The Intercept Appoints Ben Muessig as Editor-in-Chief

The Intercept is announcing the appointment of Ben Muessig to the role of editor-in-chief, effective immediately. Muessig, who has been serving in the role in an interim capacity, will lead the organization’s editorial operations and set the strategic vision for coverage. Muessig joined The Intercept in April 2024; prior to that, he served as the assistant managing editor for storytelling at the Los Angeles Times.

“It is a privilege to work with the incredible journalists who make The Intercept such a critical check on power and those who hold it,” Muessig said. “The world needs aggressive and incisive investigative reporting now more than ever.”

As interim editor-in-chief, Muessig has overseen exceptional stories, including the first in-depth examination of AIPAC’s extensive influence over congressional races; the impossibility of accessing adequate medical care in Gaza, such as one patient’s quest to get critically needed HIV medication; a deep dive on the dark money that conservative megadonor Leonard Leo is pouring into law schools; and a scoop about changes to Meta’s content moderation rules that will allow hate speech to proliferate on its platforms. Fearless coverage like this has helped The Intercept achieve unprecedented fundraising success in 2024, setting new records in membership growth while also significantly expanding its base of major donors.

“In an era when powerful institutions seek to constrain public discourse, The Intercept’s mission has never been more vital,” said Annie Chabel, CEO of The Intercept. “Ben will lead the newsroom in producing journalism that challenges power and galvanizes support from our readers so that we can strengthen our organization’s foundation for the long term.”