engagement editor at the Washington City Paper. In the past she has written for several local outlets and was editor of Curbed DC.
Lori McCue changed roles at WAMU/DCist. She is now a breaking news editor. Previously she was the arts and food editor.
Elliot Williams is the new arts and culture reporter at WAMU/DCist. Previously he was a staff writer there.
Hannah Denham is now the reporter covering Amazon and higher education for the Washington Business Journal. Previously she was a business reporter at the Washington Post.
Jonathan Capriel left his role as the Amazon and education reporter for the Washington Business Journal.
Andy Medici left his role as the Washington Business Journal’s money and technology reporter to become a senior reporter for the paper’s parent company, which oversees business journals in several cities.
Michael E. Miller will leave the Washington Post’s local enterprise desk in July to become the paper’s Sydney bureau chief.
Allison D'Amora left her job as a producer for WUSA CBS 9 to take a government communications job.
The Washington Post announced its summer 2021 intern cohort, which includes five people on the Metro desk.
Longtime WRC NBC 4 anchor Wendy Rieger announced she was diagnosed with, and had surgery for, a brain tumor.
= Jobs =
Axios is hiring a local reporter to launch a D.C.-focused newsletter. This is part of its expansion into local newsletters in dozens of cities. In some other places, Axios entered the market by acquiring an existing site or newsletter.
WAMU is hiring a news producer, strategic partnerships editor, web-first evening editor, editor, evening general assignment reporter and immigrant communities reporter.
Street Sense is hiring a deputy editor.
Washington City Paper is hiring a managing editor.
TEA LEAVES: WCP had a lead editor job listing posted for more than a year. That listing came down a couple weeks ago, right before the managing editor listing went up. (The M.E. reports to the editor.) No official announcement has come from WCP as of this writing. (Mark Ein call me!!)
WTOP is hiring a general assignment reporter.
WJLA ABC 7 is hiring an assignment editor, multi-platform content director, news editor, multi-platform content producer and news producer.
WUSA CBS 9 is hiring a multi-skilled journalist, multi-platform assignment editor and producer.
WTTG Fox 5 is hiring a news writer/producer and nightside news executive producer.
WRC NBC 4 is hiring a director of integrated media for NBC4, Telemundo44 and NBC Sports Washington, I-team content producer, platform manager and weekend assignment editor.
WZDC Telemundo 44 is hiring an anchor/reporter.
= Out-of-Office Messages =
LABOR FARCE. Washingtonian owner Cathy Merrill wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post arguing that in-office work is critical to a positive work culture and suggesting that employers might reclassify remote workers as contractors, taking away benefits.
The essay didn’t explicitly mention Washingtonian employees, but they read it as an attack on their worth. Almost all editorial staff posted an identical protest message the morning after the op-ed, and they held a work stoppage, refusing the publish for a day.
Merrill then apologized and said she wouldn't change Washingtonian employees' benefits. The event was especially odd to employees because the company hadn’t yet discussed a plan for returning to the office.
TAB’ TENANCY. Washington City Paper moved out of its office early and is currently searching for a new space.
POST HOC. The Washington Post will allow employees to return to the office in phases starting in July. It will not require vaccinations.
= Local News… News =
STATE OF THE MEDIA. The Washington Post explicitly banned its employees from publicly supporting D.C. statehood.
THE OFFSPRING. Former Brightest Young Things managing editor Brandon Wetherbee launched a new online magazine called Recommend If You Like. It’s aimed at arts coverage for D.C. parents.
BIKING BROADSHEET. The Washington Post will neither confirm not deny whether the Peloton account bearing its name is run by an employee.
A MAN A PLAN A BANANA. Pat Collins, the WRC NBC 4 legend, caught up with Bryan Thompson, the subject of his mythical banana-costume story which is now 10 years old. Thompson is now an aspiring rock and roll singer under the stage name Leon Knight.
INTERMISSION: Listen to Banana Man/Leon Knight's song "Dirty Dancer."
SHOULD I TAKE EM TO THE BRIDGE? Washington Informer's The Bridge launched a podcast network.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT. WJLA ABC 7 highlighted its broadcast technician Manny Campbell, who served in the Army caring for former POWs at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
BROADCAST OF CHARACTERS. WAMU held a “behind the scenes” panel with several of its reporters and editors. There’s lots of inside baseball about production, beats, tone, etc.
WHERE’RE WAPO’S WOMEN? A Politico essay looked at the Washington Post’s longtime struggles to develop a pipeline for women to fill leadership roles at the paper.
MARTY MEMOIR. Former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron is writing a book.
LOCAL LAURELS. The D.C. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists announced its annual Dateline Award recipients.
BUGGING OUT. WAMU held a cicada-themed virtual listener event.
= Industry Insights =
SOURCE CODE. How do you find and develop sources in marginalized communities?
= 30 =
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