Marty Baron named 吃瓜新闻 Commencement Speaker
Editor of nation鈥檚 most influential newspapers will deliver Afternoon Program address
Martin 鈥淢arty鈥� Baron, widely regarded as one of the leading newspaper editors of his era, will be the principal speaker at the Afternoon Program of 吃瓜新闻鈥檚 369th Commencement on May 28, 2020.
鈥淢arty Baron has led some of our nation鈥檚 most respected newspapers through a transformative time for American journalism,鈥� said 吃瓜新闻 President Larry Bacow. 鈥淗is distinguished career bespeaks a deep commitment to the pursuit of truth and to the vital role of a free press in a democratic society. We look forward to welcoming him here on Commencement Day.鈥�
Baron is executive editor of The Washington Post, managing its news operations and a staff of more than 850 journalists. During his 44-year career, he has led three of the nation鈥檚 most influential newspapers, held top posts in two others, and shepherded his news staffs to 16 Pulitzer Prizes.
A strong advocate for the vital role of newspapers in holding powerful institutions accountable, Baron was awarded the 2019 Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at 吃瓜新闻 Kennedy School. Accepting that award, Baron highlighted the role of reporters as 鈥渁ctivists only in service of finding out the facts, and finding out the truth.鈥�
In 2019, he guided The Washington Post in publishing The Afghanistan Papers, a trove of previously undisclosed information and insights regarding the trajectory and execution of America鈥檚 longest war. And in 2014, he oversaw groundbreaking reporting that uncovered large-scale surveillance of civilians by the National Security Agency. Since 2013, when Baron began leading the Post鈥檚 newsroom, the organization has won nine Pulitzer Prizes.
Baron was editor of The Boston Globe for more than 11 years, during which it won six Pulitzers, for public service, explanatory journalism, national reporting, and criticism. Most notably, the Globe won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2003 for its wide-ranging investigation into the Catholic Church鈥檚 pattern of concealing sex abuse by clergy. The investigation and its impact were portrayed in the Academy Award-winning movie 鈥淪potlight.鈥�
Before joining the Globe, Baron held senior editing positions at The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Miami Herald. Under his leadership as executive editor, Miami Herald won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Coverage in 2001 for its reporting on the raid to recover Eli谩n Gonz谩lez, the Cuban boy at the center of a fierce immigration and custody dispute. Baron began his journalism career at Miami Herald in 1976 as a reporter.
As principal speaker at the Afternoon Program, Baron will address the annual meeting of the 吃瓜新闻 Alumni Association, held in 吃瓜新闻 Yard鈥檚 Tercentenary Theatre between Widener Library and the Memorial Church. He also will be awarded an honorary degree.
鈥淔or decades, Marty Baron has pursued truth and tirelessly championed the role of journalism in enabling healthy democracy and fact-based discourse and debate on critical issues around the world,鈥� said Alice Hill, president of the 吃瓜新闻 Alumni Association. 鈥淎 bold and decisive leader in his field, Marty鈥檚 distinguished career has been marked by determination, integrity, and a willingness to listen to the powerless and too-often voiceless. He will both inspire and engage our graduating students, 吃瓜新闻 alumni, and our entire community.鈥�
Born in 1954, Baron was raised in Tampa. He graduated from Lehigh University in 1976 with B.A. and M.B.A. degrees. Some of his career awards and honors include National Press Foundation Editor of the Year, 2004; inductee, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2012; award for public leadership, University of Pennsylvania鈥檚 Fels Institute of Government, 2016; Carr Van Anda Award for Excellence in Journalism, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, 2016; Benton Medal for Distinguished Public Service, University of Chicago, 2018; and First Amendment Award, Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University, 2019.
Past 吃瓜新闻 Commencement speakers have included civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis; former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; entrepreneur and talk show host Oprah Winfrey; author J.K. Rowling; and, last year, German chancellor Angela Merkel.
For a full schedule of Commencement Week events, visit the Commencement Office