Hearst Corporation Names Audrey Cooper Editor in Chief at the San Francisco Chronicle

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jan 13, 2015) - Hearst Newspapers announced today the promotion of Audrey Cooper, 37, to editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle. Cooper will be the first female editor in chief in the Chronicle's 150-year history.

The announcement was made by Steven R. Swartz, president and CEO of Hearst Corporation, Mark Aldam, president of Hearst Newspapers, and Jeff Johnson, publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle. Cooper, who begins in her new role immediately, will continue to oversee the newsroom and will report to Johnson. A search for a new managing editor to succeed Cooper will start immediately.

Since joining the Chronicle in 2006, Cooper has prioritized investigative journalism while building an award-winning staff focused on stories and trends that reflect the unique spirit of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Chronicle was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2014 under Cooper's leadership.

Commenting on the announcement, Aldam said, "Audrey's news leadership at the Chronicle is emblematic of the future of all of our newspapers and websites: employ innovative storytelling to connect readers with the news and information that matters most to them."

Johnson added, "Audrey's dedication to challenging the status quo and pushing the envelope has brought the Chronicle to where it is today. From the in-house incubator to the in-depth journalism, Audrey is tireless in her commitment to raising the bar for not only the Chronicle, but for all Bay Area media."

"I'm honored to lead the newsroom of the San Francisco Chronicle," said Cooper. "We have a 150-year legacy of game-changing journalism that guides the conversation about the world's most fascinating region. This year we will grow our investigative reporting staff while continuing to evolve our storytelling methods in order to best engage with our millions of print and online readers."

Cooper joined the Chronicle as an assistant metro editor. She had previously worked at the Tri-Valley Herald, the Associated Press and The Record (Stockton, Calif.), where she served as metro editor.

A native of Kansas City, Kan., Cooper attended Boston University, graduating magna cum laude with separate degrees in journalism and political science. She is past president of San Francisco City Guides, a nonprofit organization of more than 350 volunteers who lead free walking tours of San Francisco.

The Chronicle is the largest newspaper in northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. It was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. Combined with its online counterpart, SFGate.com, the Chronicle reaches 28 million readers each month.

About Hearst Newspapers
Hearst Newspapers is the operating group responsible for Hearst Corporation's newspapers, local digital marketing services businesses and directories. With more than 5,000 employees across the nation, Hearst Newspapers publishes 15 dailies and 34 weeklies, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union. It also operates digital marketing services and directories businesses under the LocalEdge brand.

About Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified media and information companies. Apart from its newspapers, Hearst's major interests include hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 31 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, HISTORY and ESPN; significant holdings in automotive, electronic and medical/pharmaceutical business information companies; a 50 percent stake in global ratings agency Fitch Group; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate. Follow us on Twitter @HearstCorp and subscribe to Hearstlink.