Jill Abramson '76 has been named executive editor of the New York Times, the newspaper announced today—the first woman to hold the top editorial post. She has been managing editor since 2003—one of two executives responsible for overseeing the newsroom. She has previously been an investigative reporter and Washington bureau chief for the Times; she joined the paper in 1997, after nine years at the Wall Street Journal. Previously, she worked at Time, NBC News, and The American Lawyer. Among other works, she is coauthor of Strange Justice, on the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, and of Where They Are Now: The Story of the Women of Harvard Law 1974. Daughter Cornelia Griggs graduated from the College in 2005.
The Nieman Foundation has published a comment on Abramson's appointment, emphasizing her likely focus on the newspaper's digital strategy and investments.
The Times has organized an archive of her published articles—covering subjects ranging from the financing of political campaigns to the "Puppy Diaries" about her beloved pet, Scout.