Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Timeline
Generic

Steven Devadanam

Houston,TX

Summary

LONGTIME TEXAS MEDIA PRESENCE: Editorial director / strategist with leadership and management experience as national advisor, editor-in-chief (EIC), managing editor, and section editor in Houston. Multimedia veteran with leadership roles at national outlets including CNN.com, NFL Network, Modern Luxury Media, and Village Voice Media. Currently contribute to The New York Times and Houston Chronicle.

VERSATILE STRATEGIST: Creative conceptualizer capable of conceiving, developing, and promoting daily digital news with corresponding broadcast content, new campaigns, features and columns. Journalistic expertise covers all daily sections: news, culture, arts, dining, entertainment, sports, politics, real estate and business. Connected ambassador who leverages contacts to win exclusives.

DIGITAL / AUDIENCE GROWTH SPECIALIST: Proven track record in exceeding KPIs (40% digital audience growth in most recent leadership role). Generated more than $1.8 million of annual earned media exposure (documented) in most recent EIC role. Experimental strategist harnessing Chartbeat analytics, A/B testing, SEO and Google News trends. Scored company record for pageviews in most recent EIC role.

MUTLIFACETED LEADER: Agile self-starter and player-coach who thrives in high-pressure environments and managing celebrity creatives. Quick-pivot manager who balances breaking news, multiple desks, goals, staff and budgets. Collaborative ambassador who fosters synergy between internal and external silos, corporate leadership and local newsrooms.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

Freelance Reporter

The New York Times
01.2024 - Current
  • Develop story ideas, pitch, conduct in-depth interviews, fact check, and submit engaging, entertaining, and accurate stories for New York Times Culture desk (Television and Movies).
  • First NYT story (on popular TV show Dark Winds) was selected to lead print Arts section.
  • Crafted story to capitalize on Brad Pitt's F1 movie buzz with story on best racing movies of all time (Movies).
  • Assigning editor, Television: Jeremy Egner (open to questions)
  • Assigning editor, Movies: Mekado Murphy

Freelance Reporter

Houston Chronicle
12.2024 - Current
  • Develop story ideas, conduct in-depth interviews, report and write, and submit engaging, thoroughly fact-checked stories for Houston Chronicle Arts & Entertainment section (Cary Darling, editor).
  • Scooped competing outlets on profile of Houston-born Saturday Night Live head writer for SNL's 50th anniversary coverage.

Editorial Consultant

Various
04.2024 - Current
  • Directed CultureMap on best practices in headline optimization, voice, Google News results, and SEO, leading to increased engagement.
  • Mentored new and existing CultureMap editors and writers in style, voice, and story pitches,
  • Strategize, write, and edited content (taglines, headlines, online copy) for HILL Branding Solution s and its Fortune 50 clients.
  • Create content strategy, write, and edit copy for multiple local clients.

Editor-in-Chief (founding EIC; 2009)

CultureMap Houston
01.2017 - 01.2024
    • Company Overview: https://houston.culturemap.com/
    • Spearheaded target demographic refresh and merged local coverage with national lifestyle, culture, and entertainment trends after helping launch site in 2009.
    • Netted 40% page view growth on site and 35% advertising revenue growth year-over-year. Grew Instagram following by 25% and 35% growth in Facebook followers. Generated newsletter strategies to increase subscriptions by at least 15% in less than one year. Scored company pageview record in 2022 with World Series coverage.
    • Led daily and weekly staff meetings and recruited, managed, and coached staff and freelance writers, photographers, videographers, and celebrity columnists. Coordinated with internal graphics, marketing, and business departments to capitalize on opportunities. Worked daily with internal and international IT departments on statewide site redesign. Directed all editorial operations, editing, proofreading, and visual quality and consistency. Oversaw budgets and contractor talent pool. Launched and directed new editorial columns and features that led to sponsorships and pageview boosts.
    • Executed new content strategy through analytics and A/B testing to foster best practices for publishing schedule, cadence, headlines, formats, length, voice, and tone and to establish new KPIs. Workshopped trending buzzwords and key SEO drivers to concoct eye-catching headlines and secure best-in-market placement on Google News for maximum engagement.
    • Co-hosted and co-produced weekly broadcast and streaming segments via a strategic partnership that I spearheaded with Disney-owned broadcast partner ABC13. This surpassed KPIs by generating more than $1.8 million annually in earned media exposure.
    • Secured numerous first-in-market exclusives as EIC, including breaking news of Olympic legend Simone Biles' surprise wedding. Recruited celebrity columnists and contributors Bun B, food star Chris Shepherd and (Houston Astros celeb wife) Reagan Bregman to create top pageviews and Google News-topping content.

