• by Ray Schultz , September 12, 2022

The Washington Post has reorganized its audience strategy and growth group, in an effort to strengthen its newsletters, newsroom analytics and product creation.  

The Post has created its first planning and development team to improve communication within the newsroom and the company about projects and initiatives. And it is hiring several senior personnel, according to an announcement from Erika Allen, head of audience strategy and growth.  

The portfolio is now made up of six departments: 

• News Analytics, Insights and Trainings is a team of journalists led by Beth Diaz, vice president of audience development and analytics. It will monitor audience trends and formulate actionable insights for desks and individual editors. Lizzy Raben, formerly senior subscriber engagement editor, is now senior analytics, insights and trainings editor, working with Shirley Qui, analytics, insights and trainings editor and Dan Weingart, a principal data analyst. The Post is also hiring a director to lead this team and one additional editor. 
• The Newsroom Planning and Project Development team will maintain an editorial calendar that records in one place all significant projects, series, products and initiatives, thus creating a single source for leadership, design, graphics, data, photo, video and our curation teams. The Post is hiring a director and an experienced editor for this team.
  
• The Newsletter Strategy team see to it that The Post’s newsletter portfolio is focused, deliberate and strategic. Newsletter Assignment Editor Sarah Dunton and Senior Newsletter Editor Kelly Poe will continue to be serve in this area. In addition, Newsletter Editor Jennifer Baik recently joined The Post, and the paper is hiring a director and two additional newsletter editors.
• The Newsroom Talent and Community Development team will build the presence of Post personalities both on external platforms and the Post’s own platforms via Q&As and other features. Michelle Jaconi’s responsibilities are expanding in her new role as director of this team.
• The Special Newsroom Initiatives and Partnerships team will create innovative  journalism and serve as a conduit to the paper’s business side. Jeff Dooley will join this team from the business desk, and will continue to edit special sections and related projects as Special Newsroom Initiatives and Partnerships editor. The Post is hiring a director for the team.  
• Chris Meighan’s Emerging News Products team will continue to look for opportunities to create new editorial products with the input of editors and teams across the organization.

These teams will work closely with the paper’s Next Generation team, led by Phoebe Connelly, director of Next Generation Audiences.