Source Media Properties names Jay Allred as new CEO

Jay Allred

Source Media Properties, a leading U.S. local media company, is happy to announce that Jay Allred has been promoted to the position of chief executive officer, effective immediately. Allred, who has been with the company since its inception in 2013, has been serving as president since 2017.

Allred has been an instrumental leader at the organization. Under his leadership, the company has grown significantly and expanded its reach, becoming a trusted source of news and information in North Central Ohio.

Some of Allred's key accomplishments include:

• Guiding the development of Source Media Properties' solutions-focused newsroom culture, which has been recognized for its innovative approach to local news and storytelling.
• Growing a team of journalists to serve news readers across three Ohio counties, as well as leading the expansion of the company’s branding and content agency, Source Brand Solutions.
• Creating and fostering partnerships with numerous local organizations and businesses, which have helped to build a stronger sense of community and a deep well of support and understanding of the importance of trusted local journalism in North Central Ohio.
• Serving as board chair of LION Publishers from 2020-2021, which is the  leading organization dedicated to supporting the growth and success of independent online local news publishers.
• Co-founding Lede AI, a natural language AI startup that serves the local news industry, where he will continue to focus on business development and marketing in his role as chief revenue officer.
• He was a 2022 Sulzberger Fellow at the Columbia Journalism School, where he worked on the development of easy-to-use AI tools for local newsrooms around the globe.

Carlton Fernyak, the company's founder, said, "I am excited to have Jay stepping into the role of CEO. He has been an essential part of the Source Media Properties since day one, and his leadership and vision have helped us become the company we are today. I am confident that he will continue to guide us towards even greater success in the years to come."

Allred said, "I am honored to take on this new role. We have a talented and dedicated team, and there’s no way I could take on this responsibility without their professionalism and rock-solid dedication to our company values. Together, we’ve accomplished a lot over the past decade and I’m excited to lead us into the next one. I am also grateful to Carl for his leadership and support over the years. We’re committed to building on the foundation he has laid."

As CEO, Allred will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Source Media Properties’ operations. The company will continue to focus on providing local news and information that is relevant, engaging and meaningful to the community it serves.

About Source Media Properties:

Source Media Properties is a multi-faceted digital media company based in Mansfield, Ohio. It consists of three hyper-local online news properties, a content and branding agency and an artificial intelligence startup. Its mission is to inform, engage and empower communities  through impactful journalism and communication tools made for readers, small businesses and newsrooms. The Source newsrooms have become known for their tightly focused local coverage, entrepreneurial culture and national leadership in audience engagement, revenue generation and the practice of solutions journalism. Source reporters serve nearly a half million users a month across four counties in North Central Ohio.