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Abernathy, Penny
Knight Chair in Journalism and Digital Media Economics
M.B.A., Columbia University
M.S., Columbia University
B.A., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Abernathy, a journalism professional with more than 30 years experience as a reporter, editor and media executive, became the Knight Chair in Journalism and Digital Media Economics at the school July 1, 2008.
Abernathy, a Laurinburg, N.C., native and former executive at The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, specializes in preserving quality journalism by helping the news business succeed economically in the digital media environment. Before joining the school, she was vice president and executive director of industry programs at the Paley Center for Media in New York City.
As an executive, Abernathy launched new enterprises and helped increase revenue at some of the nation's most prominent news organizations and publishing companies, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Harvard Business Review. At The Wall Street Journal, she oversaw the international division and reversed its declining revenue to profitability in less than a year.
Before moving to the business side of the industry, Abernathy served as a newspaper reporter or editor at several daily newspapers, including The Charlotte Observer, The Greensboro News & Record, The Dallas Times-Herald, The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, The Fayetteville Times and The Laurinburg Exchange.
At Carolina, Abernathy focuses her expertise on 21st-century economic models that will improve the ability of journalists to produce news in the public interest. She creates innovative new courses and practical research, and shares her work widely to help journalists and media industry managers take on the industry's economic challenges.
Abernathy was inducted to the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame in 1998 and delivered the Roy H. Park Distinguished Lecture at the school in April 2005.
Office phone: 919.843.4910
Office location: Carroll 397
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abernathy, a Laurinburg, N.C., native and former executive at The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, specializes in preserving quality journalism by helping the news business succeed economically in the digital media environment. Before joining the school, she was vice president and executive director of industry programs at the Paley Center for Media in New York City.
As an executive, Abernathy launched new enterprises and helped increase revenue at some of the nation's most prominent news organizations and publishing companies, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Harvard Business Review. At The Wall Street Journal, she oversaw the international division and reversed its declining revenue to profitability in less than a year.
Before moving to the business side of the industry, Abernathy served as a newspaper reporter or editor at several daily newspapers, including The Charlotte Observer, The Greensboro News & Record, The Dallas Times-Herald, The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, The Fayetteville Times and The Laurinburg Exchange.
At Carolina, Abernathy focuses her expertise on 21st-century economic models that will improve the ability of journalists to produce news in the public interest. She creates innovative new courses and practical research, and shares her work widely to help journalists and media industry managers take on the industry's economic challenges.
Abernathy was inducted to the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame in 1998 and delivered the Roy H. Park Distinguished Lecture at the school in April 2005.
Office phone: 919.843.4910
Office location: Carroll 397
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
