Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes new board chair

New York, June 8, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today announced that Jacob Weisberg has been elected chair of its board of directors. The board voted yesterday for Weisberg, whose term will run from 2023 to 2026, to succeed Kathleen Carroll, who has been a member of the CPJ board since 2008 and chair since 2017.

“When it comes to defending journalists and press freedom, CPJ has shown itself to be effective and essential,” said Jacob Weisberg, chair of CPJ’s board. “As threats continue to mount around the globe, the demand for the organization’s objective research, advocacy, and emergency assistance is greater than ever. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to support CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg and CPJ’s expert and dedicated staff in advancing this vital work.”

Weisberg joined CPJ’s board in 2011 and has served as the vice chair for the past six years. He is the CEO of Pushkin Industries, a media company focused on audio content, which he co-founded with journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell. Until September 2018, Weisberg was the editor-in-chief of Slate Group.

A native of Chicago, Weisberg attended Yale University and New College, Oxford. He worked at The New Republic, Newsweek, and New York Magazine before joining Slate.

“I know how passionate Jacob is about the role journalism plays in holding power to account, in exposing wrongdoing, and communicating vital information – and how crucial it is to defend it at this time of global threat,” said Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ’s president. “I look forward to executing CPJ’s new strategic plan under his leadership. I also want to thank Kathleen Carroll, who has steered CPJ through immense change and growth. CPJ is well prepared to face the challenges ahead thanks to her tireless leadership and wise counsel.”

CPJ’s bylaws dictate that a chair is elected for one three-year term and may serve an additional three-year term. CPJ’s board of directors is composed of journalists, media executives, and leaders from related professions in the United States and around the world.

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About the Committee to Protect Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.