Slate Appoints Hillary Frey as New CEO

Hillary Frey will maintain her role as editor-in-chief while taking over as the company's chief executive.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Media

Bold flat-color editorial illustration featuring a professional microphone and reading glasses, symbolizing the intersection of media and executive leadership. — Slate has appointed editor-in-chief Hillary Frey as its new CEO, tasking her with aligning the company's editorial and business operations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Slate has appointed Hillary Frey as its new CEO, tasking her with overseeing the business side of the organization. Frey will continue to lead the newsroom, a position she has held since 2022.

Why it matters

This appointment aims to bridge the gap between editorial and revenue operations at the media company. By aligning leadership, Slate seeks to elevate its editorial products to bolster subscription revenue after experiencing recent financial losses.

Slate reported lower revenue and operated at a loss in the first half of 2026. The media company employed just over 100 people at the end of 2025.

The players

Hillary Frey

She is the new CEO of Slate who will concurrently maintain her duties as the editor-in-chief of the publication.

Dan Check

He previously served as the CEO of Slate before being succeeded by Hillary Frey.

Slate

It is an online media outlet owned by Graham Holdings that focuses on news, politics, and culture.

The details

Frey previously revamped the organization's newsletter offerings while increasing investments in podcasting and long-form feature writing. Under her guidance, the company also launched a new video unit for social platforms, and all 15 of its podcasts now feature bonus episodes.

Hillary Frey was named CEO of Slate on October 20, 2026.
Hillary Frey became Slate editor-in-chief in 2022.
Slate employed just over 100 people on December 31, 2025.

Market Landscape

The move follows a pattern set by the 2020 appointment of Nick Thompson as CEO of The Atlantic, where editors have increasingly stepped into broader executive leadership roles. This strategy aims to unify editorial vision with revenue targets in a competitive digital media market.

The transition could signal changes in how subscribers interact with Slate's editorial features and podcast offerings. Readers may see a sharper focus on content that drives subscription revenue as the company aims to move back toward financial stability.

The takeaway

This leadership consolidation reflects the ongoing trend of media outlets simplifying their organizational structures to survive challenging economic environments. Readers can anticipate a continued focus on core editorial pillars and podcasting as the company seeks a path toward growth in 2027.