Jeff Poor, the now-former executive editor at 1819 News, has been promoted to editor-in-chief to lead the outlet to new heights as its “head coach,” CEO Bryan Dawson said.
"In the state of Alabama, the importance of having a good head coach is well understood. For 1819 News, finding the person that would run our newsroom was tantamount to having the right head coach,” Dawson said. “We needed someone who was fearless but had the bona fides to run a real newsroom. Someone who could actually lead and create a healthy culture in the newsroom, who inspires the reporters to give everything they have every single day. That is what we found in Jeff Poor.”
Dawson attributes much of 1819 News’ success to the leadership of Poor as executive editor, and Dawson expects even bigger things from him as he serves in his new role.
“Because of the job he has done as the Executive Editor, we are promoting him to the Editor-in-Chief position which means he is completely in charge of all new operations,” Dawson said. “To keep the football metaphors going, this is 1819 putting our franchise tag on Jeff, he is the man that will take us where we need to go. He will lead us to become the news/media outlet of record for the state of Alabama."
Poor has been with 1819 News for nearly a year and a half, serving first as political editor before becoming executive editor in August 2022. He hosts the daily "Jeff Poor Show" on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5 and has previously served as editor of Breitbart News' media vertical, Breitbart TV.
He also has been a regular contributor to several Alabama news organizations and nationally with the Daily Caller and the Media Research Center.
When 1819 News needed an executive editor, Dawson set out on a nationwide search for the right person to fill the role. Little did he know the best man for the job was already in-house.
‘We did a national search for an executive editor before landing on Jeff, and even other candidates we spoke with across the country recommended him for the job,” he said. “I wasn't sure he would walk away from being an Editor at Breitbart to help me build 1819, we were essentially a start-up when he committed, but he believed in the vision. He wants to use his gifts, talents, abilities, resources, and relationships to make Alabama a better place and that is why he is a perfect fit. People of this caliber don't grow on trees. You're talking about a guy that worked directly for Tucker Carlson at the Daily Caller who was hired away from there personally by Steve Bannon to work at Breitbart. That's his pedigree, and that's a level of experience few in Alabama can lay claim to.”
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