Guardian News & Media appoints Martin Belam as social and new formats editor
Guardian News & Media has appointed Martin Belam, developer of Trinity Mirror digital sites UsVsTh3m, Ampp3d and Mirror Row Zed, as its social and new formats editor, a newly created role.
Starting 1 February, Belam will lead the creation of an integrated social strategy for the Guardian. He will head up a team who will look to experiment with how the publication reaches additional audiences using new media, as well as developing the publisher’s content off-platform.
His team will work together with the Guardian’s community team who will focus on community management, user generated content and the development of the Guardian’s citizen journalism platform, Guardian Witness.
The social and community teams will form part of the Guardian's editorial audience team and will be led by Mary Hamilton, executive editor of audience.
During his run as editor of new formats for Trinity Mirror, Belam helped develop the football website Row Zed, data journalism site Ampp3d, and virals based site UsVsTh3mas, as well as building a social content team for Mirror Online.
Belam said: "I’m absolutely delighted to be re-joining Guardian News and Media. It’s a fabulous opportunity to look at new ways of digital storytelling and to help the Guardian reach new audiences, all backed with the kind of world-class journalism at the heart of the stories that you expect from the Guardian. I can’t wait to get started."
Belam has previously worked at The Guardian in 2009 when he was head of user experience and information architect. Belam started his career at the BBC where he worked for five years, before moving to Sony for a brief spell in 2006.