Tyee’s Biz Strategist Chosen to Join Trailblazing Women Working to Fix Journalism

The Tyee team is very proud of chief revenue officer Jeanette Ageson, who has been chosen to participate in a select program “that supercharges the leadership and management skills of women who are pushing digital innovation” in media.

Ageson is pleased and excited, though a little embarrassed that we are making her publicize this news to Tyee readers. But we think it is extremely cool.

What does it mean that Jeanette is The Tyee’s chief revenue officer? Just that she is tasked with reinventing the business model for journalism every day, and keeping the Tyee going in an era of shrinking ad dollars and creepy Facebook algorithms of mass distraction.

“The Tyee is such an exciting place to work in that we’re constantly trying out ways to support paid journalism that operates outside of the big chain players in the country. This just isn’t possible without the huge amount of support from our readers,” says Ageson. “I’m really looking forward to meeting up with other women who are trying out experiments in other media and hashing out what has been working.”

The Women’s Leadership Accelerator program is held by the Online News Association and brings together 25 women from across North America for a “week of mentoring, discussion and learning from some of the top minds in digital media.”

Participants work in different aspects of digital media. This year’s cohort includes a mix of journalists, editors, publishers and producers at outlets such as Vox Media, Bitch Media, Time, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, the Globe and Mail, the Christian Science Monitor, and more.

Competition for the slots was fierce. Then again, so are Jeanette’s skills. As Tyee founding editor David Beers wrote in a letter recommending her for a spot in the program: “Jeanette is one of the quickest studies I’ve met, educating herself on all facets of her job, from revenue forecasting to video editing, largely through YouTube and her network of associates. She is unfailingly positive and friendly and never wavers in her commitment to The Tyee’s stated mission to publish credible, fact-based journalism rooted in values of social and environmental sustainability not widely reflected in corporate media.”

Ageson joined the Tyee in 2014 as director of community development, heading up the organization’s Tyee Builder program. Under her direction, the program has more than doubled.

In 2016, following the departure of Tyee co-founder and former business director Michelle Hoar, Ageson took on the role of chief revenue officer and now leads all revenue generation roles at The Tyee, including investor relations, advertising, sponsorships, events, and reader funding.

She will be heading to Los Angeles, California later this month to take part in the accelerator. Please join us in congratulating her and wishing her luck!