Guardian News and Media has appointed a former chief executive and publisher of the Washington Post’s digital wing to expand its business in America.
Caroline Little, who resigned after more than 10 years at the Post earlier this year, has been brought into GNM US as a special advisor. She was responsible for Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, which includes Washingtonpost.com and Newsweek.com.
Little is also on the boards of the American Press Institute, Grinnell College, the Posse foundation and the Knight Foundation.
Tim Brooks, GNM managing director, said the company was in the ‘early stages’of building its presence in America and that White’s expertise would help it grow.
He said: ‘We know that in addition to her mastery of digital business development, she thoroughly understands and shares the values which drive our business, which is centred on truly independent journalism. The GNM team looks forward to working with and learning from her.”
Little said: ‘I have always admired the Guardian brand and its values. GNM clearly has an appetite for international expansion and I look forward to working with them very much.”
In 2007 GNM launched the US-facing Guardian America site which is based in Washington, has eight permanent staff and is edited by former American Prospect editor Michael Tomasky.
The Guardian is one of several UK papers to enjoy a sharp increase in popularity in America. Around a third of its 18m unique monthly users, according to ABCe, come from North America.
GNM editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger has said his aim is to make the Guardian, Observer, Guardian.co.uk and Guardian America collectively the ‘world’s leading liberal voice’in journalism.
In January 2008, GNM appointed Thomson Reuters to sell US advertising on its behalf, through the Reuters Affiliate Network – a series of sites and blogs the agency sells adverts for as part of a revenue-sharing agreement.
In the last fortnight GNM has bought ContentNext Media, publishers of new media news website PaidContent. In addition to her advisory role, Little will join the ContentNext board.
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