Announcing the Texas Observer’s Editor-in-Chief

Dear friends,

I’ve been struggling to put into words my feelings from the last week: anger, immense sadness, fear, revulsion, all backed by a faint numbness that accompanies being shocked but not surprised by a given outcome. We don’t know the specifics of what will come in the years ahead, but we do know that the intent will be to cause harm.

The highest office in the land will begin pushing disinformation and pointing fingers at those who would seek to counter falsities. A free and independent media must be a stalwart of truth, unwilling to bend to threats of wannabe tyrants.

A strong and clear editorial vision, committed to the values we’ve upheld at the Texas Observer for 70 years, is critical to not only the future of our organization, but the future of Texas and all who live here. That’s why I’m proud to share with you today that Gus Bova has been named Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Observer.

Gus came to the Observer as a reporting intern in 2016, and he joined the staff full-time the following year. As a reporter, Gus covered immigration and the border, labor, the Lege, and houselessness, among other issues impacting Texans. In the last few years, Gus moved into editing as a portion of his job, then stepped into the role full time as interim EIC eight months ago. Gus’ deep knowledge of Texas and its politics, his commitment to investigative reporting that seeks not only to inform but to hold power to account, and his passion for the Observer itself, makes Gus uniquely qualified for the role of EIC in this moment.

I’m honored to have Gus as a partner in this next era of the Texas Observer, one that we cannot enter without the continued support of our readers. If you’re in the Austin area, I hope you’ll consider joining us for our 70th anniversary party on Tuesday, December 3, where you can congratulate Gus in person. If not, please consider making a donation to help ensure the Observer steps into the 47th president’s administration on the strongest footing possible.

With gratitude,

Loren Lynch
Executive Director

Gus in his natural habitat over the years at the Observer (Documentary screenshot, Observer Staff, Ava Leal, Sam DeGrave)

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