Adam Thomas joins EJC as new Director
The European Journalism Centre is pleased to announce Adam Thomas as its new Director. Thomas will fill the role vacated by departing Director Wilfried Ruetten, who has held the position since 2006. Adam Thomas brings experience of start-ups, traditional media industry and media development from both the private and non-profit sectors from his previous roles at Storyful and Sourcefabric.
“By choosing Adam Thomas as the new Director, the EJC wants to send a message,” said Vicent Partal, EJC Board Chair. “In the coming years we will dig deeper still into the most important questions journalism faces today. Adam has experience in developing some of the most successful projects in new journalism that we have seen in Europe. He is an asset that will help our organization to become a lighthouse for all those interested in innovation, in ethics, and in technology. The EJC plays a major role in helping our colleagues throughout the world to understand the changing scenario of the news business. We must preserve the best traditions of journalism in order to serve our communities and fulfill the role media must play in a complex world. Adam’s leadership will be crucial to achieving these objectives.”
“The Board wishes to express its sincere and profound appreciation of Mr. Ruetten’s achievements since he took office in 2006. It is thanks to him that the EJC has successfully tackled the last decade’s changes in the journalism ecosystem and innovated its approaches, offers, and initiatives in response to the online environment. The foundation has weathered this transition with flying colours and proactively adapted new tools, developed new partnerships, and acquired new audiences in the process. Under Mr. Ruetten’s guidance, the EJC has become one of the most important supporters of quality journalism in Europe through up-to-date training, grant programmes, and accompanying activities.”
Mr. Thomas will start as Director effective January 1st 2017. He will move to Maastricht in November 2016 to work with Mr Rütten on the transition.
“I’m delighted to join the EJC,” Thomas said. “Technology is transforming media consumption, delivery, partnerships, ethics and experimentation. Through projects like the News Impact Summits, the Innovation in Development Reporting Grant Programme, Data Driven Journalism, and the Verification Handbook, the EJC has changed the way journalists work. I believe the EJC is now perfectly positioned to ensure the independence and importance of journalism with a new era of invention and profitability. The Board and I share a vision that places the EJC at the heart of the innovation and debate around journalism, ethics, and technology globally.”