Former Ebony magazine editor Amy DuBois Barnett is joining ESPN as executive editor for an upcoming website about African-American sports and culture, the network announced Thursday.
Barnett will manage editorial operations and will report to Jason Whitlock, founder of the yet-to-be-named site. There is no specific launch date, according to an ESPN spokeswoman, who said hiring Barnett ?was the first step,? and that she and Whitlock would work together on its development.
?Amy?s impressive resume across a wide range of publications and brands, as well as her leadership experience, will ensure that the site will be at the forefront of news and commentary relevant to African-Americans,? Whitlock said in a statement. ?Together, we aim to serve audiences with quality and innovative journalism when the site debuts.?
Most recently, Barnett was editor-in-chief of Chicago-based Johnson Publishing?s Ebony, one of the oldest and largest magazines geared toward African-Americans. She announced her departure in April to pursue other opportunities and was replaced by Mitzi Miller.
Barnett, who came to Ebony in 2010, is credited with overseeing a cover-to-cover redesign and launching a new website, both of which helped invigorate the venerable lifestyle magazine. Published monthly, Ebony has a total average circulation of 1.26 million, according to data released Thursday by the Alliance for Audited Media.
A Brown University graduate, Barnett has a master?s degree in creative writing from Columbia University.
Source: MCT Information Services
