Mark Aldam elected chairman of the News Media Alliance
The News Media Alliance has elected Mark Aldam, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Hearst, as its chairman of the Board of Directors for the 2019-2020 term. Aldam, who previously served as vice chairman, succeeds Terry Kroeger, president and CEO of Smith Kroeger Marketing Communications.
Aldam and the Board of Directors will continue to navigate the rapidly changing media landscape and vigorously advocate on behalf of the industry, while introducing new strategies and initiatives to maximize member value.
Aldam was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Hearst in February 2018. He previously served as president of Hearst Newspapers and a senior vice president and director of Hearst. Hearst Newspapers, part of Hearst Communications, has more than 4,000 employees across the country and publishes 24 dailies and 64 weeklies, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union.
"Mark has been a tremendous asset to the Alliance and I am confident he will continue to exhibit the same strong leadership and enthusiasm for the industry as chairman that he has always shown," said News Media Alliance President and CEO David Chavern. "Going into 2020, he understands the importance of positioning ourselves as an industry that can grow and adapt our print and digital businesses to the changing landscape."
Aldam joined Hearst in 2006 as publisher of the Albany Times Union, where he served for three years. He was formerly senior vice president/chief operating officer of The Hartford Courant, owned by Tribune Publishing. Aldam joined The Hartford Courant in 1994 as advertising director and was named senior vice president/chief operating officer in 2005.
"I am honored to have been elected chairman of the News Media Alliance," Aldam stated. "It is an exciting time for news media, as people increasingly recognize the critical importance of high-quality news. It is also a time of challenges for the industry, including attacks on the press and changing business models to compete with the dominant platforms. The Alliance is at the forefront of advocating for news publishers' rights and ensuring continued access to quality news."
Other Alliance officers elected include: Kirk Davis, chief executive officer, GateHouse Media (vice chairman); Terry Egger, CEO and publisher, Philadelphia Media Network (secretary); and Antoinette "Toni" Bush, executive vice president and global head of government affairs, News Corp (treasurer).
Elected to initial one-year terms (2019-2020) on the News Media Alliance Board of Directors with terms beginning May 1, 2019 are:
- Jim Brady, Spirited Media
- Pamela (PJ) Browning, The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.
- Frank Filippo, Dow Jones
- Timothy Knight, Tribune Publishing
- Bill Marcil, Jr., Forum Communications