Creative Consultant / Writer

CNN.com / Courageous Studios / Warner Bros.
08.2017 - 12.2017
  • Curated and crafted a compelling, nationwide, highly visible Hurricane Harvey multimedia, long-form feature, while navigating the aftermath of the historic, catastrophic storm.
  • Harnessed Houston contacts and sources to quickly source story on tight turnaround.
  • Project demanded months-long reporting and writing and centered on Houston storm survivors striving for fresh food access in a flood-devastated city.
  • Timely feature package enjoyed prime visibility on CNN.com to its 100 million monthly readers.
  • Project management required daily coordination with Aetna, CNN.com, and Courageous leadership, freelance contractors, and local sources.

Segment Producer / Writer

NFL Network
08.2014 - 02.2015
  • Engaged and retained a nationwide, daily broadcast audience of 72 million households by writing and creating high-energy show opens, sizzle packages, features, and tease segments for NFL Network's flagship show, NFL GameDay Morning.
  • Showcased the NFL's signature event, the Super Bowl, by creating and developing packages, show open segments, and anchor scripts for NFL Network's evening program, Super Bowl Tonight.
  • Served as write/tease segment producer for network's newest program, The Aftermath, and its daily afternoon show, Around the NFL. Coordinated with multiple departments and executive leadership to promote NFL Network's newest product (NFL Now), while adhering to NFL's strict policies and directives.

Editor-in-Chief

Modern Luxury Media
02.2007 - 02.2010
    • Recruited by Modern Luxury Media as Houston and Texas expert for inaugural publication.
    • Led editorial operations as founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Media's new men's magazine, Men's Book Houston.
    • Recruited and managed all writers and photographers, oversaw photo shoots, traveled for remote reporting, wrote or edited all national and local features, and finalized and coordinated production for 124-page, glossy magazine.
    • Collaborated daily with sales, marketing, and promotional departments to execute pivotal first-to-market launch.
    • Developed editorial voice from headlines to capsule and listing copy while maintaining legacy guideline's. reinforcing the publication''s unique identity.
    • Served as editor-at-large and writer for national stories and features for company's 22 markets.

National Digital Team Senior Advisor / Columnist / Managing Editor

Village Voice Media
02.2004 - 01.2007
  • Hand-picked for Village Voice Media's inaugural digital team to adapt and streamline all print and digital editorial content for 16 weekly publications nationwide, as part of the company's national merger with New Times Media.
  • Assisted in overseeing all 16 websites' redesign and content innovation, while merging New Times' brand profile with Village Voice's esteemed legacy.
  • Launched Village Voice Media's second-ever daily news blog as founding managing editor, and created template for all subsequent Village Voice Media blogs.
  • Developed and assisted in content strategy, redesign, and rebranding of entertainment calendar sections for all 16 print publications.
  • Penned 1,500-word weekly column as front-of-the book print columnist for Houston Press, with focus on Hollywood, celebrities, and trends.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Journalism

University of Houston
Houston, TX

Bachelor of Arts - Radio And Television Broadcasting

University of Houston
Houston, TX

Timeline

Freelance Reporter

Houston Chronicle
12.2024 - Current

Editorial Consultant

Various
04.2024 - Current

Freelance Reporter

The New York Times
01.2024 - Current

Creative Consultant / Writer

CNN.com / Courageous Studios / Warner Bros.
08.2017 - 12.2017

Editor-in-Chief (founding EIC; 2009)

CultureMap Houston
01.2017 - 01.2024

Segment Producer / Writer

NFL Network
08.2014 - 02.2015

Editor-in-Chief

Modern Luxury Media
02.2007 - 02.2010

National Digital Team Senior Advisor / Columnist / Managing Editor

Village Voice Media
02.2004 - 01.2007

Bachelor of Arts - Journalism

University of Houston

Bachelor of Arts - Radio And Television Broadcasting

University of Houston

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Steven Devadanam