Features and entertainment editor at large
Greater Seattle Area
- Current
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- Contributor at TheGrio.com
- Contributor at MSN
- Contributor at TheRoot.com
- Contributor at PopMatters
- Past
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- Contributor at TheLoop21.com
- Producer at MSN
- Development editor at TripSketch
- News editor, writer and producer at msnbc.com
- Senior News Editor at Volume.com
- Senior Editor, Weekend Magazine at BET
- Copy editor/Acting entertainment editor at San Jose Mercury News
- Copy editor at The New York Times
- Adjunct professor, Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University
- Assistant news editor at San Francisco Daily Journal
- Datebook features copy editor at San Francisco Chronicle
- Culture desk copy editor at The New York Times
- Education
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- University of Colorado at Boulder
- Recommended
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Michael E. Ross’s Summary
I'm the beneficiary of extensive experience in a variety of news- and feature-related roles in major print publications and Web sites, including 7+ years in online editorial as editor, writer and producer; experience with HTML; message board management; interactive journalism; blogging; opinion sampling; gathering and interpreting user interactivity data; cultivating relationships with external content partners; and the rapid multitasking required at a top-tier daily news operation.
I've worked at breaking-news desks on stories of notable events including the Challenger explosion, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Virginia Tech shootings, Hurricane Katrina and the 2002, 2004 and 2006 midterm and presidential elections. I was part of the msnbc.com news team as it transitioned into wider use of interactivity and message boards as a monitor of reader reaction to news events.
I have written for msnbc.com, The New York Times, New York Times Book Review, The Root, Entertainment Weekly, PopMatters, Salon, Jazziz, The Hollywood Reporter, Vibe, Wired, People, San Francisco Chronicle, Newsday, San Jose Mercury News, TheGrio, Essence, The Loop21, The Root and other publications.
My writing has been anthologized in MultiAmerica (Viking, 1997), a collection of essays on ethnicity and American identity; and Soul Food (2000), an inspirational anthology. Published Flagpole Days, a novel (2003), and Interesting Times, a collection of essays and nonfiction (2004). American Bandwidth, a collection of writing exploring politics, race and changes in American society between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections, was published in October 2009.
I've maintained Culchavox, a blog on politics, pop culture and race matters, since November 2004.
Michael E. Ross’s Specialties:
News and features editing; online news production; blogging; entertainment, popular culture and politics; race and ethnicity coverage
Michael E. Ross’s Experience
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Contributor
TheGrio.com
(Online Media industry)
October 2009 — Present (2 months)
Write commentaries and analysis pieces for this Web site, an offshoot of msnbc.com focused on news and perspectives pertinent to an African American and minority readership.
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Contributor
MSN
(Public Company; MSFT; Online Media industry)
March 2009 — Present (9 months)
Write newsfeature stories for the City Guides channel, and contribute a "best-of" entertainment events calendar focusing on events in selected U.S. cities.
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Contributor
TheRoot.com
(Online Media industry)
March 2008 — Present (1 year 9 months)
Periodically write commentaries for the Washington, D.C.-based Web site about matters pertinent to the site's African American and minority readers, including politics and entertainment.
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Contributor
PopMatters
(Privately Held; Online Media industry)
February 2007 — Present (2 years 10 months)
Periodically write book reviews and essays on media and popular culture for this popular online cultural journal, which garners about 1 million new readers a month.
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Contributor
TheLoop21.com
(Online Media industry)
February 2008 — August 2009 (1 year 7 months)
Frequently wrote opinion pieces on politics, race and ethnicity issues, popular culture and national affairs for this news and commentary Web site based in Los Angeles.
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Producer
MSN
(Public Company; MSFT; Online Media industry)
July 2008 — March 2009 (9 months)
• Hired as producer for the Microsoft Web portal (465 million unique users a month, with localized versions in 34 markets and 18 languages);
• In this contractor position, I edited stories from freelancers for the City Guides vertical (targeted features and entertainment content) in a proprietary content management system;
• Performed general production, including photo selection, headlines and captions; assisted in Web page design; and liaised with three external editorial partners. -
Development editor
TripSketch
(Online Media industry)
June 2007 — December 2007 (7 months)
Edited content by freelance travel writers in Europe, Asia and the United States at this travel services Web startup; and consulted with senior management on travel-related news and editorial strategies.
