The Diamondback’s managing board named Kevin Robillard as the paper’s next editor in chief last night during its monthly meeting.
Robillard, a junior journalism and government and politics major, began working at The Diamondback as a freshman during the fall of 2006. After his early start as a writer for the Diversions section, Robillard moved on to the news desk as a sophomore, where he covered several different beats such as the city of College Park, the University Senate, the university administration and state politics. He ascended to the role of assistant news editor last fall and chief news editor this semester.
Robillard will succeed current Diamondback editor in chief Steven Overly, also a junior journalism major, and his tenure officially begins May 1.
In addition to directing the newspaper’s editorial content, Robillard will sit on the Maryland Media Inc. board of directors that oversees the newspaper’s finances. With the poor economy and declining advertising revenues in the journalism industry, Overly said Robillard will need to contend with less resources and a greater demand for news.
“We are not in such dire circumstances as other papers,” Overly said. “But these strains are something he will have to deal with.”
In preparing for a rough economic climate, Robillard said he will largely focus on reshaping The Diamondback’s website. He said he will build on the multimedia editor position that was created this year and continue to offer more online-only content.
“I think it’s been a long-standing goal for the entire staff,” Robillard said. “If you’re on campus and you can pick up the paper, then there’s no real reason to visit the website. We need to start giving kids a reason to go to [The] Diamondback Online.”
From his early middle school desire to become a journalist, Robillard went on to become editor in chief of his high school paper in Wilmington, Mass. As a college intern, he has had his byline in the Waltham Daily News Tribune and The Capitol in Annapolis.
Overly believes the skills Robillard honed as news editor should serve him well in his new post.
“I think Kevin could do a really good job,” he said.
The Maryland Media Inc. board also announced that junior international business major Gabriel WeiseL will take over as editor in chief of the Mitzpeh and junior journalism major Aleita Johnson will take the same position at the Eclipse.
Students Javiera Alarcon and Cory Eisenhard were both re-elected to the board as student members.
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