Exclusive: Slate names top editor Hillary Frey CEO
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Hillary Frey. Photo: Damon Dahlen
Slate, the digital news and culture magazine, has named editor-in-chief Hillary Frey as its new CEO, effective immediately, according to a memo obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: More top journalists are moving into executive positions as the news business demands greater collaboration between editorial and revenue operations to survive.
Zoom in: Frey, who was named editor-in-chief of Slate in 2022, will oversee the company's business while continuing to lead the newsroom, according to the memo sent to staffers by Tim O'Shaughnessy, CEO of Slate's parent company Graham Holdings.
- She succeeds Dan Check, who recently left Slate for a new role within Graham Holdings.
- Her primary focus will be elevating Slate's editorial products to boost subscriptions, which are the company's largest revenue stream, while continuing to invest in the outlet's distinctive voice across its core focus areas, including politics, courts and culture.
Zoom out: Slate, which turned 30 this year, has undergone a digital transformation under Frey's leadership, leaning much more heavily into paywalled and direct-to-consumer products.
- Under Frey, Slate launched a video unit to bring its writers, hosts and analysis to platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
- Frey revamped the outlet's newsletter products to address timely story opportunities with limited-series newsletters and doubled down on the outlet's longtime commitment to podcasting with show acquisitions and more bonus episodes. (Every one of Slate's 15 podcasts now features bonus episodes.)
- Frey oversaw the expansion of the company's best-known franchises, such as its advice column, and invested more in long-form feature writing.
State of play: Frey's promotion comes at a challenging time for the digital publishing industry, as AI threatens traffic and the subscription business becomes even more saturated.
- In a July regulatory filing, Graham Holdings said Slate reported lower revenue and operated at a loss in the first half of 2026, but did not disclose the dollar amount of either. The digital magazine employed just over 100 employees as of the end of 2025, per Graham Holdings' annual report.
What they're saying: O'Shaughnessy said Frey is the right person to lead Slate because of her deep understanding of the business and the role she's played in guiding the company's transformation over the past four years.
- "I want to be direct about what's ahead. The digital media landscape remains difficult, and Slate is not immune," he wrote in his staff memo. "Our priority for 2027 is to ensure Slate's financial stability while continuing to drive strong journalism.
- "That will require making choices about where we focus and how we operate. It also means investing where we see the most opportunity."
The big picture: Frey's appointment reflects a broader shift in digital media, where more top editors are moving into chief executive roles, either by appointment or through starting their own companies.
- Nick Thompson, former top editor for Wired, was named CEO of The Atlantic in 2020.
- Fast Company's top editor Stephanie Mehta became CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures, which owns Fast Company and Inc., in 2022.
- Time named longtime editor Edward Felsenthal CEO in September 2018, he retained his role as CEO and editor-in-chief for several years, until he became executive chairman in 2022.
Context: Other former top editors now serve as CEOs of media companies they founded, including Janice Min of The Ankler, Jessica Lessin of The Information, Jim VandeHei of Axios and Anna Palmer of Punchbowl News.
