Matt Forman was announced as the editor in chief of The Daily for Winter and Spring Quarters, the board of Students Publishing Company, Inc., The Daily’s publisher, announced Wednesday.
“Matt brings to the position the leadership skills that he’s gained from being sports editor, as well as a variety of journalistic skills, design skills and photography skills,” SPC Board Chairman and Medill Prof. Charles Whitaker said. “He commands the respect of the newsroom both from the sports desk and on other desks.”
In addition to serving as sports editor, Gameday editor and sports deputy and assistant, the Medill junior has been a beat reporter for fencing, softball, baseball, football and men’s basketball and has covered a number of other NU sports. The Philadelphia native has interned at Baseball America and SportsPower.tv, and he has freelanced for several magazines.
Forman said The Daily has become “a second home” for him.
“As editor in chief, I think I can take advantage of the exciting opportunities here and continue the momentum that (Current Editor in Chief) Emily Glazer has instilled in the paper and its staff.”
Glazer called Forman a “stoic leader” on the sports desk who has set an example for staffers at all levels of the newspaper.
“He has time and again, day in and day out showed us that he can manage both Gameday and sports and do it with aplomb,” the Medill senior said.
Glazer’s two quarters as editor in chief were marked by limited use of wire stories and the development of a new Web site, two achievements that make The Daily a “more vibrant paper,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker said The Daily will continue to grow under Forman.
Forman called improving The Daily’s online presence and emphasizing web content “the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge” facing the newspaper.
“We have a great resource on our hands, now we have to take advantage of it and tell stories in as many alternate forms as possible,” he said.
The other applicant, former campus, photo and Summer Northwestern editor Sean Walsh, was also a strong candidate for the position, Whitaker said.
“They were two great candidates, and we were really fortunate this year to have the opportunity to choose between two talented candidates,” he said.
– Matt Spector
