Word In Black Appointed Ed Graves as CEO
The media collaborative has hired the publishing veteran to scale its affiliate network and revenue initiatives.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in People
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Word In Black has named Ed Graves as its new chief executive officer to lead the organization into its next phase of growth. Launched in 2021, the collaborative consists of 10 publishing partners focused on developing sustainable revenue opportunities.
Why it matters
As the organization moves beyond its startup phase, the leadership transition signals a pivot toward expanding the publisher affiliate network and formalizing research and event initiatives.
Word In Black currently oversees a network of 10 publishing partners. Incoming CEO Ed Graves brings 25 years of media leadership experience to the role, including past oversight of a $20 million budget at USA WEEKEND Magazine.
The players
Word In Black
A media collaborative consisting of 10 publishing partners focused on sustainable business models.
Ed Graves
A media executive with 25 years of experience including roles at New Mexico Magazine, GateHouse Media, and The Jackson Sun.
The details
Graves will work alongside the board of directors and current staff to build on the organization's existing infrastructure. His operational focus includes scaling the affiliate network and broadening the company's research and data initiatives. These efforts are aimed at diversifying revenue streams for the partner outlets.
Timeline
Word In Black launched in 2021.
New Mexico Magazine received the 2024 Magazine of the Year award.
Ed Graves was appointed CEO of Word In Black in October 2026.
Market Landscape
This leadership hire follows the documented industry shift toward the 2021 launch of publisher-led collaborative networks. The appointment marks a transition from founding-stage development to established operational scaling.
Operators should monitor the upcoming expansion of the affiliate network for potential partnership or content distribution opportunities. Organizations should watch the new research and event initiatives as potential benchmarks for industry data tracking.
The takeaway
The transition to professional executive leadership suggests the collaborative is shifting focus toward long-term operational sustainability. Business owners in the media space should track the organization's new research initiatives as a signal for future revenue development models.
Further reading
For more on shifts in industry leadership, visit our People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Editor and Publisher.
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