September 21, 2022

Kinsey Wilson, one of the pioneers of digital journalism, was elected to the board of directors of the Institute for Nonprofit News today. 

Wilson says his introduction to not-for-profit journalism came in 2008, when he moved from newspapers to NPR and “came to understand the trust and profound connection to audience that is so integral in mission-driven journalism.” He joins a group of directors that includes representatives from INN’s 400 member newsrooms as well as outside experts who bring experience to help INN achieve its mission of providing trustworthy news to people across North America.

“We’re delighted to have Kinsey join our INN board,” said board chair Marcia Parker, vice president, philanthropic partnerships at the New York Times. “Our INN community will benefit from his expertise and passion for driving innovation, organizational transformation and product development in our industry.”

Wilson is currently an executive with Automattic Inc., which produces the WordPress web publishing platform. He developed and oversees Newspack, a grant-funded technology initiative for small and medium-sized news organizations that simplifies publishing and drives audience and revenue. 

He began his career as a newspaper reporter at Chicago’s City News Bureau and Newsday before entering the ranks of editorial leadership. In the roles of editor-in-chief of usatoday.com and executive editor of USA TODAY, Wilson helped define standards in the early days of online journalism as the outlet covered major news events including the 2000 presidential election, 9/11, the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina. 

While Wilson was executive vice president and chief content officer at NPR, the broadcaster became known as a digital innovator, pioneering new forms of listening, such as the app NPR One. Prior to joining Automattic, Wilson held dual masthead titles at The New York Times, where he led a vast team of technologists, designers, product managers and editors responsible for guiding the company’s digital strategy and creating products, including its trendsetting podcast, The Daily. He was closely involved in the development of the 2015 strategic manifesto, Our Path Forward, which set the stage for The Times’ enormous gains in subscribers and digital revenue.

“My personal and professional passion these days is to help independent local news organizations publish great stories and find a path to financial sustainability,” Wilson said. “INN is at the forefront of organizations that make that possible. And I’m honored to contribute however I can as a member of the board.”

Wilson has served as a board member, advisor and juror for many high profile journalism institutions, including the Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford University, the Poynter Institute, The Telegraph of London and the Pulitzer Prizes. He has been a visiting fellow at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University and was president of the Online News Association. Wilson is a graduate of the University of Chicago and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The INN Board of Directors will hold elections for member representatives in October. Learn more.