Jonathan Bach has been selected to be the 2015-2016 Ethos Editor in Chief by the magazine’s current Senior Staff.
Bach, an Ethos feature writer for more than two years, is a junior majoring in Journalism and minoring in Russian. Bach previously studied abroad in Vienna, Austria as a part of the International Journalistic Interview program led by journalism professor Peter Laufer. There he was an intern at Wiener Zeitung, one of the world’s oldest newspapers.
His work has appeared in The Register-Guard, The Source Weekly, Wiener Zeitung, and Ethos. He has contributed to Ethos writing features that explore human connectivity locally and internationally. For the Winter 2015 issue of the magazine, Bach wrote “The Ukrainian Dilemma,” covering the Ukrainian conflict in detail. He wrote the 2,500 word piece while living in Lvov, Ukraine during the summer of 2014.
Laufer was impressed with Bach’s work ethic in Vienna, remembering his enthusiasm for reporting on a demonstration against Vladimir Putin. “As soon as class was over that day he was on the scene, reporting on street demonstrations. And days after the term was over Bach was on a train for Ukraine. The following weekend his report filled the op-ed page of The Register-Guard. Those are just two examples from my experiences with him of how Jonathan Bach lives the news. What an ideal choice for the Ethos Editor in Chief,” Laufer says.
- Jonathan Bach reporting in Vienna at an anti-Putin demonstration. (Image courtesy of Peter Laufer)
Bach envisions the future of Ethos as an organization with a strong print publication that pushes the boundaries of what a magazine can do through multimedia and live events.
“I’m excited to build the magazine’s digital platform, engaging our readers online as well as in print,” Bach says. “Now is the time to make leaps in audiovisual storytelling, as well as encourage wordsmiths to practice their craft.”
“Jon will be a great leader for Ethos,” says the magazine’s current Editor in Chief Gordon Friedman. “His vision is exactly what will help propel the publication forward. He knows how to conceptualize stories and also ask, ‘What editorial aren’t we making that we should be?’”
Bach’s experience as a Resident Advisor with University of Oregon Housing was also a factor in his selection. As a Resident Advisor, he learned to be approachable and also lead by example.
Bach looks to experiment with content while also retaining the non-fiction narrative style that is central to Ethos’ work. “In order to reveal something greater about the human condition, we write about people’s struggles and their triumphs, both internal and external,” he says. “Ethos storytellers produce narratives that touch on deeply human themes. It’s this staff focused on the human elements of journalism that I am grateful to be able to lead next year.”
