Chicago Public Media has appointed Melissa Bell as its next CEO starting September 3.
Bell, the former co-founder and publisher of Vox.com, will succeed Matt Moog. Moog revealed his intent to step down upon the appointment of his successor last December.
Bell previously has held roles including Director of Platforms and technology columnist for the Washington Post and Features Editor for India’s Mint newspaper. She co-founded Vox in 2014 and rose to publisher of Vox Media in 2016 where she oversaw their other publications including Eater, The Verge, SB Nation and oversaw its merger with New York Magazine and their other brands including The Cut and Vulture and acquisition of Group Nine’s portfolio including The Dodo, NowThis and Thrillist. She has been serving as a visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University since departing Vox Media last year.
Bell commented, “It is an honor to take on this role, where there is both a massive opportunity and an urgent necessity to strengthen the role of public media in our local communities. There is a declining trust, and more worrisome, a declining interest in news at a critical time in Chicago and for our country. There are challenges facing CPM, but they are not insurmountable. In fact, there is so much potential that comes from the collaboration between WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. I’m excited to return to Chicago to work alongside the many talented, passionate journalists and staff to build sustainable and scalable solutions for producing quality, accessible local news.”
Chicago Public Media Board Chair Robert Pasin stated, “Melissa brings an incredible depth of experience as a media executive and publisher, a product leader and as a reporter. With her proven, visionary leadership and collaborative approach, Melissa will bring tremendous expertise and a strong track record of success to help Chicago Public Media develop a sustainable model for high-quality local journalism in the digital age. Under Matt’s leadership, Chicago Public Media has become a national model for the future of local news. The landmark acquisition of the Chicago Sun-Times helped to expand our reach and enhance our journalistic capabilities. Moog’s dedication and strategic vision have been instrumental in strengthening Chicago Public Media as a leader in public service journalism.”
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com