Woman with local roots to lead newspaper

COLLINS — A woman with small-town roots now leads one of the biggest and most respected newspapers in North America. Ashley Bethard, a 2004 Western Reserve High School graduate, recently received a promotion as editor of the Dayton Daily News in Dayton, Ohio. The newspaper has won several state awards for its in-depth and investigative reporting. Additionally, Bethard also earned the title of chief content officer of Cox First Media, an affiliated company. Cox First Media owns serval newspapers in the southwest Ohio region along with managing Dayton.com, a lifestyle and entertainment-focused website. "In this role, I will lead the entire newsroom, setting the news brand, content, audience and product strategies for all of Cox First Media," said Bethard, who's married to her husband, Matthew Sliver, a business owner in the Dayton area. Bethard's tasked with maintaining the publication's stellar reputation while evolving it to ensure its longevity. "While our history began as a newspaper, we are a full-fledged digital operation that's committed to growing our reach in all digital areas: mobile apps, newsletters, social media, podcasts and our e-papers," Bethard said. "My role is different than previous editor roles in the sense that digital, audience and content functions are all combined. In order for us to continue charting a digital future, this made the most sense." Bethard, first hired by the media company about 10 years ago, worked her way up a corporate ladder rung by rung. Most notably, she: • Began as a digital audience specialist, an entry-level position in which she updated website content, programmed new apps and produced social media content for various brands • Transitioned to a social media product manager, putting together social media strategies for various brands with a focus on TV and newspapers • Pivoted into a role to create Dayton.com In fact, when Dayton.com debuted, Bethard modeled its appearance after and published articles mirroring a presentation found in Funcoast, the Register's former entertainment magazine. Bethard worked for the Register, in Sandusky, as its entertainment editor for Funcoast from 2009 to 2012. "Launching a new media brand in Dayton was probably one of the most exciting experiences in my career," Bethard said of Dayton.com. "We were experimenting with digital content and how to reach a younger audience in our community, and it was a lot of work, but it was so much fun." • Shifted into the role of deputy digital director, concentrating on digital content, engagement and social medial strategy And, before becoming editor, in March 2020, she served as Cox First Media's digital director. In this position, she supervised digital content, managed a breaking news team and introduced ways to create revenue while increasing subscriber counts. "What has kept me going is the belief I have in local news and the importance of journalism," Bethard said. "In a world where there's more and more noise, it's more critical than ever to make sure that we get this information to our readers and our audience in the ways that make sense to them. That ever-evolving challenge is exciting." Bethard set three goals for herself: "continue to serve the Dayton region with the journalism that matters most; ensure we are growing that next generation of subscribers while serving our loyal, longtime subscribers; and positioning ourselves as a digital-first organization." Those beliefs, among others, is what sets Bethard apart from others in her profession, making her a perfect fit in this new role, said Jana Collier, publisher of the Dayton Daily News and Cox First Media "Ashley is an innovative thinker who's led our team in the digital content space," Collier said. "She's deeply committed to local journalism and to our audience. She's perfectly positioned to help us grow our subscriber base and to increase the impact our local news coverage has on our community." Her moral compass originated from her time in Sandusky and when she grew up in Collins. Her parents, Charles and Linda, still live in the area. "I was so lucky to have so many talented folks to learn from across the entire organization," Bethard said about her years with the Register. "Being a smaller organization meant that I was given a lot of opportunities to wear many hats," she continued. "Everyone I worked with was so generous with their time, their knowledge and their connections. I wouldn't have been nearly as well-rounded from an organizational perspective if it weren't for them, and I'm so grateful."