Nobody Said It Would Be Easy

Nobody said surviving in the journalism industry was going to be easy. And nobody was right.

It’s a tough business for many reasons. As a journalist who spent more than a decade reporting from Central America, I’ve experienced many of those challenges up close: death threats, harassment, limited access to information, and a violently polarized society living in parallel realities. Little did I realize I was reporting from the future. Today, those same threats to journalists and freedom of expression are prevalent here in the United States, amid a worrisome democratic backslide and increasing levels of tribalism.

Other threats to the industry are more existential but just as serious: predatory hedge funds, shaky revenue models, eroding public trust, hubris and the self-inflicted wounds of management.

You have to really love journalism to remain in the game. More importantly, you have to find a media organization whose vision and mission align with your own. That’s why I’m excited to join OZY as the new Deputy Editor.

I Believe in OZY

OZY is a different type of media company that’s committed to telling fresh stories from under-reported corners of the globe — the type of stories that celebrate our world’s vastness, while also making it seem a little smaller.

Elephant in the room: Yes, OZY has a complicated backstory. Many companies do. Any organization worth its salt has had to overcome troubles from its past. Second chances are interesting. Redemption is poetic. The important thing is that you admit your mistakes, learn from them, course-correct, and then get back in the ring. I like to think that OZY is at the moment in the wrestling match when it’s lifting itself off the mat after getting knocked down for a two count. As anyone who grew up watching Hulk Hogan can tell you, this is when the show gets good.

I believe in OZY. I’ve only been at the company for a few weeks, but I believe in it more today than I did when I started. That’s because I’ve met the team. I’ve met the leadership. These people are smart, compassionate, creative, funny and highly competent. They inspire me. And that’s no easy task, because I’m a professional cynic.

OZY is genuinely diverse and global. It’s authentically cool in a way that other companies try to be. In all honesty, it’s probably too cool for me. But I’m going to fake it and hope nobody notices.

Something Interesting is Happening

I appreciate that OZY approaches the news differently. I’ve always found the status quo to be boring, crowded and unhealthy — especially when so many fascinating stories remain unsurfaced. I love discovering unexplored international stories that inspire us as readers. Stories that stick in your head and gizzard long after you finish reading.

Those are the kinds of stories that I gravitated towards during my years as a foreign correspondent in Central America, even though I couldn’t always convince U.S. editors that they were worth the ink (until they appeared in The New York Times six months later). Now, as Deputy Editor of OZY, those are the types of stories I’m actively looking for as we build and strengthen what I hope will be the most talented, forward-looking and curious-minded community of correspondents around the world — currently 47 freelancers from 29 countries, and growing.

Join Us

At OZY, we want to surprise our readers every day with smart and insightful news that helps us make better sense of this big, messy and beautiful planet of ours. We want to expose you to stories you didn’t realize mattered, and tell you about people and places you’ve maybe never heard of — but hopefully will come to value.

We’re also interested in first-person stories — those personal narratives of growth and learning that give us the story behind the story. The kind of campfire tales you tell your friends over beers. The kind of stories that start as ideas scribbled on the back of a napkin.

Journalism is a wonderful calling when you believe in the mission and trust your team. Something interesting is happening at OZY — it’s time to give us a second look. And if you like what you see, give us a shout, send me a pitch, and help us tell stories that matter.

Tim Rogers, Deputy Editor