Jeremy Iggers named to head Twin Cities Media Alliance

"I'm excited about this opportunity", said Iggers. "The mission of the Media Alliance is to bring together media professionals and engaged citizens to improve the quality, diversity and accountability of the local media. Given the recent changes taking place on the local media scene, the need for that kind of collaboration has never been greater."

"We are very pleased and excited to have Jeremy Iggers serving as our executive director," said Rich Broderick, chair of the TC Media Alliance Board of Directors. "While many people have contributed to the success of the Twin Cities Media Alliance and the TC Daily Planet, the truth is that neither of them would exist today without his vision and leadership. He has been the key figure in making this happen."

In addition to publishing the Daily Planet, the TC Media Alliance provides media skills and citizen journalism classes and has hosted two annual public forums on citizens and the media. "We plan to start a regular program of brown bag lunches to bring local journalists face to face with the public," says Iggers.

While at the Star Tribune, Iggers wrote about restaurants, food and ethics, and won two national awards for overseas reporting, including an Overseas Press Club of America award for a series of articles on global food issues. In addition to his better-known restaurant reviews, Iggers has written several books, including Good News, Bad News: Journalism Ethics and the Public Interest, The Garden of Eating: Food, Sex and the Hunger for Meaning, and The Joy of Cheesecake, coauthored with Dana Bovbjerg.

Iggers said his byline won't disappear completely. "I plan to do some freelance writing, and I hope my byline will show up from time to time in the Twin Cities Daily Planet." For updates on his other projects, readers can check his blog, iggersdigest.com.