AOL-Huffington Post Media Group continues to add web-world talent like a gargantuan magnet. Amongst several additions announced Monday…
- Twitter co-founder Biz Stone becomes a “strategic advisor for social impact”, “to enhance innovation around social impact and cause-based initiatives”
- Politics editor Howard Fineman steps up to editorial director.
- Ex LA Times managing editor John Montorio becomes culture and entertainment editor
- Ten more hires are made to HuffPo’s reporting team, following last week’s six new hires.
- AOL’s Politics Daily is being subsumed in to HuffingtonPost.com/Politics.
Stone’s Twitter co-founder Ev Williams relinquished his CEOship last year to Dick Costolo, who is now building out Stone’s startup as a business. Biz Stone’s addition at AOL (NYSE: AOL) is high-profile and suggests Stone is taking a greater interest in charitable causes.
Alongside Stone’s addition, HuffPo is doing a 30-Day Service Challenge drive to encourage employees to volunteer, featuring in its editorial volunteer work by nonprofits and individuals.
Stone, who has seen his creation assist profound geopolitical change of late, is still likely to make a fortune if and when it’s sold. The impression is, Stone wants, using technology, to give back a bit of what he may get in a little while. “The definition of success is changing as we begin to understand the value of helping others,” he says in AOL-HuffPo’s announcement. “Arianna and Tim share my vision for aligning corporate resources toward meaningful change.
“My goal in partnering with AOL and The Huffington Post Media Group is ambitious but vitally important. Together we will rally companies to think about new ways of doing business, share best practices, and strive for positive impact at all levels — from global to local.”
AOL says Stone will “develop a platform to facilitate people doing service in their communities, rally other companies to invest in and deploy best corporate practices, and create and develop a video series spotlighting leading companies and executives at the forefront of philanthropy and corporate responsibility”.
Arianna Huffington blogs: “He’ll create a kind of best practice template of corporate responsibility and positive social impact that will serve as a model for other companies as well.”
The 10 new editorial hires include six from publications — Jennifer Bendery (White House correspondent), Caroline Dworin (culture/style reporter), Dave Jamieson (workplace reporter), Saki Knafo (general assignment writer), Simone Landon (news editor), Catherine New (real estate editor). The remaining four are from the Jefferson young journalists program — Katherine Bindley (culture/style reporter), Laura Gottesdiener (lifestyle reporter), Joy Resmovits (education reporter), Laura Stampler (lifestyle reporter).
With Politics Daily’s move, Andrea Stone, Alex Wagner and David Wood are joining as senior national correspondents, social impact reporter and military defense correspondent, respectively.
Meanwhile, AOL’s Patch.com local platform is launching in two Newark, NJ, areas, in some kind of partnership with local mayor Cory Booker, AOL announced.