Today, 31 March 2026, I step down as Chief Editor of News & Views — eight years after sending out the first newsletter in March 2018.
That first edition was a simple quarterly newsletter, sent via email. A small team of volunteers soon joined, and by early 2019, we had moved to publishing on the web. News & Views grew rapidly from there, both in member contributions and our global readership.
From major quarterlies and milestones like UNICEF@75 to our current daily blog format, we have continued to grow and change. We recently passed one million articles read — a remarkable achievement for a voluntary publication and a testament to our faithful contributors and readers. None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary commitment of our volunteer editors.
From the beginning we have viewed News & Views as a community publication, written not by publishers or editors, but by our members. I am proud of what the publication has become, and prouder still of the XUNICEF community it serves.
Stepping down as Chief Editor does not mean stepping away; I intend to remain an active contributor and will be available to support the new team whenever they need an extra pair of hands — or an old institutional memory.
News & Views is in good hands. I look forward to reading it.
Signing off as Chief Editor, Tom McDermott
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ReplyDeleteThanks Tom - for all of your hard work and vision to take this from a quarterly email to a vibrant blog site. As one of the new editors I know these are big shoes to fill. We commit to build on this strong foundation you laid and will strive to get the best out of our members - the best stories, best poems, best photos, best thoughts and best analysis of news with a UNICEF lens. Your legacy will live on
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob. I wish you and all the new editors great success and lots of fun along the way. It is great to know that we are leaving News & Views in very good hands. Tom
DeleteDear Tom - eight years is an extraordinary commitment, and your contribution has meant more than you may realise. You kept x-UNICEF woven together through the newsletter. Thank you for everything you’ve done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom for your efforts to keep us all informed and connected. No doubt you will continue to be active in other ways.
ReplyDeleteDear Tom, We will surely miss your outstanding commitment , dedication and high level of motivation in carrying out the job of Coordinator in bringing out the XUNICEF NEWS AND VIEWS for over 8 years, A big Thank you. You kept us updated on the various facets of Unicef as if we have been part of our dear Organization even after retirement, Well done, Stay healthy and blessed.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Tom for the extraordinary work you have done as the Chief Editor for 8 years.
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