05/28/2015

Seven questions with an ONA member: Mark Cohen

by Josh Park, Program Support Specialist

Mark Cohen, whose first newspaper industry job was as a sales representative and sports writer, has served as publisher of the Akron Beacon Journal and Ohio.com for the past year and a half. Cohen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from Northern Kentucky University.

Cohen considers Cincinnati his hometown. He has been married for 37 years and has two children: Brandon, 33, and Jenna, 27.

What sparked your interest in this career?
I always wanted to be a sports writer, so I set my career in motion to focus on that.

What’s the most difficult part of your job?
Getting everyone in the building to understand the importance of changing mindset.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing culture change take hold and watching employees thrive.

What are the two coolest new things your newspaper is doing?
Seeing new ideas, innovation and fresh approaches in motion and ultimately taking root. The second would be our content changes and new design.

What’s the biggest problem and biggest opportunity in our industry that people should be talking more about?
How do we reconnect with national advertisers? Difficult category but haven’t heard much on how to combat. Opportunity is growth in new digital products and services for customers.

If you could get an exclusive interview with one newsmaker past or present for your newspaper, who would it be and why?
John S. Knight. Fascinating individual and leader that was ahead of his time.

What are the most important benefits you get from ONA?
Networking with those around the state along with idea sharing.

 For upcoming issues of the Ohio Newspaper Association’s Bulletin, we want readers to get to know their fellow members, who are leaders in their organization and the newspaper industry. If you would like to participate in our Q&A, please send an email to Josh Park at jpark@ohionews.org.