North America's oldest continuously published magazine names a new Editor/Publisher
Jocelyn Bell takes over in 2018
TORONTO, Dec. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - The Board of Directors of Observer Publications Inc. has approved the selection of Jocelyn Bell as the new Editor/Publisher of The United Church Observer. The magazine's Managing Editor since 2006, Bell was selected after a public call for applications earlier this year. The appointment takes effect January 1, 2018.
Bell brings proven professional skills and a unique understanding of the United Church and its values to her new role. Both of her parents are United Church ministers; her first paid assignment as a student journalist was a freelance article for The Observer.
Bell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Ryerson University in Toronto. She has experience in the newsrooms of several major daily newspapers including the Toronto Star and the Hamilton Spectator. Prior to joining The Observer, Jocelyn was editor of Childview magazine.
"I'm tremendously proud of The Observer and deeply invested in seeing it thrive into the future," Bell says. "I'm grateful to the board for entrusting me with the magazine's long legacy and determined to continue publishing faith-based journalism of the highest calibre."
Bell is only the sixth editor to lead the magazine since it was renamed The United Church Observer in 1939. She succeeds David Wilson, who is retiring at the end of 2017 after more than 30 years with The Observer, the past 11 as Editor/Publisher. His farewell column is featured in this month's issue.
"Transforming The Observer into a publication that measures up to the best magazines in Canada has been a challenging yet immensely rewarding project for me," says Wilson. "Jocelyn has been a big part of it, and I'm delighted that she is now in a position to continue to evolve the magazine while maintaining the standards of excellence our readers have come to expect."
ABOUT THE UNITED CHURCH OBSERVER
The United Church Observer is an award-winning publication focusing on faith, justice and ethical living. As an independently incorporated and published magazine, The Observer is affiliated with The United Church of Canada but is not an official voice of the denomination. With roots dating back to 1829, The Observer is proud to be the oldest continuously published magazine in North America, and the second-oldest in the English-speaking world. The Observer can be found online at www.ucobserver.org and followed @UC_Observer.
SOURCE The United Church Observer
Dayo Kefentse, DAYO Media & Communications, [email protected], 416.573.3296
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