Meet the Red and Black’s new editorial director
Ed Morales
UPDATE: The Red and Black board of directors issued a statement Thursday morning. It reads in part:
In an effort to provide a better product for our readers of print and digital news and to provide better training for our student journalists, The Red & Black recently decided to add additional professionals to both the editorial and business staff, half of whom are part time.
The Red & Black does not plan to have these professionals assume the role of our student Editor in Chief. The editorial director is a counselor, teacher, mentor, coordinator and manager. The editorial director is charged with helping students make smart content decisions prior to publication, particularly on stories, which involve issues of libel or standards of quality and ethics. It is not, nor has it ever been the intention of the board to censor student content.
* Red and Black board’s statement concerning the resignations of student editors
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Ed Morales, who goes from editorial adviser to editorial director at University of Georgia’s student newspaper, says “he graduated from the University of Maryland too long ago to remember.”
Adviser to the Red and Black since 2006, Morales “has worked for six newspapers, accumulated hundreds of bylines, and covered hurricanes on both the football field and from the Atlantic Ocean,” according to his bio.
Morales has worked as a news editor (Palm Beach Post and Milledgeville Union-Recorder), sports copy desk chief (Tallahassee Democrat), sportswriter and designer (Centre Daily Times) and soccer columnist and agate clerk (Washington Times).
I’ve emailed Morales for comment on yesterday’s events.
University of Georgia vice president of public affairs Tom Jackson says in a statement:
We’re watching the developments at the Red & Black with interest, but as you know, it is an independent corporation with its own board of directors, made up of some very accomplished members, many of whom are UGA alumni. We trust they and the student staff will be able to work out their differences for the good of the Red & Black and the university.
* Morales in April: The making of a student media revolution (cmreview.com)
* Red and Black staffers walk out after Morales named editorial director (jimromenesko.com)
* Morales tells English class about submitting articles to the Red and Black (YouTube.com)
