BOB COHN

The Baltimore Banner

As president and CEO of The Baltimore Banner, Bob Cohn has redefined local journalism, proving nonprofit, community-driven reporting can be both impactful and sustainable. Celebrating its third anniversary in June 2025, The Banner has grown to become Maryland’s largest newsroom, employing 85 full-time journalists and expanding its subscriber base by 57% in the past year. Paid readership now includes all 24 Maryland counties and revenue is up 40% year over year.

Cohn brought extensive experience to Baltimore when he joined The Banner in 2024, previously serving as president of The Atlantic and The Economist. As president of The Economist, he led the newspaper’s global consumer business. At The Atlantic, he transformed the magazine from a traditional print monthly into a digitally focused, high-impact news organization. Teams he led won five National Magazine Awards and in 2018, Advertising Age named him Publishing Executive of the Year.

Under Cohn’s leadership, The Banner earned the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in May 2025. The award-winning series, led by reporter Alissa Zhu, uncovered the depth of Baltimore’s drug overdose crisis and the institutional failures contributing to it. The landmark reporting spurred similar investigations across the country and solidified The Banner’s status as a national leader in nonprofit journalism.

Beyond journalism, Cohn is committed to building community and ensuring giving back remains a top priority. Last Christmas, The Banner donated more than 7,000 items to the Maryland Food Bank and partnered with Baltimore Family Alliance, WYPR and the RTL Foundation to adopt 10 families across Baltimore, donating clothes and toys. The Banner launched its BNext Program, which partners Baltimore City’s Youthworks program and Charm Lit Magazine to create more than 15 summer jobs for youth from underserved communities. The program has also provided career exploration opportunities for nearly 200 Baltimore City and County students.

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by information provided by the honorees and other resources. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.