Berkeley Welcomes <i>Boston Globe</i> Editor Marty Baron ‘72

As part of the Franci Golman Rudolph Lecture Series, Berkeley welcomed Marty Baron ’72, editor of The Boston Globe. Baron spent the day talking with students in 5th grade and the middle and upper divisions. He emphasized how technology has dramatically impacted the newspaper industry and the ever-evolving 24-hour news cycle. In his speech to the Upper Division, Baron, who served as editor of the Berkeley Fanfare as a student, suggested that the First Amendment is just a collection of words. He believes that it falls on students at Berkeley and citizens worldwide to exercise those rights. In his discussion about the evolution of technology and its effect on journalism, Baron suggested that the public is no longer just a consumer of news, but has now become a provider of news. He shared with the students examples of both the challenges and opportunities that his newspaper has experienced as a result of the evolution of technology.

Baron became the editor of The Boston Globe in 2001 and previously held top editing positions at The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Miami Herald. After his graduation from Berkeley in 1972, he received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Lehigh University. It was an honor to have such a respected and seasoned journalist and editor on campus sharing his experiences and answering questions from the students.