Staff | Editor & Publisher
Judi Terzotis, president and publisher of The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), NOLA.com and The Advocate in Baton Rouge, was announced Monday, Oct. 18, as "E&P's 2021 Publisher of the Year," at the America's Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs. The announcement was made by E&P’s Associate Publisher, Robin Blinder, where the audience was treated to a video, showing how E&P notified and surprised Judi, via ZOOM.
“We had a record this year in the number of nominations for a single candidate,” stated Mike Blinder, publisher of E&P. "Even though we had many leaders nominated, over 20 that we received were specifically for Judi Terzotis, president and publisher of The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com and The Advocate."
He said, "What impressed our selection committee the most about Judi, was that there was such a wide array of achievements being noted, during her relatively short period of time at the helm of her operation."
Some of her accomplishments cited through the nomination process, included:
- In just three short years, Judi has helped develop and implement one of the industry’s most aggressive audience subscription initiatives, gaining over 80% year-over-year subscription growth that now tops over $1 million in yearly reader revenue.
- Judi helped lead The Advocate and The Times-Picayune through the challenges of Hurricane Ida, quickly leading the team to keep publishing and posting when there was no power to run the servers and presses. Plus, when gas was in short supply, she brought in tanker trucks from Texas and Shreveport to refuel the cars and pick-up trucks that reporters and photographers used to get to communities still plagued by high water. And, for employees with storm damage and other emergency needs, she launched a company loan program that enabled them to borrow up to $5,000 and repay over two years. So far, there have been about three dozen takers.
- Judi created a $1.5 million statewide investigative journalism program helping fund growth for local news coverage, while others have had to cut back on newsroom staffing.
- Judi was central in working with local community and tourism leaders to produce a virtual event entitled: “A Mardi Gras for All Y’all,” that reached a worldwide audience of more than 1.7 million people.
- Judi serves on the board for Boys & Girls Clubs in Louisiana, where she led efforts to secure the organization's first chief impact officer, during the challenges presented by COVID. She also serves on the board of directors of America's Newspapers.
- And recently, with the legalization of sports betting in Louisiana, Judi assisted The Advocate and The Times-Picayune in securing the largest contract in company history, forming a partnership with Caesars Sportsbook.
Judi Terzotis will be featured on the cover of E&P’s November issue along with an in-depth article about her as well.
