• by Ray Schultz , April 21, 2025

Independent news publisher Straight Arrow News (SAN) has named Derek Mead as its chief content officer. 

Mead will be tasked with setting strategy for the newsroom’s editorial, video production and digital content, Straight Arrow says.  

Previously, Mead was editor in chief of Vice, in charge of the brand’s North American newsrooms. Prior to joining Vice, Mead was editor in chief of Motherboard. He also founded Earthbound Pictures, a documentary production company. 

Straight Arrow News has “always put our audience first through rigorous journalistic standards and the pursuit of unbiased news,” says Joe Ricketts, founder and CEO and of Straight Arrow News. “Not only is Derek a proven leader in the media space, but he is also a trendsetter committed to transforming newsrooms.”

Mead notes that his new employer “is investing heavily to redefine what news can and should be. We are raising the bar for the industry and are committed to helping deliver the news in a way that is transparent, useful, and actually enjoyable.”