The Burlington Free Press has a new leader. Emilie Stigliani has been named executive editor after a nearly six-year stint at the news organization, serving most recently as its digital director.
Stigliani told VPR that the Free Press is “incredibly focused on digital,” citing the organization's work in video, breaking news and its Facebook Live morning news roundups, where reporters and editors go through the day's headlines and interact with viewers.
Listen above to Emilie Stigliani's conversation with VPR's Mitch Wertlieb.
She said, under her leadership, the Burlington Free Press will continue fulfilling its obligation to serving Vermonters. But, Stigliani said, it’s important to tell stories that people want to read and discuss — and much of those conversations happen online.
Stigliani acknowledged that the internet is a space with potential for both the best and worst of humanity — but, she said, she’s not intimidated.
“My goal is to undertake the mission that our newspaper has always had, which is to educate the electorate,” she said.
"My goal is to undertake the mission that our newspaper has always had, which is to educate the electorate." — Emilie Stigliani, Burlington Free Press executive editor
Stigliani said the paper is pushing a subscriber-based revenue model, as other news organizations are doing (including VPR).
“I do believe that this is a strong model for helping reach a sustainable place for news organizations,” she said.
Stigliani is only the second female to lead the Burlington Free Press newsroom in its history, and she said her identity as a female is important as part of her own personal history.
“I come from a family of recent immigrants on both sides, and I’ve come from a line of ambitious, intelligent women," Stigliani said. "And I feel like I am sort of their dream of what is possible in America."
