Margie Cochrane, an experienced newspaper executive with expertise in digital and print advertising, marketing and business development, will rejoin The E.W. Scripps Company as publisher of the Ventura County Star, effective immediately.
She replaces George Cogswell, who left the Star after five years as publisher to become the publisher of The Commercial Appeal, the Scripps-owned newspaper in Memphis.
“Margie has an extensive background in local media sales and product development,” said Tim Stautberg, Scripps senior vice president of newspapers. “She has been responsible for relationships with national and major accounts while also advancing the rollout of community newspapers and niche publications. She is experienced, thoughtful and passionate about the role we play in the communities we serve. I have no doubt that our relationships with readers and businesses in Ventura County will continue to grow in both number and strength.”
In her career path, leadership opportunities abounded in several large, competitive markets including Denver, Phoenix and Los Angeles.
Cochrane started her career with Scripps in 1983 at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. Over the course of 15 years in Colorado, she held numerous sales management positions including display advertising sales manager, major accounts sales manager and national advertising manager.
Cochrane joined the Arizona Republic in 1998, becoming the director of advertising in 2001. She was part of an executive team that developed and launched a roll-out of 18 community newspapers in Greater Phoenix over a two-year period.
In 2008 she accepted the role of senior vice president of advertising with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Most recently, she was the senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Los Angeles News Group, publisher of 11 newspaper websites, nine daily newspapers and multiple weeklies competing in the country’s second-largest market.
She has served as a board member for Make a Wish (Wisconsin), the Milwaukee Better Business Bureau and the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, and she served as board member and president of the Midwest Ad Directors Association.
Cochrane earned her bachelor of liberal arts degree in journalism from the University of Iowa, where she also was a scholarship athlete.
About Scripps
Scripps (www.scripps.com) delivers quality journalism and creates valuable marketing environments through television stations, newspapers and a growing menu of digital products and services that now includes social games. Creative and mission-driven employees “give light so the people can find their own way” at 19 television stations in major U.S. markets and at newspapers in 13 markets.