Josh McKinney promoted to managing editor of The Paper

Josh McKinney

The Paper has promoted Josh McKinney to managing editor, a newsroom leadership role designed to strengthen daily operations, story planning and communication across the newspaper’s editorial operations.

McKinney has been a member of The Paper’s editorial team since 2023, most recently as assistant sports editor. As managing editor, he will work with Executive Editor Angela Kuper Copeland to help guide newsroom workflow, story flow and weekly budget planning.

McKinney will help coordinate the movement of stories from assignment to publication, support reporters in meeting deadlines and work with Copeland to keep weekly coverage priorities aligned with The Paper’s mission.

McKinney’s promotion reflects The Paper’s broader effort to build a sustainable local news operation around strong reporting, thoughtful editing and strong internal systems.

The promotion comes as The Paper continues to strengthen its role as Burke County’s locally owned source for local journalism in North Carolina.

“Josh has earned the trust of this newsroom through his work ethic, calm judgment and commitment to getting the work done,” Copeland said. “This promotion recognizes what he already brings to the team and gives him a larger role in helping us build a more focused, organized and effective newsroom.”

A Burke County journalist with a strong background in local sports coverage, McKinney has helped document the athletes, coaches, teams and communities that make sports an important part of life in the county.

"I am excited to step into a new role with The Paper, and I look forward to helping our talented team continue to put out a high-quality product,” McKinney said. “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity."

McKinney is married to Christine McKinney and is the proud father of 14-month-old Norah.

About The Paper:

The Paper is a locally owned print and digital newspaper based in Morganton, North Carolina, serving Burke County with local news, sports, features, public affairs coverage and community journalism. The Paper is published by Morganton Media Group, LLC.