By Adam Pagnucco.
With the 2026 primary election season underway, the local media will be seeing some changes.
First up, the Banner should be launching its Montgomery County coverage soon. In July, Banner leadership told me that its MoCo office will have 8 people, 5 of whom are reporters. These are the folks I have so far identified as working for the MoCo office on the Banner’s website.
Executive Editor: Zuri Berry. He has two decades of experience in journalism with positions at the Boston Globe, WFXT Boston, the Boston Herald and the National Association of Black Journalists.
Local government and politics reporter: Ginny Bixby. She is a familiar name here as she worked at MoCo360/Bethesda Today for three years. Before that, she worked for multiple outlets in Virginia.
Economic development and politics reporter: Jack Hogan. He has had prior positions at the Daily Record, the Frederick News-Post, Capital News Service and the Diamondback.
Education reporter: Talia Richman. She has previously worked at the Dallas Morning News and the Baltimore Sun.
Express reporter with a focus on law enforcement and immigration: Antonio Planas. He was previously employed at the breaking news desk at NBC News.
Meanwhile, Bethesda Today is soliciting applications to replace Bixby. Here is the advertisement from its website.
*****
Bethesda Today Reporter
The Bethesda Today reporter will cover county government and politics and general assignment and breaking news.
Job Functions:
The essential duties of this job include:
- Provide comprehensive and informed coverage.
- Write a weekly topical newsletter related to beat.
- Report breaking news as it happens — quickly, fairly and accurately
- Cultivate a network of diverse sources
- Pitch and develop enterprise stories that readers can’t find elsewhere
- Use public records to follow money, find scoops and do data reporting
- Work with fellow journalists and producers to tell stories in a variety of media, photo galleries, data visualizations and more
- Employ digital reader data and news judgment to inform editorial decisions
- Utilize social media to build sources, track news and promote content
In addition to the essential functions listed above, the employee is expected to exercise honesty, integrity and respect with all sources and co-workers; maintain a professional appearance and demeanor; demonstrate a positive attitude; communicate effectively with co-workers and sources; work with accuracy, efficiency and attention to detail; and exercise initiative to learn new skills and tasks and to help co-workers when possible. Reliable attendance and punctuality are also required.The employee is also expected to perform such other duties and functions as required from time to time.
The reporter will work a hybrid work schedule and will be expected to work in the office at least three days a week.
Qualifications:
- Three or more years of reporting experience at a nonpartisan news organization
- Excellent writing skills and the ability to tell a story
- Excellent news judgment, audience awareness and understanding of journalistic ethics
- Experience working in a digital publishing system
- Live in the Washington, D.C., area (preferably in Montgomery County), and have a strong commitment to local journalism and to serving the community
- Willingness to represent Bethesda Today on audio and video platforms and at in-person events
- Working knowledge of photography
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to steve.hull@kohanza.com.
*****
The good news here is that the current primary election should have more reporters covering it than the prior one owing to the Banner’s expansion into Montgomery County. However, I am unaware of any of these folks having much experience covering primary elections in MoCo with the partial exception of Bixby. (Steve Bohnel, who now works in Pittsburgh, was MoCo360’s primary political reporter in the spring of 2022.) Veteran reporter Lou Peck, who should occasionally contribute to Bethesda Today, has written about several cycles here. Josh Kurtz, who recently semi-retired from Maryland Matters, will be much missed.
Media competition is good for MoCo. I am looking forward to reading the work of all of these reporters!