Gannett taps former People editor-in-chief as executive editor of entertainment
USA TODAY parent company Gannett has tapped former People editor-in-chief Wendy Naugle as its new executive editor of entertainment.
Naugle will oversee the entertainment strategy at USA TODAY and Gannett's 200-plus local publications with a focus on driving audience and revenue growth. She will report to Monica Richardson, senior vice president of USA TODAY, starting July 28.
'Wendy's exceptional editorial vision and deep industry knowledge will be instrumental in shaping the future of our entertainment coverage," Richardson said in a Gannett news release. 'We are confident that her experience will help connect with our audiences in meaningful and innovative ways across all platforms.'
Naugle's introduction to the company comes amid a shift at Gannett toward deep engagement with readers on a local level across its national network of community-based newsrooms and a strategic focus at the national level on competitive subject areas like entertainment and sports, in addition to national breaking news, wellness and consumer-focused coverage.
'We're giving our consumers more reasons to come to us, more reasons to stay, more reasons to engage with our partners and more reasons to subscribe,' President of Gannett Media Kristin Roberts said in a May earnings call.
Naugle's role in that strategy includes transforming the USA TODAY Network into the country's leading entertainment brand, going head-to-head with top entertainment sites.
Naugle's arrival is the latest change in Gannett's leadership team. The company in June named Joe Miranda, former executive vice president, chief digital and technology officer of Herbalife, as chief technology and data officer. Trisha Gosser was named chief financial officer in March after serving as the deputy CFO, succeeding Douglas Horne.
A graduate from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Naugle joined Dotdash Meredith's People in 2019 as deputy editor before moving into the role of editor-in-chief in 2022. She helped transform the brand into a top 10 site in the U.S., reinvigorated franchises like Sexiest Man Alive, and led issues on climate change, LGBTQ+ Pride, Black History Month and People of the Year, according to Gannett. She left the company in January to complete a novel.
Previously, she worked as executive editor at Condé Nast's Glamour for nearly 20 years, where she managed its transition into digital-first content, as well as its annual Women of the Year awards and summit. She also oversaw the launch of Glamour's first podcast series and an award-winning campaign against domestic violence.
Her stories on subjects like breast implants, health insurance and reproductive rights won two National Magazine Awards for Personal Service and a National Press Club Consumer Journalism Award, among other honors, according to Dotdash Meredith. Naugle also served on the board of the NYU Center for Publishing.
Naugle said she aims to use entertainment news to connect communities across the country.
'It's an incredible opportunity in entertainment right now. Of course, we all think of Hollywood and Los Angeles, but entertainment is so much more than that,' she said. 'We see exciting things happening in music in Nashville, and there's more filming than ever in Atlanta. So, entertainment is changing, and I think Gannett and the USA TODAY Network are really uniquely suited to capitalize on all of those opportunities in the entertainment landscape.'
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