The Community Exchange Podcast by OpenWeb NYT & WSJ Journalist Turned Publishing Exec with Louise Story
Aug 19, 2025
Louise Story, CEO of Atlas Obscura and former award-winning investigative journalist, discusses her evolution through prominent media roles. She highlights how algorithms altered newsrooms and shares insights on the value of 'new news' in an AI-driven landscape. Challenges in publishing, user behavior shifts, and the necessity for innovation in journalism are central themes. Louise also emphasizes the power of community contributions in storytelling and the importance of authenticity to engage modern audiences.
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Advertising Beat Shaped Her Business Lens
- Louise Story started at The New York Times covering advertising and learned how ad measurement and tech giants shaped media.
- That early beat gave her a rare business perspective that later informed product and leadership roles.
Frontline Reporting During 2008 Crisis
- In 2008 Louise covered Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch as they collapsed and spent months inside executive halls and talking to short sellers.
- That frontline reporting fed later investigations into the crisis and deepened her investigative skills.
Investigation That Drove Real-World Consequences
- Louise investigated owners in the Time Warner complex and uncovered global illicit money linked to the Malaysian kleptocracy.
- Her reporting helped trigger a DOJ grand jury and led to billions returned and settlements with Goldman Sachs.