Joe Otterson has been promoted to Television News Editor at Variety. In his new role, Otterson will take on more responsibility in overseeing and directing the publication’s television news coverage across digital, print, and video platforms.
He will continue to work closely with Michael Schneider, Variety’s Television Editor, to guide the coverage of this important area. Otterson will also collaborate with other departments on event coverage, investigative reports, series recaps, talent profiles, and entertainment business journalism.
“Joe is such a pleasure to work with as the heart and soul of our TV team,” Schneider said. “He is highly respected in the industry for his integrity and insight into TV shows and talent — especially ‘Cobra Kai.’
And of course, he continues to have the best hair in the business.”
Otterson joined Variety in 2017, following his time at The Wrap. Since then, he has become one of Variety’s most prolific writers, contributing nearly 8,000 stories to the publication. Otterson most recently served as Senior TV Writer. He relocated from Los Angeles to New York in 2021.
“Joe is one of the hardest-working journalists in our newsroom. He has great instincts and is always on top of TV development and industry news. He’s also been a fantastic colleague from day one. He absolutely deserves this promotion,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety’s co-Editors in Chief.
Otterson, a Wisconsin native, began his journalism career covering state politics. His passion for film and television eventually brought him to Hollywood. After a series of internships, he joined The Wrap as a reporter.
Throughout his time at Variety, Otterson has delivered numerous exclusive stories about talent deals and TV development. He has also had the opportunity to interview major industry figures, including Taylor Sheridan and Mel Brooks, the latter of whom is a personal hero to Otterson. He has interviewed Brooks twice during his career.
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