Boston, December 15, 2025 – In a move that signals both a return to familiar leadership and a bold step into an uncertain future, The Boston Globe announced today that Brian McGrory will rejoin the organization as its editor, effective January 5, 2026.

This editorial appointment sees the return of a seasoned newsroom leader who previously navigated the Globe through significant industry shifts.

McGrory brings a distinguished 34-year history with the Globe, having held nearly every imaginable role, from general assignment and White House correspondent to metro columnist and, notably, editor from 2012 to early 2023.

During his initial tenure as editor, he spearheaded the newsroom’s transformation, injecting new beats, revitalizing editorial outlooks, and pushing a stronger emphasis on digital journalism.

Under his watch, The Boston Globe garnered multiple Pulitzer Prizes and significantly expanded its digital subscriber base—a rare feat for a regional newspaper in a challenging era.

The Globe, a 27-time Pulitzer Prize winner, boasts the highest total number of subscribers since 2008, showcasing its enduring local impact.

However, McGrory’s recent absence from the Globe has been anything but quiet. He’s been deeply engaged in the broader journalism landscape, serving as chair of the Journalism Department at Boston University, where he launched the ambitious Local News Initiative. This effort aims to foster collaboration among New England’s nonprofit and independent news organizations, even launching the BU Newsroom to produce professionally edited, student-written stories.

He also lent his leadership to The Baltimore Banner, one of the nation’s fastest-growing nonprofit news organizations, serving in multiple roles, including interim CEO and interim editor, where it also bagged its first Pulitzer Prize.

Linda Henry, CEO of Boston Globe Media, expressed enthusiasm for his return, stating, “Brian’s passion for the Globe and his love of Boston are deeply intertwined.” Yet, McGrory himself acknowledged the unexpected nature of his return: “Life doesn’t always follow plans, and this wasn’t part of mine.”

He emphasized his pride in the Globe and the honor of returning to play a “helpful role during this complicated moment in the region and beyond.” It’s a candid admission that the media industry’s challenges haven’t lessened; in fact, they’ve likely multiplied.

He further noted that he “arrives back with some added experiences from my time away, the Globe is in a different place than when I left, and the industry has entirely new challenges to face.”

This raises a critical question: how will his experience in academia and the nonprofit sector, focusing on collaboration and new models, translate back into a major metropolitan news organization? Will his insights from fostering independent news initiatives influence the Globe’s strategy, or will the scale of a traditional institution temper those impulses?

McGrory’s return is a powerful statement about the enduring value of institutional knowledge and leadership. The Boston Globe, headquartered in Boston with regional bureaus, is a cornerstone of New England media.

But as the industry grapples with financial pressures, digital disruption, and the fight against misinformation, even a celebrated leader returning home faces a daunting task.

Can one editor, no matter how accomplished, truly drive the Globe forward in an era of “entirely new challenges”? The region, and indeed the broader journalism world, will be watching closely.