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News editor, writer and producer
msnbc.com
(Privately Held; Broadcast Media industry)
April 2001 — June 2007 (6 years 3 months)
• Edited Associated Press, Reuters and other wire copy for publication on the site, through a proprietary content management system;
• Reworked scripts from NBC News correspondents into narrative stories for site publication;
• Wrote original stories for politics, entertainment and news channels;
• Was editor, producer and UGC moderator of a site channel focused on race and ethnicity in the United States;
• Acted periodically as Sunday business editor, editing and publishing wire features and news stories anticipating market activity. -
Senior News Editor
Volume.com
(Privately Held; Marketing and Advertising industry)
March 2000 — August 2000 (6 months)
• At this entertainment and lifestyle-related Internet site launched by Home Box Office, I developed editorial strategies, including content syndication relationships;
• Assisted in hiring of freelance writers, coordinating their assignments, and managing departmental budget;
• Shared responsibility for employee evaluations, supervision of daily editorial meetings, and some copy editing. -
Senior Editor, Weekend Magazine
BET
(Public Company; Entertainment industry)
March 1999 — March 2000 (1 year 1 month)
Performed a wide range of editorial responsibilities, including work as film and television editor; assignment-to-publication oversight of staff and freelance stories; research; rewriting and interaction with freelance writers; and writing a regular feature on movies.
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Copy editor/Acting entertainment editor
San Jose Mercury News
(Privately Held; Newspapers industry)
May 1996 — September 1997 (1 year 5 months)
• Copy editing work encompassed a wide range of editing for style and content, on stories spanning lifestyle, entertainment and human interest categories;
• Wrote essays and occasional thumbnail and feature reviews for books-in-brief section in the Sunday Arts supplement;
• As acting entertainment editor, selected and edited staff and wire content for a 6X-weekly entertainment page; coordinating stories with reporters and critics;
• Coordinated and wrote content for “The E-Files,” a weekly best-bets collection of events for the week ahead;
• Selected art and headlines for the cover of the Sunday television supplement; and monitored story budgets for entertainment and lifestyle sections. -
Copy editor
The New York Times
(Public Company; NYT; Newspapers industry)
May 1993 — April 1996 (3 years )
• Worked on the metropolitan, culture and Sunday Styles desks as editor and production assistant, copy-editing reporters' and columnists' stories on police, City Hall, regional government, trends and lifestyles.
• Was also night slot editor for the culture desk, and wrote reviews for the Times Book Review and Arts & Leisure sections. -
Adjunct professor, Graduate School of Journalism
Columbia University
(Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)
September 1994 — December 1994 (4 months)
In this position supporting Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist E.R. Shipp, performed intensive classroom interaction with students, in-class assessment of their performance, grading assignments, and private counseling with students to evaluate their reporting skills.
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Assistant news editor
San Francisco Daily Journal
(Publishing industry)
August 1991 — March 1993 (1 year 8 months)
• At this newspaper serving the legal community of northern California, I built a daily national digest and state news page;
• Also coordinated elements of a 3X-weekly “Bystander” column highlighting news and individuals in the legal community. The scope of editorial coverage included all facets of the law, including intellectual property matters, and environmental, public-interest and entertainment law. -
Datebook features copy editor
San Francisco Chronicle
(Public Company; Newspapers industry)
January 1990 — May 1991 (1 year 5 months)
• Performed style, content and production editing on the stories and criticism of the Chronicle's entertainment critics and reporters;
• Also wrote stories for the daily report, and book reviews for the Chronicle Sunday Book Review. -
Culture desk copy editor
The New York Times
(Public Company; NYT; Newspapers industry)
September 1985 — October 1989 (4 years 2 months)
• Began as a copy editor trainee in a training program that included editing on various Times section desks (travel, business, Arts & Leisure, style and regional). Promoted to the culture desk in September 1986;
• Performed style, content and production editing on the work of Times critics and cultural reporters, both for the daily report and for the Weekend entertainment section;
• Also wrote stories occasionally for the daily section and for the Sunday Arts & Leisure section, and performed night slot-editor duties for the local and national satellite editions.
Michael E. Ross’s Education
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University of Colorado at Boulder
Bachelors , Journalism , 1973 — 1979
Additional Information
Michael E. Ross’s Websites:
Michael E. Ross’s Groups:
Member, Society of Professional Journalists
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LinkEds & writers -
ThoseinMedia -
NBC Universal Alumni -
The New York Times Company (This group is not affiliated with or sponsored by The New York Times) -
MSNBC - Alumni and Employees (FTEs) -
The Great Mercury News Diaspora
Michael E. Ross’s Honors:
Hearst Fellow, University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communications, spring 2005. Spoke to graduating seniors on careers in journalism, the special challenges of online journalism, and the evolution of msnbc.com as a news organization.
Participant, Online News Association, Online Journalism Award for General Excellence, 2006
Participant, National Press Club, Best Journalism Site, 2006
Participant, National Press Club, Best Journalism Site, 2005
Participant, National Press Club, Best Journalism Site, 2004
Participant, RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award, Best Web Site, 2002
Michael E. Ross’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
