Hi friends,
Ever have an idea that you just could not get out of your head? You know the one, it wakes you up at night and you can’t seem to shake it? Emily Ramshaw had such an epiphany which she shrugged off for a full two years before realizing it was something she was meant to do.
Photo by: Trigaci Photography (www.trigaci.com)
Her big idea makes her one of the most innovative voices in media today. As the co-founder and CEO of The 19th*, Emily is creating the nation’s first non-profit, nonpartisan newsroom that is situated squarely at the intersection of gender, politics and policy. She and her team are working to create a platform that more inclusively covers issues as they pertain to women of all races, faiths, and political persuasions. It’s a huge challenge to be sure, but for Emily it was the big idea that just wouldn’t go away and the one she felt was worth taking a big risk for!
The 19th* is also embracing a cutting edge non-profit journalism business model similar to one created at the Texas Tribune. Emily has spent the past decade at the Tribune, and as editor-in-chief since 2016.
When Texas Tribune co-founders Evan Smith and Ross Ramsey were asked how they selected Emily to join the team they were building, Ramsey is quoted as saying: “You ought to hire the reporters who you are afraid to compete with.”
Emily is a real journalist who understands how to dig into a story. She’s gone undercover in a polygamous West Texas cult, exposed sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers, and her work as both a journalist and leader in media earned her a seat on the Pulitzer board.
In my conversation with Emily in Episode 109, we talk about:
- how she’s building The 19th* (which is a nod to the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution);
- how to manage an almost entirely virtual newsroom model (even beyond COVID);
- what impact she hopes The 19th* will have;
- how she’ll work to include and cover specific groups of women who often feel left out or ignored by traditional media sources;
- how she evaluates professional risks;
- how she tackles self-doubt;
- what she’s learned from motherhood (she’s the mom of four-year-old Sophie);
- and more.
Please check out our conversation and let me know what you think! I’m grateful for your time, and hope you find this and all of our conversations insightful and uplifting!
Take care, be safe, and I’ll see you next week!
xoxo
Laura
p.s. if you’re listening on Itunes, I would be so grateful for a nice review!
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