• by Melynda Fuller , February 15, 2018

Promoting from within its own network of newspapers, Gannett announced Wednesday that Nicole Carroll will be the new editor in chief USA Today, the company's flagship publication.

Currently, vice president of news and editor of 'The Arizona Republic,' one of Gannett’s 109 local media properties, Carroll will assume her new role starting March 7. She follows Joanne Lipman, who departed the role in December to focus on a book project. 

Previously, Carroll oversaw news properties in Nevada, New Mexico and Utah as the regional editor for several USA Today Network outlets; she was named the 2017 Benjamin C. Bradlee “Editor of the year” by the National Press Foundation.

Under Carroll’s watch, The Republic and azcentral.com were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news twice.

Carroll also oversaw the production of a multimedia project called “The Wall,” which utilized contributors from across network properties to document how the proposed border wall between the U.S. and Mexico would impact the region. Following the success of that effort, USA Today has expanded multimedia projects to cover the year 1968 in a similar style for the duration of 2018.

In a statement, Carroll said she intends to focus on expanding digital journalism efforts and encourage further collaboration across the company’s network of outlets to amplify national news coverage.

Separately, USA Today and Mars Reel, a provider of premium coverage of high-school basketball backed by LeBron James and rapper Nas, are partnering to distribute content across USA Today High School Sports’ online and social platforms. The syndication is anticipated to reach 60 million audience members annually. 

Mars Reel was founded in 2010 by Brandon and Bradley Deyo to engage millennial consumers interested in high-school sports. The outlet produces short videos showcasing the most exciting athletes and moments in high-school basketball, distributing them across various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.

Mars Reel currently records more than 25 million unique visitors per month. 

The partnership comes as USA Today Sports Media Group looks to increase engagement across its sports sector.

“Our high school sports sector has grown exponentially over the past year. With partners like Mars Reel, we will leverage differentiated highlights and create unique branded video content for our voracious high-school basketball fans,” stated Chris Pirrone, General Manager, USA TODAY Sports Media Group.

Part of the partnership with USA Today will include the production of new series like “Top 5 Dunks of the Week” and “The Unknowns,” which focuses on young, rising stars. Both are anticipated to launch in spring or summer of 2018.