Current Fellow
Martin Baron
The 2023 Richman Distinguished Fellow in Public Life is Martin Baron.
Martin “Marty” Baron retired as executive editor of The Washington Post on February 28, 2021, after overseeing its newsroom for more than eight years. He oversaw The Post’s print and digital news operations and a staff of about 1,000 journalists.
Newsrooms under his leadership have won 18 Pulitzer Prizes, including 11 at The Post. The Post won twice for public service, four times for national reporting, twice for explanatory reporting and once each for investigative reporting, criticism and feature photography for coverage during his tenure.
Previously, Baron had been editor of The Boston Globe. During his 11½ years there, The Globe won six Pulitzer Prizes — for public service, explanatory journalism, national reporting and criticism. The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service was awarded to The Globe in 2003 for its investigation into a pattern of concealing clergy sex abuse in the Catholic Church, coverage portrayed years later in the Academy Award-winning movie “Spotlight.”
Before The Globe, he held senior editing positions at The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Miami Herald. Under his leadership as the top editor, The Miami Herald won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Coverage in 2001 for its reporting of the raid to recover Elián González, the Cuban boy at the center of a fierce immigration and custody dispute.
He began his journalism career at The Miami Herald in 1976, serving as a state reporter and later as a business writer. In 1979, he moved to The Los Angeles Times, where he became business editor in 1983; assistant managing editor for page-one special reports, public opinion polling and special projects in 1991; and, in 1993, editor of the newspaper’s Orange County Edition, which then had about 165 staffers.
In 1996, Baron moved to The New York Times; he became associate managing editor responsible for the nighttime news operations of the newspaper in 1997. He was named executive editor at the Miami Herald at the start of 2000.
Baron was born and raised in Tampa, Fla. He graduated from Lehigh University in 1976, completing a 5-year Arts-MBA program in four years to receive both a B.A. in journalism and an M.B.A. Baron speaks fluent Spanish.
Baron will be in residence March 15–17, 2023. The Richman award presentation and lecture will be held on March 16 at 4pm in Rapaporte Treasure Hall (Goldfarb Library) and will be live streamed. The title of Baron's lecture is "In Defense of Objectivity."
Other events open to the public during Baron's Richman campus residency:
Film screening and discussion
• March 15
• 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center
Screening of the award-winning feature film Spotlight about investigative work carried out by The Boston Globe, under the direction of Baron, that uncovered a pattern of Catholic clergy sex abuse. The film will be followed by a discussion with Baron, led by Brandeis journalism professors Neil Swidey and Ann Silvio, with audience Q&A. Refreshments will be served.
Open class session
• March 16
• 2:20 to 3:20 p.m.
• Alumni Lounge, Usdan Student Center
Baron will speak at a joint session of several journalism classes. Guests are welcome.