Hannah McClellan named CN+R’s web editor

'A newspaper’s online presence can play a big role in how accessible its stories are to readers'

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News + Record reporter Hannah McClellan has added “web editor” to her title, Publisher and Editor Bill Horner III has announced.

“In this new role, Hannah will oversee our work as a team to give our readers a more robust experience, and to help us develop a more engaging website and social media presence,” Horner said.

McClellan, who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill last May with a degree in journalism and global studies, has worked with the News + Record over the last eight months covering education, local government and more.

“We’ve all relied on Hannah’s insights about digital content creation and social media platforms, so it just makes sense to create this new role for her and give her additional responsibilities for helping us grow our audiences,” Horner said.

“I love many things about journalism, but one of the most important parts of the job to me is the very real need and responsibility to find, report and tell stories that matter to your community in a way that’s accessible and makes sense,” McClellan said. “I absolutely think a newspaper’s online presence can play a big role in how accessible its stories are to readers, and I’m excited to step into this role formally and keep learning more about web design and analytics — what works and what doesn’t.”

A native of Currituck, McClellan was on The Daily Tar Heel’s investigations team while at UNC and previously wrote for Star News Online, The Durham VOICE and UNC Media Hub.

“I’ve loved reading and writing since I was a little girl, so I’ve always been really fond of the art of storytelling,” she said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen the positive impact community-oriented, responsible journalism can have, and I feel so lucky to play a small part in the good journalism the News + Record is producing. I’m passionate about using journalism to share and amplify important, yet often overlooked voices and stories, and grateful for Bill’s trust in his reporters to find and tell important stories. I’m excited for all the good journalism in the months to come.”

In recent months, the News + Record has been focusing on creating additional new content for the newspaper’s website — www.chathamnewsrecord.com — on a 24/7 basis, Horner said. And in addition to the growth in print subscribers, the newspaper’s award-winning e-newsletter — The Chatham Brew — and soon-to-be-announced new print and digital products will give Chatham residents even more access to content in the platforms of their choice.

McClellan will specifically be instrumental in one of the new projects — a parenting e-newsletter — the News + Record is developing with two local partners; it is expected to debut in the late spring.