About

Howard Goldberg is a long-time editor and news executive with extensive experience managing coverage of breaking news of all types for all platforms. He works as a freelance project editor, and his NewsDigits company offers online content and audience engagement solutions.

About this site

NewsDigits.com aims to present accurate information about how data can be used and misused in journalism, with insight into the rising role of digital metrics and analytics. It presents commentary and links of interest to anyone who values good writing and storytelling and is interested in maximizing audience engagement.

Bio and background

Goldberg worked as the New York bureau chief for Associated Press, a global news agency known for its accuracy and objectivity, from 2005 to February 2015. That job evolved into a business development role: marketing campaigns that resulted in contracts to provide digital news products to publishing companies ranging from small startups to global enterprises.

Howard at the AP world headquarters in New York City.

Goldberg’s 29-year AP career including overseeing the agency’s national polling in the 1990s and coverage of news such as plane crashes, natural disasters, the arrest and trial of Michael Jackson, the death of Ronald Reagan and economic trends. He began his journalism career as a reporter covering police, courts and city hall, and later worked as a copy editor at The Charlotte Observer and the AP national news desk before becoming an AP bureau manager in Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles and New York City.

Goldberg developed and taught a course about online news at St. John’s University. He has organized workshops, made conference presentations and published commentaries on the use of data and metrics in journalism and publishing. He has recently edited a dozen books on diverse subjects including executive leadership, personal finance, sales, jury selection, pest control, outsourcing and education accountability policies. His other interests include disruptive technology, healthy cooking, outdoors activities such as hiking and camping, and foreign travel to more than 20 countries. He lives in Palm Springs, Calif. and Vancouver, BC.

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Recent writing

Ghostwriting of Forbes Books on executive leadership, business growth and other topics, and author voice blogs.

Summary of 12 propositions on the November 2020 California ballot (for KCET-TV) archived here

Guest column in The Desert Sun on border closure

Tips for Managing Coronavirus Reporting Risks

Recent editing work samples

INN Index reports from Institute for Nonprofit News, 2018-2022.

Case studies from INN/Google News Initiative showing how Block Club Chicago used email newsletter advertising to accelerate its earned revenue operations, Grist strategically packaged display advertising and sponsored content opportunities and VTDigger built a robust series of sponsored, virtual events throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Rising Star in Nonprofit News

KCET SoCal Connected Investigation of Wage Theft

KCRW’s “There Goes the Neighborhood” Series (fact-checking an eight-part investigative series on public radio)

View Howard Goldberg's profile on LinkedIn